Australia can be a quite diverse place for newcomers. Even if one arrived here to live permanently or simply to tour the country on an Australian ETA visa, you will definitely be amazed by the myriad of people here. And if you are American, you are likely be amazed even further at how these people get along with each other. Let's face it, Americans can be quite dumbfounded as to how other cultures work. Thus, it is not uncommon to find them amazed, and sometimes shocked, at the different social norms that they Encounter when traveling abroad. And this is, in fact, very true of Americans coming to Australia, where most of the people are Caucasians like them. Thus, for Americans visiting or planning to live in Australia, here are some reminders that can help you in adjusting to life in Australia. These can also be quite handy for avoiding some rather embarrassing situations. Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.
First thing you probably need to sort out are the conventions needed for day to day activities. One such important convention is measurement. Here in Australia, the people use the more common metric system. This isn't much of an issue nowadays though, since the metric system of measurement is also fast becoming popular for daily use in the US. Another thing that you might likely get confused of are the seasons. Since the US and Australia are in the opposite sides of the globe (the US is in the northern hemisphere while Australia lies down south). So, don't be surprised to see summer skies instead of white snow this coming Christmas season (which is, by the way, very near). However, after just a few months stay, you will likely get used to it. More important then learning about local conventions is learning how to interact with the locals themselves. You will be quite surprised to find out that Australians know more about Americans and American culture than you do about them. Thus in order to prepare yourself, be sure to read plenty about Australian culture. Also try watching some Australian films to get a better feel of local customs, Crocodile Dundee is one of the best recommends that Australians will give you (seriously). Also note that Aussies are very fond of conversations as a way to socialize or simply pass time. So be sure to carry a lot of material with you, to engage in a good chat with your friends. One thing to watch out for is that Australians are highly sensitive about negative remarks regarding their country, so you need to watch out what you say. You might also need to brush up on your know how of the Australian language. Though both of you talks in English, you might be shocked as to how different Australian English is. One thing that you would likely notice is that Australians use a lot of slang in their speech. Be sure to carry around a handy pocket dictionary with you, so that you wouldn't end scratching your head as to what your new Aussie pal is saying.
First thing you probably need to sort out are the conventions needed for day to day activities. One such important convention is measurement. Here in Australia, the people use the more common metric system. This isn't much of an issue nowadays though, since the metric system of measurement is also fast becoming popular for daily use in the US. Another thing that you might likely get confused of are the seasons. Since the US and Australia are in the opposite sides of the globe (the US is in the northern hemisphere while Australia lies down south). So, don't be surprised to see summer skies instead of white snow this coming Christmas season (which is, by the way, very near). However, after just a few months stay, you will likely get used to it. More important then learning about local conventions is learning how to interact with the locals themselves. You will be quite surprised to find out that Australians know more about Americans and American culture than you do about them. Thus in order to prepare yourself, be sure to read plenty about Australian culture. Also try watching some Australian films to get a better feel of local customs, Crocodile Dundee is one of the best recommends that Australians will give you (seriously). Also note that Aussies are very fond of conversations as a way to socialize or simply pass time. So be sure to carry a lot of material with you, to engage in a good chat with your friends. One thing to watch out for is that Australians are highly sensitive about negative remarks regarding their country, so you need to watch out what you say. You might also need to brush up on your know how of the Australian language. Though both of you talks in English, you might be shocked as to how different Australian English is. One thing that you would likely notice is that Australians use a lot of slang in their speech. Be sure to carry around a handy pocket dictionary with you, so that you wouldn't end scratching your head as to what your new Aussie pal is saying.
