Nobody says "g'day", with "mate" tagged on the end or not. The only people whom I have heard say this refer to it as something Americans think Australians say.
"Shrimp on the barbie"? No. Shrimp are prawns. Full stop.
I am the only person who says "no worries" here. Myself and then some people respond in kind.
Vegemite is a thing, for sure, but I don't see anybody eat it. Nobody has it on hand.
Most Aboriginal People live in Sydney and in other urban areas. So far, including last summer, I have seen maybe three Aboriginal People; that is, I am only sure one person whom I thought was Aboriginal was indeed.
Knives actually ARE spoons. (This was actually a pleasant surprise.)
[The rest will be in the forms of lies that I either (a.) at one time believed or (b.) had told to me as truths by marauding Australians]:
Kangaroos are so numerous, they not only outnumber people, but they can be seen hopping through the streets in suburban areas on a weekly basis.
Dropbears, are externally identical to koalas, but have a sinister and potentially fatal secret: when an unsuspecting tourist wanders beneath them in their tree lairs, they drop, as their name suggests, and... Well, you can imagine the rest.
The golden eagle is the largest and most majestic species of eagle in the world and will, if you are nice enough, allow you to ride on its back.
Tasmania is populated solely by inbred morons.
Australians know more about American history and culture than Americans. (No wait... that's mostly true.)
and...
"Kangaroo," "wallaby," "Wooloomooloo," "Dubbo," "Gerrongong," etc. All these names of animals and places derived from Aboriginal words really just mean: "fuck off," "I don't know what you're talking about," "what?" "Come again, white devil?" and so forth.
But don't for a minute think I am actually disappointed. Whenever you get to know something more intimately, the myths start to peel away and you see if more for what it is, albeit with less twitterpation.
More to come soon. I need more followers...
ha ha ha ha :) I just HAD to comment on this one because I think I am having a very different experience from you. My TASMANIAN boyfriend who is not an inbred (i think;) ) says g'day, mate and no worries all the time... and he actually really like vegemite to the point that he has found a gluten free version for his sensitive self... my roommates also eat the stuff by the jar full... :) I think you are having a more sophisticated experience of Australia than I am (minus the kangaroos in town) :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Wow. I guess I have put my foot in my mouth, haven't I?
ReplyDeleteIn fact, just after I posted this one, I started hearing all these people say "no worries". The others have still for the most part been true of Sydney--I don't know about you bogans up there in QLD... jk jk