Hi everyone "how ya going?"
Whenever you go into a shop or restaurant you will be asked this, never "how ya doing?" I haven't got used to that, how do I respond? "I am going fine thank you" - it just doesn't feel right.
I love how we have so much in common and yet so many idiosyncrasies too.
One thing for sure is that the weather forecast is NEVER wrong, if it says 40 degrees and baking you better believe it, if it says hail stones as big as golf balls, don't even think about hedging your bets. I love the fact that the forecast is always right, makes planning so much easier.
It make me chuckle when sausages are sometimes referred to as "Mystery Bags", well lets face it, do we really know what they put in them? We just know that grilled with a full English or wedged in a finger roll with fried onions and ketchup they are "bottler" (excellent).
The Aussies do have a drink problem but it is definitely not alcohol. It is coffee, I think this must be akin to the US because you can get a coffee, anywhere, everywhere 24/7. Even the most bizarre places will sell coffee, there is absolutely no excuse here to miss out on a caffeine fix should you ever need one. Like the States they come in every variety, flavour and size imaginable. You really need a University degree to work the menu and I have worked out a "Flat White" works for me!
I have discovered its not that hard to understand the Aussie lingo. On the whole, you just have to do two things:
1. Cut the word in half
2. Add "O" or "IE" and you're practically born and bred!
Ambo/Ambulance
Firies/Fireman
Postie/Postman
Bities/Insects that bite
Smoko/Ciggie/coffee break
Avos/ Avocados
Cockies/ Cockatoos or Cockroaches (context required)
Pokies/ Poker machines/fruit machines
Handie/A beer (ok thats an odd one!)
Chrissie/Chritmas
Servo/Service Station
Relo or Rellie/Relatives
Garbo/Bin man
Other words are not so obvious however:
I saw a sign in a dry cleaners, "Special Offer this week on Doonas", what the hell is that? Doona is a Duvet.
Doovalacky is the word used where we use thingamebob or thingamejig. Good that one eh?
Bogan is a scruffy, chav type character.
This one really makes me go euuughhh and chuckle at the same time; a Bush Oyster is a snotty nose, think about it!
A Bitzer is a mongrel dog, a Heinz 57, made up of a "bitz a this and bitz a that".
If something is Cactus, then it is truly dead. Like the squished Possum I saw on the road the other day.
We say "ta ra" they say "hoo roo"
So it's "hoo roo" from me now cos I am off to say "How you going?" to my "Bitzer"and take him a few "Mystery Bags" and some huge Momma cuddles.
It's only 5 days to go before we can climb under the "Doona" togeva but don't tell Poppa!
Whenever you go into a shop or restaurant you will be asked this, never "how ya doing?" I haven't got used to that, how do I respond? "I am going fine thank you" - it just doesn't feel right.
I love how we have so much in common and yet so many idiosyncrasies too.
One thing for sure is that the weather forecast is NEVER wrong, if it says 40 degrees and baking you better believe it, if it says hail stones as big as golf balls, don't even think about hedging your bets. I love the fact that the forecast is always right, makes planning so much easier.
It make me chuckle when sausages are sometimes referred to as "Mystery Bags", well lets face it, do we really know what they put in them? We just know that grilled with a full English or wedged in a finger roll with fried onions and ketchup they are "bottler" (excellent).
The Aussies do have a drink problem but it is definitely not alcohol. It is coffee, I think this must be akin to the US because you can get a coffee, anywhere, everywhere 24/7. Even the most bizarre places will sell coffee, there is absolutely no excuse here to miss out on a caffeine fix should you ever need one. Like the States they come in every variety, flavour and size imaginable. You really need a University degree to work the menu and I have worked out a "Flat White" works for me!
I have discovered its not that hard to understand the Aussie lingo. On the whole, you just have to do two things:
1. Cut the word in half
2. Add "O" or "IE" and you're practically born and bred!
Ambo/Ambulance
Firies/Fireman
Postie/Postman
Bities/Insects that bite
Smoko/Ciggie/coffee break
Avos/ Avocados
Cockies/ Cockatoos or Cockroaches (context required)
Pokies/ Poker machines/fruit machines
Handie/A beer (ok thats an odd one!)
Chrissie/Chritmas
Servo/Service Station
Relo or Rellie/Relatives
Garbo/Bin man
Other words are not so obvious however:
I saw a sign in a dry cleaners, "Special Offer this week on Doonas", what the hell is that? Doona is a Duvet.
Doovalacky is the word used where we use thingamebob or thingamejig. Good that one eh?
Bogan is a scruffy, chav type character.
This one really makes me go euuughhh and chuckle at the same time; a Bush Oyster is a snotty nose, think about it!
A Bitzer is a mongrel dog, a Heinz 57, made up of a "bitz a this and bitz a that".
If something is Cactus, then it is truly dead. Like the squished Possum I saw on the road the other day.
We say "ta ra" they say "hoo roo"
So it's "hoo roo" from me now cos I am off to say "How you going?" to my "Bitzer"and take him a few "Mystery Bags" and some huge Momma cuddles.
It's only 5 days to go before we can climb under the "Doona" togeva but don't tell Poppa!
Mrs T-J, I wished I had met you before you moved down under as I don't live far from your old home but I never made it for a treatment! I have followed your blog for a long long time, my favourite blog of all time was the one about friends, I too have made and lost friends at different times of my life. I am sure you will make lots of new friends in your new home. I follow radders, I adore him! It looks like he will be coming home soon. You look so so well from your photographs, loving that you blog more - it gets me through my day! xx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting. I can also assure you that comments like yours really make my day too, if people enjoy reading half as much as I love writing then it has to be a win/win - thank you xxx
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