honeybob

We went to our friends last Friday, house full of people, I'm drinking red wine, partner looking for a Carlton Extra Dry... Someone gave him an ice cold bottle and apologised for it not being 'warm'! No apology needed, why would they think otherwise? Oh, because us Poms like our beer warm, or so they thought... They were serious too, honestly!..... Has anyone else experienced this?

Why would anyone drink WARM beer? It's up there with supporting 'Sunderland', so i've been told.............

hevs

I think it has to do with the "bitter" side of things

TopCat3

Same old ...same old...they keep recycling these old "jokes" (bagging, they call it), year after year. Another one is being asked if you've had your weekly bath yet this week. Making a laughing stock of you in the crowd if you say "lorry" instead of truck or "greengrocer" instead of fruit-shop. WE need a yawning smiley. This'll do for now

Pollyana

My brother-on-law is horrified that I drink beer kept in a cupboard, not in the fridge. He doesn't seem to understand that as the cupboard is in a cold bit of the house, the beer is cold anyway. Put it in the fridge, its like ice!! When we go to his place I leave the beer for a while to warm up before I can bear to drink it, or it makes my teeth hurt!!!

Lots of Aussies also seem to think that we should be walking round in t-shirts when its cold, cos we should be "used to it". I keep pointing out that being used to it, means you know how to cope and the best way to cope is by wearing more clothes, rather than turning up in shorts and moaning all day!!!
========================
Personal rant to get something out of my system now - had my first bit of anti-Pom racism at work this week. A lady (NOT Aussie-born, but from Eastern Europe, been here years though) assumed that in the UK we write the date as the US does (mm/dd/yyyy). I was asked to deliver a document, not typed by me. When she saw it she went off the deep end, yelling that she didn't want any of my "filthy Pommy habits" and I should learn to do things the "proper way" now I'm here. Once I established she was talking about the date, I said a) I didn't type it, and b) Poms write it the same as the Aussies do! She told me "not to be so stupid, you idiot Poms write the date backwards, we all know that, now stop the dirty habit and learn to do it properly". I'd like to think she was joking but she wasn't, she was deadly serious. Even after being told that I had been writing the date for the best part of 40 years, she still insisted that Poms are stupid and write it the other way.
If I'd had a warm beer I'd have thrown it at her!!!

MistySunshine

Did anyone else hear this???

TopCat3

Yes, this constitutes workplace harrassment and depending on the seriousness of the incident, can be a dismissable offence and certainly one that would result in formal warning/counselling in many companies, particularly the larger "blue chip" organisations. As well, harrassment isn't about intent, nor even about offence taken by the "victim". If an onlooker is offended - it's harrassment.

I think this resentment of "poms" is quite deeply entrenched and is a subtle undercurrent in many, many areas. It really does take time to realise this, I found.Lots of seemingly little things here and there over a long time.

Guess I should duck for cover. Do I hear a badger approaching?

Pollyana

Have to say its the first time in 18 months here that I have had any sort of comment like that - and it probably stood out more because everyone else has been so much the other way, really friendly and welcoming. An Aussie fellow worker who overheard it, was horrified, and I know she will complain to the boss of the lady concerned. I shall also be making an informal complaint through my own boss. If it happens again,or if I hear she has treated anyone else the same, then I will get serious.
For now though I accept its just part of life as an immigrant, this resentment is entrenched with many Aussies as you say, and I could be getting far worse. (sticks and stones break bones, and all that....)

soapy©

now u know how to warm your beer up polly, ram it up her arse

Pollyana

Thats the second time this week I've woken The Bloke up by laughing aloud at a comment on the forum! Thanks Soapy, like it!!!

soapy©

oops sorry again pal

Pollyana

Thats ok, didn't tell him it was you, and he has already rolled over and started snoring again!
Won't be able to look at the silly bint at work without seeing the image of the beer can now.......!!!!

soapy©

see, i would now start to write everything the wrong way, ask bix hes an expert on it...or isnt he on no. now im lost

renth

Hey, don't let it lie. It will continue and unless this person is brought to book. It might not be to you next time but maybe someone else getting called an "abbo, nigger or chink".

Speak to HR or your union rep.