What's different...?
Nov 25th 2005, 11:04 am
#31
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: The sunny coast on the other side of the planet
Posts: 596
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by NedKelly
The only culture you get over here is the fungus growing in the bottom of an empty beer bottle that's been left on the grass verge for a month.
Nov 25th 2005, 11:29 am
#32
Banned
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 316
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by The Johnstons
Mmmm. looking forward to the day when my kids will voluntarily get up early 
. Do schools start and finish earlier than here?
TJ
. Do schools start and finish earlier than here?TJ
Nov 25th 2005, 12:01 pm
#33
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: pacific pines
Posts: 4,418
Re: What's different...?
You just adapt,if you can change your lifestyle that is?Its really hard especially when you've lived in one country all your days like i have,I was ready for something new & willing to give it a go,it was bloody hard work but in the end we made it
I used to laugh at others sayin 'oh it'll take you 2 yrs or so to settle,now im eating my words!! not missing family from back home but missing day to day life,what i was used too?
I love it here,hubby is still finding his feet kinda thing? kids love it,but one thing i'll be so glad when this year is over (15th Jan) its just been so exhausting!learning everything from from scratch aint easy.
Donna.
I used to laugh at others sayin 'oh it'll take you 2 yrs or so to settle,now im eating my words!! not missing family from back home but missing day to day life,what i was used too?
I love it here,hubby is still finding his feet kinda thing? kids love it,but one thing i'll be so glad when this year is over (15th Jan) its just been so exhausting!learning everything from from scratch aint easy.
Donna.
Nov 25th 2005, 12:31 pm
#34
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,487
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by Pootle
Probably not the answer you were expecting but just popped into my head! If I say to someone a time such as "half past two" they don't understand me!
Pity the poor Scots here who say weird things like 'the back of two'. Aussies wouldn't have a clue what they were talking about. Even I never understood it. When a meeting is arranged for the 'back of two'
Is that before two? Is it a specific time or just before two, or anytime after two.To all the Scots out there, what does, 'the back of ...' mean?
Nov 25th 2005, 12:47 pm
#35
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: pacific pines
Posts: 4,418
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by A dogs life
Pity the poor Scots here who say weird things like 'the back of two'. Aussies wouldn't have a clue what they were talking about. Even I never understood it. When a meeting is arranged for the 'back of two' Is that before two? Is it a specific time or just before two, or anytime after two.
To all the Scots out there, what does, 'the back of ...' mean?
Is that before two? Is it a specific time or just before two, or anytime after two.To all the Scots out there, what does, 'the back of ...' mean?
Donna.
Nov 25th 2005, 2:59 pm
#36
Alive and boinging!
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Kinross, WA
Posts: 348
Re: What's different...?
The kids voluntarily getting out of bed at 5:30am to walk the dogs to the beach.
The beaches being clean.
Staff in take aways being cheerful.
It being accepted practice for drivers to wait to the last minute before cutting in front of you at freeway exits.
Cheap public transport.
Open house viewings.
Being able to call the locals whinging Aussies when they moan about losing at cricket.
Not watching TV cos it's abysmal.
Not being able to buy booze in supermarkets and most shops being closed on Sundays
etc. etc.
The beaches being clean.
Staff in take aways being cheerful.
It being accepted practice for drivers to wait to the last minute before cutting in front of you at freeway exits.
Cheap public transport.
Open house viewings.
Being able to call the locals whinging Aussies when they moan about losing at cricket.
Not watching TV cos it's abysmal.
Not being able to buy booze in supermarkets and most shops being closed on Sundays
etc. etc.
Nov 25th 2005, 3:23 pm
#37
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by Pootle
Probably not the answer you were expecting but just popped into my head! If I say to someone a time such as "half past two" they don't understand me! It's known as two thirty!! Also dates are eg November 25 and not 25th
Um, I spent 30 years in Australia and never met anyone who didn't know that "half past two" = "two thirty."
I also found that "November 25" and "November 25th" were entirely a matter of personal preference; there was no cultural bias towards one or the other.
Nov 25th 2005, 6:04 pm
#38
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Southampton
Posts: 10
Re: What's different...?
In relation to what is the back of two. It means just after two, and as a Scot living in England I have recently realised how Scottish this saying really is !
Nov 25th 2005, 6:51 pm
#39
Banned
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Gold Coast
Posts: 50
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by fishface
Banks call you by you first name, a lot less formal.
lots of people don't wear shoes in shops and in the streets in the rain!
our hot water tank in Queensland was outside!
nobody believes you when you tell them that some bathrooms have carpet in them in the UK.
supermarkets don't sell alcohol, you have to go to the bottle shop for that, but they have a huge walk in fridge to get all you cold beers and wines from
people get up really early and generally go to bed earlier too, our neighbour used to cut his grass at 6.30 am after his daily 5.45-6.15 am walk.
The builders were banging at 7am. its catching though.
our sons b4 school club opened at 6.30 am too.
generally we found people a lot more layed back and didn't come across that class society thing, everyone spoke to us.
ps in uk ate my work lunch in the car, whilst doin work, it oz sat for an hour by the beach reading a book eating my lunch!!
lots of people don't wear shoes in shops and in the streets in the rain!
our hot water tank in Queensland was outside!
nobody believes you when you tell them that some bathrooms have carpet in them in the UK.
supermarkets don't sell alcohol, you have to go to the bottle shop for that, but they have a huge walk in fridge to get all you cold beers and wines from
people get up really early and generally go to bed earlier too, our neighbour used to cut his grass at 6.30 am after his daily 5.45-6.15 am walk.
The builders were banging at 7am. its catching though.
our sons b4 school club opened at 6.30 am too.
generally we found people a lot more layed back and didn't come across that class society thing, everyone spoke to us.
ps in uk ate my work lunch in the car, whilst doin work, it oz sat for an hour by the beach reading a book eating my lunch!!
very hard to comprehend and do,
anyone else suffering from this-
pubs shutting early..... and having curtesy buses for free!!
culture- plenty of it,, just got to get off your backside and explore what is in front of you.
Nov 25th 2005, 7:00 pm
#40
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by The Johnstons
This is not another "what's better UK or Oz?" thread .
I am not expecting Australia to be Britain-in-the-sun, so to those who have already made the move, what are the biggest cultural adjustments you've had to get used to? I don't mean a drop in salary, just everyday things that you have to do there that you didn't do here, and vice versa. Any gems of wisdom that would help future newbies?
Cheers
TJ
. I am not expecting Australia to be Britain-in-the-sun, so to those who have already made the move, what are the biggest cultural adjustments you've had to get used to? I don't mean a drop in salary, just everyday things that you have to do there that you didn't do here, and vice versa. Any gems of wisdom that would help future newbies?
Cheers
TJ
Nov 25th 2005, 7:15 pm
#41
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 957
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by Tiawamutu
Wine in the morning!
You Alcoholic!
You Alcoholic!
off to get my cup of tea mmmmm
Nov 25th 2005, 8:23 pm
#42
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Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Hillarys, Perth
Posts: 555
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by A dogs life
Pity the poor Scots here who say weird things like 'the back of two'. Aussies wouldn't have a clue what they were talking about. Even I never understood it. When a meeting is arranged for the 'back of two' Is that before two? Is it a specific time or just before two, or anytime after two.
To all the Scots out there, what does, 'the back of ...' mean?
Is that before two? Is it a specific time or just before two, or anytime after two.To all the Scots out there, what does, 'the back of ...' mean?
. I hadn't realised it was a Scottish 'thing' TJ
Nov 25th 2005, 9:26 pm
#43
Rocket Scientist
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Dreamland AKA Brisbane which is a different country to the UK
Posts: 6,911
Re: What's different...?
Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede
Um, I spent 30 years in Australia and never met anyone who didn't know that "half past two" = "two thirty."
I also found that "November 25" and "November 25th" were entirely a matter of personal preference; there was no cultural bias towards one or the other.
Ditto the 25 vs 25th thing, I know some people do drop the th at the end, I would always write 25th anyway, so now you know someone who does it
. Maybe its a Melb thing?
Or you had more of that wine than you are letting on
.
Nov 25th 2005, 11:01 pm
#44
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Gilston, GOLD COAST.
Posts: 1,661
Re: What's different...?
IT seems a lot more laid back, the everyday food shopping is a adventure. The people walk past in the street and say hello but you never get let out of a junction in your car and when you let some one out they never thank you. The drivers over here are suicidal with the way they go from lane to lane :scared: . Every day we have woken up to the birds singing and the sun shinning. Apparently the prices in shops for things like TV's, furniture,washers are only a guide price so get in to the haggle mode. It is a great place
