Sep 2008

If someone refers to The Gap in Sydney, they’re most likely not talking about dressing their kids in preppy clothing or khakis. They may perhaps be referring to the hazardous gap between Sydney trains and platforms. Or perhaps they are comparing the gap in size between their Chihuahua and their neighbor’s Great Dane. OR they could be referring to something else entirely…

Let’s rewind to about two weeks after we arrived in Sydney. See, at about that point, Megan and I were still seeing quite a bit of each other and jointly experienced the unfortunate state of boredom. Moving to a foreign city is bound to be fun, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be right at the first. After settling in, finding a place to live, and beginning our job searches, we had not yet made friends or become familiar enough with our surroundings to know what to do or where to go, particularly after mid-afternoon. (Things close earlier here than they do in the States, despite being in the middle of a city.) After realizing that Megan and I deal with boredom in decidedly different and potentially mutually annoying ways, we determined that something had to be done. And so, armed with our daypacks and good walking shoes, we bought travel passes, allowing us complete access to Sydney’s trains, busses, and ferries for one week. Of course, we didn’t have a clue as to where we were actually going to go, but it turned out to be quite the travel memory in and of itself. Throughout the next several days, we developed a short-lived habit of hopping on and off random buses and ferries without a care as to where they were headed – only making certain that we had a way back. This is the way we first discovered most of the places in Sydney that I described in my Sydney Suburbs posting, including my first ferry view of the Opera House.

On that very first day, we took a bus to a pretty place we later discovered to be Watson’s Bay. Complete with green grass, jagged cliffs, sparkling blue ocean meeting the horizon, and even a little lighthouse on the cliff, it was made for Melanie to visit, yes? I think yes! What made this trip memorable, however, was Megan’s venture over the fence and onto the cliffs themselves. I wasn’t keen to join her (I love life, thank you very much), but as she was set on it, I agreed to take video and pictures. What I didn’t count on was hearing the comments of every person walking past. Bits of conversation such as “foolish girl,” “can’t believe anyone would…” and “did you hear someone died out there?” were enough to cause me to urge her back into the land of the safe and the sane. She’s fine, of course, but the interesting part came a bit later when we relayed our story and pictures to our Aussie roommates back home and Jessica exclaimed wide-eyed, “I think you went to The Gap!”

Apparently The Gap is an Australian cliff where many people have been killed or committed suicide. Saying someone “went to The Gap” is basically another way of saying someone met a tragic and untimely death.

Megan is not allowed on the other side of any kind of fence ever, ever, ever again.

Even if the view is to die for. (Pun not originally intended...but if it can't be used now, then when?)

And now it’s time for a few of my random observations:

* Walking the streets of Sydney is like walking into a Robin Hood movie. No joke. I think I mentioned before the tights, but the fashion also seems to be to wear them with big boots and sweaters or dresses with belts, plus hats. If not Robin Hood era, it’s definitely an updated version of the ‘80’s. Oh, and in case you thought you men were in the clear, I just saw an advertisement for a new line of tights for men. Yeah, that’s right. Run! Run far away before the trend gets all you guys I know and love!!!

* I've heard that Americans are perceived as loud by other countries, and while I cannot stand generalizations, I've never before thought of myself as being in that category...and truly, I still don't. But wow - Australians sure are quiet! And by quiet, I don't mean that they never speak or raise a ruckus. Oh, no. I mean the volume of their voices while engaged in normal conversation. When the locals say something to me in an accent, with Aussie slang and their shortened versions of words, all in just above a whisper...well, it's already made for a few mistaken messages. At least I can tell they're talking by the moving lips - you've no idea what a help that indicator has been. Now to be fair, I have met more of the Aussies lately who favor spending Saturday nights in trendy cafes & bookstores and therefore probably prefer the quieter lifestyle, so it is not true of all Aussies... but it's true of quite a few!

* Men here aren’t afraid to hold cute little flower-patterned teacups. Hmm…as opposed to some nameless American men who refuse to set foot inside a tea parlor in the States… (And I’m talking about the tough-looking guys, not the tights-wearing ones).

* I gave someone directions!!! And I was able to give tips for a good afternoon in Sydney! And to recommend the best way to get places! And to recognize street names and rail stops and know where they are without looking at a map! I’m adjusting to life in the city, and it took one conversation with a newbie to the area to realize just how much I’ve learned. I’ve much, much more to learn, however…so don’t get too excited for me yet.

Poll of the Audience

I’m working on my travel plans for seeing more of Australia in October. (Updates to follow as I finalize my plans.) But it’s time for a poll:

Melanie would like to do all of the following, but as time and money are a factor, some may need to be eliminated from the itinerary. If you were her, which would you do no matter what?

* Skydiving in Cairns
* Shark Diving near Sydney
* Scuba Diving the Great Barrier Reef
* Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge
* Ballooning in Cairns
* Jungle Surfing near Cape Tribulation (in which she is attached by a harness to a zip line and “flies” through the rainforest)
* Zorbing on the Gold Coast (in which she is rolled down a hill in a giant plastic bubble)

Life's been busy since I started working in Sydney, but more updates on my life here are to come shortly! I love and miss you all!

Can you understand this sentence? “My mate’s gone walkabout, and we were supposed to get chocka on capps and sammies this arvo at footy!” Well, I can! Translation: “I can’t find my friend, and we were supposed to fill up on coffee and sandwiches this afternoon at the football game!”

Now, to anyone else, the translation of such a mediocre sentence such as the one above would not be cause for celebration. But I think I deserve a cuppa tea for the accomplishment! Maybe even a chockie capp!

So you want to learn to talk like an Australian? I’ve yet to master the accent, other than basic observations such as the fact that Aussies love their T’s and Arizonans love their R’s. I’m tempted to give up on trying to pronounce the Aussie “o” as in “no,” but I’m too stubborn. Even the knowledge that I’m doomed to fail cannot deter me – I’ve still got three months to fail before I get it right! In the meantime, I’ll give you a few pointers on word choice:

* Want ketchup? Ask for tomato sauce.

* Want silverware? Ask for a serviette.

* Want fries? Chips is what they’re called both here and in England, but people aren’t picky. Half the places list them as fries anyway, so no worries – call them what you want.

* Responding to someone’s “thank you”? Any of the following will do: “No worries,” “Cheers,” or the simpler “Ta.”

* Didn’t understand what someone said? A simple “what?” is uncouth. Saying “pardon?” will keep you on the right side of the polite police.

* “How ya goin’ mate?” isn’t asking whether you’re taking the bus. Proper response: “orright.”

* “How ya findin’ it?” isn’t asking if you found your missing keys. Proper response: “orright.”

* Don’t say “ah-LOOM-i-num.” People won’t have a clue what you’re talking about. Here aluminum is aluminium, pronounced “al-u-MIN-ee-um.”

Note: If someone says you’ve got kangaroos loose in the top paddock or that the lift doesn’t go to the top floor, they’re insulting your intellectual adequacy. Now that you’re up on your Australian phrasing, that shouldn’t be the case.

In other news, I found a treasure trove of U.S. junk food the other day when I found upon a store across from the Queen Victoria Building that sells candies, etc. from the US, UK, & New Zealand. Some of the foods they carry and which many Aussies I’ve talked to have never tasted or have never even heard of:

* Root beer

* Reese’s peanut butter cups

* Graham crackers

* Hershey’s chocolate syrup

* S’mores gets an honorable mention here, even though they technically did not carry them in the store. I was flabbergasted when I mentioned S’mores around the campfire at my Jillaroo school and was met with a dozen blank faces. I’m not saying the States has it all together, but to not have the wonderful goodness of S’mores in your country? Why, it’s a tragedy worse than Romeo & Juliet and the saggy jeans fad put together!

Also interesting to note, there are a few foods that Aussies have but that taste different. Two examples: Aussie mayonnaise tastes more like Miracle Whip, and Aussie marshmallows are sweeter; to me, they taste like those sugar-coated marshmallow peeps.

And there you have it! You are on your way to talking and eating like a genuine Australian!!!