Random bits

A few nights ago, I read over nearly all of my blogs since being in Australia and I realized how much I've done and learned since I've been here. I also ran across a mistake or two. Number one, because it's been bugging me, Mt. Panorama is not, as previously stated, 11 miles long. Granted, I would like to think I walked that far the day I wrote about it, but alas, there was undoubtedly a mistake in the calculation. The track is not 11, but more like 3 or 4 miles long. Yes, I know, big mistake on my part. I'd like to think of it more as an exaggeration for purposes of good storytelling...not unlike the common fishing story. HOWEVER, I do promise that I was told it was most definitely 11 miles long, so not totally my fault.

Moving on, you may have noticed I added a line to the "Australian slang" column. Although I will never understand why, dinner here is also referred to as "tea," even when tea is not involved. When I first heard people talk about going out for "tea" on a special occasion, I wondered how much fun that could be, but now it makes sense.

Along the same lines, there is no tipping in Australia. If service is just THAT great that you HAVE to tip, then by all means, go ahead and try, but for the most part, tipping is defunct. (I'm pretty sure that word implies that something must have previously been in existence and I don't think tipping here ever was, but I like the word anyway). I guess waiters and waitresses just get paid better. It is pretty nice not to do percent math in your head at the end of a meal. Actually, I usually bust out the "tip" function on my cell phone...

Speaking of prices and such, gas is really expensive here. It's measured in liters, but converted to gallons, it would be something like $4 a gallon. Yuck. If gas were that expensive at home, I would buy a moped. (Not really because getting to work downtown would be a pain and a half...and I think I'd look silly).

Next on my list of things I wanted to mention but don't fit into a transition, the pronunciation and spelling over here is something to get used to. "H" is pronounced "hay-ch," "z" is pronounced "zed" and things are still spelled with an "ou" as in "flavour" or "colour." Plus, certain words are spelled with a "c" instead of a "s," such as "defence." Oh, and Q tips are called "cotton tips." The first time I said Q tip, no one knew what I was talking about. I don't know why we call them that either. Where's the Q?

Last weekend, our dorm went on a pub run. All the dorms do it and to my knowledge, I'm the only one from my dorm who was here and didn't go. #1. I can't imagine drinking at 5:30 in the morning and going all day, #2. it sounded pretty terrible to me and #3. I didn't want to pay for it. But I thought I should mention it because it's a big deal here and everyone who's anyone goes. That makes me a nobody I guess, but in this case I'm fine with that.

Last but most certainly not least, a girl from my dorm, Dale, studied abroad in Wilmington last year and just went back to America over break. I asked her how it was and she was SO excited about Myrtle Beach and putt-putt. I saw pictures from her vacation and it was funny because at home, I probably wouldn't take a picture of half that stuff, but I can see why she'd take a picture if she's not from there. I'm sure people think the same about me. I mean, I've taken pictures of playground equipment and street signs.

Oh wait, I lied; that's not last. I just thought of something else. I also went to the Bible study tonight and Pete went as well. It's always fun to have Australians ask questions about America and hear their take on things. Apparently, a lot of people think of Australia as a big Christian continent, but that's not at all the impression I've gotten. We talked about the ways religions are different and more or less prevalent in the States compared to Australia. There seem to be a lot more Christians and church-attenders in the States, but at the same time there are always those who are Christians on Sunday and whoever they want to be the rest of the week. One guy was saying that Christianity is allowed to be talked about in schools over here, but yet there seems to be less people who know about the religion, whereas in the States, we don't talk about religion in public school, but a lot of people are brought up a certain way because of their families or churches. One guy in the study group said he thinks it's different because most people went to America to escape religious persecution and had to fight for who we wanted to be. There was a joke about Australians coming over as drunken convicts, but it was all in good humor. I really enjoy the group and being around the people here. Very interesting stuff. Something to be missed...