I've been itching to update, but since I have to pay for the internet right now I've been avoiding anything of substance (news, blogs, everything that I actually have to read). I have a half-hour to kill because I wasn't paying attention and went over from the first pay-point by two minutes. Lucky for you!
This week I was feeling a bit off because the cultural differences have started to hit me. That, coupled with my current inability to easily contact home, has been frustrating. Before I left I acknowledged that there would be some culture shock, but honestly, going to another country where there are a bunch of English speakers doesn't really conjure up images traditionally aligned with culture shock.
It's a completely different world. To start (and it's only the start) the language is technically English, but it's not. At all. Everything is slang. For instance, the Melbourne Cricket Ground is called the MCG. Alright, that's fair enough. The thing is, no one calls it the MCG. It's the G. Shortening the shortened version! They even say that on the news, where you'd think formal names would most come into play. It's strange as.
You read that right, strange as. There is nothing missing at the end of the sentence. It's hot as, or random as, or tired as. Sentence are cut in half!
I reckon there are heaps of little sayings that I could write. I may not be too keen on the phrasing as of yet, but give me a few weeks. Soon enough, you won't be able to understand me!
Questionnaire for everyone who stopped talking to me
5 months ago
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4 comments:
Oh that cracks me up! I know EXACTLY how you feel. When I moved here I thought it would be so easy since it was an English speaking country. But no way. These people might as well be speaking Japanese. I'm used to it now, but at least a couple of time a week I hear something I haven't heard before, a new slang word or phrase. Lazy Aussies. I kinda like it though. :-)
Isn't it funny how two places can speak the same language, but still have totally different speech patterns? I went through this same exact thing moving from the states to England.
It IS a different language here. I feel guilty a LOT because I have to ask people to repeat themselves often and they get really annoyed. "What you can't understand English?" I just smile - "No, I just can't understand YOU." haha!
haha! After about 3 months of living in NZ (a few years ago) I sent an email home saying "heaps", "reckon" and a bunch of other slang without even thinking about it. My family laughed at me pretty badly.
Also, I so know how you feel re: the culture shock. I was a lot more prepared for it this time around, but since I consider Melbourne home, I find it hard that everyone considers me a visitor because of my accent!
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