Language barrier is a major reality of studying abroad. Whether traveling to an English speaking country or not, every culture invents its own vocabulary and slang. Take America for example: chances are if you live in California and visit New York, you may not know what "brick" means (brick = cold, by the way). While the language barrier in America may not be as drastic and confusing as visiting another country, it still exists. Over time I have grown accustomed to the unconventional lexicon of Australia. However, this adaptation did not come without strife and (loads of) miscommunication. Australians love to shorten every word they can. And I mean, literally, every word. Additionally, quirky phrases are abundant in every day rhetoric. A typical conversation between an Australian and me usually amounts to me asking "what?" more than once - either because of them talking too fast, their thick accent, their use of the language, or a mixture of the three (which happens way more frequently than you would expect). I have compiled an in-depth "Australian language for Americans" list of common words and phrases I hear frequently.
As you can probably tell, it takes a while to adjust to hearing these words and phrases daily. Just imagine them being said in a thick Australian accent - it is quite entertaining yet confusing all at once. Living with a bunch of Australians and other international students is one of the best experiences ever; we are all deeply fascinated with each others cultures. We have many informatory sessions where we will spend way too much time dissecting the differences between each culture. We have come to the realization that English culture is most like Australian, and American culture is a bit further away from the two. In addition to learning Aussie slang, my Australian friends have gotten me to try a variety of popular Australian foods. To name a few...
The best part of living here is exploring the Australian culture by far. It is so interesting to reflect on my time and realize how little I knew about this country prior to living here. I love this country - it is really hard not to. And you will too once you get to Target and eat a Tim Tam. Absolutely life-changing. xoxo, Samantha
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AuthorHi, I'm Sam. Welcome to my blog! Archives
September 2018
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