Australian Stereotypes

Truth be told, we don’t hear a whole lot about the Land Down Under in the United States.

“No,” you argue, “I just saw that Outback Steakhouse commercial for the 5^th time today alone, and Finding Nemo is my favorite movie. I know all about Australian culture! We grew up watching the Crocodile Hunter, right? I expect Australia will be granting me citizenship at any time. Now can we ‘throw some shrimp on the barbie?’”

"Shreeemp on the baaaaaabie" Thanks, Outback Steakhouse. (quality television, culturally accurate)

When it boils down to it, what do we really know about the sunny country? Even I--at the risk of sounding all high and mighty--a geography major in college, have not once studied Australia in school that I can remember. My only understanding of the culture is based on vague stereotypes, a few movies, my uncle’s foreign exchange student Oliver, stories of my family’s travels (lots of opossums, Vegemite, it’s like California in the 1950s, Vegemite, really long semi trucks, Vegemite, and an overall better quality of life) and doing my own research based on personal interest. That limited knowledge is probably more exposure than the average person gets.

Because of the lack of Australian cultural education we have here, I decided that prior to leaving on my trip, I should make a list of things that are undeniably Australian to the American people. A few of them may be true, many of them I know are not, and some of them I have no idea either way. This is in no way a comprehensive list, just a few funny things that popped into my head.

The question that I think is the most important of all, however, is if the toilets really flush the other way. I could Google it, but I’d rather wait and see for myself. I’ll report back to you all. I expect you will be waiting with baited breath. Here goes:

Australian Stereotypes/Perceptions 

• ·      P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sidney
• Just keep swimming.

• ·      “Shrimp on the barbie.”
•  Anyone up for a Bloomin’ Onion?

• ·      They drink a lot and party hard
• ·      Steve Irwin
• I still tear up thinking about him, not going to lie.

• ·      Crocodile Dundee
• I remember being slightly scarred by these movies.

• ·      Sunshine, tan skin
• ·      Surfing, oceans, reefs
• ·      Tough men
• ·      Overall a generally attractive bunch
• ·      Poisonous things lurking EVERYWHERE
• Please don’t let me run into a snake…pleaseeee.

• ·      Uluru/Ayers Rock
• ·      Aboriginal people
• ·      British/Colonial influence
•  A bunch of convicts on a giant island

• ·      They eat weird meat
• Kangaroo, Crocodile and God knows what else.

• ·      The bush/outback
• ·      The Man from Snowy River
• Please say this is true, and that Jim Craig is a real person living right now, but not because then he wouldn’t be THE Jim Craig and…oh, I’m rambling.

• ·      Everyone wears epic looking hats, preferably with a crock tooth hatband.
• ·      Lifeguards wear funny hats.
•  No one cares what their hats look like, because everyone’s too busy trying purposely to get rescued.

• ·      Koalas
• ‘nuff said

• ·      Kangaroos
•  I fully expect that I will shriek with delight the first time I see one in the wild. Yes, I understand that they are to Australians what deer are to us. Sorry in advance, host family! J

• ·      “no worries” attitude.
•  Hakuna Matada 

Participating in snake phobia therapy. (thanks Kelsey) That's my "I'm so terrified it's actually funny" face.

Uh, yeah, that is a super hot "Aussie" barbie with a KOALA HUGGING HER ARM. I just can't compete with that.

This is real!

So, I (aka my mom) just bought a one way plane ticket to Brisbane. Crazy. If I may say so myself, I'm a pretty good deal hunter. I have been doing a lot of research, and finally found a great 1-stop flight for $820! Sounds expensive, but that is CHEAP in comparison to any others out there. I got the ticket on Student Universe, and checked to make sure that I could travel on one of their tickets even after I graduate. The deal is, you just have to be a student when you purchase the ticket, not when you travel. I need to go through some of their other adventures and see if there is anything fun that I should buy before graduation. (Great Barrier Reef anyone?) Also, I have received my visa to work and live in Australia, so I am good to go on that front. That was way easier than I thought, although pretty expensive. It only took 15 minutes from the time I submitted my application until the granted me the visa. Anyways, I'm super excited! 133 days until I leave!

What an au pair is, and how I got the job

First and foremost, for those of you who are wondering what on earth an "au pair" really is, here is your answer:

Au pair is French for "on par." This means that an au pair is not a domestic servant, but rather a person on equal terms with their host family. Duties are generally focused on childcare and light housekeeping. It is a combination of part time nanny and cultural exchange student. Most of the time, the au pair will attend classes in the native language of her host country. This, of course, will not be necessary for me since I'm going to Australia. (Although there is plenty of unintelligible slang. Seriously, they call swimming suits "togs" in Queensland! Where does that even come from?) It is not uncommon for the au pair to cook a few meals, especially for the children. In exchange, she gets room and board, weekly pocket money, and a chance to immerse herself in a new culture. In a good match, an au pair will become a part of her family (like a responsible older sister), and feel very at home in this mutually beneficial situation.

A lot of people are asking me how I got the job as an au pair. There are a lot of different ways you can go about it, but I chose to use the service Au Pair World.  Au Pair World is neat because it is a forum for host families and au pairs to post profiles, and contact each other if they are interested. (It's sort of like online dating for au pairs!) There are also many good agencies out there, but I felt this was the best method for me because I got to make choices about who I talked to, and what matches I felt were right for myself. For the au pairs it's free, while the families pay a small fee for the service. Generally you send a few messages back and forth, and then set up a Skype call. I talked with a lot of families and Skyped for hours on end with people from all over the world. The interviews all went really differently. Some people were intense and really formal, whereas others were much more conversational. I had a lot of choices to make, and so did the families! I was offered a position with a lovely family near York, England, but we both soon learned that it is not possible for Americans to travel to the UK as au pairs. Finally, I "met" the family that I am going to live with in Australia. Instantly, there was a connection, and we got along really well. It's a huge leap of faith for both of us, but I had no doubts about them the way that I did with some of the other families, and did not hesitate to jump right in. I really can't wait to start!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

More on the Sunshine Coast

Here is an excerpt that is from Lonely Planet's Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef book.

"The endless summers and surfer-chic culture of the Sunshine Coast bewitch all who step onto its sandy shores. There's a wholesomeness to the Sunny Coast that's as natural and unaffected as its idyllic surf beaches and balmy sea breezes. Early mornings see a steady flow of surfers, joggers, cyclists and walkers making the most of the beach scene and cappuccino culture."

Hello!

Hi everyone!

I'm very excited to announce that I will be embarking on the journey of a lifetime this July. I am moving to Australia's Sunshine Coast to work as an au pair for an absolutely lovely family. Since I have never been to Australia before, this will be quite an adventure. I'm really looking forward to saying farewell to the constant Oregon rain and hello to the sunny beach life, making lifelong friends in the process! What could be better? This blog will be updated with photos and stories for all of my friends and family back home. I will miss you all very much!
xoxo
Alex

 Image: Google Maps

Mooloolaba Beach

Image: lavidaocean.com