You know you're Australian when...

French Maiden

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Yesterday - 26th January - was Australia day. I live in Western Australia, we are experiencing a heat wave atm.
Yesterday we had a temperature of 44 degrees celcuis (111.2 degrees Fahrenheit).

I am eleventh generation Australian on my dad's side. I'm proud to be an Australian. I'm proud to stake claim over the Platypus - the worlds weirdest creature. To know that the koala is NOT a bear. To have the only 2 marsulials that lay eggs living on my continent.

Thought I'd share this, I dont know who it was originally written by, but it was posted to my facebook wall:


YOU KNOW YOU'RE AUSTRALIAN WHEN: You believe that stubbies can either be drunk or worn. You've made a bong out of your garden hose rather than use it for something illegal such as watering the garden. You understand that the phrase 'a group of women wearing black thongs' refers to footwear and may be less alluring than...... it sounds. You pronounce Melbourne as 'Mel-bin'. You believe the 'l' in the word 'Australia' is optional. You can translate: 'Dazza and Shazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Maccas'. You call your best friend 'a total bastard' but someone you really, truly despise is just 'a bit of a bastard'. You think 'Woolloomooloo' is a perfectly reasonable name for a place. You're secretly proud of our killer wildlife. You believe it makes sense for a country to have a $1 coin that's twice as big as its $2 coin. You understand that 'Wagga Wagga' can be abbreviated to 'Wagga' but 'Woy Woy' can't be called 'Woy'. You believe that cooked down axle grease makes a good breakfast spread - you've squeezed it through Vita Wheats to make little Vegemite worms. You believe all famous Kiwis are actually Australian, until they stuff up,at which point they again become Kiwis. Beetroot with your Hamburger... of course! You know that certain words must, by law, be shouted out during any rendition of the Angels' song 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again' And 'Living next door to Alice'. You wear ugg boots outside the house. You believe that every important discovery in the world was made by an Australian but then sold off for a pittance. You believe that the more you shorten someone's name the more you like them. Whatever your linguistic skills, you find yourself able to order takeaway fluently in every Asian language. You understand that 'excuse me' can sound rude, While 'scuse me' is always polite. You know what it's like to swallow a fly, on occasion via your nose. You know it's not summer until the steering wheel is too hot to handle and a seat belt buckle becomes a pretty good branding iron. Your biggest family argument over the summer concerned the rules for beach cricket. You shake your head in horror when companies try to market what they call 'Anzac Cookies'. You still think of Kylie as 'that girl off Neighbours'. When working in a bar, you understand male customers will feel the need to offer an excuse whenever they order low-alcohol beer. You know how to abbreviate every word, all of which usually end in "o": arvo, combo, garbo, kero, lezzo, metho, milko, muso, rego, servo, smoko, speedo, righto, goodo etc... You know that there is a universal place called 'woop woop' located in the middle of nowhere, no matter where you actually are! You know that none of us actually drink Fosters beer, because it tastes like piss. You sleep with Aeroguard on in the summer and don't mind it as a perfume. You've only ever used the words - tops, ripper, sick, mad, sweet, to mean "good" and when you place 'bloody' in front of it then you really mean it. You know that the barbecue is a political arena. You say 'no worries' quite often, whether you realise it or not. You understand what no wucking furries means. You've drank your tea/coffee/milo through a Tim Tam. You own a Bond's chesty - in several different colors. You know that some people pronounce Australia like "Straya" and that's ok. And you will immediately forward this list to other Australians, here and overseas, realising that only they will understand! Aussie Aussie Aussie.!!

I am Australian and I am proud to be one!
 

Mumut

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Well done, French Maiden. I'm a first generation Aussie - came here in 1964 at age 20. Spent Australia Day cut off by flood water just north of Brisbane. I've worked on a cattle station in the Northern Territory that was half the size of Wales and home to 12 white people and a small trible of nomadic aboriginals. It rained twice the year I was there - a bit different to the UK!!

And I'm a very proud Aussie too. Thnks for your post - good on ya!
 

Chase

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I echo the "well done." I enjoy reading pride which doesn't have to put down other peoples and places.

Much of what you said and how you said it brings back a terrific time when a group of Aussie physical therapists (calling themselves "physical terrorists") came to work a while at our small Montana hospital and brought a bit of "Straya" with them.
 

AFord

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Thanks for the good read (lots of interesting and informative stuff within your facebook posting). Have never tried Foster's beer, but absolutely love their commercials--great stuff. Had an opportunity years ago to actually spend a Summer with a few Australians at a camp resort for youngsters in Waterville, Maine, memorable times and great people. You have every right to be proud--G'Day : )
 

Rooke

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Nice one mate, I'll shout you a schooner down at the Ar'ie! :D

PS : I think you're getting too much summer on the west coast - you can have some our rain from the east ( /waves hands about mysteriously ).
 

SaraP

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Just wanted to say, I absolutely love platypuses. They're fascinating creatures, and quite cute too. :D
 

Rooke

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Yes, they're cute little critters, weird - and hard to find.

I have actually seen a couple on some camping trips, not up close though.
 

Rufus Coppertop

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Bugger the bonds chesties!
Bugger the swallowing of dunny budgies!
Bugger Fosters!

And......Anzac cookies?

Bugger that!
 

Rufus Coppertop

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I've done most of the things on that list, but not all. :tongue

A lot of the stuff on that list, I just haven't done. I remember the song "Living next door to Alice" but the other one, I wouldn't know if it bit my ear.

I love drinking tea and eating tim tams but honestly, I'd rather drape an anchovy over an iced vovo and eat it than suck tea through a tim tam.

I'll add, "If you've ever said 'On ya bike' to tell someone to bugger off."
Done that.

To prevent ambiguity when dealing with a total galah, you can always add, "ya scurvy drongo" to the request.

Has anyone ever had swiss cheese with raspberry jam and chicken potato chips in a sandwich? If you ever try it, Samboy chips are the best.

Yup, they're Anzac Biscuits, too right strewth!

Too bloody right they are, stone the crows and starve the barber, by the Living Harry!
 
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fredXgeorge

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Oh I didn't see this until today. I love it! It's all so true.
 

French Maiden

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Australia Day is 8 days away, what are all my beloved Aussie AWers doing this year to celebrate the awesome country we live in?
 

Wilde_at_heart

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I confess, in spite of having many dear Australian friends over the years I haven't managed yet to attempt eating an Aussie burger. I think it's either the beets or the fried egg that does it for me.

Just curious - is there any Australian who hasn't done two years in London where they work a professional job during the day and by night sleep on the living room of a dosshouse with at least ten other people per room?
 

French Maiden

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I confess, in spite of having many dear Australian friends over the years I haven't managed yet to attempt eating an Aussie burger. I think it's either the beets or the fried egg that does it for me.

Aussie burger with the lot. YUHHHMMMM! So much better than Maccas or HJ's (HJ's = Hungry Jacks which is the Australian version of Burger King).

Fried egg is the best bit, when you bite into it the yolk burst and runs down your chin, so good. Makes me want one now!

Just curious - is there any Australian who hasn't done two years in London where they work a professional job during the day and by night sleep on the living room of a dosshouse with at least ten other people per room?

Whats a Dosshouse?

Heaps of Aussies go to London dont they. My step sister got back a couple of years ago after spending 8 years as an accountant there.
I personally dont have any desire to go to London, if I was going to go anywhere I'd go to Scotland, thats where all the family is.

But atm dont have any desire to go traveling or exploring. Just happy staying here with my boys, even if we have to become a nudist colony to survive the summer.
 
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Roger J Carlson

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Aussie burger with the lot. YUHHHMMMM! So much better than Maccas or HJ's (HJ's = Hungry Jacks which is the Australian version of Burger King).
I had an Aussie Whopper at Hungry Jacks when I visited Syndey. It was great. I also had an Aussie burger at a little restaurant on Shelley Beach (north of Manly). It was better.

On thing I regret, though, was I never tried Vegemite, even though it was on the breakfast table every morning.
 

Caitlin Black

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One thing you have forgotten on your list is the ability to sprint while wearing thongs.

OMG yes!

On thing I regret, though, was I never tried Vegemite, even though it was on the breakfast table every morning.

Eh, Vegemite is one of those things where you either love it or hate it. Personally, I can't stand the taste.

Fun fact: They brought out a new name for Vegemite (or maybe a different flavour of Vegemite, I don't recall), and called it iSnack 2.0. WTF? I don't think they kept the name for very long. :tongue
 

Chrissicollins

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On thing I regret, though, was I never tried Vegemite, even though it was on the breakfast table every morning.

Vegemite is not as bad as it seems! I enjoy it, and I'm a Kiwi, so really I should be supporting Marmite right now. But next time you have the opportunity to try it, just go for it.
 

Anna Spargo-Ryan

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Just curious - is there any Australian who hasn't done two years in London where they work a professional job during the day and by night sleep on the living room of a dosshouse with at least ten other people per room?

It's so true. I missed my two years - had my tickets booked and was due to leave on 11/9/01 so that didn't quite happen.
 

fredXgeorge

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Just curious - is there any Australian who hasn't done two years in London where they work a professional job during the day and by night sleep on the living room of a dosshouse with at least ten other people per room?
Not me! Well, not yet anyway, but my sister and I are hoping to go over in two or three years. London is, like, our dream city.

Fun fact: They brought out a new name for Vegemite (or maybe a different flavour of Vegemite, I don't recall), and called it iSnack 2.0. WTF? I don't think they kept the name for very long. :tongue
I never got all the hate for the name. I thought it was really clever and have no idea why anyone would prefer Cheesybite or whatever they changed it to.

As far as Australia Day, my friends and are are planning to go out for tea, head to the lake to watch the fireworks then go out. I wish I lived in Melbourne where stuff actually happens lol.
 

bellabar

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Just curious - is there any Australian who hasn't done two years in London where they work a professional job during the day and by night sleep on the living room of a dosshouse with at least ten other people per room?

Yeah, some of us go to Whistler. You should see the Australia Day celebrations there :)