Submitted by Ruby Sultan on the 2016 spring semester exchange program with Bond University in Australia…
Upon coming to Australia, I was aware of some of the major differences. For example, they drive on the left side of the road, they are more relaxed and professors prefer to be called by their first names. However, it wasn’t until my arrival that I realized there were a lot of more differences than expected–some for the better, and some for the worse.
One of the more interesting items that differ are iced coffees. Instead of making them with ice, most coffee shops make them with ice cream. Depending on your sweet tooth, you may or may not like this; I, for one, absolutely love it. Speaking of coffee, Australians are OBSESSED with it. They take a lot of pride in drinking good coffee, and tend to stay away from chains. Starbucks tried to open stores here, but due to the loyalty to their mom-and-pop coffee shops, around 60 of the 80 Starbucks locations had to close down.
Another very small difference is that provolone cheese does not exist in Australia. Although it’s just one type of cheese, I was very surprised and somewhat upset when the woman at Subway looked at me with confusion when I asked for “provolone.”
The next difference is a big one: TIM TAMS. They are an Australian chocolate biscuit and they are AMAZING. I would recommend everyone come to Australia at least once in their life and try them. I cannot wait for the day that Tim Tams are sold in America, they’re absolutely delicious!
As far as driving goes, we occasionally have traffic circles in America, but “roundabouts” here are EVERYWHERE. In the eight minute bus trip that I take to the mall, I pass at least five of them. They’re quite annoying, and buses and other vehicles tend to drive onto the median without a care in the world.
When I heard that Australians were laid back, I didn’t realize to what extent. In classes, it is common to start 5 minutes late to account for any latecomers, and professors do not often call out students who arrive even later than that. Restaurants especially are very laid back; it takes an extremely long time for your food to be ready, and your server might only check on you once throughout your meal. Unlike America where servers are paid solely on tips, Australian servers do not receive tips and typically make at least $20 an hour. Due to this, they’re in no rush for their tables to leave, so they allow you to talk and have a long, relaxing meal. Restaurants are definitely not the place to go if you’re in a rush!
In general, the food here is more organic, fresher, in smaller portions and always looks very presentable! I feel that I have definitely lost weight here because of the smaller, healthier meals I’m eating and all the walking I’ve been doing. Although I’ve been doing a lot of my own cooking to save money, I do enjoy the occasional times I indulge at a restaurant because the food here is so good!
I’m really enjoying the Australian culture, and I’m definitely looking forward to living this lifestyle for the next four months!
