A friend sent me this article asking if it was true! Thought I'd share with you guys and have a laugh 
1. Using a clothes dryer
Yes, it helps that it's pretty much sunny and hot every day in Australia, but rarely do I use a dryer. We hang our clothes out to dry on these convenient foldaway clothes hangers instead. If you use the dryer it is vented inside and all of a sudden the laundry room turns into a sauna and it is gross. In America, I am not aloud to have a clothes line.
2. Drinking bottled water
Really, what is the point? If you live in a developed country with clean drinking water, why are we too good to drink from the tap? It saves money and the environment. I keep a large jug of tap water in our refrigerators. As an environmentally conscious country, it made sense to take advantage of the fact that you live in a place with clean drinking water and to carry your own, reusable water bottle with you.
3. Disregarding loose change
Oh, do the coins add up in Australia. Since $5 is the smallest paper bill, your loose change is overwhelmingly $1 and $2 dollar coins. That pile of little golden nuggets adds up quickly. In the States, some people literally throw pennies away because they are worth so little. (Side note: why do we still have pennies? Every price in Australia was rounded, thus eliminating pennies.)
4. Never carrying cash
I can't think of one place outside of the occasional mom-and-pop stores that don't accept credit or debit cards in the States. I never carried cash in America. In Australia, many places were cash-only, or would have a $10 minimum on credit or debit. Although inconvenient if you want to make a quick purchase and have no cash on you, you form a habit of always stopping by the ATM.
5. Splitting bills at restaurants
Not an option. You will simply be told no. If you need to figure out who spent how much on what meal, then it's on your time, not the server's. They aren't working for tips (see #6), so don't expect them to spend time organizing your bill for you. When going out to dinner with a big group, the expectation was to bring cash to cover your portion of the bill.
6. Working for tips
I know this had been reiterated to Americans hundreds of times, but tipping isn't standard or expected in Australia. It has been odd figuring this one out. We always want to tip out of habit. We have learned to love this new system though!
7. Expecting free and unlimited Wi-Fi
It is not normal in other countries to have free and unlimited Wi-Fi all the time, even in your own home. It requires a data package just like a cell phone plan - so cut back that phone (and Netflix!) time. We found this out the hard way while in New Zealand. Try as we may to explain to Lauren our WIFI was needed to get in contact with people back home she would still watch videos on YouTube and we would find ourselves without internet again.
8. Expecting the air conditioning on full blast at all times
It's hot in Australia. But that doesn't mean the air-con is on. Restaurants, malls, offices, and hotels adjusted temperatures so they were comfortable, not cold. Ours in the house does not work so well and I am always HOT. I am afraid of summer.
9. Brewing fresh coffee in the morning
Unless you have a fancy espresso machine that steams milk for your lattes, bring on the freeze-dried coffee. This was in every house and every apartment I visited in Australia. Boil some water, mix in the freeze-dried coffee grounds with a spoon, and - boom! - instant coffee.
10. Expecting a staggering variety of fast-food restaurants
In a hurry? Grab some McDonald's, Burger King, Subway or KFC. Those are pretty much your only fast-food choices in Australia. Because there is less fast food, the majority of restaurants are serving healthier and higher quality food, so it isn't cheaper to eat out versus cooking at home. Quick, cheap, and easy becomes throwing something together in your kitchen, not passing a drive through. I have found I am cooking at home more so that is a good thing!
11. Looking left when crossing the street
I'm telling you, this is the hardest habit to break. You don't even realize you do it until you go to cross the street and almost get nailed by a car to your right. For the most part I ended up looking in every direction about three times before crossing the street just to make sure. It scares the crap out of you at first and you feel like an idiot.
12.Which brings me to DRIVING on the other side of the street 1. Using a clothes dryer
Yes, it helps that it's pretty much sunny and hot every day in Australia, but rarely do I use a dryer. We hang our clothes out to dry on these convenient foldaway clothes hangers instead. If you use the dryer it is vented inside and all of a sudden the laundry room turns into a sauna and it is gross. In America, I am not aloud to have a clothes line.
2. Drinking bottled water
Really, what is the point? If you live in a developed country with clean drinking water, why are we too good to drink from the tap? It saves money and the environment. I keep a large jug of tap water in our refrigerators. As an environmentally conscious country, it made sense to take advantage of the fact that you live in a place with clean drinking water and to carry your own, reusable water bottle with you.
3. Disregarding loose change
Oh, do the coins add up in Australia. Since $5 is the smallest paper bill, your loose change is overwhelmingly $1 and $2 dollar coins. That pile of little golden nuggets adds up quickly. In the States, some people literally throw pennies away because they are worth so little. (Side note: why do we still have pennies? Every price in Australia was rounded, thus eliminating pennies.)
4. Never carrying cash
I can't think of one place outside of the occasional mom-and-pop stores that don't accept credit or debit cards in the States. I never carried cash in America. In Australia, many places were cash-only, or would have a $10 minimum on credit or debit. Although inconvenient if you want to make a quick purchase and have no cash on you, you form a habit of always stopping by the ATM.
5. Splitting bills at restaurants
Not an option. You will simply be told no. If you need to figure out who spent how much on what meal, then it's on your time, not the server's. They aren't working for tips (see #6), so don't expect them to spend time organizing your bill for you. When going out to dinner with a big group, the expectation was to bring cash to cover your portion of the bill.
6. Working for tips
I know this had been reiterated to Americans hundreds of times, but tipping isn't standard or expected in Australia. It has been odd figuring this one out. We always want to tip out of habit. We have learned to love this new system though!
7. Expecting free and unlimited Wi-Fi
It is not normal in other countries to have free and unlimited Wi-Fi all the time, even in your own home. It requires a data package just like a cell phone plan - so cut back that phone (and Netflix!) time. We found this out the hard way while in New Zealand. Try as we may to explain to Lauren our WIFI was needed to get in contact with people back home she would still watch videos on YouTube and we would find ourselves without internet again.
8. Expecting the air conditioning on full blast at all times
It's hot in Australia. But that doesn't mean the air-con is on. Restaurants, malls, offices, and hotels adjusted temperatures so they were comfortable, not cold. Ours in the house does not work so well and I am always HOT. I am afraid of summer.
9. Brewing fresh coffee in the morning
Unless you have a fancy espresso machine that steams milk for your lattes, bring on the freeze-dried coffee. This was in every house and every apartment I visited in Australia. Boil some water, mix in the freeze-dried coffee grounds with a spoon, and - boom! - instant coffee.
10. Expecting a staggering variety of fast-food restaurants
In a hurry? Grab some McDonald's, Burger King, Subway or KFC. Those are pretty much your only fast-food choices in Australia. Because there is less fast food, the majority of restaurants are serving healthier and higher quality food, so it isn't cheaper to eat out versus cooking at home. Quick, cheap, and easy becomes throwing something together in your kitchen, not passing a drive through. I have found I am cooking at home more so that is a good thing!
11. Looking left when crossing the street
I'm telling you, this is the hardest habit to break. You don't even realize you do it until you go to cross the street and almost get nailed by a car to your right. For the most part I ended up looking in every direction about three times before crossing the street just to make sure. It scares the crap out of you at first and you feel like an idiot.
Definitely lots to learn and then un-learn in three years LOL!!
ReplyDelete