Walk into any expat bar in China, or
indeed, anywhere in the world, and there's a good chance that the person next
to you ordering a drink will be an Australian. Visit any youth hostel, and
you’ll find Australians well represented. It’s official: Australians are one of
the most well traveled nations of people in the world - so why, then, do we
find that so many outdated stereotypes about our country, and in some cases, a
complete lack of knowledge, prevails amongst the local populace of the
countries we visit?
Sure, Paul Hogan (from the movie “Crocodile Dundee”) and Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter have a lot to answer for, at least in the West. But while very few
people these days actually think that Australians carry big knives around and
wrestle crocodiles, I have been asked some strange questions about Australia
during my travels, and also during my time in China. Allow me to explode some
of the most common myths for you:
 |
| Call that a knife? |
Do they speak English in Australia?
Bloody oath mate! (in standard English,
this would translate as “yes, of course we do”). Although we have our own set
of slang words, and our own distinct accent (just like every other
English-speaking former English colony, including
the USA), we do not speak our own dialect of English – in fact, the difference
between Australian, British, and North American English is often less than that
between neighbouring cities in China. What’s more, the word “Australian” has
only one meaning, that being “of or pertaining to the country Australia” – we
do not have our own official language
such as “Australianese”, and the only native languages in existence are the
various dialects of Australia’s original inhabitants, the Aboriginals.
Do kangaroos roam the streets like dogs?
I hate to break it to you, but you’ll have
to venture further than the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge if you
want to see a kangaroo. And we don’t keep koalas as pets either, however cute
and cuddly they might be. There are millions of kangaroos in the countryside,
however, and if you go on a road trip, you might be lucky enough to spot a few,
or if you’re unlucky, run over one with your car!
Everyone in Australia lives in Sydney,
right?
Thanks to the coverage of the Sydney 2000
Olympics, people who previously knew nothing about Australia now know that we
have a city called Sydney (which, for the record, is not the capital city –
that title belongs to Canberra). Don’t ask an Australian if they are from
Sydney – you’ve only got a 20% chance of being right. I mean, would you ask
every American you meet if they’re from New York?
It’s always hot in Australia, isn’t it?
A lot of media attention is given to
Australia’s sun-drenched beaches, its scorched deserts, and the hole in the
Ozone Layer. Little wonder, then, that a lot of people who’ve never been to
Australia get the impression that it’s always hot there. This expectation often
leads to disappointment, however, when visitors discover that on arrival in
Melbourne in July (remember, the seasons are opposite!), they should have
packed more than their flip-flops and board shorts. Sure, our winter is a lot
milder than those of the northern hemisphere, but unless you live above the
arctic circle, you’ll probably want to bring a sweater. Don’t forget your
sunscreen though – that hole in the Ozone Layer doesn’t go on vacation during
the winter.
Copyright Benson Wallace 2006
