Recently two unexpected things made me laugh:
— A friend declared that I am an “Americaussie” (New entry for Urban Dictionary? I think so! Google only has a few mentions.)
— A customer asked if I was Australian. This was after she’d heard me speak.
My accent is still very North American*. I’m a citizen of only one country**. My heart is in Virginia, USA.
Is it possible that I’m slowly becoming an Aussie?! 😉 After nearly 7 months here, it would be difficult for me not to have adopted a few ways of speech, life, and culture.
For instance, shock of all shocks, I don’t mind Vegemite. Sometimes I’ve even liked it. Vegemite & cheese on toast? Yum. Adriano Zumbo’s Vegemite Sourdough macaron? Could have had another. Cheesymite Scroll from Bakers Delight? Heavenly (and not as unhealthy as I thought!).
Finally tried a Cheesymite Scroll after Chris tweeted about them several times!
Speech, slang, and substitutions
Following my first trip to Australia, I incorporated “no worries” and “heaps” into my every-day vocabulary without trying. I absolutely adore the use of “heaps” — if you spend any time with me, there’s no doubt you’ll hear it.
On the other hand, there’s “how you going?” There are just some things that sound silly being spoken by someone who hasn’t grown up using it, and I figured the standard Aussie greeting was one of those for me. “How are you” or “how are you doing” got me by just fine — or they did until my first day of work. I was instructed to greet every customer with “hey, how you going” and so I did. For two weeks I felt ridiculous. It just didn’t sound right without the Australian accent! After two weeks, it didn’t feel so forced. After six weeks, I found myself greeting coworkers or strangers with “hey, how you going?!” without even thinking. It’s sticking for now, but I’m fairly certain I won’t be taking this phrase home.
Also thanks to my job at an organic food store I no longer think twice about calling a bell pepper a “capsicum” or a cantaloupe a “rockmelon“. If I didn’t call diapers “nappies” or strollers “prams”, I’d get odd looks from all the moms mums who shop with us.
And last by not least, thanks to work I hear “ta” constantly. “Ta” is a casual thanks heard when I hand someone their change or bag of groceries. I’ve tried it a few times to thank a barista, but it just doesn’t work for me O:-)
One “not again” moment — I had refused to replace “flip flops” for “thongs” until the other day. I ran into an Aussie neighbor after returning from a shopping trip where I picked up a pair of flip flops. Only I called them thongs for the first time, trying to use the “right” word. She looked at me with a funny expression — “Wait, do you mean Aussie thongs or American thongs?” So much for that one.
Okay, so I haven’t adopted a lot of slang into every day speech and I’m completely rubbish at adopting accents. I’ve noticed recently, however, that my intonation has started to change. As is often the Aussie way, I find myself ending statements — even short phrases — in an upward/questioning intonation. I think I like it.
Driving on the wrong left side of the road
Sure, I’ve known the rules of the Aussie road, but it wasn’t until my 2.5 week road trip with Brooke that it actually felt like second nature. I suppose driving for hours helps retrain your brain better than walking and crossing streets! Post-road trip, I instinctively knew which way to look before crossing at busy intersections. The change was apparent when people from home came to visit and I would find myself halfway through an intersection while they were still on the sidewalk. Oops.
Little moments
Everything I’ve said so far doesn’t compare to little moments…the ones in which I (seemingly) suddenly realize “wait…I’m living in Australia.”
It’s the moment at work in October when the store was relatively quiet, and I looked around, and I smiled as it dawned on me anew — “I’m living and working in Sydney. I live in this community. I have a job. I interact closely with Aussies every day.”
They’re the moments when I’m walking to the bus stop after work. It’s routine now. I’m not trying to navigate public transport to find the next, new destination. It’s familiar. I’m not in another country — or even Australia as weird as that sounds — I’m simply headed home after work.
When I pop into the smaller of Adriano Zumbo’s two locations and the girl who’s always there recognizes me. When I pick up eggs and a “MyBus2 Travel Ten” card from the FoodWorks around the corner. When I walk and jog in the neighboring suburbs that I’ve come to know and love. I’m no longer visiting Australia for a year. Sydney has become a home.
So here’s to 5 more months of living in and loving Australia — after all, lest I forget, there’s no place like Oz.
*Throughout Oz, and in particular at work, people first ask if I’m Canadian. I’m told by Canadians, Aussies, and pretty much everyone else that people do this out of politeness. When I smile and say that I’m American, I usually hear, “Oh? Your accent is so pleasant/nice/neutral.” Thanks? Note: “Things customers say” deserves its own post.
**A girl can dream of dual-citizenship, right?
Featured image from gonewalkabout
Twitter Updates
“There’s no place like Virginia”, “There’s no place like Virginia”….
It does not have the same snappy sound but I’m trying to put that thought deep down in your heart and mind. You are loved and missed!!!
Hey, I said my heart was in Virginia! 🙂 You all are loved and missed back HEAPS!
Hehe, I think it’s perfectly natural to blend more and more into the local scene when you’re so involved in it. I never really ‘went Korean’ but that was more because I didn’t speak the language.
Glad you’re enjoying it here so much 🙂
I’m loving it and already wishing I had more time. With everything I want to see and do in the last 5 months, time is going to FLY.
As much as I resisted “ta” I couldn’t stop myself from saying it. Everyone looks at me like I’m freaking crazy in the States when it slips out from time to time.
I have to hold in giggles at the customers who say it 10 times (seriously) in 20 seconds — I take their money (ta), I give them change (ta), I hand them their bags (ta), I say have a nice day (ta), and of course sometimes they say “ta” at once — “oh ta…ta”. I’d love to hear you say it!
Love this post, can relate fully! Just wait until you come back to the US and use all the Aussie slang you picked up, talk about weird looks!!! I totally love(d) it though:-).
One funny thing about driving that I still can’t fully grasp in the US are roundabouts. We have very very few of them in Los Angeles and since I drove so many of them in NZ, when I come across one in LA, I always want to go LEFT!! I just got so used to it.
The Aussie and NZ slag is one of my favorite things that I brought home with me:-).
I knew you would relate! Can’t wait to say things and get the funny looks!! 🙂 Though that happens now — a handful of customers every day can’t understand my accent when I tell them how much they owe!
Reading this post made me smile from start to finish! I remember how much fun it was to meet your friends from London & learn all sorts of new words – trainers (sneakers) & lorrie (truck) are the two that stuck in my mind the most. 🙂
It’s so great that you are having so many moments where you feel right at home. Miss you heaps! <3 (Did I use that correctly?! . . . Oh well, you know what I mean!)
You used it correctly — and if/WHEN you’re back, we’ll get you going on some more things ASAP 🙂
What a great post! Like Nicole, I couldn’t help but smile. This made me remember all my favorite parts of living – not just visiting, but really living – in another country, and even more excited about moving to Sydney myself next month. I already say “no worries,” does that mean I’ll be an Americaussie soon too? 😉
“No worries” has you off to a very good start 😉 Sorry I didn’t mention you in the #ozsoon Travel Tuesday shout out!!
Not sure how much longer I’ll be in Sydney before I hit the road again but hopefully our paths will cross 🙂
No worries (couldn’t resist)! Hopefully we’ll run into each other somewhere – enjoy the rest of your time in Sydney!
“No worries” is pretty common around here too. I don’t say it though.
Yeah, one of my interns back at UVA said it all the time and I’ve heard other Americans use it at home too!
I think that a language only sounds normal coming out of your mouth if you FEEL normal using it. I felt weird about all Chilean slang for a few years and so I’m sure I sounded even stranger trying to use it. It felt too…forced. But eventually it all just grew into a natural part of my vocab. Sounds like that’s about where you’re at now!
You’re spot on!! If I feel weird saying it, then it will sound that way.
I’d love to learn some Chilean slang! It’s been years since I studied Spanish, and of course we didn’t learn country or regions specific slang then. What are your faves?
You’ve turned in to a bit of a vegemite fan? Wow! I think it’s funny how we both speak English yet their are so many differences. And Aussies seem to shorten everything! I would love to see a follow-up post of “Things Customers Say” 🙂
I routinely say brekky for breakfast but will NOT say arvo for afternoon 😉
And oh yes, I’ve been saving up quotes for that little gem — published *after* I leave the job… O:-)
Haha I remember asking for capsicum when I was at a Subway restaurant in LA and the lady who was serving me looked at me like I was some sort of freak! I had no idea they were called peppers!
Good to see you’re picking up on the Aussie talk, will be interesting to see if the reverse happens for us when we start our adventure. Even basic things are so different between the US and Austalia – shopping centre = mall, footpath = sidewalk, car park = parking lot, ahhh!
Even though I’ve picked up some things, I still manage to say something at the store most every day that throws a customer off…or they’re not expecting my accent (obviously) and can’t understand what I’m saying (when I tell them how much they owe for instance!).
Yeah, capsicum was new to me until I went to England the first time — had NO clue O:-)
I love this post! I’m so glad you are feeling at home there! 🙂 It’s easy to do I think! It’s funny because “no worries” got into my vocab and then after a while it seems like everyone is saying it now.
My boyfriend is the best because he’s learned his English all kinds of different places including his 7 months in Oz and “heaps” is such a common part of his vocabulary but he still uses it wrong sometimes. Oh and if anyone mentions that his accent sounds the slightest Australian, his whole month is made!
What are your favorite Italian slang words/phrases and what do they mean?!
A common one is “in bocca al lupo” which literally means ‘in the mouth of the wolf’ but it the way to say “good luck” in Italian!
Another funny thing you can hear is “che cavolo” literally translating to ‘what the cauliflower’ but is a polite way to say “what the f**k”. Swear words are quite common here so often you hear the stronger version of that one, but it’s pretty funny to hear some one swearing about cauliflower.
I’ll have to think of some others but those are the first ones that came to mind that are a bit strange.
BTW they really do say “mamma mia” here… haha.
Oh my gosh, I LOVE these!!! Did you have a post about them before we met? If not, I think one’s in order.
Next time someone buys cauliflower at work I’m going to have to hold in a laugh…
haha! I haven’t posted but I should! Christine from Christine en Spain has asked me too via Twitter, so I’ll have to think up some good ones and get a post going!!
I love that you tried to adopt “ta”!!
Unfortunately it was the first thing that disappeared from my everyday vocab when I moved to NY. Whenever I said it here, it sounded like a different language (it kinda is).
But it’s also so short that sometimes people didn’t even notice it when I went to say it at my local Duane Reade 🙂
Oooh, you’re living in NYC! I thought about that for a while after uni 🙂 I really want to make a trip to the city after I return home — whenever that may be.
Can’t wait to check out your blog! Thanks for taking the the time to comment, Stella!!
That is so awesome it just means you are indulging yourself into the Aussie culture and well thats how it should be.
I just don’t think I could EVER drive there. I just couldn’t do it…
I do HOWEVER want to pick up the Aussie accent cus damn is it hot!!!
I’m so used to hearing the accent now!! Will miss it heaps when I leave…
Well, I already say “no worries” ALL THE TIME, so I think I’ll be OK in that regard–and I got used to “ta” with English friends in France. I’m looking forward to see what the little nuances are when I arrive in Australia–I picked up on a lot with my English friends, and now my friends at home say that the way I speak (a little more sing-songy) almost sounds English. Like you said, though, I’ll always be American at heart!
Mate what can I say… I’ve finally converted a vegemite fan. Seeing that cheesymite scroll is making me want one bad.
I think its heaps cool your picking up on the lingo while your there. Not that I think its anything different but I can understand the differences after picking up on some english words myself.
I know I’m a little late reading this, but I love this post! I can totally relate, too, from living in New Zealand for 5 months.
I know for a fact that I didn’t pick up an accent, and I only really picked up on using “no worries” and “cheers” as far as slang goes. But, after about a month living there, I had people asking me where I was from and not believing me when I said Ohio. In fact, when I was out one night with my friend Jamie and a group of guys asked where we were from, they argued with me when I told them we were from the same state in the U.S. One even accused me of faking an American accent. It was so strange!
Do they use “sweet as” over in OZ, or is that mostly just in NZ? It’s one slang phrase that I absolutely HATED when I was over there. I always just wanted to respond with, “Sweet as WHAT??”
I’ve never heard “sweet as”! Just asked someone who says no one uses it here but maybe it was used a while back 🙂
I realized after writing this there are so many other things I’ve heard while I was here but very few things I’ve fully adopted. Gonna miss it when I’m gone!!
As an American who desperately wants to visit Australia and is trying to put together a month in Oz in 2011 this was just awesome to read!! It makes me that much more excited to visit. On the language front: I went to college down South and though I am a New Englander/East Coaster born and raised…it was impossible to avoid the use of “y’all”. A decade later, I’m back in the South again – living in Charlotte and now I fit right in since I never was able to shake Y’all from my vocabulary after college!
Thanks for sharing your experience and inspiring others to do the same.
When are you thinking about heading to Oz?! It’s been really great to me and now that I only have 4.5 months left I’m starting to get a bit angsty about leaving O:-)
VERY impressed you picked up y’all 🙂 It didn’t slip out until I’d been here a couple of months and *everyone* on my 6-day outback tour thought it was fantastically hilarious!!
Awesome post Ruddy. You’re become an Aussie more and more everyday. I am keen to know how you will be when you return home. Will you miss the simple things about Australia and wish you were back here or will you be glad to be home surrounded by 30 years of memories and traditions!
Very interesting.
Jack
This is my favorite post of yours! I like to come back and reread it. Can’t wait to finally be there.
Aww, thanks Brooke! I’m excited that you’re going to Oz next year and will help out in any way I can 🙂