Mood:
a-okI want to take a second and answer a few questions I've gotten, mostly from the Chianettas, because I think they are the only ones reading this thing... :)
How is life different? This answer may be a little sad. It really isn't. It's a lot like living in Arizona or New Mexico. The Australian's seem to struggle with their past, much like the Americans do. The Aussies dealt with the Aboriginese (spelled horribly) while the Americans dealt with the Natives (Indians, if you will). So, as Europeans settling on foriegn soil and displacing the people who originally lived there, the two countries are identical. They try to celebrate the cultures of the Adoriginal people in the same way as in Arizona or New Mexico you will see totem polls and gift shops dedicated to Native American tribes.
-But that is cultural comparison, not a practical one. Kimberly wrote about the practical side in her Christas letter, so I must tread softly, here.
The townships are sort of "self contained." You can go to google maps and zoom into the Canberra area and see all of the names of the little townships, but you don't really get the feeling of this place while doing that. Each township has its own set of shops. It doesn't seem like too many people venture far from their township, except to go to the major centers, of which I've already named a few. Fyshwich is just a suburb, except that they've made a name for themselves as being THE place to get farm fresh produce. Woden built a shopping mall. Red Hill has Jacoby's private school.
Because of this, you sort of feel like you are "going places" even though you are really only driving ten minutes up the street. It's all considered "Greater Canberra" the way the cities in Northern Virginia are all considered "Greater D.C." but they are MUCH MUCH smaller. To put this in Chianetta terms, think of Little Rocky Run as it's own town, with it's own post office and it's own small grocery store and shopping center. Anything outside of Little Rocky Run "Ain't us..."
The radio and TV are literally no different. They have local bands and shows that they play, but by-and-large, TV and Radio are huge American exports. Turning on the radio today, they were talking about Britany Spears' sister being pregnant (news that they have discussed for a few days, now).
Food and drink are incredibly expensive. Soft Drinks in a restaurant or even the food court in the mall are about $3 to $5 per cup. Don't even ask for a bottle or can. Food is roughly $20 per person at a restaurant, but cheaper in the food courts ($10-$15). Today's Turkish lunch was $35, but we didn't get drinks. It was a cheap lunch.
Not all the food tastes the same. In fact, really none of it does. Even Old El Paso salsa tasted funny. We figured if anything would be consistant...It wasn't.
And don't let anyone tell you there is no Language Barrier. There is, and it's pretty big. Especially over the phone, where hearing is impaired anyway. I find myself asking people to repeat themselves often...
In the grocery store, Kimberly couldn't find shortening. She wants to make cookies, but just couldn't find the crisco, as it were. We asked a guy where it might be, and he said he'd never heard of it. Finally a lady walked by and said that her husband had been to America and had heard of Shortening, but they don't have it here. She said her husband wasn't sure what it was while he was in America! She then said that she uses plain butter or margarine when she bakes. We'll see.
We tried to by some grenadine (cherry juice) to make the McKaskills some Shirley Temples. They'd never heard of it. Grenadine is only sold in liquor stores. They've never heard of Root Beer, but do drink Birch Beer and Sasspirilla.
There's plenty more, but we'll get to all of that...
Man, my spelling sucks...Please feel free to keep whatever mistakes you find...
- Ryan -
