Do you come from a land down under?

Tell me about life in Australia. Anything you want to tell me. I admire Australian people; they always seem kind, fun loving and adventurous. One day I am going to visit the land down under.

I first fell in love with Australians watching the movie On The Beach in 1959. They seemed to handle the end of the world pretty well. They were all so calm, sensible and brave facing the end. For years, I couldn't hear the movie's theme music without crying (Waltzing Matilda). If the end really does come, and I'm still here, I'm going to Australia and die with the Aussies.

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Abstraction · 61-69, M

Australians are less intense than most other places. Laid back. Less formality and more likely to feel everyone is equal. If you think you're better than everyone else, it won't go down well. Kiwis are similar.

The opportunities of being born poor and ending up doing up ok are stronger than in UK and US (social mobility). But we're losing that with our right wing government doing the bidding of the wealthy and promoting a blame the poor strategy- as is happening everywhere. And oddly, thanks to Rupert Murdoch (our worst export) the people who suffer most from it now passionately support that party. When I went to uni under the Labor party, it was completely free and they paid a living allowance. That's what allowed so many born on the wrong side of the tracks to do well.

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Abstraction

Kiwis are similar

yes, we’re a lot like Aussies... only better 😀

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

and we have Jacinda!

Slymbo · 61-69, M

@newjaninev2 Can we borrow her for a year or two?

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Slymbo No chance1 Not even for an afternoon!

Abstraction · 61-69, M

@Slymbo You'll think i'm kidding. But I spend a lot of time in airports. When i'm bored, I try to pick people's nationality based on appearance. Then I subtly check. One of the giveaways for Australians and kiwis is their relaxed faces. They just look... less intense. It's harder to pick nz/aus - but there is a trick that works a lot of the time.

bijouxbroussard · F

@Abstraction How do you spot Americans ? Assuming nobody’s fat, wearing a cowboy hat or speaking loudly into their phone ? 😄

Abstraction · 61-69, M

@bijouxbroussard There must be subconscious observations as well, I'm sure. For guys, dress sense and hair grooming pay a part - often a lot sharper than other countries, and for informal the big belts are more likely... lots of little things that are hard to list.

But mostly it's an intensity in demeanour. In the eyes. As though they're still at a business meeting and mean business. It's hard to describe. Australians look like they're permanently on vacation by comparison. It's not a bad thing in any way, but something I could 'feel' since I was a child and it was the eyes I noticed then. I was fascinated by Americans.

English - again, along with lots of other clues - the mouth is the giveaway, when they're talking. I know stiff upper lip refers to English stoicism, but they don't open their mouth very much at all. When I started it, I watched this guy for ages. I had to know. Eventually I said, 'Excuse me, are you English?'
In a broad Yorkshire accent, 'Does it show?'

When I've done counts I've averaged about 60%. Sometimes completely wrong though. I'm glad about that really.

bijouxbroussard · F

@Abstraction Your accent sounds almost English, and RP at that. 🤭

Abstraction · 61-69, M

@bijouxbroussard How do you know my accent? In stretching my memory back, we did a thing online right? I do get mistaken for English, to the point of people I meet overseas insisting that I couldn't possibly come from Australia. A few Brits have mistaken me for English as well.

bijouxbroussard · F

@Abstraction Yes, remember a few of us used vocaroo some years ago ? 😊

TheSirfurryanimalWales · 61-69, M

@Abstraction can you spot a Welsh person?🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿😀

Abstraction · 61-69, M

@TheSirfurryanimalWales No, that's out of my league.