"G'day, mate!"

... goes the traditional Aussie greeting. Read about my impressions and anecdotes on my one-year stay down under.

Shocker #1: Say What?

I panicked. Hey, I thought they spoke English here. That's on my initial exposure to the accent. My ears strained to discern the slightest word recognition and I can say now that it's almost like listening to a barrage of Spanish with me trying to make sense of familiar words and phrases. But I eventually got the hang of it (did I have a choice?).

Say Aaaaiiiihhh. A long "A" like in "day" is more like a long "I" as in "die". "G'day, mate" would sound like "G'die, mite". So, how's the baby ("by-bee") doing? I see that you're all here today ("to-die").

Do you know what the train ("trine") schedule ("she-jul") is?

According to a Sydneysider, the best thing about Melbourne ("mel-bun" - there's only the slightest, almost nonexistent "R" in the second syllable) is the road that leads to Sydney.

The biggest bookstore is Dymocks ("di-miks") which is housed in a multi-story building downtown.

Positive or negative? I CAN hear but I CAN'T see the difference. Huh??? [Clue: Positive "can" is pronounced the usual way. As for the negative "can't", the "ca" is like in the word "cart". Get it?]

I used to live at 33/882 Pacific Highway in Chatswood. That's read as "33 stroke 882"; 33 is the flat (that's apartment for you) number.

And how well do you know your A-B-C?

* There's a bank named ANZ. Can you figure out why I couldn't find it in the phone book when somebody recommended it to me?

Shocker #2: Shop Till You Drop ???

Have you known anyone to drop shopping ... at 5:30pm when most shops close? For Filipinos, that's when the party's just starting! In the Philippines, department stores and supermarkets will be swarming with people who just got off from work. For Americans used to having 24-hour Wal-Mart and K-Mart in the neighborhood, this might sound like a joke! Thursday is designated as Shopping Day and most shops are open until 9pm.

Shocker #3: Am I in Sydney or China?

I've never seen so many Chinese-looking people before. I was surprised because in the Philippines, there are a lot of Chinese-Filipinos so that should have made me used to it. It seemed to me that half of the population was Asian.

Personally, I didn't have any experience with racial discrimination. A Filipino friend, however, had a brush with it. While she was walking one morning to go to work, somebody in a passing car yelled at her, "Go back to China!" She wasn't too upset with it since she's not from China anyway. Ha-ha-ha! Seriously, though, we have to make allowances for narrow-minded people.

A Handful of Interesting Tidbits

In Australia, don't look for a drugstore. Go find a "Chemist" shop.

If you have a call of nature, head for the toilet (or loo). No need for a euphemism.

Itching to read today's paper? There's the Newsagent stand for you. It's more of a convenience store that sells a bit of everything.

Many locals walked barefoot in summer. I've seen them hop on the bus with a bodyboard looking very laid-back. Cool. An endearing sight I can't forget is that of a father and his very young son, both without footwear, casually strolling towards a convenience store.

During the warm seasons, train and bus drivers were dressed down in shorts and socks pulled up. Comfy.

When ordering food to be taken home, it's "take away", not "to go".

As for the schoolkids, they wore uniforms. Some uniforms even included hats, socks, and bags. Very cute.

Goodies I miss: Arnotts products. Ever heard of Tim Tam? Yummy!

When you wash dishes, do you rinse them? I was shocked that some Aussies don't. (Something about biodegradable ...)

The currency bills are of different colors and sizes and made of PLASTIC.

Couples who have been living together for at least six months are considered "de facto" spouses and are subject to laws governing legally married couples.

Melbourne Cup, a spectacular horse race in November, is a much more celebrated event than Christmas ... more of a fashion show for the ladies?

But Christmas and New Year days are a blast. Instead of braving icy roads and cursing the cold weather (though skiing is certainly one fun activity), the Sydneysiders are basking in the beaches. It's an awesome experience for me to be swimming and parasailing in January!