The Australian Lifestyle

Your plane has just touched down in Australia and you’re eager to begin your adventure. As you leave the airport the first thing you notice is the unusual trees along the wide open streets with brick and tile houses that appear to go on forever. The Australian lifestyle is unique unto itself!

Australia is home to immigrants from more than 150 different countries so trying to describe the “typical” Aussie can be a bit difficult. You’ll meet people from all kinds of backgrounds and cultures making your visit a truly unique experience.

Nevertheless there are cultural differences and once you begin to do some exploring these differences will become much more noticeable. Whether you’ve come to Australia to study, visit, or live you’ll find the culture here a very rewarding experience!

When you are in a new country it can be a bit intimidating at first trying to fit in and understand the local people. After all you’ve already been warned to watch out for the loud mouthed beer drinking Aussie right? Sure he exists but just like every culture there is a great mix of people and not everyone fits the stereotypical molds that seem to be presented. These tips will help you make the transition easier.

Don’t be offended if an Aussie says what he means. It’s the way of the Australian culture. Australians have no problem sharing their opinions openly and freely and sometimes they are just downright blunt about it. Aussie’s don’t care if you agree or disagree with them. In fact a good argument is sometimes even considered great entertainment. So don’t get your shorts all bunched up when you find the Aussies being blunt. It’s the nature of the country.

Never cramp and Aussies space, in fact keep at least 3 feet between you and the person you are talking to. Any closer and Australians tend to feel uncomfortable. They are a culture that likes their space so stay out of it!

Australians also don’t like others to pay for them. They like to pay their own way whether it’s a movie, a drink, or dinner. So don’t offend your new Aussie friends by trying to pay the tab unless of course it’s a celebration like a birthday and you’re treating the person. But on average Aussies like to see everyone pay their own part of the tab.

Australia is a very time orientated country. It becomes very obvious with just a quick glance around. The effectiveness of the transit system is measured by its ability to stay on time. It’s also reflected in the office and the university classrooms where punctuality is critical. Don’t bother with the excuse that “traffic was heavy” or there was a “traffic accident.” It won’t fly. If you won’t be able to keep an appointment you best be prepared to give 24 hours notice.

Aussies are a spontaneous bunch when it comes to conversations. In fact they love to talk. They hate the uncomfortable feeling when silence falls over the crowd so they’ll be quick to let a few jokes fly or get a new topic of conversation started. There rambling can be a bit difficult to grasp if you’re from a country that carefully chooses every spoken word. Just try to focus on the main words and you’ll get the jest of the conversation.

Australians are very good at respecting another person’s privacy. You won’t find an Aussie that’s just met someone discussing their income, age, religion, or marital status. Those are considered hands off topics that are not appropriate unless between good friends. Remember to play by the rules yourself!

Australians are a very responsible bunch and they take their actions seriously. Aussies tend to judge each other on how responsible and capable they are especially at work. Being able to work independently and use your brain is a valuable trait for Australians. School is the same. Students are expected to study independently and complete essays and assignments without the help on another student.

One of the most enjoyable but yet sometimes difficult traits of the Aussies is their sarcasm. They love their sarcasm and you’ll have to learn to interpret it by the tone of their voice. So if someone says “wonderful” to you but their voice is dripping with a sarcastic tone chances are they mean “awful.” Don’t be offended by their sarcasm. In Australia it’s more of a method of joking and it certainly isn’t meant to be taken personally.

Australia is a great country and its citizens are truly unique. The awesome culture here tends to have travelers returning for more of the Aussie culture. The Australian lifestyle is very unique and once you understand it you’ll fit in nicely!

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.