Winter Musings

I can't believe that my time here at UQ is almost over. Preparing for this semester exchange, booking my flights and seeing the return date in August seemed like an eternity away....now, I have only 2 weeks left in the semester before exams, then 2 weeks of exams and a month of "vacation time" with the family before I set foot back home. It's been an amazing experience - and I'm sure I will have a couple more "experiences" to share before the end.

This post is dedicated to the little (and sometimes odd!!) thoughts that have popped into my head over the last couple months, and all of them are Australian-induced. If that makes any sense at all!!

1. Jello does not exist over here. Instead, what they consider Jello (you know, the jiggly, clear dessert) is jelly. Jello is an American brand, and you cannot find it anywhere.
2. The same goes for pudding. They have custard, which is similar but pudding has a thicker consistency. I was trying to explain this to my housemates and I have to resort to getting someone from back home to send me out a package to prepare for them. Any takers??
3. I have searched high and low for a decent dill pickle. I cannot find one anywhere. They have some random Polish brands that will do until I get back home, but all I am craving right now is a decent Bicks. SO BAD. (Note to whomever picks me up at the airport back home in August...)
4. People walk on the lefthand side of the sidewalks, which they call footpaths. I'm so used to walking on the lefthand side now, that when a tourist (most likely an American, since they refuse to move!) walks towards me on their right (which is my left, and the WRONG side) I give them a look that screams, " YOU'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE!!!" I'm definitely going to be creating some problems when I come home. Can you picture the escalator situation??
5. To an Australian, 21 degrees Celsius is COLD. I never thought I would say this, but after experiencing some of their summer, I have to agree with them. Acclimatization much?
6. One thing I can't get over, is that June/July is winter. July has always been associated with watermelon, PEI beaches and mussels, which screams summer to me. The shops here are all displaying winter jackets (yes, actual puffy jackets) and uni students are all rugged up with scarves, hats and wool sweaters. The daily average temperature? 23 degrees. Explain that.
7. Peanut Butter is a foreign item. Heaven forbid that you would make cookies out of it, like I did. My housemates enjoyed them though, and one even went as far to suggest Vegemite cookies. I politely explained that despite being able to put both Vegemite and PB on toast does not mean you can make cookies out of both items.
8. I miss Tim Hortons, cheap donuts, and drip coffee. A donut over here costs at least 3 dollars each, and drip coffee is unheard of. Instead, a black cup of coffee is a long black, and is basically a watered-down espresso.
9. Speaking of coffee, it's a whole other world over here. You have to specify the color (black, white), the length (tall, long, short), and an angle to the perpendicular (flat). Examples: long black, flat white. Lattes and cappuccinos still exist in addition to these Aussie examples. I have yet to figure out the difference between a latte and a flat white.
10. Aussie's pronounce the letter "H" weirdly. While we say eh-tch, they say hate-che. Reading that probably makes to sense whatsoever, but ask me to demonstrate when I get back home. It's hilarious. I laugh my head off in Anatomy when my partner asks me what I think the hate-ch is pointing to on the cadaver on the practice exams!!
11. No matter how much I protest to the contrary, I am the one with the accent.

Miss you! Sending you all my love,
xoxo Danielle