March 29th, 2018
Sixth Week in Perth, Australia:
This week, I participated in several events I had discovered through Facebook. I kickstarted the week by attending the Angelo Street Marketplace with Shayla, Jay, and his wife, Vivien. The market reminded me of an overdone farmer’s market with the addition of youth-based venders. We also made a pit stop at the local food trucks for lunch and a few drinks. The outing turned out to be an overall success, and Shayla and I scored two adorable matching coffee mugs.
The following Wednesday, I took a solo trip to the Rooftop Movies to see “The Greatest Showman”. The movie ended up being alright, however, it turns out I knew one of the employees! It was great because he hooked me up with free drinks, free popcorn, and even invited me to attend another movie free of charge. Later that night, I also had the opportunity to taste Vegemite. Let’s just say, even though I’m glad I tried it, I’m also glad it’s over!
This weekend was Easter weekend. I’ll admit, I was a bit upset not being able to visit my parents on Easter, but I know I’ll have plenty of opportunities to see them in the future. Instead, I spent my Easter weekend hanging out with my cousin, Jay, and his wife, Vivien. I honestly adore spending time with them because they make me feel like their second child. They even took me to the recently supplemented Perth Zoo! It was a lovely time because not only did I get to observe something new, they also got to observe the supplemented portion for their first times as well. After about three and a half hours, our feet were struggling to keep up and we decided to head back to their house. The rest of the evening was spent barbecuing together and learning about our family tree.
In its entirety, this week had definitely made my list of “Most Memorable Moments”. Next week is my first tuition-free week, and I will be participating in a 7-day excursion up the coast of western Australia. I’m looking forward to meeting new people, exploring beautiful beaches, and adding to my collection of memorable moments.
P.S. Shout out to my coworker, Carol, for continuing to encourage me throughout my adventures here. I miss you, and I can’t wait to share all of my wonderful Australian experiences with you!
The following Wednesday, I took a solo trip to the Rooftop Movies to see “The Greatest Showman”. The movie ended up being alright, however, it turns out I knew one of the employees! It was great because he hooked me up with free drinks, free popcorn, and even invited me to attend another movie free of charge. Later that night, I also had the opportunity to taste Vegemite. Let’s just say, even though I’m glad I tried it, I’m also glad it’s over!
This weekend was Easter weekend. I’ll admit, I was a bit upset not being able to visit my parents on Easter, but I know I’ll have plenty of opportunities to see them in the future. Instead, I spent my Easter weekend hanging out with my cousin, Jay, and his wife, Vivien. I honestly adore spending time with them because they make me feel like their second child. They even took me to the recently supplemented Perth Zoo! It was a lovely time because not only did I get to observe something new, they also got to observe the supplemented portion for their first times as well. After about three and a half hours, our feet were struggling to keep up and we decided to head back to their house. The rest of the evening was spent barbecuing together and learning about our family tree.
In its entirety, this week had definitely made my list of “Most Memorable Moments”. Next week is my first tuition-free week, and I will be participating in a 7-day excursion up the coast of western Australia. I’m looking forward to meeting new people, exploring beautiful beaches, and adding to my collection of memorable moments.
P.S. Shout out to my coworker, Carol, for continuing to encourage me throughout my adventures here. I miss you, and I can’t wait to share all of my wonderful Australian experiences with you!
What are your favorite words from your host language?
Having been here for roughly a month and a half, I’m starting to familiarize myself with some of the native slang. I’ve even caught myself incorporating some of their slang into my vocabulary! Some examples I’ve noticed myself making include replacing “trash” with “rubbish” and “laundry” with “washing”. The next term I’m working on incorporating into my vocabulary is supplementing “hey?” with “excuse me?” or “come again?”. I just think it sounds so unique and I love when I hear my Australian friends say it! I’m also trying to adopt some of my French roommate’s terminology as well. I just find it so comical to hear her call “vacuuming” “hoovering”, or pronouncing “vitamins [vite-a-mins] as [vit-a-mins]. It literally makes me chuckle every time she does it!
Even though there are several terms that make me envious of Australians, there is also one term that I doubt I will ever become accustomed to adopting. The term “mate”, though interpreted in a friendly context, is also used to reference someone with a serious tone. For example, my Australian friend explained to me that you might use the term “mate” to refer to someone who had just rear-ended you in a car accident. However, terms (such as the “c-word”) that are usually considered inappropriate in the US are translated in Australia as something you would typically call a close friend. I don’t know how people do it; I can’t even imagine being called a word like that, let alone feel the need to say it to someone else!
Even though there are several terms that make me envious of Australians, there is also one term that I doubt I will ever become accustomed to adopting. The term “mate”, though interpreted in a friendly context, is also used to reference someone with a serious tone. For example, my Australian friend explained to me that you might use the term “mate” to refer to someone who had just rear-ended you in a car accident. However, terms (such as the “c-word”) that are usually considered inappropriate in the US are translated in Australia as something you would typically call a close friend. I don’t know how people do it; I can’t even imagine being called a word like that, let alone feel the need to say it to someone else!
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