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Why Australians Call Flip-Flops “Thongs”
Read more: Why Australians Call Flip-Flops “Thongs”Australians call flip-flops “thongs,” but why? The answer goes back centuries, and Americans might be surprised to learn they once called them thongs too.
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Can You Love Your New Country Without Loving Your Old One Less?
Read more: Can You Love Your New Country Without Loving Your Old One Less?Can you love your new country without loving your old one less? After eight years in America, becoming a U.S. citizen and building a life here, I’ve learned that belonging to one country doesn’t mean leaving the other behind.
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What Tennessee Lost When Dolly Parton Died
Read more: What Tennessee Lost When Dolly Parton DiedWhen Dolly Parton died, Tennessee mourned one of its own. For one Australian living near Nashville, though, her death also reopened memories of his mum, childhood and a song that somehow followed him 9,000 miles.
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Why Australians Say “Yeah Nah” — And Somehow Know Exactly What It Means
Read more: Why Australians Say “Yeah Nah” — And Somehow Know Exactly What It Means“Yeah nah” appears to answer yes and no at the same time, yet Australians usually know exactly what it means. Here’s why this wonderfully confusing expression makes perfect sense in Australian conversation.
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Americans Have a Hidden Superpower: Encouragement
Read more: Americans Have a Hidden Superpower: EncouragementAfter eight years in America, I’ve realized I’ve picked up a very American habit: encouraging people to chase an idea before telling them all the reasons it might fail.
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Why Do Australians Call McDonald’s “Macca’s”? There’s More to It Than Slang
Read more: Why Do Australians Call McDonald’s “Macca’s”? There’s More to It Than SlangMcDonald’s is so commonly called “Macca’s” in Australia that even McDonald’s itself uses the nickname. But there’s more behind it than Australians simply shortening everything.
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The Plague Hath Arrived: And Still the Children Want Snacks
Read more: The Plague Hath Arrived: And Still the Children Want SnacksGetting sick when you live overseas can make you realise just how much of your old support system you left behind. It’s not simply that your family lives far away. It’s that when something goes wrong, the people who would normally step in and help can’t physically be there. Our family discovered that the hard…
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Why American Chinese Food Tastes So Different (An Australian Explains)
Read more: Why American Chinese Food Tastes So Different (An Australian Explains)One of the biggest surprises after moving from Australia to America wasn’t the supermarkets, the roads or even the accents. It was Chinese food. American Chinese food and Australian Chinese food share the same roots, but over more than a century they’ve evolved into two very different cuisines. The dishes, sauces, flavours and even the…
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Why Do Australians Say “Mate”? It Doesn’t Always Mean Friend
Read more: Why Do Australians Say “Mate”? It Doesn’t Always Mean FriendWhy do Australians say mate? It’s a word that can mean friend, affection, gratitude, sarcasm, or even a warning. As an Australian living in America, I’ve discovered it’s one habit that survived the move—and one word that reminds me of home.
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The Moment I Realised My Children Belong in America
Read more: The Moment I Realised My Children Belong in AmericaRaising children overseas comes with unexpected challenges and rewards. After eight years in America, I realised my daughters may belong here more than I do.