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I’m just finishing my fifth trip to Australia; my brother David and his family live here, and I came for my niece Laura’s wedding. You’d think I’d have things down by now, but not so. After 25+ hours en route, Laura met me at the Melbourne airport with her 7-year-old twins, Astrid and Basil. Basil sported a heavy chain necklace with a gaudy gold dollar sign, a treasure from a neighborhood yard sale. He wanted to wear it to the wedding Saturday. Naeee.
After heaving my luggage into Laura’s boot, I headed for the passenger seat. Oops. Wrong side. Australians not only drive on the wrong side of the road, they sit on the wrong side to drive—the right side. I’ve repeated that faux-pas numerous times. Can’t seem to get it down.
All was well in Laura’s condo, except that it’s winter here and their heater just quit. Central heating is rare in Australia, and they have one of those high wall units that both heats and air conditions.
Laura’s fiancée Matt arrived shortly with a free-standing heater, thank goodness. It helps, but I didn’t bring warm enough clothes. The weather’s been in the 50’s, down to freezing one night, and everyone but me has an electric mattress pad. I sleep under a heavy down doona.
David and his other daughter Jodie joined us for dinner the first evening, and I managed to stay awake until 8:30, when I hit the proverbial jet-lag wall. The next morning I was up early, did my exercises and made a pot of coffee. Much like home.
I breakfasted on a piece of toast with Vegemite, one of my favorite Australian foods (next to Pavlova— look it up). The kids’ morning fare is Wheat Bix, something I can’t BEAR. It’s a combination of overbaked oatmeal and shredded wheat formed into bricks. Think HARD and DRY. Ugh.
The second morning I trekked off in search of a warm jacket while Laura caught up on work details. She’s Chief of Staff for the Assistant Minister of Health and Aged Care, so she has a full plate even on vacation. As I walked down Brunswick Street looking for op shops (thrift stores), I performed a little dance with oncoming walkers until I realized people pass on the LEFT, even on the sidewalk. Duh. I found a warm blazer for $20, then stopped at the chemist to pick up a few Ventolin inhalers, which cost $10 here compared to $50 at home. Hmmm…
When I got home, Laura announced that she planned to roast some sweet potatoes and make a choona salad for dinner.
“Choona?” I asked. “Is that like cous cous?”
You know, choona— the fish!
“Oh, TUNA!”
Yup, lots of my issue is pronunciation. I can’t help parroting the twins when they say naeee for ‘no.’ It continues to amuse. Every morning they don their runners (tennis shoes) and jumpers (sweatshirts or sweaters) before heading to school, and after school they sometimes indulge in a lolly (candy) when Grampa David stops by.
After the wedding (an outdoor affair on the Yarra River with a Kookaburra in attendance), I learned a few more Aussi-isms at my brother’s house. He had an addition off the back for the laundry and dunny (toilet), and after brekky he pulled out a wind cheater (windbreaker) for our walk. Though we didn’t open them, I noticed only a few of his windows had flywire (screens). No bugs?
I’m adapting, but I’ll be home soon, leaving the Aussi cultural and language conundrums behind. I must admit, I’ll miss them almost as much as I’ll miss the Aussi Soderlinds.
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