Frequently Asked Questions About Australia

Frequently Asked Questions About Australia

On January 26, we celebrate a national holiday called Australia Day. This is a day where we all come together during the summer and celebrate everything that makes our country great. You can think of is as an Australian Thanksgiving.

In recognition of Australia Day this year, my posts over the next couple of weeks will have an Aussie theme. I hope you will learn some new facts about the “Land Down Under!

Here are some common questions people ask me:

Question: Can you see kangaroos in your backyard? Do you keep them as pets?

Kangaroos are not pets, they are wild animals that live in the bush. If you live on a large property in the country, it is possible to see one sometimes. Also if I go on long road trip across the countryside, I may see one hopping (jumping) across the road.
WARNING: The next part may shock you. Kangaroos are actually quite an aggressive animal and they are treated like beef or any other wild animal here – they are farmed for their meat! I eat it sometimes as it’s very healthy and although it is a bit tougher than beef, it has a lot of flavour! (Don’t hate me, everyone! Don’t worry, the koalas are safe.)

Question: What about crocodiles? I hear that you see them in your streets?

Sure, if the street is flooded with water…and the street has turned into a river…and a crocodile is lost from the bush rivers…and it then manages to find its way to a town. Honestly…the media can be so ridiculous sometimes! Crocodiles are inland bush animals that you rarely see unless you live in the far northern rural areas of Australia.

Question: Are Aussies all alcoholics?

I won’t lie – Aussies love their alcohol, especially beer on a hot summer’s day. The difference between us and other nationalities is that Australians don’t know when to stop and tend to get TOO drunk too early and end up behaving very badly. They get kicked out of clubs, get into fights and sometimes even wake up in someone else’s apartment!

Question: What is it like in the outback?

I have no idea – most Aussies haven’t been to the outback, either! Australia is a very diverse land with beaches, cities, rainforest, outback, mountains (some with snow) and small country towns. The majority of the population live in the cities on the east coast, which can be very metropolitan and culturally diverse. I have never ridden a camel, nor have I worn one of those hats to deflect flies.

Question: How can you live in a place with so many dangerous animals!?

The poor animals have such a bad reputation! Australians are raised with one simple ideal: animals won’t hurt you if you don’t make them angry. Spiders stay hidden in corners to catch insects and the biggest spiders are actually the most harmless. Snakes are afraid of anything bigger than them and slither away (this means running away for animals without feet to run) as soon as they detect movement that is not potential prey (food for predators). The main thing to remember is to keep your eyes open when walking in the garden or bush, so you don’t accidentally stand on something.

What questions do you have about Australia?

Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks for more Australia-themed posts including slang and history!

The Cookie Chef

Alicia the Aussie Teacher

5 thoughts on “Frequently Asked Questions About Australia

    1. Hi Marc, I think you meant to ask, “Are Australians racist?”
      It’s an interesting question, because unfortunately I think that many people believe they are. The truth is that Australia is an extremely diverse country. We have a huge mix of different races and cultures, especially in the big cities. Generally speaking, most Australians are extremely accepting and welcoming of immigrants, however there are groups of ignorant people who are scared of terrorism because of the horrible things the media says about Muslims. There are also some people who believe that the Australian government should not accept illegal immigrants who arrive by boat, even if they are seeking asylum (escaping from a war-torn country).
      However you will find that most of us are extremely friendly, especially to Latinos, whom we believe are very warm and exotic!

  1. Hi Alicia! My name is Bernardo and I am from Spain! This is the first post of your Blog that I read. I found it through the app ‘Hellotalk’
    I really appreciate the topic of your post and how good it was written!
    I am looking forward to reading another one!
    Thanks for teaching us so many things!
    Kind regards from Asturias ( an small state in the North of Spain)

    1. Hi Bernardo, I’m very sorry for the late reply! I’ve been transferring my wordpress platform over so didn’t have a chance to publish and reply to your comment until now! I’m glad that my blog is useful to you! That’s why I do it. Right now I’m travelling around and having an adventure of my own so I’m not as focused on the English part of my website but I hope you still find my articles and experience interesting!
      Alicia

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