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Common Australians Misconceptions

By mariekevanhaaren

Before arriving in Melbourne, I had a slightly different view of what the culture and people would be like. However, since I have been living here for nearly 4 months, a lot of my previously held conceptions have been debunked.

I think the main view most people have of Australia is a sort of “beach culture”. However, it actually gets quite chilly in the winter, and no one goes swimming in the ocean between the months of June and October. Furthermore, it’s definitely not warm enough to be wearing shorts and a tank top; you have to layer up during the winter! It’s really only starting to warm up now as the southern hemisphere is entering summer, and I can finally put away my jackets and break out the shorts!

Another misconception is that there are deadly creatures everywhere – snakes, spiders, crocodiles, the list goes on. However, if you’re living in a city like Melbourne or Sydney, the chances of running into one of these are low. That being said, there is quite a bit of wildlife running around as you get further away from the city, and it is definitely important to keep an eye out.

Contrary to what Outback Steakhouse puts in their commercials, its not common for people here to throw some “shrimp on the barbie”. While Australia does love a good BBQ (UniMelb has one every week!), it is typical to see only sausages or burgers served at these events, not shrimp. In fact, America’s version of shrimp is called “prawns” in Australia.

Just like practically any other country, the general conceptions of Australia are not true. Melbourne alone has many different cultures and different traditions, varying greatly from the usual Aussie stereotypes.