If you have any questions about culture, Bruce and Sheila will be
happy to answer them!
| Dear Bruce and Sheila,
My friend who did her Masters at Deakin University told me the story
of her first party on campus. At the party she wanted to mix with
Australian students in order to have many Australian friends and adapt
to the Australian accent. She saw a group of people, about 5 or 6,
who were having a "hot conversation". She decided to join the group.
But when she arrived, the conversation suddenly changed and they talked
more formally. She felt she had made some mistakes.
Could you give us some tips if we want to join a group like that?
At the time, my friend said "Sorry, I have to go". Is that polite?
She didn't know what to do.
(Yuni, ADS6A)
There could be several reasons that the group changed
the conversation when your friend tried to join in:
1. If they were close friends and discussing something personal
2. If they were discussing something they felt wouldn't be interesting/suitable
for your friend.
It makes it easier if you know what is being discussed by a group.
It the topic is more private, you might want to wait until the conversation
changes to something more general before you join them. Depending
on the situation you might introduce yourself or say, "Do you mind if I
join you?" and then participate in the discussion. Your friend probably
felt embarrassed when the group acted more formally and therefore left
the group. It might have been better if she had stayed and made conversation
for a while. The people in the group may have wondered why she left
so quickly.
Dear Bruce and Sheila,
If I am already in Australia, I might be invited for dinner by an
Australian family, say my landlord. Of course, this will be an interesting
experience for me. Then I will eat the food they serve. But what
if I can't eat everything on my plate? Is it polite for me to leave
some food? I wonder whether or not it is acceptable since Australians may
have their own way of behaving in this matter.
(Sutaryo, ADS6B)
In Australia it is fine to refuse food if there is something
you don't like or can't eat. If you can't eat all the food given to you,
just leave it on your plate. It is polite to tell your host that you really
enjoyed the meal, but that you are full.
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| Dear Bruce and Sheila,
I just wonder if I can survive in Australia because of my size.
I am only small like a child. Somebody told me that there are advantages
and disadvantages. One advantage is that I will get cheaper clothes
because I can find them at the kids counter. So, what do you think?
(Tenri, ADS6B)
No worries! In Australia there are people of all shapes and
sizes, so I doubt you'll have any problems. And as you say, you can
buy clothes more cheaply.
Dear Bruce and Sheila,
This is my experience of using idioms in Australia. When I
was in a taxi going from Brisbane airport to the city, I saw a black cloud.
So, I said to the taxi driver "Oh there's a black cloud over Bill's mother's",
as we had been taught in our English class. But it didn't work, there
was no reaction from the taxi driver. Maybe this was because of my
pronunciation, or tone of voice, or expression. What was the problem?
(Hadi, UQ, Brisbane)
The reason that the taxi driver didn't react may well
have been that they had problems understanding you because of incorrect
pronunciation or intonation. Or perhaps the driver thought it strange you
were using an Aussie idiom!. Even though it's good to know what idioms
mean, Aussies often think it's funny if foreigners use them in conversation.
They may even laugh at you if you use them!
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Do it yourself!
One difference in Australian customs concerns things you have to
do yourself such as photocopying at the university and buying fuel for
your car or motorbike. We very rarely find here in Indonesia someone
doing their own photocopying. Someone usually serves you. In
many cases in Australia, you need to have your own photocopy card and make
your own copies. For photocopying, you just need to pay (to a machine),
get your deposit in your card, and make as many photocopies as you want
as long as you have a deposit. In buying fuel, again in many places,
you may have to serve yourself. For your information, there are also
places where you are served for these things. In colour or unusual
size photocopying, for example, you will have to find a counter providing
this.
(Suminar Pratapa, ADS 6WB)
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New Arrival
The first day I arrived at Melbourne airport I didn't know what to
do. I just stood outside the airport. I couldn't speak even
a single word. I just kept staring at the road watching the scenery
and then someone asked me about the time, but I couldn't catch what he
said. So I just kept staring at him. I didn't know how to answer
his question because my mind was full of many things. A few seconds
later he asked me again "What is the time?" and then I realized he asked
me what the time was. I took my watch and gave it to him. After
looking at it, he gave it back. He said "Is this Indonesian time
or Australian?" but I could only catch "Indonesian", so I just nodded.
And he left me very confused.
(Gufran, ADS6A)
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