Previous
Next

Matador
Network

Search

Community

University

Facebook

Twitter

Account

What it’s like when an American visits Australia for the
first time

By Ronnie Charrier On
August 19,
2013 · 30
Comments

When you hear people talk in Sydney

When you hear people talk anywhere else in Australia

When you find out you don’t have to tip or pay tax on meals

But then you order your first drink in Sydney and find out it’s $22

But then you find out most restaurants let you bring your own alcohol

When you try to understand the rules of cricket

What you end up realizing about cricket

And eventually how you watch cricket

When you try to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit

When someone tells you how good vegemite is

When you have your first Tooheys beer

When you hear a girl say she can’t find her thong

If you suggest Heath Ledger wasn’t that great of an actor

When you get asked if everyone in the US owns a gun

When you get called a c**t and no one gets offended

How you start greeting people after the first week

When you successfully drive on the left side of the road

The first time you see a 5-inch spider

Every time after that

And on the flight back home

Get more stuff like this in your inbox!

Sign up for our newsletter and get emails of great stories like this.

We think you might also like:

What it’s like when you visit Denmark for the first
time

What it feels like to visit Slovakia for the first time

As an Asian-Canadian, I can’t count how many times this has happened to
me

What it feels like to study abroad [gifs]

What it’s like to spend Thanksgiving abroad

Jump
to More Related Articles ↓

Posted in:

Culture
Guides • Humor

Destinations:

Australia

10 killer food truck designs [pics] 7 characters you meet at every hostel

About The Author

Ronnie Charrier

Ronnie Charrier is currently working towards his master's degree in school
counseling so that he can shape future generations of kids, which is quite
scary. Between attempting to be funny on Twitter and artistic on Instagram, he
also coaches basketball and football in Australia, where he lives with his
girlfriend that he met in Costa Rica. He loves hammocks and hates spiders, and
please, for the love of all that is holy, stop sending him candy crush invites
on Facebook.

Facepalm

Haha “america is awesome”? And you’re comparing it with
Australia?

kc

I think Amy was joking, they’d just been to australia for the
show

Rebecca Morris

This was accurate for me!

bobbob1977

Lame article. Australians & New Zealanders are just so up their own
asses. Who cares.

Ben

They have the right to be… Both their countries are
amazing

Notanaussiebutclose

Really? This article depicts Americans being shocked by customs and
culture that is slightly different from their own, and it’s the Aussies who
are up their own asses?

kc

really? you seem shocked that there is and are customs and culture
outside your own country!! The world is round dick-nut!! You’re probably
one of those people who asked me how long it took me to learn the language
when I moved to New York!

kc

and – just for your own reference – you are not even close to being
an aussie. See love – you burnt your loyalty card!!

kc

hahahahahahaha

kc

you wanker!!

djseamus

PUH-LEAZE! Americans have a “World Series” of Baseball that doesn’t
feature any teams from the rest of the world. How’s that for being up your
own arse?

Guy Menzies-Saunders

“Greeting people after your first week in Austraila”..? Bah!! Not YET!

Stephanie Schuck Glaser

Hilarious — I lived in Australia for one year and can relate to this
article. However, while I love the US, I didn’t want to come
back.

Kit Manoel

Calm the fuck down with the hate from both sides. The point is he likes
Australia, but there’s no place like home and being familiar. Just the way
most people from developed countries feel. You grow up somewhere and get used
it and it’s your way of life.

The two places are very similar but even small differences make them vastly
exciting and confusing for visitors from either side.

kc

oh my god – whoever posted this – it was supposed to be funny – and it
was! It’s hilarious – let it go!

George

haha Americans make me laugh. Australians have their own version of this
when they go to America.

kc

haha – clearly none of the following comments are from Australians! As an
Bonie fiidee aussie – I reckon this is an “awesome”
post!!!

kc

don’t get your undies in a knot kids!

kc

thanks to my american best friend for sending this to
me!!

kc

Just read the description of Ronnie – thanks for this – Ive sent it to
everyone! Now for the love of all that is holy, I see you live in Aus
(hopefully Melbs) can you please give me a one or two liner that succintly
sums up Aussie Rules footy – I’ve been in Chicago and NYC for 13 years, and I
can’t explain it furthan (hybrid btw soccer and rugby with a good amount of
hockey violence) – give me something new!
Hope you’re having a great time
in Australia!

kc

this reminded me I need to book my holiday back to OZ for October – thanks
guys!

Mary Sojourner

Not crazy – ever – about stuff like “This is the night bitches die.” Saw
too much when I volunteered in a women’s shelter. All the rest is
delightful.

db

America is a continent not a country, please

http://www.luxuryaccommodationsblog.com/ Luxury
Accommodations

Some funny GIFs!

Tahoe Janie

I think it’s hilarious !!!!!

Érico Lisboa

WHEN??! WHEN north-american ppl will learn geography? America is a
continent not a country. You guys are bloody stupid in general sorry, and its
your fault btw.

Jon

Shouldn’t you be talking to people from the United States then, and not
“North American ppl”? There is no other country with “America” in its name,
and it is necessary to use a unique word for identification. America is not
a continent. North America and South America are
continents.

kittydew

According to your logic, “America” is TWO continents (there’s north and
south). Why would you think America just refers to the North, when there’s
also a South? Also, when was the last time you ever saw a Canadian, Mexican,
Guatemalan, Brazilian, etc. ever refer to themselves as “American”? You’re
the idiot, not us.

Anon

Most of these do not need to be animated to get the same effect. Please
stop wasting my computer resources.

http://dbakeca.com Dbakeca
Italia

nice:))

What
children’s stories teach us about the cultures that tell them

Sharks
to begin human cull off the Western Australian coast

7
things you’ll miss as a first-time traveler to Chile

In
Search of the Real Dude: Notes from a Lebowski Fest Past

It’s
official: Americans hate Obamacare, whatever that is

Related
Articles

Feature

What it feels like to study abroad [gifs]

When a club doesn’t charge you to use the
restroom.

Language + Study Abroad »

65

Feature

What it's like to spend Thanksgiving
abroad

Thanksgiving needs to be celebrated at home. Not
just in the US: at home.

Expat Life »

2

Feature

What it looks like trying to find a job after extended
travel [gifs]

If you're looking for a job surely you'll recognize
at least a few of these feelings...

Humor »

1

Feature

20 moments you'll experience in Argentina

When you drink fernet with Coke.

Culture Guides »

39

Feature

How to piss off a German

Those men who insist on urinating standing up are
called stehpinklers.

Culture Guides »

581

Feature

13 moments of culture shock for the first-time American
traveler

Burritos and chop suey have laid the foundations
for our sophisticated, multicultural...

Culture Guides »

15

Feature

29 travel writer problems

When the yurt does not have wifi

Writing »

1

Feature

20 moments you'll experience in Spain

When you manage to roll your Rs...

Culture Guides »

107

Feature

How to piss off a Chilean

How to piss off a Chilean in six easy steps.

Culture Guides »

162

Feature

21 moments every writer experiences
[gifs]

Moments in the life of a writer in 21 gifs.

Writing »

2

Quick-Read

Hilarious signs in Melbourne Metro tell it like it is
[PICs]

Mock public service announcements have been showing
up in the Melbourne Metro.

Humor »

10

Quick-Read

You know you're becoming Italian when...

You’ve started staring at people much more, but
don’t think it’s as rude as you...

Culture Guides »

9

Feature

Here's why Americans are the loudest
travelers

Americans are the loudest talkers on the
planet.

Culture Guides »

4

Matador Network © 2006-2014

Terms
of Service
Privacy
Policy

Subscribe →

About Matador

Overview

Meet The
Team

Advertise

Contests

Jobs

Interns

Contact

Sections

Topics

Destinations

Partner Series

Ambassadors

Community

Become a Contributor

Contributor
Guidelines

Submit Your
Article

Submit Your
Video

Author's
Rights

Network
Overview

Book
Publishing

MatadorU

Travel
Writing

Travel
Photography

Travel
Filmmaking

About
MatadorU

Mobile
Site