Tuesday, February 6, 2007

I'm getting used to it...


When I first arrived here, I was met at the airport by the Director of the program, Sr. Judee Glaister, RSM. She led me to the car and I proceeded to go the "passenger side" - the right side of the car. "You gotta get used to Australia" she said. "Unless you intend to drive," she continued, "you have to sit on the left hand side of the car." Several days of this and I have finally, I hope, gotten used to where I sit in the car. But it is also a challenge to look to the right when you cross the street. In the center of the city the cross walks are marked as the picture illustrates. I haven't stepped into traffic (which is always coming from the right, not left) yet, but I have had a few close calls.

Other peculiar linguistic elements of this culture are: "bookings" not reservations, the "boot" not the trunk of the car, you "ring" people as opposed to calling them on the phone. The list goes on. I'll say more about this at a latter time when I compile more.

No comments: