(no subject)
it occurs to me that i haven't spoken much yet about the people. admittedly, i'm having a hard time making friends with Australians (in spite of the fact that i'm completely surrounded by them). i'm really no good at just walking up to random people and starting a conversation. actually, the more i think about it, the more i realize it's a miracle that i have any friends at all. and not just here in Australia, but in life. i guess it makes sense that all or most of my friends are far louder and more outgoing than i am. i really am shy around people i don't already know well.
i've spent most of my time either chilling by myself or with Lesley and Emily- both awesome, but also both American. and it really seems to be like that for most of the people in our group. we seem to be sticking mainly with the people we know already- our fellow Americans/Australearn students- one another. of course, the Aussies are perfectly nice and friendly- totally laid back and easygoing- but it is awkward trying to mingle. even last night, at a mixer for Australians and international students at a bar in the city*, i found myself hanging out entirely with Lesley, Emily, Katie (who also goes to AU), and other Americans. Lesley and I did end up talking for a while with 2 American Navy guys who are vacationing here in Brisbane and happened to be at the bar. i'm not entirely sure if they were trying to hit on us, as they were like 25 and knew how old we were. (incidentally, if they were hitting on us, it's a little creepy for me to be hit on by guys who are closer in age to my almost-27-year-old sister than to me). but we really didn't talk to any Australians while we were there.
i should also probably mention that, while the Aussies are very friendly, there is a tiny bit of anti-American sentiment, displayed, if no where else, in their term for Americans. they call us "seppos." this name comes from the word septic tank. now, during our program orientation in Cairns, one of our orientation leaders, Talei, cautioned us about this word. ordinarily, it is not meant in a derogatory way. it's simply a nickname. however, she told us that it can be meant offensively depending on the context in which it is being used. from the way Talei described it, it's pretty obvious when it is meant in an unfriendly way. that is, it would generally be preceded by a string of curses. for example, the voicemail we received this afternoon inviting people to try out for the Emmanuel College women's soccer team, and saying that it would be especially nice to have some new students and seppos playing this semester, was obviously not to be taken offensively. however, when Les complained to her wing leader about the people living below her blaring their music late at night for someone's birthday party, and our Australian friend Diana, who was extremely drunk at the time, came upstairs and screamed something like, "shut up you fucking seppo, we're having fun," the nickname was not being used in an endearing way. i should note that Diana didn't know who had complained, and probably wouldn't have said it had she known it was Lesley. furthermore, she apologized the next day saying she didn't even remember it happening- she really is a nice person, ordinarily. anyway, the difference between these two situations is obvious. but sometimes it's more ambiguous. like last night when we were lining up for the buses that were hired to drive us to the mixer. i happened to pass by two guys, one of whom said to the other, "so what is this, like, meet the seppo night?" when i relayed this to Les and Emily, who had been walking in front of me and hadn't heard the comment, they both (particularly Les) expressed distaste for the term. that's perfectly understandable, but the point is that that was one situation in which i honestly wasn't sure how the word was being used. in any case, i have yet to be confronted with any sort of strong anti-Americanism. generally, everyone has been welcoming, especially when they hear that i am from New York and go to school in Washington, DC, as those are two places in the US that they definitely know.
*of course when i say "the city" here, i am talking about Brisbane. this may be the first time in my life that i've used the term "the city" and not meant NYC. i'll try not to make it a habit.
i've spent most of my time either chilling by myself or with Lesley and Emily- both awesome, but also both American. and it really seems to be like that for most of the people in our group. we seem to be sticking mainly with the people we know already- our fellow Americans/Australearn students- one another. of course, the Aussies are perfectly nice and friendly- totally laid back and easygoing- but it is awkward trying to mingle. even last night, at a mixer for Australians and international students at a bar in the city*, i found myself hanging out entirely with Lesley, Emily, Katie (who also goes to AU), and other Americans. Lesley and I did end up talking for a while with 2 American Navy guys who are vacationing here in Brisbane and happened to be at the bar. i'm not entirely sure if they were trying to hit on us, as they were like 25 and knew how old we were. (incidentally, if they were hitting on us, it's a little creepy for me to be hit on by guys who are closer in age to my almost-27-year-old sister than to me). but we really didn't talk to any Australians while we were there.
i should also probably mention that, while the Aussies are very friendly, there is a tiny bit of anti-American sentiment, displayed, if no where else, in their term for Americans. they call us "seppos." this name comes from the word septic tank. now, during our program orientation in Cairns, one of our orientation leaders, Talei, cautioned us about this word. ordinarily, it is not meant in a derogatory way. it's simply a nickname. however, she told us that it can be meant offensively depending on the context in which it is being used. from the way Talei described it, it's pretty obvious when it is meant in an unfriendly way. that is, it would generally be preceded by a string of curses. for example, the voicemail we received this afternoon inviting people to try out for the Emmanuel College women's soccer team, and saying that it would be especially nice to have some new students and seppos playing this semester, was obviously not to be taken offensively. however, when Les complained to her wing leader about the people living below her blaring their music late at night for someone's birthday party, and our Australian friend Diana, who was extremely drunk at the time, came upstairs and screamed something like, "shut up you fucking seppo, we're having fun," the nickname was not being used in an endearing way. i should note that Diana didn't know who had complained, and probably wouldn't have said it had she known it was Lesley. furthermore, she apologized the next day saying she didn't even remember it happening- she really is a nice person, ordinarily. anyway, the difference between these two situations is obvious. but sometimes it's more ambiguous. like last night when we were lining up for the buses that were hired to drive us to the mixer. i happened to pass by two guys, one of whom said to the other, "so what is this, like, meet the seppo night?" when i relayed this to Les and Emily, who had been walking in front of me and hadn't heard the comment, they both (particularly Les) expressed distaste for the term. that's perfectly understandable, but the point is that that was one situation in which i honestly wasn't sure how the word was being used. in any case, i have yet to be confronted with any sort of strong anti-Americanism. generally, everyone has been welcoming, especially when they hear that i am from New York and go to school in Washington, DC, as those are two places in the US that they definitely know.
*of course when i say "the city" here, i am talking about Brisbane. this may be the first time in my life that i've used the term "the city" and not meant NYC. i'll try not to make it a habit.