America vs. Austrailia

This week is sociology, we learned about culture differences.
We compared different cultures to see what differences there are.
We discovered that many differences are very subtle, or some may be a big deal.

Then, we continued to learn about subcultures, and what traits makes a group a subculture.
Material culture, Mores, Folkways, Taboos, Language-- are just a few aspects that we examined.

As a result of this unit, I wanted to compare two cultures that are relatively similar.
I chose to compare America vs. Austrailian culture. We have obvious similarities such as language,
along with general economic status.
However, I was surprised to discover many language differences there are between these two seemingly same cultures.

For example,
Iced Coffee in America is coffee with ice. (sometimes milk may be added)
Iced Coffee in Austrailia is milky coffee with whipped cream and ice cream on top. It's known to be more of a dessert than a beverage.

Thong in America is most commonly used to describe a type of womens underwear.
Thong in Austrailia is America's equivalent of a flip flop.

Rooting in America is used to cheer someone on.
Root in Austrailia means to have sex.

It is a colloquial term that is only slightly more socially acceptable than the “F” word.

 

There are other differences that can be found.

Such as, the drinking age. In America it is 21, but in Austrailia it is 18.

Also, internet services differ.

In America many people freely use the internet without worrying about a limit or the expenses.

In Austrailia on the other hand, internet is carefully measured and downloads can cause you to go over your limit, leaving you with a great bill.

 

These seemingly small differences can change your travel experience to either country.

I believe that everyone should try to learn more about other cultures so we can be more aware as well as understanding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://purpleslinky.com/humor/travel/australia-and-america-14-differences-that-can-get-you-in-trouble-while-traveling/#ixzz1aENgnybA