Typical Australian Traits and Social Practices

aldousnow

Australians are people of few words but they are open and direct.
Australians are very down to earth and always mindful of not giving the impression that they think they are better than anyone else.
They often downplay their own success, which may make them appear not to be achievement-oriented.
Australians give people a "fair go" (to give someone an equal opportunity or equitable treatment).
Australians place a high value on relationships. They stand up for their mates (friends) and the disadvantaged (underdog).
Australians prefer people who are modest, humble, self-deprecating and with a sense of humour.
Australians believe in "practical mateship" (willingness to undertake voluntary social and community services).
Many invitations to Australian homes will be for a "barbie" (BBQ). It is customary in Australia to respond to an invitation barbeque party, lunch, dinner, gathering, among others on the spot, via email, phone call or a letter. Being frank to the host about the food that you can and cannot eat as advisable.
If you received an invitation that says BYO or a restaurant that has BYO signs in them, it only indicates that you need to "Bring your Own Beverages."
Table manners are continental - hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
Indicate you have finished eating by laying your knife and for parallel on your plate with the handles facing to the right.
Keep your elbows off the table and your hands above the table when eating.
Australians are very matter of fact when it comes to business so they do not need long-standing personal relationships before they do business with people.
Being on time for a "meeting" in Australia is important. It is also usually practiced in Australia to advise the person beforehand about being late in the meeting.

JClem

Nice one! 🙂 Thanks, @aldous! 🙂

LokiJr

When my boss visited, I noticed they drink often, but they drink just a couple or so bottles in a given night hehe

...and they like to walk...or baka dahil matrapik sa Pinas? hehe

aldousnow

mababa alcohol content dito mga beers. 🙂 pansin ko din mahilig maglakad mga tao dito.

mikai

thanks aldousnow, ano ibig mong sabihin sa mahilig maglakad? galing san papuntang san?

aldousnow

maglakad, magbike papuntang work. meron din dito mga free rent ng bikes for 30minutes. bike lanes, parking..

LokiJr

@aldousnow, ah kaya pala game sila uminom araw araw hehe

This one I also got from my boss. They like people who speak up and take action. Ayaw nila sa mga oo lang nang oo, they call that "fence sitting" hehe

mikai

aldousnow, may nafefeel ka bang discrimination? sabi kasi ng mga officemates ko meron daw yan dyan. sana naman wala.

aldousnow

so far wala pa ko nafifeel. wala pa kasi din ko work. hehe. pero according sa kuya ko sa work nya wala..

JClem

Yun din sabi nung friend ko na nasa Sydney, more than a year na sya dun and so far wala naman daw sya naeexperience na discrimination. Multi-cultural na kasi ang AU kaya siguro mababa na lang cases ng racism or discrimination. Other than that alam ko may law sila na anti-discrimination.

aldousnow

yup. mahigpit sila sa law ng discrimination. yung mga bago pa lang dito mga cousins ko.. yun laganap pa discrimination nun.. mga late 80s at early 90s. pero ngayon.. wala na.

mikai

nice! that's good to hear. sana makalipad narin kami dyan. how about yung clothing dyan? malamig ba talaga pag winter? plano ko kasi bumili ng ukay2 sa baguio pag ganun. tnx!

aldousnow

uu bumili na kayo pang winter jan. kasi june start ng winter dito. depende kung saang city kayo mpupunta eh. pinaka malamig kasi sa hobart, second canberra tapos next melbourne. Dito melbourne, malamig na pero hindi pa winter. so lalo na siguro talaga pagwinter. nagtatabaan daw mga tao dito pag winter. hehe.

simple_sabbey

@aldousnow: kmusta na ang buhay OZ? mahirap bang maghanap ng work? =)

aldousnow

hi @simple_sabbey 🙂 ayos lang naman. almost a week pa lang ko hanap work. may mga tumatawag naman na employer. hopefully i'll get a job soon. 🙂

Davidx23

aus traits/social practices:

mahilig silang uminom, ma pa-lunch, ma pa-office meetings, on break.
mahilig sa outdoors, mag-travel, sports (footy, cricket).
mostly honest, friendly and matulungin pero yung mga teen-agers are rude.
meron pa ring mga occurrences of discrimination hindi lang sa race pati na rin sa ayos or circumstance. ex. mahirap kumuha ng rental property kung may anak ka; minsan nga pinoy ang nagdedescriminate sa kapwa pinoy - pagsabihan ka ba naman ng pinoy store clerk na 'hindi mu afford yan'; etc.
they value aus products - nung nasira ng bagyo yung mga banana plantation instead nag-import sila sa pinas, they chose to buy local with times 5 ang price para makarecover ang banana industry.

sohc

@Davidx23

sad to hear that #4 comment, sa tingin ko yung mga may ganyang ugali e yung mga hindi dumaan sa skilled migrant visa.

Bryann

@Davidx23

Yeah I agree with you sa #3 and #4. Yun sa #3, meron ako 1 experience before mga teenagers na pinoy naglalakad ako sa village dati minumura ako in Tagalog. Akala hindi ako Pinoy, hindi ko na lang pinatulan. Nasa tapat sila ng bahay nila kaya malakas loob. Yun sa #4 naman, wala pa ako na-experience 1st hand, pero tingin ko yun mga yun inggit lang.

gemini23

I had an Australian boss in the past... ang tingin namin sa kanya is mean and yun nga me pagka-racist, parang walang bilib sa capability ng Asians. Sabi ng mga kasama kong Indonesians, inconsiderate daw kc ang bilis bilis magsalita ng English lalo na kapag interview e alam na nga hindi ganun kagaling ang English nila. As for me, nakakasunod naman ako sa English ng boss ko dati pero minsan parang tinetest nya if naiintindihan ko sinasabi nya o hindi. Tapos, magc-conduct ng meeting and training sa amin na casual maong pants lang. Iba-iba rin ugali nila. Kasi isa nyang kasama na boss din naman, lagi naman nkabusiness attire (suit and tie) pag binibisita kami sa Jakarta.

gemini23

Dito sa pinapasukan ko ngayon me Australian co-teacher kami, graaabbeee....as in parang nagme-menopause na lalaki...ang sungit. Barado ka kaagad kapag na-aaproach mo sya na bad mood sya (na palagi naman). As in dire-diretso magsalita pag me ayaw sya. Parang tingin nya sa amin ay mga mababang klase collegues, nilalapitan lang kami pag me kelangan sya at pag super bored na sya kasi walang kumakausap sa kanya. Ganun ba talaga karami ng Aussie, mataas ang tingin sa sarili? Me nagsabi din sa kin na friend ko not to choose an Aussie as bf kc nga ganun.