An A to Z of Me: A is for...

A is for Australia

Growing up in Australia is learning a completely unique version of the English language. "Ta" and "cheers" replace "thank you", "g'day" replaces "hello" and if ever you agree with someone, you reply "bloody oath!".

Growing up in Australia is eating Vegemite on sandwiches, on toast, even on your mac and cheese and thinking it's the most delicious thing in the world. (It is!)

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Growing up in Australia is not riding kangaroos to school, but seeing them on the side of the road as mum creeps the car past, terrified they'll jump out in front of her. 

Growing up in Australia means, if a word can be shortened, you shorten it! Especially names. Barry is Baz, Sharon is Shaz, Richard is Dick, Robert is Robbo, and if your first name is already short, we'll call you by your last name or make up an entirely new one for ya. 

Growing up in Australia is eating sausage sangas hot off the barbie and having fresh prawns in the sweltering Christmas heat.

Growing up in Australia means that everyone is called "mate" whether you like them or not.

Growing up in Australia is going to school in 40 degrees Celsius heat, while kids in America and Europe are having snow days. Or wagging school to hit the beach.

Growing up in Australia is being woken up at sparrow's fart (the crack of dawn) by birds that laugh. KOOOKAKAKAKAKAKA! (My impression of a kookaburra)

Growing up in Australia is not knowing what the bloody hell a shrimp is, or why every foreign person you meet talks about whacking them on the barbie in a horrible attempt at your accent. 

Cheers for that, Hogz!

Growing up in Australia is wearing thongs on your feet and coming home sunburnt for about 3/4 of the year.

Growing up in Australia means taking a public holiday for the Queen's birthday, when it's not even her actual birthday. Any excuse for a public holiday here!

Growing up in Australia is never seeing snow, but I sure as hell know what a bushfire, flood or cyclone looks like!

Growing up in Australia is not being allowed to talk while the cricket or the footy is on, but your dad spends the whole time yelling at the TV!

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Growing up in Australia is not knowing temperatures below 0, and still whinging our butts off in winter.

Growing up in Australia is spending all your time outdoors. In coastal Australia, at the beach swimming, boogie-boarding, fishing or surfing and coming home so tired that you fall straight asleep.

Growing up in Australia is experiencing four seasons in one day at any given time of the year.

Growing up in Australia is a unique experience. Whether your from the outback or the coast, the city or the country, growing up in Australia is going to affect you in some way.

Growing up in Australia is the best kind of up-bringing I ever could have hoped for. Australia, you have shaped me into the person I am today and I thank you for it! I wouldn't have it any other way.

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An A to Z of Me will be a weekly feature on Little Foal where you can get to know me better. I will try to keep it as interesting as possible wherever I can!

Inspired by Kim and Erica, who's A to Z posts I read regularly.