Truly, there is no holiday to compare with the Australia National Holiday known as Anzac Day! Its a mix between tailgating at a football game with July 4th with legal gambling mixed with a game I never heard of. Strange I know but what a great day and a tradition that I plan to continue with.
For those that don't know, today was a public holiday here in Australia known as Anzac Day. It is a holiday that celebrates the memory of all veterans that have died and or fought in all wars. The day starts with a commemorative dawn service at dawn followed by a ceremony at the Australia War Memorial. Two things that we did not take part in.
Unofficially, the day is filled with drinking, eating and a game EVERYONE knows as "2 Up." We met up with our friends Alex and Michelle around noon to catch the ferry to Manly. Once there we met up with another 2 friends Charles and Steve. Our first destination was the Skiff Club where following a quick bite to eat the betting and shenanigans began.
Here are the rules of 2 Up: (first day playing so I hope I get them all)
Someone pays to become a spinner, the spinner, who doesn't actually spin anything, is the person holding the wooden stick that flips 3 coins and hopes for at least 2 of the 3 to land on heads. Someone from the crowd has to match the amount that the spinner puts down. As long as the spinner continues to flip heads he continues to play. Each play the spinner's money doubles and again needs someone to match.
All the while, everyone in the crowd is making side bets with each other betting on whether the spinner will get heads or tails. Some bets are as small as $5 but I saw others go up to $500 for one spin!
Confusing I know! But heaps of fun! After the Skiff we headed to another place that was even crazier! I am already looking forward to next year!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Calling all expats!
Moving internationally is a major undertaking. Some companies arrange the move, but many don't, and there are also retirees and others moving for lifestyle changes that don't have any company underwriting their expenses. The challenge for us, and no doubt for others, was finding a reputable moving company. Unfortunately there's no Yelp!-like site for international moving companies. What limited information there is tends to be incomplete.
Sharon and I want to make this easier for others, so we've put together a survey that captures some basic information about expats' experiences with international moving companies. If you've moved abroad, please take a few minutes to complete the survey or forward on to any friends and relatives who have moved internationally.
Here's the link: http://theviewdownunder.blogspot.com/p/intl-movers-survey.html
Many thanks for your help,
Sharon & Adam
Sharon and I want to make this easier for others, so we've put together a survey that captures some basic information about expats' experiences with international moving companies. If you've moved abroad, please take a few minutes to complete the survey or forward on to any friends and relatives who have moved internationally.
Here's the link: http://theviewdownunder.blogspot.com/p/intl-movers-survey.html
Many thanks for your help,
Sharon & Adam
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Rugby: An Introduction
Last night I went to my first rugby game with my friend Max. Two styles of rugby are played in Australia: Rugby League and Rugby Union. There are a number of differences, ranging from field size to advancing the ball to scoring. In general, League play is more about finesse (as much as rugby can be about finesse) while Union play is more about strength (ripping the ball out of your opponent's hands is more common in Rugby Union). League play is most popular in New South Wales, Queensland, and Canberra, whereas Union has international matches. The game last night was Rugby League.
The home team, and the team I rooted for since Max is a die-hard fan, was the West Sydney Tigers. They played the South Sydney Rabbitohs (Rabbits probably aren't the best mascot, unless the goal is to conjure up the Killer Rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail; Max refers to them as the "Bunnies"). It was a Heritage Round game so both teams wore throwback jerseys and brought out old rugby stars before the game started.
The stadium, which is plopped right next to the posh neighborhood of Paddington, holds 45,000 and was half full. But the striking thing is there are a number of Sydney area teams in addition to the Tigers and Rabbitohs: the Cronulla Sharks, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Parramatta Eels, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Penrith Panthers, and Sydney Roosters. Most of these teams' hometowns are within a couple miles of each other. So a regular game fills about half the stadium and a big game will sell out. It's hard to imagine Pittsburgh having eight professional football teams that all play each other.
The scale is different in other ways as well. A star player might make half a million a year for a season that lasts 22 weeks. Lesser stars make ~$250k and the regular joes make about $100k. Teams struggle under an annual salary cap of $4.5 million. In the NFL, by way of comparison, the minimum salary for a rookie is close to $300,000 and teams have a salary cap of $128 million.
I pestered Max for the first 20 minutes, trying to learn the game. "Why are they doing this? What did they do that for?" By the end of the first 40 minute half I had the basics down. Like the NFL, many of the plays are of the "grind it out" variety, gaining only a couple meters of ground. But there are plenty of big plays, with players pitching the ball to teammates just as they're brought down, giving new life to the effort.
Raised on American football, one of the first things that struck me about the game was the silence: there's no crack of pads as the players collide. This almost gives the impression of it being a soft sport, but it doesn't take much imagination to guess at the impact created when two guys weighing more than 200 pounds a piece run into each other. The injury list backs this up; about five of the Tigers' key players were on the injured list, one of which had disclocated his hip the previous week.
The Tigers team includes Benji Marshall, considered one of the best players around. "Rocks and diamonds," Max said of him. "He makes amazing plays and then follows up with the dumbest moves." True to Max's word, Marshall scored early with a 40 meter dash and then again in the second half; he balanced these out with some wild passes and turnovers to the Rabbitohs. In the end though, these infractions didn't matter: the Tigers won 30-6.
The home team, and the team I rooted for since Max is a die-hard fan, was the West Sydney Tigers. They played the South Sydney Rabbitohs (Rabbits probably aren't the best mascot, unless the goal is to conjure up the Killer Rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail; Max refers to them as the "Bunnies"). It was a Heritage Round game so both teams wore throwback jerseys and brought out old rugby stars before the game started.
The stadium, which is plopped right next to the posh neighborhood of Paddington, holds 45,000 and was half full. But the striking thing is there are a number of Sydney area teams in addition to the Tigers and Rabbitohs: the Cronulla Sharks, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Parramatta Eels, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Penrith Panthers, and Sydney Roosters. Most of these teams' hometowns are within a couple miles of each other. So a regular game fills about half the stadium and a big game will sell out. It's hard to imagine Pittsburgh having eight professional football teams that all play each other.
The scale is different in other ways as well. A star player might make half a million a year for a season that lasts 22 weeks. Lesser stars make ~$250k and the regular joes make about $100k. Teams struggle under an annual salary cap of $4.5 million. In the NFL, by way of comparison, the minimum salary for a rookie is close to $300,000 and teams have a salary cap of $128 million.
I pestered Max for the first 20 minutes, trying to learn the game. "Why are they doing this? What did they do that for?" By the end of the first 40 minute half I had the basics down. Like the NFL, many of the plays are of the "grind it out" variety, gaining only a couple meters of ground. But there are plenty of big plays, with players pitching the ball to teammates just as they're brought down, giving new life to the effort.
Raised on American football, one of the first things that struck me about the game was the silence: there's no crack of pads as the players collide. This almost gives the impression of it being a soft sport, but it doesn't take much imagination to guess at the impact created when two guys weighing more than 200 pounds a piece run into each other. The injury list backs this up; about five of the Tigers' key players were on the injured list, one of which had disclocated his hip the previous week.
The Tigers team includes Benji Marshall, considered one of the best players around. "Rocks and diamonds," Max said of him. "He makes amazing plays and then follows up with the dumbest moves." True to Max's word, Marshall scored early with a 40 meter dash and then again in the second half; he balanced these out with some wild passes and turnovers to the Rabbitohs. In the end though, these infractions didn't matter: the Tigers won 30-6.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Lost in Translation #2
Every day at work is quite crazy! Everyone is always rushing to get things done. The other day a co-worker of mine came through the office desperately asking everyone for a texter.
Of course and as usual, I am lost and have no idea what the heck a texter could possibly be. So without fail, I stop everyone mid track and ask "whats a texter?"
Everyone almost in unison, like something out of a Ferris Bueller movie, "a marker of course!"
How the heck was I suppose to know what that was? How the heck is that even similar?
Of course and as usual, I am lost and have no idea what the heck a texter could possibly be. So without fail, I stop everyone mid track and ask "whats a texter?"
Everyone almost in unison, like something out of a Ferris Bueller movie, "a marker of course!"
How the heck was I suppose to know what that was? How the heck is that even similar?
Lost in translation
Quick story:
Yesterday at work one of my co-workers was working next to my desk pulling samples and having at her late afternoon treat. Here is the play by play:
Me: Hey Iva! Whatcha eating?
Iva: Just a biscuit. You want one?
Me: No thanks. Kinda in the mood for something sweet like candy but thanks.
Iva: No worries. Let me know if you change your mind.
Me: ok
(1 hour later as I am passing by Iva's desk)
Me: Hey! That looks like chocolate your eating!!
Iva: Yeah! It is! Chocolate covered biscuits.
Me: Well, damn Iva. Thats exactly what Ive been craving! Something sweet like candy.
Iva: No this isnt candy, its a biscuit. Candy is a lolly.
Me: Chocolate is candy!! For sure Ill take one!
Oy!
Yesterday at work one of my co-workers was working next to my desk pulling samples and having at her late afternoon treat. Here is the play by play:
Me: Hey Iva! Whatcha eating?
Iva: Just a biscuit. You want one?
Me: No thanks. Kinda in the mood for something sweet like candy but thanks.
Iva: No worries. Let me know if you change your mind.
Me: ok
(1 hour later as I am passing by Iva's desk)
Me: Hey! That looks like chocolate your eating!!
Iva: Yeah! It is! Chocolate covered biscuits.
Me: Well, damn Iva. Thats exactly what Ive been craving! Something sweet like candy.
Iva: No this isnt candy, its a biscuit. Candy is a lolly.
Me: Chocolate is candy!! For sure Ill take one!
Oy!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Being the foreigner
I just finished week one at my new job here in Australia ( I work here ) and other than having no time to workout the week was pretty cool. I met new people and best of all am now back to having income!
In the past I have been pretty quick to adapt to new environments, but I can already tell this is going to take a little more time. I am the only American among many Aussies; they all speak fast and use LOTS of slang. I now know what an ocker and a blower are and also learned that cursing in the workplace is totally acceptable.
I have to be honest, though: it's pretty great being the foreigner! I can get away with so much. I just say "Oh, but I am from America" or "Thats not what we do in America." Plus, they love my accent! One co-worker asked me to setup her work voicemail and another co-worker asked me to call one of our difficult-to-handle accounts because they thought my accent sounds nice and I would have a better chance at winning her over.
I moved here from Manhattan thinking no one could possibly work longer hours than New Yorkers. Man, was I wrong! I start work at 830am here and leave the same time as I did in New York. Plus, public transportation sucks here so after taking 2 buses to get home I have pretty much killed an hour.
Goodbye Lady of Leisure, hello working woman!
In the past I have been pretty quick to adapt to new environments, but I can already tell this is going to take a little more time. I am the only American among many Aussies; they all speak fast and use LOTS of slang. I now know what an ocker and a blower are and also learned that cursing in the workplace is totally acceptable.
I have to be honest, though: it's pretty great being the foreigner! I can get away with so much. I just say "Oh, but I am from America" or "Thats not what we do in America." Plus, they love my accent! One co-worker asked me to setup her work voicemail and another co-worker asked me to call one of our difficult-to-handle accounts because they thought my accent sounds nice and I would have a better chance at winning her over.
I moved here from Manhattan thinking no one could possibly work longer hours than New Yorkers. Man, was I wrong! I start work at 830am here and leave the same time as I did in New York. Plus, public transportation sucks here so after taking 2 buses to get home I have pretty much killed an hour.
Goodbye Lady of Leisure, hello working woman!
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