Coffee, as a good friend once called it, is the sweet nectar of darkness that keeps most students going whether it be exam time, or writing a 20 page paper in less than 2 days. Having worked in coffee shops over the last little while, I thought I knew something about the beverage I so enjoy. I was wrong. First of all, Australians don't drink typical North American drip coffee. When visiting friends, you may encounter plunger coffee. If you're going to a cafe, or out for dinner, one can expect to experience the delights of expresso coffees. Australia seems to have an incredible cafe culture, with fancy expresso makers essential in the cafes found everywhere in Melbourne (including back alleys!) and along all the trendy shopping streets. Starbucks is a rare find in most places, substituted by the Australian company, Gloria Jeans, or in Canberra by Coffee Guru. Instead of selling a name brand shop, it is the beans themselves that are the brand, with most cafes using a particular brand of coffee instead of a shop layout or name.
The most mind boggling part of coffee in this city, however, is not the nature of the shops, oh no, but the drinks themselves! The lack of drip coffee, and the proliferation of expresso drinks has allowed for the aussification of coffee. When reading the menu board at any local coffee shop, one will find peculiar names for coffee drinks, such as flat white, long black, and short black alongside the more common cappuccino, and latte. Harry Connick Jr seemed very perplexed by the differences between a flat white and a latte at his concert here in Canberra last week, and let me tell you, I shared in his confusion for quite some time. I now know the difference. A Flat White, is essentially a foam-less latte. A short black is a shot of expresso, and a long black is what some call an Americano, or a shot of expresso with hot water. Since arriving in Australia, I have to say that my favourite drink has quickly become the flat white, usually made with skinny milk.
Regardless of all the confusion, I have to say that the coffee here, like the wine, is usually quite incredible and should be enjoyed by anyone who comes to visit this country. If you get a chance, try a drink made from the Arabica coffee beans of plantations in East Timor to help support the businesses of a recovering country.
I think one of the most interesting differences for me has got to be what you hear on the radio in this country. Its like a greatest hits hour, every hour, every day! You hear new top 40 songs played to death, alongside Journey classics, and Queen. Maybe its just the crap radio stations I've been listening to to, but I've found it to be the norm on radio stations in several parts of the country. The most bizarre music thing that has happened while I've been here was when I ventured to one of the only bars in Seymour, Victoria. The last call song was the Gambler, and everyone in the bar knew the lyrics and sang along. Hearing aussie boys and girls sing along to a song written probably before some of them were born was not only shocking, but extremely entertaining! Perhaps it was just a country thing. The queens of pop and the charts here are Delta and Kylie, and apparently everyone loves them. I'll keep you posted on the music front- I will do my best to find good aussie bands!
When visiting Australia, it is essential that the traveller know about footy. Sports are a religion to some, much like playoffs time in Canada can be cultish. Part of the reason I have decided to talk about footy is because I don't understand cricket and that season is over anyway. More importantly, the reason I have decided to talk about footy is because I have come across at least 4 variations of the sport, and it has become my mission to figure out the differences between them. From what I understand, footy can mean soccer, Australian Rules Football, Rugby League, or Rugby Union. Soccer, I understand. I have played soccer for years, and more often than not, Australians will refer to it as soccer and not footy to clear up any confusion. Aussie Rules Footy is something I'm beginning to understand, and will have to completely understand by Sunday, or I may never play in a game ever again! The differences between the Rugby League and Union are what I find most confusing.
Rugby Union in Canberra is represented by the Brumbies in the super 14 game roster thing. Union is played between Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and is fairly entertaining to watch. I have yet to figure out what League is, except that the Canberran team is called the Raiders, and it tends to be a faster game?
Regardless of all of this, the important thing to know when engaging in a conversation about Footy is to listen to the names of the teams being discussed before jumping in and contributing to the conversation. For instance, the Hurricanes are a New Zealand Rugby Union team, and the Magpies are an Aussie Rules team. I would encourage any visitor to Australia to attempt to figure out who is who and what is what while staying in this country. Footy combined with a snag from the barbie will enrich your aussie cultural experience.
At this point I would imagine some of you are wondering why all of this matters. My best reply would be that for some it doesn't, but others it is essential to their existence as human beings. Coffee keeps me alive, music has been a huge part of my life up until this point, and I play footy, making all of these things essential to my experiences here in Australia.
