Life
11 Things Australians Miss When They Move Away
There are certain things that are so unique to Australia, expats hanker for them constantly. Living in New York City, with such a large population of relocated Aussies, we all lament the same absences in our lives, and understand why not having easy access to Chicken Twisties is a huge deal. Obviously, missing the place where you grew up, your family and lifelong friends is also a big deal, and it goes without saying that these are things you miss the most. But also, Chicken Twisties.
You can't expect Americans, or any other non-Australians, to fully understand what it's like to miss these things. They've probably never even heard of half the things you're ranting on about, that is if they can even understand your accent. Australia, for the uninitiated, is the land of plenty. We have everything and it's great. We have universal health care, fair wages, all organic everything, all the time, and great weather. Why we move to other countries with fewer good things is a mystery for sure, but one thing remains certain: no matter how far, or how wide we roam, we still call Australia home.
THE BEACH
Australian beaches are beautiful and plentiful. Even if you live in a city, they're easy and quick to drive to in the summer. They're also sprawling and clean; nothing like the diaper and tampon-riddled nightmare that is the Rockaways (and so many other American beaches.)
PAW PAW
Have you ever seen a woman pull out a little red tube from her purse and start smearing it on her lips? That's Lucas' Paw Paw Ointment, the salve that every Australian girl swears by for everything, and that binds us together in an unspoken bond of the Paw Paw cult. It's nearly impossible to find (and at a reasonable price) anywhere but Australia.
NEIGHBORS
The show, not the people who live next door. Even though Ramsay St. is a stupid place full of stupid people, every Australian is somehow endeared to Neighbors. And if not Neighbors, then Home and Away, but I wasn't allowed to watch HAW as a teenager because it was too naughty (Chris Hemsworth taking off his shirt and Isla Fisher doing teenage sex, etc.) Neighbors is just "ugly people talking about boring things" as my parents would say, with the occasional dastardly villain whose dastardliness is definitely very PG rated. Miss you, Harold! Also, above is an awesome video of Margot Robbie on Neighbors. YOU'RE WELCOME.
CHRISTMAS IN SUMMER
Those who didn't grow up with Christmas in the middle of summer find it difficult to comprehend. But when we're in the middle of a white Christmas, Australians are dreaming of subbies in the back yard around the bbq, sucking prawn guts off our fingers and playing street cricket in the sunshine.
TREAT FOOD
Included but not limited to: Tim Tams, Milo, Lamingtons, Pavlova, Twisties (both Cheese and Chicken), Iced Vo-Vos, Arnott's Mint Slices, Banana Lollies, Vegemite, Minties, Four'N Twenty Meat Pies, Sausage Rolls, Crunchies, Minties, Flakes, CHERRY RIPES, Picnics, Caramello Koalas, Twirls, Freddo Frogs, WAGON WHEELS, Curly Wurlies, Fantales, Cadbury Favorites, Terry's Chocolate Orange, Bounties etc. (NOTE: if you live in the UK you can get a lot of these things pretty easily.)
FRESH FOOD
Everything you eat in Australia is fresher than anything I've ever eaten anywhere else in the world. Ask an Australian person about going out for breakfast and they'll immediately tell you how they miss fresh sour dough, perfectly ripe avocado, and non-vinagery poached eggs. OH GOD. POACHED EGGS. I MISS PERFECTLY POACHED EGGS.
CHICKEN SALT
Needed a category of it's own, mostly because of KFC chips with extra chicken salt. I feel sad for those whole will never experience this simple pleasure.
FREE STUFF
Mainly education and health care, both of which you can have in Australia without getting into ridiculous debt over them. They seem so obvious to Australians, so it's really weird live in countries where these sorts of basic liberties are extortionately priced.
LATTE
Every Melbournian will tell you Melbourne has the best coffee in the world (it does). Sydney has incredible coffee too. Actually, coffee is to Australians what pizza slice is to New Yorkers. It's nearly impossible to get a bad one.
FISH'N'CHIPS
Sure, you can get fish'n'chips pretty much anywhere, but can you get it all greasy and rolled up in paper with Chico rolls and dim sims (fried and steamed) and potato cakes? No my friend, you cannot.
THE WAY MELBOURNE GLITTERS
I'm from Melbourne so this one is specific to there, aka, the best city in Australia. After it rains, or when it's a bit dewey outside in Autumn, the light hits the Melbourne city streets and buildings in a way that makes everything look like it's sparkling. It's incredibly beautiful, and for anyone who'd left Melbourne to move overseas, when you picture Swanston St (the epicenter of the Melbourne CBD where no cars are allowed, except once I accidentally drove down a block), you picture it all glittery, the way it looks on its fanciest days.
