The Land Down Under
I get asked where I'm from a few times a week online and people want to know what my accent is. I find myself constantly responding to the same question! Then, a few days ago a student of mine suggested for my upcoming post to write about my country and culture ... I guess the signs couldn't be more obvious that this post has to be precisely about that.
So to start off, I'll let you know that I am from Australia (born and raised), but my background and family is from Lebanon (that's another story that will need its own post hehe).
Although I have only lived in 3 countries so far, I think it is a safe bet to say that Australia is one of the most incredible countries in the world to live in. From security, to opportunities and quality of life, it is no surprise that it always ranks highly on the "top countries to live in" lists. The country is diverse in both people and landscapes. It's a melting pot with people from all backgrounds and cultures, making it a rich multicultural society rather than one uniform national culture. There is so much to say about this amazing country, where do I start?
Many of you have sent in questions about the great Land Down Under via Instagram and Facebook, so I have made sure to include them below:
How often do you see kangaroos?
Not as often as people think, they are mainly found in national parks, outer suburb areas and flat lands.
What kind of food do you eat?
We don't have a lot of "Australian food", there's no traditional dish that we have, but I guess seafood, meat, chicken, Italian food and Chinese food are the most popular.
What is the weather like?
A lot of people assume that Australia is one big sunny country, but we tend to have all four seasons through out the year. In fact, it gets really cold in the southern states during the winter period (from June - August).
What sports are popular in Australia?
Sport is very popular in Australia, more specifically cricket, Australian football, tennis and netball.
How does the welfare system work?
We have a really good welfare system in Australia which I believe is one of the reasons we have a great quality of life. The government provides support and aid to elders, unemployed and to the most vulnerable.
What is the political situation like in Australia?
It is a democratic country under the Commonwealth, meaning that our Head of State is the British Monarchy.
Some other things I'd like to mention about Australia:
It is home to one of the oldest civilisations in the world, Indigenous Australians.
Australia is one of the largest countries in the world, but more than one-third of it is desert, so most Australians live around the Eastern coast.
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest eco-system in the world and people from all over the world visit this fascinating region.
Australian animals are some of the most popular and interesting animals of the world such as the kangaroo, platypus, koala, emu, Tasmanian devil, wombat, dingo and possum.
