'Welcome to SMASH TALK! Today we\'re talking about the differences between Australia and America with Aussie Mr. A-Game! https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBasementGames Our special guest Mr.A-Game has an AWESOME channel featuring hilarious Let\'s Plays! Mr. A-Game\'s channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzL1aupiX0hxdbR2UgEL34w In today\'s episode (Ep 3), we talk about the similarities and differences between Australia and the United States of America. Mr. A-Game has plenty of insight! Check out: Life in Australia vs. the United States (An Aussie Perspective) by Kristin R. Carpenter with Nestor A. Toro ( https://rcg.org/youth/articles/0905-liavtusaap.html ) DRIVING IN AMERICA Back to my first time in America: after driving off in my rental car, it became clear that American road networks are much bigger and more organized than in Australia. I found the North-East-South-West and sequential numbering systems helpful for navigating—if you know your bearings. Because I live in the “land down-under,” which is literally on the opposite side of the globe, I would sometimes take the wrong direction, certain I was right. My number one rule for driving in America is to always keep the middle of the road on the same side of the car as the steering wheel. This has helped me. Of course, I did use the wipers many times instead of the blinkers, reached over the wrong shoulder into thin-air looking for the seat belt, zigzagged on unmarked back roads, and tried to get into the passenger side several times—but I survived. DIFFERING SYSTEMS While driving in America became less of a challenge with practice, applying math was a different story. Converting everything from the British system of units to the metric system—especially Fahrenheit to Celsius—required constant brainpower. The idea of changing Fahrenheit to Celsius at first seemed simple. Subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit figure, multiply by 5 and divide by 9—relatively easy, right? Not exactly! In my experience, it is best to remember a few key temperatures, such as 32 degrees F = 0 degrees C (freezing), 70 F = 21 C (comfortable), and 100 F = 38 C (uncomfortable). Other common conversions one needs to travel between Australia and America are: 1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 meter = 3.28 feet, 1 mile = 1.6 kilometers, 1 gallon = 3.78 liters and 1 kg = 2.2 lbs. The Internet provides easy access to conversion websites, but memorizing a few conversions is handy, as you never know when you will need to perform “international math.” SUBTLE WORD VARIATIONS One of the things that I find most amusing between the two countries is the way that each uses language. For example, in Australia, we often greet each other with the phrase, “G’day. How ya goin’, mate!” In the United States it is, “Hello, how are you?” Some other differences are that Australians say “boot,” where Americans say “trunk,” “petrol” instead of “gas,” “mobile phone” in place of “cellphone,” “potato gems” instead of “tater tots,” and “capsicums” for “bell peppers.” When eating out, an “entree” is the main meal in America, rather than a starter, as in Australia. Meals are also typically larger and unclean foods are offered more frequently in the United States. In addition, food is often fattier in America. At one restaurant, I thought I chose a healthy option by ordering a salad. The waitress asked if I would like it with chicken. I agreed only to find the chicken was deep-fried and oozing with a calorie-filled sauce! In the United States, I noticed that most citizens are either athletic or obese, which is similar to Australians, many of whom are also overweight. National statistics indicate that 32.6 percent of adults are overweight and 16.4 percent are obese in Australia, while in the U.S., the figures are 34 percent and 33.8 percent, respectively. DO NOT FORGET TO TIP! One thing you must never forget when in the United States is to leave a tip! Paying gratuity for service, especially for a meal, is common practice. Generally, most people tip between 15-20 percent, or higher for outstanding service, at a restaurant or cafe. This is a difference between my home country and America that I had to learn the hard way. On one trip for a university conference in Las Vegas, my mate and I (in Australia, everyone is your “mate,” except your spouse!) were both short of cash for breakfast. We ordered what we could afford and after eating we both looked at each other and said, “Oh no, the tip!” We scratched up about 75 cents between us. The waitress gave us the kind of mean look that could cut through steel, and we sheepishly tip-toed out of the restaurant, never to return! [...] (more at: https://rcg.org/youth/articles/0905-liavtusaap.html ) ~~~~ Join The Basement by following us on... Twitter - https://twitter.com/the8asement Google Plus - https://plus.google.com/+TheBasementGames/posts'
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