Prior to Perth, I've always thought that Gweilos are a friendly lot. Well, orientation week has proved my initial opinions wrong. While them Gweilos are friendly, with their ever ready "Hi!" and "Hello!", it's an entire different situation completely when it comes to making friends.
On a personal level, if there were an Australian and an Asian standing at an equal distance from where I am, I would - without a hint of hesitation - approach the Asian first. Never mind that I could probably have an easier time communicating with the Australian had said Asian turn out to be from Hong Kong, it's simply the matter of going to someone closer to home. I hope you know what I mean. From what I've observed, the same goes for the Gweilos too.
Anyways, let's not lose hair over that little detail.
Culture shock is inevitable when one arrives in a new place. Imagine my flabbergast and mild disgust when I learnt that my housemates are inclined to leave all their dishes from an entire day of cooking til a time God doesn't even have an inkling of. So all their plates from dinner and brunch and yesterday's brunch and dinner will be stacked into this unexpectedly artistic assemblage, only to be washed when and where they'd like to.
I can't have that in my house. The things we call crockery and cutlery have to be washed right after every meal! How is it that people can bother with 30 minutes of their lifetime cooking, and not spend five bloody minutes washing up?!? These Gweilos are terrible.
On a personal level, if there were an Australian and an Asian standing at an equal distance from where I am, I would - without a hint of hesitation - approach the Asian first. Never mind that I could probably have an easier time communicating with the Australian had said Asian turn out to be from Hong Kong, it's simply the matter of going to someone closer to home. I hope you know what I mean. From what I've observed, the same goes for the Gweilos too.
Anyways, let's not lose hair over that little detail.
Culture shock is inevitable when one arrives in a new place. Imagine my flabbergast and mild disgust when I learnt that my housemates are inclined to leave all their dishes from an entire day of cooking til a time God doesn't even have an inkling of. So all their plates from dinner and brunch and yesterday's brunch and dinner will be stacked into this unexpectedly artistic assemblage, only to be washed when and where they'd like to.
I can't have that in my house. The things we call crockery and cutlery have to be washed right after every meal! How is it that people can bother with 30 minutes of their lifetime cooking, and not spend five bloody minutes washing up?!? These Gweilos are terrible.
i suppose it's not only gwailos who love leaving dishes in the sink till they deem fit.
my ex-hsemate, too! the best part? she forgets about them though she enters kitchen every single day!! how's that for culture shock?
-s.y.
ha. yes. canadians all the same. leave dishes till night and throw them all in the dish washer. ha. takes time to get used.
I heard abt that from the horror stories section of hostel life. Luckily my hostel is fully catered. I only have to endure 2 dinners every week. Hee.
lol.
welcome to australia. :) enjoy your stay here. i have been here for 3 years already, almost time for me to go, and i think i would be sad when i leave.
perhaps culturally they are different to us, it doesn't mean all of them foreigners are like that. there are some who are too neat (my friend's room is speckless. really. makes you damn ashamed.)
likewise, they all take abit to get close to you. they are all "friendly", but it takes more than a few meetings and so on to hit off. :)
conversely from their perspective we asians stick together too much and so on.
i have friends on both sides and i think that's great in itself. :) but really, enjoy your first few days, don't jump the gun on judgements and just go out and meet more people over the next few months. :D
stef: wah u're lucky. but part of the fun in living on your own is doing all that cooking by yourself! hahaha
pandar: hi there, thanks for that, yup we're all trying to know each other a lot more so they've got numerous parties and stuff. Never a boring day. :)
seems like you're partying hard in down under, eh?
do i get "good" news soon? remember those rubbish we talked about during our last gathering before you left at boat quay? kekekeke
What rubbish? I don't talk rubbish. ;)
oh yeah? the "after-business" phone calls, those weren't rubbish??
-s.y.
better hope your new friends don't spot this, eh?