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May 16, 2013Junior Year Abroad Network Annual Report
May 10, 2013
The Faith of the Novelist
May 7, 2013
Providing Relief by Need, not Creed
May 2, 2013
Article by Roger Trigg Claims Religious Freedom is Not Just Special Pleading
April 29, 2013
Timothy Shah Presents Paper on Religious Freedom, Democratization, and Economic Development
April 29, 2013
New Video: Tom Farr Addresses Religious Freedom and Terrorism with EWTN's Raymond Arroyo
April 29, 2013
The Terrorists Next Door?
April 25, 2013
Tom Farr Talks with EWTN about Kidnapped Syrian Bishops
April 25, 2013
Jean Elshtain Named Kluge Chair in Modern Culture at the Library of Congress
April 23, 2013
Faith and Trafficking in Cambodia
April 19, 2013
Mona Siddiqui Chosen as Associate Editor of Online Qur'anic Encyclopedia
April 18, 2013
Foundations for Muslim-Buddhist Interfaith Dialogue
April 15, 2013
The Scotsman reviews Christians, Muslims and Jesus by Mona Siddiqui
April 12, 2013
New Essay by Daniel Philpott on Religious Freedom and Peacebuilding
April 12, 2013
Education and Social Justice Report
Christina McBride
Christina McBride, originally from Morristown, New Jersey, is a member of Georgetown College's class of 2013. She participated in the Junior Year Abroad Network during the spring of 2012 from New South Wales, Australia.
The Same Language is Different: Experiencing Language and Culture in Australia
March 17, 2012 | 4 COMMENTS
Look both ways before you cross the street!
Prior to embarking on my Australian journey, I had many assumptions about what my experience was going to be like. I anticipated a society strikingly similar to the United States, sharing the same language and laws. It took me less than an hour upon my arrival to realize this wasn’t the case.
After arriving in Australian after the torturous 24 hour journey, exhausted from jet-lag and lack of sleep on the plane, I nearly ended up as road kill. Heading to board the buses from the airport that would deliver us to our apartments, I took a quick glance to the left before crossing the airport street, unaware of the vehicle that was driving directly at me from the right side. That was the first of many honks I would be receiving for that mistake.
Nearly a month into my abroad experience in Australia, driving on the opposite side of the road still poses a challenge for me, and I question whether I will ever be able to overcome this obstacle. For precautionary measures, I often look left, right, left, right, left, cross my fingers, and finally cross the street, still nervous I might get hit. Although simply looking to the right would be sufficient, I do not trust this and will continue to practice my long ritual before crossing.
Aside from this crossing the road predicament I have encountered, I also struggle with what I would consider a considerable language barrier between the United States and Australia, a challenge I was not anticipating. One of the first days here, while at the “uni” (what the Australian’s call the university), my friends and I got invited to a “barbie” through our program. We played it off like we knew what this “barbie” was, but it was not until we arrived back home and googled this word that we deciphered the true meaning of it, a barbeque.
Another similar encounter I have experienced with this Australian slang was when I received an email from a member of the international team at the university I am studying at, requesting that I “stop by this arvo,” once again causing me to scratch my head. Google came in handy this time also, indicating that this meant come stop in this afternoon.
In addition to this Australian slang that is often difficult to understand, the Australian accent presents an additional challenge. Although the strength of the Australian accent varies between different people, I find that overall, the Australian’s talk incredibly fast and I often find myself requesting that they repeat what they have said. This is not possible in a class setting where you cannot request for a professor to repeat what he or she has just said in the middle of a lecture. Fortunately, a majority of the lectures at the University of New South Wales, the university where I am studying, are posted online for further reviewing.
The Australian laid-back culture that I had anticipated has certainly been visible on this trip, notably in the university setting. For example, I have noticed that many students arrive to classes late here, or even excused themselves from a class mid-lecture, without the professor acknowledging their tardiness or early departure.
Additionally, there are an astonishingly large number of people on the beaches everyday of the week, and I have been told that Australian’s often skip work for a nice beach day or for good surfing waves. I believe this laid-back and relaxing lifestyle greatly contributes to the friendliness of the Australian people, often sporting a smile and always willing to offer directions, two things you will not always find in America.
Despite these cultural barriers that I have experienced, one similarity I was not expecting was the popular culture similarities. I first noticed this in the car ride back from the airport, when the radio was blasting playing Rihanna’s hit single “We Found Love.” I had expected that Australian popular culture would drastically vary from the American popular culture, but this is very much not the case.
When my friends and I go out to the bars and pubs at night (with a drinking age of 18), the only music played is American music. Additionally, with an exception of the national news, a majority of the television channels are American shows, and the national news channels that are Australian often feature American stories. This allows me to keep up with the American headlines while abroad, granted I am able to understand the strong accents of the news anchors.
Prior to embarking on my Australian journey, I had many assumptions about what my experience was going to be like. I anticipated a society strikingly similar to the United States, sharing the same language and laws. It took me less than an hour upon my arrival to realize this wasn’t the case.
After arriving in Australian after the torturous 24 hour journey, exhausted from jet-lag and lack of sleep on the plane, I nearly ended up as road kill. Heading to board the buses from the airport that would deliver us to our apartments, I took a quick glance to the left before crossing the airport street, unaware of the vehicle that was driving directly at me from the right side. That was the first of many honks I would be receiving for that mistake.
Nearly a month into my abroad experience in Australia, driving on the opposite side of the road still poses a challenge for me, and I question whether I will ever be able to overcome this obstacle. For precautionary measures, I often look left, right, left, right, left, cross my fingers, and finally cross the street, still nervous I might get hit. Although simply looking to the right would be sufficient, I do not trust this and will continue to practice my long ritual before crossing.
Aside from this crossing the road predicament I have encountered, I also struggle with what I would consider a considerable language barrier between the United States and Australia, a challenge I was not anticipating. One of the first days here, while at the “uni” (what the Australian’s call the university), my friends and I got invited to a “barbie” through our program. We played it off like we knew what this “barbie” was, but it was not until we arrived back home and googled this word that we deciphered the true meaning of it, a barbeque.
Another similar encounter I have experienced with this Australian slang was when I received an email from a member of the international team at the university I am studying at, requesting that I “stop by this arvo,” once again causing me to scratch my head. Google came in handy this time also, indicating that this meant come stop in this afternoon.
In addition to this Australian slang that is often difficult to understand, the Australian accent presents an additional challenge. Although the strength of the Australian accent varies between different people, I find that overall, the Australian’s talk incredibly fast and I often find myself requesting that they repeat what they have said. This is not possible in a class setting where you cannot request for a professor to repeat what he or she has just said in the middle of a lecture. Fortunately, a majority of the lectures at the University of New South Wales, the university where I am studying, are posted online for further reviewing.
The Australian laid-back culture that I had anticipated has certainly been visible on this trip, notably in the university setting. For example, I have noticed that many students arrive to classes late here, or even excused themselves from a class mid-lecture, without the professor acknowledging their tardiness or early departure.
Additionally, there are an astonishingly large number of people on the beaches everyday of the week, and I have been told that Australian’s often skip work for a nice beach day or for good surfing waves. I believe this laid-back and relaxing lifestyle greatly contributes to the friendliness of the Australian people, often sporting a smile and always willing to offer directions, two things you will not always find in America.
Despite these cultural barriers that I have experienced, one similarity I was not expecting was the popular culture similarities. I first noticed this in the car ride back from the airport, when the radio was blasting playing Rihanna’s hit single “We Found Love.” I had expected that Australian popular culture would drastically vary from the American popular culture, but this is very much not the case.
When my friends and I go out to the bars and pubs at night (with a drinking age of 18), the only music played is American music. Additionally, with an exception of the national news, a majority of the television channels are American shows, and the national news channels that are Australian often feature American stories. This allows me to keep up with the American headlines while abroad, granted I am able to understand the strong accents of the news anchors.
RESPONSE TO CHRISTINA MCBRIDE FROM PROSHANTI BANERJEE - April 12, 2012
Thank you, Christina, for such a great letter on your experiences in Australia. I first began to read this letter because of your first line “Look both ways before you cross the street!” Upon reading this statement, I had a feeling that your experiences would be very similar to mine in India.
For one thing, the traffic in India poses as much of a problem for me as it does for you in Australia. As you said, I am still confused by drivers driving on the opposite side of the road that they do in America. Additionally, there are rarely crosswalks and in order to cross the street, you sometimes just have to take the plunge and hope you do not get hit.
Similarly, I struggle with the same language barrier issues. Before coming to India, I was told everyone would speak English. Little did I know that the English would be much different. I think it is very interesting that the Australian accent is such a challenge for you, because one would not think that since they are speaking English. It’s interesting to see how, although language can be the same, a variety of other factors such as word choice and accent can affect communication so greatly.
Another similarity I found was the class structure and laid-back culture. While Indians are extremely hard workers, the students never go to class! The system of education is so much more different here.
Lastly, I want to comment on your observation of how much American music has permeated Australian culture. One would think that each country has its own distinct culture in terms of music and television, but it is interesting to see that all of them have one thing in common: they all play American music and television as well! Your experience has been enlightening and it is interesting to see just how similar our experiences have been.
Have a great rest of your trip.
For one thing, the traffic in India poses as much of a problem for me as it does for you in Australia. As you said, I am still confused by drivers driving on the opposite side of the road that they do in America. Additionally, there are rarely crosswalks and in order to cross the street, you sometimes just have to take the plunge and hope you do not get hit.
Similarly, I struggle with the same language barrier issues. Before coming to India, I was told everyone would speak English. Little did I know that the English would be much different. I think it is very interesting that the Australian accent is such a challenge for you, because one would not think that since they are speaking English. It’s interesting to see how, although language can be the same, a variety of other factors such as word choice and accent can affect communication so greatly.
Another similarity I found was the class structure and laid-back culture. While Indians are extremely hard workers, the students never go to class! The system of education is so much more different here.
Lastly, I want to comment on your observation of how much American music has permeated Australian culture. One would think that each country has its own distinct culture in terms of music and television, but it is interesting to see that all of them have one thing in common: they all play American music and television as well! Your experience has been enlightening and it is interesting to see just how similar our experiences have been.
Have a great rest of your trip.
RESPONSE TO CHRISTINA MCBRIDE FROM ELIZABETH LIPPIATT - April 22, 2012
Christina,
While reading your letter, I started laughing to myself as I have encountered the same problem with crossing foreign streets albeit in England rather than Australia. Just like you, I was not prepared for the depth of cultural and linguistic differences between two countries which purport to share the “same” language. The difficulty I had in merely crossing a street in England emphasized how different the country was from my home as I had to relearn an action that I have done effortlessly since childhood.
What worked for me was to memorize and repeat in my head the phrase “right, left, right” rather than our traditional “left, right, left.” However, the real problem for me emerged not while I was in England, but rather when I returned home and was utterly confused about which way to look first. Hopefully, your transition will go smoother than mine did.
I was also struck by your comments on the linguistic differences between Australia and the U.S. I am currently studying abroad in Spain but one of my good friends here is a British study abroad student. Despite sharing a common mother tongue, we almost always converse in Spanish. The only time we interact in English is when we want to convey a word or an idea that is culturally related to English and does not have a suitable equivalent in Spanish.
The most entertaining part of our conversations is that sometimes we understand each other better in Spanish than we do in English. When switching to English to describe something cultural, we have both been surprised to realize that we don’t understand the other’s English and either have to resort back to Spanish or to descriptions. I have found it equally interesting that language and culture are not two separately defined entities but rather influence each other so much so that dialects from different countries or even from different regions can become completely unintelligible to outsiders.
While reading your letter, I started laughing to myself as I have encountered the same problem with crossing foreign streets albeit in England rather than Australia. Just like you, I was not prepared for the depth of cultural and linguistic differences between two countries which purport to share the “same” language. The difficulty I had in merely crossing a street in England emphasized how different the country was from my home as I had to relearn an action that I have done effortlessly since childhood.
What worked for me was to memorize and repeat in my head the phrase “right, left, right” rather than our traditional “left, right, left.” However, the real problem for me emerged not while I was in England, but rather when I returned home and was utterly confused about which way to look first. Hopefully, your transition will go smoother than mine did.
I was also struck by your comments on the linguistic differences between Australia and the U.S. I am currently studying abroad in Spain but one of my good friends here is a British study abroad student. Despite sharing a common mother tongue, we almost always converse in Spanish. The only time we interact in English is when we want to convey a word or an idea that is culturally related to English and does not have a suitable equivalent in Spanish.
The most entertaining part of our conversations is that sometimes we understand each other better in Spanish than we do in English. When switching to English to describe something cultural, we have both been surprised to realize that we don’t understand the other’s English and either have to resort back to Spanish or to descriptions. I have found it equally interesting that language and culture are not two separately defined entities but rather influence each other so much so that dialects from different countries or even from different regions can become completely unintelligible to outsiders.
RESPONSE TO CHRISTINA MCBRIDE FROM OLIVIA GEORGE - April 4, 2012
Many of the same things surprised me about living in France! One would think that especially with the language difference, that American culture would be much less pervasive. However, American culture seems to be everywhere! I certainly didn’t expect it to be here in Paris, but even here, whenever I go out or even go shopping, the music is almost always American. The movies are often American too (with subtitles, and more rarely dubbed). It is amazing to me that our culture is known worldwide.
I’ve also experienced a similar laid-back student attitude here in Europe. It might be because French classroom methodology is much more laissez-faire; professors do not provide a syllabus because they expect the student to educate themselves from the bibliography or other sources. Students come and go from class, and I’ve gotten a few strange looks for explaining to a teacher that I could not attend a lecture or that I had been sick the week before and missed one. Another thing I found shocking was the fact that students here speak constantly during class, and the professors do nothing to demand their attention. The whole learning process seems a bit more relaxed than in the U.S.
Despite those similarities, French culture is nonetheless very different from what you are describing in Australia! Although most French people I have met have been kind, accommodating, and willing to help me, “relaxed” and “friendly” is not exactly how I would describe them. In their defense, the climate here is pretty unwelcoming…maybe if they could all go to the beach a few times a week they would be more laid-back too!
I’ve also experienced a similar laid-back student attitude here in Europe. It might be because French classroom methodology is much more laissez-faire; professors do not provide a syllabus because they expect the student to educate themselves from the bibliography or other sources. Students come and go from class, and I’ve gotten a few strange looks for explaining to a teacher that I could not attend a lecture or that I had been sick the week before and missed one. Another thing I found shocking was the fact that students here speak constantly during class, and the professors do nothing to demand their attention. The whole learning process seems a bit more relaxed than in the U.S.
Despite those similarities, French culture is nonetheless very different from what you are describing in Australia! Although most French people I have met have been kind, accommodating, and willing to help me, “relaxed” and “friendly” is not exactly how I would describe them. In their defense, the climate here is pretty unwelcoming…maybe if they could all go to the beach a few times a week they would be more laid-back too!
RESPONSE TO CHRISTINA MCBRIDE FROM VIVIAN DIBUONO - July 4, 2012
I thought your observations were very interesting, especially how you compared them to US customs. Anyone who was abroad did this both purposefully, as well as absentmindedly. Your note about crossing the street is very funny. When I visited London on vacation, I had a lot of difficultly with this, but I noticed as well that there were many areas where “Look Right” was written on the pavement. It served to be a lot more helpful than you would expect.
While I was in Brazil, I noticed the varying accents in the Portuguese language as well. In Australia, I’m curious if you found this to be attributed more to the geographic location or more related to the different socioeconomic backgrounds. Also, in the US there are stereotypes associated with the various accents throughout the country. Is it the same in Australia?
I found in Brazil too that there is a very relaxed culture. People flooded the beaches of Rio de Janeiro whenever the sun was out, and students were very casual and informal about their timeliness and attendance for class. Maybe it’s a southern hemisphere thing!
While I was in Brazil, I noticed the varying accents in the Portuguese language as well. In Australia, I’m curious if you found this to be attributed more to the geographic location or more related to the different socioeconomic backgrounds. Also, in the US there are stereotypes associated with the various accents throughout the country. Is it the same in Australia?
I found in Brazil too that there is a very relaxed culture. People flooded the beaches of Rio de Janeiro whenever the sun was out, and students were very casual and informal about their timeliness and attendance for class. Maybe it’s a southern hemisphere thing!
Australia: A Religious Country?
August 2, 2012
With parents who both grew up in devout Catholic families, attending church weekly and looking to prayer in times of need, my siblings and I have always considered religion a very fundamental part of our lives. It was therefore no surprise to me that in the first phone conversation I had with my mother when I arrived in Australia, less than an hour after I hopped of the plane following a 24-hour journey, she asked me where the nearest church was to my apartment. Embarrassed, I told her I was unsure, but locating one would be one of the first things I did.
On that first day in this new country, when exploring the town I would be living in for the next four months, I found what I was looking for 2 blocks from my apartment: St. Brigid’s Catholic Church. St. Brigid’s appeared very similar to the church I attend at home in New Jersey with stone exterior, wooden pews, and stain glass adorning the walls. Not only was the structure similar but also after attending mass that first Sunday, I realized that the mass itself was almost identical: the parishioners were dressed in their Sunday best and the order of the mass was the same, having also adapted the new words to several songs and prayers as in the United States. The one difference I can account for was the accent of the priest, posing a listening challenge for me.
Prior to arriving in Australia, I had hoped to observe the religious differences that existed between the United States and Australia. Aware I was not going to observe these differences at St. Brigid’s, I turned to two alternates: the internet and my personal day-to-day observations throughout my stay. Through Internet research, it was apparent that religious diversity in Australia is profoundly shaped by immigration. At the end of World War II, a boom created by Australia’s large-scale immigration program has since led to over 7 million people settling in Australia since 1945.
As these immigrants came to Australia, they brought over with them their diverse collection of religious affiliations, reshaping Australia’s religious identity. The migration waves over recent decades in combination with the increasing number of nonreligious people in the country (22.3% of Australian’s declaring “no-religion” on the 2011 Census) has led to a decrease in Christianity. Although Australia remains a predominantly Christian country in the 21st century, with 61.6% of Australian’s adhering to the religion as reported in the 2011 Census, Christianity has historically displayed much higher percentages.
Upon completing this research, I decided that over the next four months I would pay close attention to the religious presence in Australia. As I explored the city of Sydney, I kept an eye out for places of worship, rarely seeing anything except Christian churches, which were also few and far between. Nowhere around the university campus I attended did I ever see religious fliers, which frequent the bulletin boards at Georgetown. Was Australia not a religious place?
Based on my observations and the research I had done, I had concluded that Australia was in fact not a religious country comparative to the United States. However, upon making this conclusion, I realized this deduction was made entirely based on my personal definition of religion: a group of people who hold common beliefs. I would consider the United States a religious country as a consequence of the countless places of worship located across the country, the excitement surrounding religious holidays, and the emphasis on religion in each school I have attended, all of which were missing in Australia.
The definition of religion is complex given that many people have differing views, with no consensus on what is deemed to be the “correct” definition. Thus, although I may not consider Australia a religious place according to my personal definition, others may disagree with me and believe that Australia is in fact religious, just in a different way.
On that first day in this new country, when exploring the town I would be living in for the next four months, I found what I was looking for 2 blocks from my apartment: St. Brigid’s Catholic Church. St. Brigid’s appeared very similar to the church I attend at home in New Jersey with stone exterior, wooden pews, and stain glass adorning the walls. Not only was the structure similar but also after attending mass that first Sunday, I realized that the mass itself was almost identical: the parishioners were dressed in their Sunday best and the order of the mass was the same, having also adapted the new words to several songs and prayers as in the United States. The one difference I can account for was the accent of the priest, posing a listening challenge for me.
Prior to arriving in Australia, I had hoped to observe the religious differences that existed between the United States and Australia. Aware I was not going to observe these differences at St. Brigid’s, I turned to two alternates: the internet and my personal day-to-day observations throughout my stay. Through Internet research, it was apparent that religious diversity in Australia is profoundly shaped by immigration. At the end of World War II, a boom created by Australia’s large-scale immigration program has since led to over 7 million people settling in Australia since 1945.
As these immigrants came to Australia, they brought over with them their diverse collection of religious affiliations, reshaping Australia’s religious identity. The migration waves over recent decades in combination with the increasing number of nonreligious people in the country (22.3% of Australian’s declaring “no-religion” on the 2011 Census) has led to a decrease in Christianity. Although Australia remains a predominantly Christian country in the 21st century, with 61.6% of Australian’s adhering to the religion as reported in the 2011 Census, Christianity has historically displayed much higher percentages.
Upon completing this research, I decided that over the next four months I would pay close attention to the religious presence in Australia. As I explored the city of Sydney, I kept an eye out for places of worship, rarely seeing anything except Christian churches, which were also few and far between. Nowhere around the university campus I attended did I ever see religious fliers, which frequent the bulletin boards at Georgetown. Was Australia not a religious place?
Based on my observations and the research I had done, I had concluded that Australia was in fact not a religious country comparative to the United States. However, upon making this conclusion, I realized this deduction was made entirely based on my personal definition of religion: a group of people who hold common beliefs. I would consider the United States a religious country as a consequence of the countless places of worship located across the country, the excitement surrounding religious holidays, and the emphasis on religion in each school I have attended, all of which were missing in Australia.
The definition of religion is complex given that many people have differing views, with no consensus on what is deemed to be the “correct” definition. Thus, although I may not consider Australia a religious place according to my personal definition, others may disagree with me and believe that Australia is in fact religious, just in a different way.