australia: some of us actually have to LIVE here ...
The media portrayal of Australia as some sunburned expanse largely populated with extremist animal experts, bush-tucker men, and large, life-threatening animals at every turn is getting very old.
Ditto the inference that the remaining populace consume only beer, are always happy, work only seasonally, walk around almost naked and speak another language. (Not that that would necessarily be a bad thing).
If only it were true !.
We are indeed err, blessed with some persons so multi-skilled that they can control large beasts and even larger business empires whilst appearing simultaneously to lack even the cognitive capacity of an amoeba.
(Now THAT'S clever)
Yet the remaining 19.99 million of us are just realists like the rest of the world.
Australia is a beautiful and diverse country. We have great native wildlife, incredible coral reefs, unique plant and marine life, amazing land and rock formations, sophisticated capital cities, rural lands and farms, surf beaches, snow fields ... it is truly a wonder.
Yet, aside from *strange-little-men-in-bushes, the only thing the foreign press reliably report is that things eat people. Or try to. ALL THE TIME. Or people drown. Or get lost in the bush. Or (my personal favourite) get "treed" by a crocodile. And the headlines all say the same thing ...
... "TOURIST mauled by shark" ... like the shark KNEW ... stupid anti-tourism Australian sharks ...
What can I say. It's a problem. And a very sensationalised one at that. But mostly people get into trouble here because they went somewhere they shouldn't have. It almost never happens to an Australian local to the area.
Australians are, generally, approachable, decent, and helpful people. Mmost of us are even capable of maintaining a well-modulated vocal pitch.
Well, at least until you mention *you-know-who. 