I found our family GP

As part of the 457 visa you are required to carry private health insurance. I am in the process of submitting our first medical claim with our carrier Australian Unity. The insurance works via reimbursement. You send in the receipts and they credit your bank account in about one week. One form required the doctor to date the onset of the condition. Australian Unity wants to be completely confident that they are not paying for a pre-existing condition. I was told the form needed to be filled out by the first practitioner I saw. No worries, I waited until the after hours clinic was open and went in to have the form filled out. Of course, there is a large rotation of doctors and the one I saw was not in and on holiday for three weeks. Ugh.

I called Australian Unity and they said I could have another doctor sign the form. Enter Doctor Neo. I saw Dr. Neo the following Monday after having very intense abdominal pains Saturday. This is the same doctor that personally called me to see how I was doing. So on a raining Tuesday, (remember we still don't have a car) I ride down to the clinic to see Dr. Neo. I was already annoyed because I had to make an appointment for a 5 minute discussion. I had a nice chat with Dr. Neo as he completed the form. I told him about making cremation arrangements for the baby, how we had seen the heart beat flutter during the ultrasound, how then I had a car accident the next week, blah blah blah. He listened intently and said that he could tell that I was still needing to work through a lot of emotions with this miscarriage. He was right about that. Then he did an amazing thing. He asked if he could pray with me. We bowed our heads there in his office and he prayed that God would continue to heal me and my family. What a blessing. What a tremendous witness of his faith. Oh, and he didn't charge me for the visit.

Next time anyone in our family needs medical care we will be making an appointment with Dr. Neo who works to heal body and soul.

Lessons Learned

A car is not critical. Until it is critical.

As you may have read in the previous post, Erika was involved in a car accident. Thankfully nobody in either car was injured and Erika was not at fault, so it isn't going to cost us anything financially.

WA not only stands for our state name, Western Australia, it is, we are told by the locals, also an abbreviation for Wait Awhile - the unofficial state slogan. Being the most isolated capital city in the world, it takes some time to get things that you need... like auto parts. So, while we wait for car parts - hopefully we'll be back on the road by Christmas after a three week delay - we are doing a lot of walking and biking (push biking in the local vernacular).

This has taught me some important lessons:

1. As the comedian said, EVERYWHERE is within walking distance if you have the time.
2. Living on the top of the hill makes it easy to bike nearly anywhere... coming home... not so fun.
3. There is a strong correlation between exercise and weight loss

Some of the ways in which this has impacted me :
> I have to leave the house 15 minutes earlier in order to bike to the train, but Erika now gets to sleep in.
> I sleep better.
> I can only wear a set of clothes once (as opposed to hanging back up a "clirty" shirt - biking up the hill home makes me sweat
> The kids can't go to evening activities due to the distance involved, it being dark for the ride (sometimes on the side of the road) and the time involved.

We may have figured out a way to get a rental car finally (living without credit cards is nice, but sometimes you REALLY need them), so we can become a bit more of a NORMAL family again.

My only real concerns is what to do if there is an emergency. James caught a Red Back (an Aussie Black Widow Spider) in the kitchen the other day. If he had been bit, I could not throw him on a bicycle and a recent train accident saw a man wait 20 minutes for an ambulance to arrive after he had his leg severed by a train... and that was minutes from the hospital and ON the large freeway.

Not our typical Aussie post - apologies. Was just on my mind.

It's the people

Australians are generally very kind and helpful. I was very much reminded of this truth over the last few days and weeks. This November has been a particularly bad month for me although it is a memorable one to be sure. I mis-carried a baby, had surgery, and was in a car accident within a three week period. There were several other smaller problems but these definitely top the list. What has helped me and my family through these trials (and really isn't that what they really are?) are the amazing Australians I have encountered. Here are some examples of the Aussie hospitality I have experienced.

When I was recovering from surgery, my dear friend brought meals and even took my kids for the day. People have sent flowers and offered help. Medical personnel were very kind. I even had a doctor call me personally just to check in on me. That is unheard of in the US! Friends have called to chat, or visit, or text their support. Another friend rescued me from the auto shop today and loaned me her car. All of these kindnesses I would expect (with the exception of the doctor's concern) but it the kindness of strangers that I really want to highlight.

Warning this next paragraph is very long and rambling. It is a spaghetti story that will make sense in the end, I promise.

Today, while taking Madeline to school, a woman pulled out in front of me at an intersection and I struck her car with my van. No one was hurt thankfully. She was apologetic. We exchanged information and were on our way. Note: You don't need to involve police here in a motor vehicle accident. You are required to file a report online. VERY EFFICENT!! We limped to Madeline's school. I got out of the van to see if I could bend whatever it was that was rubbing on the tire out of the way so I could drive home. Out of no where, a staff member from the school asked if she could help me. Susan called maintenance and I was wisked away to have a cup of tea in her office while the van was gafted (duct taped) together. We ended up having a wonderful conversation once my hands stopped shaking. Turns out her sister lives in Colorado but is returning to Perth this Friday to live. We plan to get her niece and Madeline together. I was later sent on my way with a caution to drive carefully. All I could say was thank you. Susan and the maintenance man both said, "It was our pleasure to help you, that's what Mater Dei is all about." Fast forward about 3 hours to when I limp the car to the auto shop. Note: If you do auto body work in Australia you are known as a 'paneller'. (Spell check doesn't like that one). I didn't have an appointment but they managed to squeeze me in for an appraisal. I'm was told by a very kind man that I can't legally drive my car the way it was and that it will take an act of God for it to be repaired by Christmas. I'm feeling sick to my stomach with the news, wondering how am I going to pay for a rental car for that long when a lady from the office comes out with an offer of a 'cuppa' and a next door rental place. I manage to arrange for a friend to come and rescue me and give me a ride home. (Oh, and pick up Madeline from school 20 minutes late.) Then begins my attempt at renting a car in Australia. Not easy. No worries. Kay offered to lend me her car until tomorrow afternoon thereby giving us some time to figure some things out and go to the bank (they close up tight at 4 or 4:30). Immediate problem solved. Everybody can get to where they need to go in the morning.

Yesterday, I called a funeral center to make some arrangements for our baby. The lady could have just signed me up for the most expensive services but she didn't. She went out of her way to help us. She called the hospital and made an appointment for me to speak with the chaplain. Turns out the hospital staff should have mentioned these resources to me but didn't. Anyway, it sounds like some of the expenses might be picked up by the hospital but I don't know for sure. I didn't have time today to call the chaplain, I was too busy having a car accident.

My whole point is, these people didn't have to do what they did. The funeral lady could have just done her job and charged me the fees, but she didn't. The doctor could have waited until my next appointment, but he didn't. The auto panelers could have put me off until tomorrow, but they didn't. Susan, could have just left me to rip the wheel housing off of my car by myself, but she didn't. These people helped me when I really needed it and it made a huge difference to me. We all can help one another. We are called to do so, but how often do we 'not bother'? In the U.S. I have been helped by strangers many times. I've been known to ask a stranger for directions, or to jump my car. The difference is that in the U.S. people will certainly help you when asked. In Australia though, I wasn't asking. Help was offered me before I even really knew what I needed. Isn't that the definition of hospitality, anticipating someone's need?

Good on you Aussies!!! You made my day and I love you for it.

Rudy has Landed

Ways that Australia is Worse than the United States

We've written a lot here about some of the great things about living in Australia. But we've really become used to a lot of the parts of living in the United States and some of the conveniences that come with that. Here is a list of the mild annoyances about living in Australia in general, and Western Australia in particular.

• No Turn On Red
  
  Yep. When you come up to a red light, you cannot turn. In the U.S. this means that you cannot make a right turn on red. In Australia, being on the other side of the road, this means that you cannot turn left on a red light. This is STUPID. Nobody's coming. I don't have to cross over any lanes of traffic.
  
  
• Speed Limits
  
  The speed limits here are a lot slower than that in the US. Residential neighborhood speed limits are about the same, but the high-speed roads are significantly slower.
  
  
• Stores Close Early
  
  Basically, everything closes in Western Australia at 5:00 or so on most days. On Sundays, things close much earlier. Each suburb has a night that they stay open late. In Joondalup things are open until 9:00 on Thursday night. But if you want to go out at 3:00am to buy a sippy cup and a DVD of Bosom Buddies seasons 1-4, it cannot be done.
  
  
• Slow Response Times
  
  I really don't like waiting three days for a tradesman to get back to me. I like calling and getting an answer.
  
  
• Whining About Power Costs
  
  Moving here we are paying a lot less in electricity, both in terms of total bill and in terms of cost per KWH. BBut because people are seeing their bills go up here, there is a constant complaining about energy costs. We don't get it.
  
  
• High Costs
  
  Some things cost a lot more here than they should. The same goods that you can buy in the US are available here (kind of). You would think that being so much closer to the shipping ports - China, Singapore - that the costs here would be less. But they're not.
  
  
• Limited Choice
  
  In the U.S. you can walk into a store and select from a dozen brands of television, jeans, etc., etc. Here you have choice, just less of it. In the U.S. you might see ten things, here you might see six or seven.
  
  
• Lower Quality on Appliances
  
  We have had no luck with consumer electronics and appliances here. Maybe we're just unlucky.
  
  
• No Bill of Rights
  
  Really, this hasn't impacted me at all - but it is a little bothersome.
  
  
• Lot (Block) size
  
  The yards are tiny tiny. You'd think that, given the low population density of this country, they could spread out a little. The average density in the cities are low, even given the small lot size. This appears to be because there is very little high-density living. Basically, there are almost no apartment buildings.
  
  
• Property Costs
  
  Way too high especially given the lot (block) size.
  
  

That's it - nothing major. If these are the worst of our problems, then this is a kind of paradise. No issues with crime (low). We know where to find cheap, good food. The people are generally (almost universally) nice.

Australian & American English

Here is a list of Australian words that might be confusing to Americans. These are all things we have heard used in common speech.

A

Apples - as in "She'll Be Apples"

"It Will Be Okay" - an expression implying that some work currently being undertook will be finished in a way beneficial to the parties involved. Also, possibly, meaning, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" without the musical connection.

Anger

See "Use In Anger"

Arvo

The Afternoon - "I'll meet you in the arvo"

B

Bacon

Canadian Bacon - Sliced pig meat that comes from a slightly different part of the pig than American bacon. It does not crisp up until it is burnt. When you order a bacon cheese burger at Hungry Jacks, you get a ham sandwich / burger combination. You can buy American Bacon from some butchers.

Banana Bender

A Queenslader - a person from Queensland. Mildly insulting. About the equivalent of "Yank" for an American.

Bathers

Swim suit

Bin

A container - generally for trash unless specifically prefixed by some other bin type, e.g. a storage bin.

Bird

A female without connotation to prestige, fairness or age.

Biscuit

A Cookie - unless it is a chocolate chip cookie, in which case it is a cookie, and not a chocolate chip biscuit. Cremes are cookies of the Oreo variety with a creme filling.

Bits

Small Pieces - as in "pick up the bits", the phrase "pick up the pieces" is not used.

Bloke

Male, Man, Guy, Dude - A general term for an adult male or a male in his late teens. Not as friendly as "Mate" and generally used in the third person as in "That Bloke just spit on my car."

Boot

Trunk - specifically used when describing a car - the rear storage area.

Bonnet

Hood - specifically used when describing a car - the cover over the engine.

Bracers

Suspenders (see Suspenders)

Brekky

Breakfast

Brumby

Mustang - a wild horse

Bunnings

The Home Depot of Australia. They often host Sausage Sizzles.

C

Chemist

Pharmacist or Drug Store - either the person or the shop itself.

Cordial

Drink Mix - Kool Aid and other powdered drink mixes are not found here. Instead you purchase liquid drink concentrate called a cordial.

Couch

Lawn Grass - rhymes with "pooch". This is a hardy, short grass that has branches that run along the ground. This does not have the vulgar slang meaning as the word does in the U.S., but saying "I need something that will kill the weeds on the front garden, but won't hurt my couch" still makes me blush.

Cracker

A scone or small bread ball. Think of the cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster.

Crisps

Chips - as in Potato Chips (or any similar type food)

Cuppa

A cup of coffee - as in "would like to stop for a cuppa"

D

Darling

A way to address an unknown child - same meaning as in the U.S., but actually used here informally.

Dickey Bow

A bow tie - mainly an British term.

Duck

A woman. Generally old or unattractive.

E

Entre

Appetizer, before a meal.

Excess

Deductible - the amount that you pay for repairs before an insurance claim is paid.

Expiry

Expiration - as in the expiry date is an expiration date

F

Fancy Dress

Costume

Fancy Dress Party

Costume Party - these are not held only at Halloween.

Fancy Dress Shop

A Costume Shop - where you can purchase or rent a costume.

Fairy Bread

No American Translation - White (Wonder) bread covered with butter and bright colored sprinkles (see Hundreds and Thousands)

Fairy Floss

Cotton Candy - A spun sugar confection. Fairy floss traditionally has vanilla flavoring.

Fanny

Female Genitalia - for Fanny Pack, use the term "Bum Bag"

Foot Path

Sidewalk - Concrete pathway either in front of your house or through a park.

Flat White

Coffee with a LOT of Cream - like a latte, but without foam (that's the "flat" part).

Footy

Australian Rules Football - Or possibly Soccer or Rugby (League or Union). It really depends on who you're talking to. It does not refer to American Football, which is called Grid Iron.

Fortnight

Two Weeks - a contraction of Fourteen Nights.

Frank-footer

A hot dog - though not quite the same thing in the U.S. sense. These are like the Ambassador Sausages with a slight red coloring. Generally this term applies to the meat. In a bun it is a hot dog (but a sausage in a hot dog bun may also be called a hot dog by some).

G

G'Day (Good Day)

Howdy, Hi There, Hello - a term used in greeting another person. This is not said as a good bye (as in "Have a g'day", in this case you would say "Have a good day").

Garden

Lawn or Yard. It is not just the grass, but the landscaping as well. It may include a verge.

Gas

Natural Gas - used as a motor vehicle fuel (as in the U.S.). Here Gasoline is called "Petrol" and not "Gas". Telling the clerk at the petrol station that you have $50 in gas might have you paying for the wrong pump. You probably had $50 in petrol.

Ging

A slingshot. These are illegal to carry as a concealed weapon I am told.

Good On You

Good For You - both in a "You did a good job" sense and a "lucky for you" sense. I cleaned the coffee machine at work and was told "good on you".

Grid Iron

American Football - As played by the American Football League.

H

Hire

To Rent - a Hire Shop is a rental shop.

Hot Chips

French Fries

Hundreds and Thousands

Sprinkles - as in the colorful bits of sugar you might put on a doughnut or ice cream.

Hungry Jacks

Burger King - at one point there were both Burger King and Hungry Jacks restaurants (though only Hungry Jacks in W.A.). At some point in the past the change was made to exclusively Hungry Jacks.

J

Jackaroo

A cowboy and a brand of pick-up truck

Jam

Jelly - sweet mashed up fruit, spread on toast or a sandwich. Jelly has a different meaning here.

Jelly

Gelatin / Jell-o. Because this has a different meaning, the Australians can be grossed out by the idea of a classic Peanut Butter and JELLY sandwich, though Bill Cosby might like it. See Jam.

Jillaroo

A cowgirl

Jumper

A light jacket or sweater - not to be confused with a summer dress worn in the U.S. Men wear jumpers to work - kids and women wear them too.

K

Knackered

Tired

Kilo / Kilogram

Two Pounds (approximately)

Krausky Sausage

Kielbasa - or Polish Country Sausage (not common usage in either country)

L

Lady Finger

A small banana - they look like plantains, but are much sweeter.

Lemonade

Sprite or 7-Up like Soda Pop. A carbonated, sweetened lemon flavored drink.

Lemon Mash

Lemonaide - a sweet, uncarbonated drink made from lemons. See Cordial.

Lolly

Candy - of any sort. This is not limited to lollipops. A Jolly Rancher is a lolly.

Long Black

A coffee drink - basic black coffee with no hit of sexual connotation.

M

Mackas

McDonalds - the fast food chain. this restaurant just turned 40 in

Main

IN the U.S., the entre or the main part of the meal. The main course.

Mate

Man, Dude, Buddy, Pal - An informal friendly (generally) way of addressing a person, whether or not you know their actual name.

N

Nibblies

Hour devours in an informal sense.

Nappies

Diapers - for children.

Nickers

Underwear

Nigel (Nigel No Friends)

Loner - something off on its own. Every heard of cows has a Nigel Cow, one that is off by itself.

P

Pardon

Excuse me or say again (as in the U.S., but actually used here in common language)

Partner

Person with whom you are in a long-term relationship - this MAY be a spouse, but not necessarily. Australians have only around a 50% or lower marriage rate. Partners are given benefits and may be of the same gender.

Petrol

Gasoline. Gas is a different product (natural gas) which is also purchased at a petrol station.

Petrol Station

A Gas Station - you can also buy Gas at a Gas Station, but it is not the same as Gas in the U.S. - it is Natural Gas.

Piss Taking

Provoking, teasing or chiding

R

Root

Coitus - slang. As a verb to describe the general act. Also as a noun for your intimate partner.

When describing the path one takes between two points, use route (rhyming with shout). You CHEER for a sports team. The things on the bottom of a plant are roots as well, but in context you don't get people snickering.

Rounders

A Sport Game - Similar to baseball, but played with cricket equipment.

Royal Show

The State Fair - held in early October in Western Australia

Rubbish

Trash or garbage (as in the US). Trash is less commonly used in Australia as a term for discarded items.

Rubbish Bin

A Garbage Can

S

Salad

Lettuce - I would like a sandwich with salad, means that you would like green leafy vegetables on your sandwich. Also can mean a salad in the American sense - as in a side to a meal.

Scarf

Same as in America - a scarf is used to show support for a footy team. You wear a scarf with your teams name and colors on it to show support.

Serviettes

Paper napkins.

Sheila

A female. Generally used without regard to age, but a slight implication of a common person not, for example, a lady, which is more polite.

Shopping Center

A Mall. Don't call them Malls.

Spanner

A Crescent Wrench

Sausages

Similar to a hot dog and used when only describing the meat. May be called a hot dog (some disagree on this point) if served like a hot dog on a bun.

Sausage Sizzle

Hot Dog Cooking - Generally seen as a fund raiser, like a Smelt Fry. Often stores (like Bunnings) will have a Sausage Sizzle right outside the door with the proceeds going to some charity that mans the booth. Compare with the Coke Hot dog Stands outside of a Cub Foods on a Saturday when it is nice out.

Suspenders

Garters - as in the underwear that holds up stockings.

T

Ta

Thanks - an informal way of saying "thank you" for some small favor, like holding open a door.

Tasty Cheese

Cheddar Cheese - only without the orange coloring. It is white like mozzarella.

Thongs

Flip Flops - open-top informal footwear worn to the beach or pool.

U

Use In Anger

To use something well or to its fullest extent. I have only heard about this in the context of technology. This is opposed to tinkering with some technology for fun or on an open source project.

Ute

A pick-up truck. A shortened form of Utility Vehicle. Originally a vehicle like an El Dorado, but now more generically applied.

V

Veg

Vegetibles. As in "Eat your veg"

Vegemite

No American Translation - A brown veritable-based paste made by Kraft that is spread on buttered toast as a breakfast food. The key to enjoying Vegemite as an American is to put excess amounts of butter on the toast and then spread the Vegemite on as thinly as humanly possible and proceeding to eat the entire thing before your body has a chance to react. Although it is not made from powdered dried toad and mixed with a flavorless toothpaste, it looks and tastes like it might have been.

Verge

Easement - The strip of land between the sidewalk and the road that is maintained by the property owner, but owned by the city. It is common for people to park on the verge in Australia, which is nearly unheard of in the States.

W

WA

Western Australia - the largest state in Australia - it takes the West third of the continent and is rich in mineral resources. It is not pronounced "wa", but rather the letters W.A.

Wheelie Bin

A garbage can on wheels - like the kind you might have for your weekly garbage collection.

Wind Screen

Windshield - specifically for use in cars.

Winding Up

To provoke. The result of winding someone up is that they are all wound up. See Piss Taking.

Y

Yank

An American or one who acts like one. Often you might be asked if you are Canadian rather than being asked if you are a Yank - mainly because Canadians can be offended if you ask them if they are a Yank, but generally the opposite is not true.

Z

Zed

Zee - The last letter of the alphabet.

The Flora and Fauna of Oz - Part Three : Crows (or something)

So I'm standing outside with my neighbor, Chris.  We're talking about his sea kayak and the kids are milling about when this bird flies overhead making this most unusual sound.

Me: What's that bird
Chris: That's a crow
Me: What's wrong with it?  Why is it making that sound?
Chris: What sound?
Me: (Imitating sound coming from the crow)
Chris: That's the sound that they make.  What do crows say where you come from?

I guess even the animals here have Australian accents.

Where I come from, crows say "Caw".  It rhymes with "Paw" or "Pa" and is not this long drawn out sound effect.

For my American friends... I give you the Australian crow (or something)