Cultural curios

I’ve encountered a few unexpected quirks that make life on this side of the Pacific a little bit interesting, everyday. There's nothing like moving to a different country to reveal curiosities about your own culture too.

Light switches. It seems you flick a switch up to turn a light on. So naturally, we flick it down. Either the light fixtures or my brain will need to be rewired.

Dangerous animals <— You might think 'Australia' but I'm actually talking about the US! Here, there are things that can eat you when you go on a hike (mountain lions, bears, cougars, wolves, a really big eagle). Plus, giant iguanas that falls out of trees? No, thank you.

Sausage-less hardware stores? The Home Depot equivalent, Bunnings, is a national institution – not just for saws and screws, but a community sausage sizzle every Saturday and Sunday. Hardware shopping just isn't the same without a sausage in bread!

Marge Simpson's vacuum cleaner. I'd never seen a vacuum like it in real life until I moved to the US. But now I am the proud owner of corded stick vacuum that stands up on its own.

Big Farmer. Supermarkets have pharmacies, pharmacies sell groceries, and Target does both. I can buy milk, blood pressure meds and a fake fiddle-leaf fig in a single transaction.

Anything to do with numbers. Measuring cups for cooking, the size of printer paper, date formatting, time differences, imperial vs metric, the number 7 – just kidding, we use that too.

Elevator etiquette. 'Have a good one!' is something I hear everyday from the people I share a lift with – people I've never met and sometimes haven't even made eye-contact with. Such politesse!

Can openers. I've used a can opener more times in the last 6 months than my entire life. I feel like a pull-ring can is more of a luxury than a Ring camera.

Creamer. Still not entirely sure what this is or why it exists but I will continue my observations and report back. 

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