Life in Australia – What it is Really Like – By BobinOz — What it’s Really Like Living in Australia

Ice Cream Vans in Australia….

10 February 2012 Life in Australia

Ding Dong, Ding Ding……. Ding! When I was a kid, almost every day at about the same time, I’d hear that sound. It was a sound that would stir up a mix of emotions. Would I be allowed one? Could my mum afford one? Will she give me some money? Will I get to him [...]

Schools in Australia and NAPLAN

8 February 2012 Life in Australia

I have written quite a few posts about schools and education in Australia here on BobinOz.com. Like these….. State Education in Australia: Year 2 Homework – June 2011 Australian Education: A Half Term Report – March 2010 Australian Schools: Helping You To Choose – January 2010 Australian Schools: Looking Back on Prep Year – December [...]

Brisbane and Queensland Floods: Should We Avoid Living There?

6 February 2012 Life in Australia

As most of you will know, last year’s floods were as a result of us being in the middle of a very strong La Niña event. When she is around, it rains a lot. The opposite of a La Niña is an El Niño. When he is around, Australia can go into drought. I explained [...]

Today Tonight and A Current Affair

3 February 2012 Moving To Australia

What does it mean to be Australian? Here, in Australia, we have a couple of current affairs programmes. One is called Today Tonight and the other is simply called A Current Affair. They are both on every weekday evening after the news at 6.30 PM. One is on Channel 7 and the other on Channel [...]

Fireworks in Australia: An Australia & New Zealand Magazine Article

1 February 2012 Entertainment Australia

When I originally wrote this article for Australia and New Zealand magazine, it was highly topical. No prizes for guessing it appeared in their November issue then. Today it seems about three months out of date, but I like to think of it as being nine months ahead of its time. Remember, remember… When I [...]

The Price of a Night Out With the Boys

30 January 2012 Cost of Living - Australia

In many ways, it’s a great relief that the barbecue, or any kind of gathering in a friends back garden, has replaced going to the pub as the standard form of entertainment here in Australia. Because when you go round a friend’s house, you take a couple of bottles of wine, which will cost anything [...]

Our Australian Citizenship Ceremony and The Citizenship Pledge

27 January 2012 Moving To Australia

G’day! This is the 563rd post on this blog, and so far I’ve never started any of them with G’day. But today I speak to you for the first time as an Australian, so I just had to do it, didn’t I? The day started early, we had to be at the Brisbane Convention and [...]

Becoming an Australian Citizen

25 January 2012 Moving To Australia

Tomorrow is Australia Day. I won’t explain what that is, I’ll assume you’ve read my post about Australia Day from three years ago. Or perhaps you’ve read about the Australia Day party I went to a couple of years back. Last year, almost all Australia Day parties became charity events, raising money for those affected [...]