australian culture and customs
find out how australians do things, how we see the world and the world sees us
About
Hi there,
I live in Western Australia and have taught English as a Second Language for a number of years and had many discussions with my adult and secondary students about the mysteries, surprises, good and bad points and peculiarities of Australian ways of living, socialising and getting along in this down-under country. After having my students research Australia a number of times and coming up with complicated and wordy sites, I thought I’d have a go at producing something more accessible. This site has bite-sized information on etiquette, customs and this society and its many cultures that aims to be easy to understand and entertaining for fluent and non-fluent English speakers. It will give you a bit of a view into the Aussie world and psyche.
I hope you find my blog useful – click on the many links for more information about different topics and post your comments and questions. I’d also love suggestions on what you would like to know.
Warm regards,
Helene Markmann
markmann.helene@gmail.com
australian culture and customs 
Hi there, Helene! Greetings from SoundEagle, your fellow Aussie from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Considering that this is a new blog of roughly a month old, you have done very well with your it. Bravo!
If you were going to make up a list of 10 Aussie blogs or websites, let’s hope that http://soundeagle.wordpress.com would make the cut and be included.
Happy February to you and happy Chinese New Year to you and your adult and secondary students!
Thank you so much, s-eagle (seagull?). You are very kind. I shall check out your blog in more detail today and you never know! Happy February indeed. But I suppose that means I’ll have to do a post on the Valentine’s festival of the dollar…
Indeed! Please also notice that when you arrive at SoundEagle’s blog, you will be greeted by a branch of rose penning a familiar Aussie phrase . . . . . well, perhaps not so exclusively Aussie.
I did see that on my first glance. Very Valentiny
Will SoundEagle pass Helene’s thorough “blog inspection” respectably with most feathers unruffled?
Not feeling any pressure at this point… BTW do YOU have a ten best blogs?!
Unfortunately no.
Hi Helene,
How have you been? I hope that you have been doing well. More than four and a half years have passed and a lot has happened since, both in my life and my websites.
Happy October to you!
Helene –
I have just looked at your blog as a result of reading about it on Roel Looper’s Freo View blog and I LOVE IT. I come from the City of Canning in Perth and we have a wonderfully diverse community here, but lag behind in even basic literature beyond English – and conservative!
I can think of quite a few organisations, including govt that I will bring your blog to the attention of, as I think we can all benefit from such unconfronting directness.
Thank you for this wonderful idea.
Cheers!
Diana
Hi Diana
Thanks for such positive feedback. I’m thrilled you like my blog and really pleased you appreciate the different angle I’m trying to bring. Many of my teaching colleagues are using the blog with their migrant, foreign and refugee students, but it’ good to know you can see further applications for it.
Cheers!
Helene