What to do in December in Melbourne, Australia?
The sun is shining, there are Christmas carols in the distance, and Melbourne becomes more alive than ever at this time of year! 1) Suzuki Night Markets at Queen Victoria Market…
Australian Open – Tennis, Melbourne, Australia, 2010
It’s that time of year where Melbourne, Australia comes alive with day and night action with the Australian Tennis Open. If your first thought is, oh I don’t like watching…
Teacher Salary Benefits in Australia
Teaching in Ontario (Canada) is brilliant for a number of reasons; the pension’s reputedly one of the best in the world, and the teacher salary benefits: massage, dental, optometry, even…
ROOTS Clothing? Don’t Pack it for Australia!
Roots Clothing. We all love it. But in Australia, we don’t wear it. Here’s why: “roots” is actually a verb in Australia..and it has less to do with a tree…
School Dress Code for Teachers in Australia – What you need to pack
After teaching here for 3 years, I can’t think of an Australian school where the students do not wear a uniform. We seem to gauge teacher-dress by student dress, no…
Teaching In Australia—it’s different. Here’s how…
On my first day of a Canadian teacher’s college in 2005, we were told that 95% of teachers quit teaching within their first five years. I haven’t had the same…
Slang to Help You Get Around in Melbourne
Here are slang terms to help you understand where to find things and what people are directing you towards when you arrive. Aussies are very friendly and helpful, just like…
Australian Slang: 25 Essential Words and Phrases
I previously wrote about the unique pronunciation of Australians. Today I’m going to take a look at words or phrases that will confuse the hell out of you. 1. fairdinkum. I’m…
Classroom ‘Culture Shock’ in Australia! And tips on Aussie-Speak
In Australia, I spent my first job curriculum curving and tuning my ear into their accent. Fights broke out regularly in our playground, and I was lucky if it didn’t…
