List

It is Autumn in Perth, I can tell because the few North American trees that line my street are changing color (most native Australian trees keep their leaves in the winter). I have now lived here in Perth for one year. Seen all four seasons. I now know what to expect in all months of year. The hot days of summer, and the wet days of winter. There are a few things I have not gotten use to yet though. Allow me make short list.

• Cockroaches being a common native animal. Walk around at night and there they go, running up and down the street/walls/garden. Some can even fly. YUCK
• The still ever present lack of ice. Why in such a hot country is ice so hard to get?
• Australians asking me if I am from Canada. No offense to my best buddy Mel in Sydney; But I am sure she gets "Are you an American" a lot too.
• Australian girls out doing me in the fashion department. Lets face it Australian girls have got it going on. I don't know how they manage to look so beautiful and well groomed all the time. (there are exceptions to be noted, but not many in the city). It makes us American girls look lazy, that or either we just like to be comfortable.
• Spiders that can kill you. Although I do not run into too many of them at our house in Perth thank goodness.
• The lack of Mr. Coffee style, drip coffee. Does this exist outside of America?
• People referring to all Americans as "Yanks", I guess they did not get any history on the American civil war in school. Clearly not all Americans are "Yanks" I would hate for them to make this mistake in some deeply southern towns.
• Large Birds (with claws) need I say more. Come and see for yourself.
• People walking down the street without shoes on, everywhere. And no one thinks its strange. Now I understand why Graham thought it was odd when I got mad at him for not wearing shoes in a fireworks store in Indiana. Its just normal here.
• Being homesick. I get it in waves.
• English Pudding..
• Fruit cake. Someone in the USA says fruit-cake and almost everyone in the room thinks yuck. In Australia you say fruit-cake and every goes "Yummy, can I have another piece."

I will leave it at that. Next time it will be all the things I love about Perth and Australia in general! Cause there is lots to love!