Everything I Need to Know About Australia I Learned from the Bachelor

Australia hasn't been all kangaroo rides and surfing with the sharks and blond, bronze boys. A lot of my time has been spent meeting finding my own way around, meeting new people,  and learning about Australia. One of my first weeks here, my All-things-Australia guru extraordinaire, Kyla, told me about the Bachelor Australia. Since then, when I find my Wednesday evenings free, I spend some time in 'culture studies'. (Plus I can always catch the re-runs!). And Wednesday lessons are followed by humorous studies in Australian satire with Rosie's blog.

Being from the Gold Coast doesn't make you the brightest.

Not everyone in Australia has blonde hair (or fake blonde hair). There are brunettes, and brunettes with shades of grey.

The Bogan thing to do is make lemonade shandys.

It's ok to drive little cars and be a real man. This includes Ford Focuses.

If you're trying to be classy, you have a chat over a cappuccino.

Breakwater in Perth is THE restaurant to be. They even have their name on the glasses, in case you forget where you are.

It's not the sharks, spiders, and a snakes you need to watch out for. It's the boats. Don't run into them or you could break your knee. But if you do get a fake injury, the Australian healthcare system will take very good care of you.

There is a beautiful house in Sydney with lots  and lots of flowers including roses.

I need to go to Broome so I can find a pearl. You just need to pick one clam and poof! Pearl!

There is minigolf in Perth!

New South Wales is apple country, and they have apple stands that look just like the little farm stand in the Greenfield Berkshires.

Chasing sheep is not just for dogs. Girls can do it as well and wearing a pink puffy vest helps.

And most importantly, bad TV isn't just for America, it's made it's way to Australia even if it has its own Aussie twist.


And because the perfect thing to go with some bad chick TV is two of the best bachelors, Ben and Jerry who have recently made their way to Perth.

It's down to only two girls, Tim makes his big decision next week, which means I only have one more acculturation lesson left. And with Australia's got Talent, X Factor Australia, and Dancing with the Stars Australia over or almost over, how will I get my Australian pop culture fix? I guess it will be Home and Away and Wonderland because I refuse to resort to American re-runs.