Insulted? You think you've been insulted?
The following string of insults, surely one of the funniest in all literature, occurs in Shakespeare's King Lear Act II, Scene 2.
A glossary of terms comes after.
KENT: A knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats; a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a lily-liver’d, action-taking knave; a whoreson, glass-gazing, superserviceable, finical rogue; a one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a bawd, in way of good service, and art nothing but the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar, and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch: one whom I will beat into clamorous whining if thou deniest the least syllable of thy addition.
broken meats = left-overs
worsted-stocking = inferior [because worsted (wool) stockings were inferior to silk ones]
action-taking = litigous, running to the law instead of using manly self-defence
glass-gazing = given to gazing into mirrors
superserviceable = officious, a 'little hitler'
finical = nit-picking
bawd = whore master
the composition of = the result of combining
pandar = pimp
thy addition = your personal description
bertie,
I regularly see Australia (along Norway and Canada, which interest me less) at the top of lists of "Best Places to Live." I'm not particularly fond of the United States, and am beginning to explore other potential nations of residentcy for my post-college life. I will be studying abroad in Australia next year and look forward to assessing the nation for residency potential first-hand.
You have lived in Australia for some time. Will you please give me your impression of life in Australia? Personal experience is more indicative of living quality than statistics and policy summaries.
What is your estimation of Australia's economy? Merchandise availablitiy and cost? Job market? Political system? Freedoms and restrictions? Laws? Etc.? What stands out to you? Have you recently spent significant time in other nations with which you could contrast to Australia?
Thanks!
Luke, I couldn't help overhearing you're going to study in Australia. Do you mind me asking what it is you'll be studying?
My major will be psychology, perhaps a double major with another subject. Australia is one of several places I'll study over the next few years as I finish my BA. It just so happens that Australia and New Zealand have several psychology classes that will transfer directly for classes I need for my major!
Yikes! This is a tough ask. (I don't feel insulted - just challenged :-D
I can't give comparisons or contrasts, because I was born and raised in Australia and have never lived anywhere else (a few days in New Zealand - beautiful country, wish I'd seen more - a few days on Vanuatu and Fiji, but those visits were on a cruise decades ago. But I guess it says something significant that I've never wanted to live anywhere else, and I think most Aussies who live elsewhere do so out of ambition rather than dislike of home - their careers take them away.
First the physical. Australia, the smallest continent, has its beauties, but not much mountain scenery, being the flattest of the continents also. But it has a fantastic coastline, wonderful sandy beaches. Tropical to temperate climate - hot summers, mild winters. Summer storms (occasionally very bad) but no tornadoes. The odd hurricane in the north (we call them 'tropical cyclones'). Almost 2/3 of the 'outback' is desert of various kinds, but they too have their charms (and dangers). Plenty of scope for the tourist - it's the retirement ambition of most Aussies to get a mobile home and explore the place - there are wonders to see.
Wildlife on land is mostly harmless - no bears or lions - and if you keep away from the kangaroos they won't show their aggressive side. We do have a supply of poisonous snakes and spiders, and there are sharks in the waters (remember Amity?).
The people are mostly Anglos with a large dollop of Southern Euros (Melbourne is the second-largest Greek city in the world after Athens), and, lately, an increasing Asian influx. You'll see few black people here (unless you're on a university campus) - the Aborigines are few and tend to live inland.
Politically we are very stable, economically quite strong. Our dollar's worth around 70-75 U.S. cents. The welfare system covers you medically to a much greater extent than in the U.S. There isn't much you can't buy here, and prices are pretty good - although petrol prices recently climbed from around 90c a litre to around $1.30 - $1.50. And produce prices are higher than they were because of several years of drought. Water is getting to be a problem - this is also the driest continent.
The job market is not great. Depends what you have to offer, of course. But there's adequate 'casual' (part-time) work. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding casual work while you studied. Accommodation might be a problem - our universties tend not to have a lot of on-campus accommodation; and we don't have frat./sorority houses here. Our level of personal freedom is comparable with the U.S. Our crime rate seems to be increasing, but from a pretty low level - I'm not ancient, but even I can remember a time when people didn't need to lock their homes when they went out.
We drive on the left side of the road :-D
Care to tell me where you'll be studying when you get here? The city, I mean.
Near Cairns, I think; which if I recall is about as far from you as possible. But very close to some good scuba diving.
Thanks for taking the time to share!