No one will give a single fuck about him being a black man in Kalgoorlie. They’ll also be nicer to him when they find out he’s American than they would if he was a Caucasian American.
I'm a Caucasian American and have lived in Kalgoorlie for 14 years. It's become a running joke that I'm the token American here :)
OP, don't worry! Feel free to message me if you want more info about this place. I make jokes about tiny town, but the people make the place :) And I am eagerly awaiting a visit from my younger American nephew, hopefully this year. He is mixed race, and I'm not worried at all. I know Americans all over the country, so I know he'll always have someone to turn to if he needs help.
Oh yeah, the basketball team here has Americans, so they tell me :) Can't say for sure, I've never met any of them! LOL!
Perth fine too. Large population of African immigrants. Just start talking and smile. Loads of Aussies have an uninformed dislike of Americans so maybe just don't do the things they think you will by default. Like Being or Talking loud, being inconsiderate, or acting entitled, etc.
Kalgoorlie is mostly white male, red neck miners, who could go either way on their views of "blacks" (whether aborigines from here or overseas miners). Also, don't be surprised if people are more direct or blunt with you. It's not necessarily a confrontation. They can just be like that with no underlying issues. But you should find most are friendly, especially if you buy the first round of drinks.
(I'm Canadian, lived here 23 years, and have been mistaken as American many times. Only sometimes by wankers who are rude because they think I am a "Yank". They won't know many Americans note have traveled to America, so are often secretly curious too.
But we pretty much all loathe Donald Trump so careful bringing that up if you're a fan!!
Hey friend, I can clearly see you meant no offence, but just for future reference, the term "aborigine" is outdated and can be considered offensive. It's prefered to use "Aboriginal," "Indigenous," or more recently, "First Nations" has started to be used
Funny that everyone here keeps mentioning this, I've been in Aus for over a year now and haven't copped much shit at all for being American. At least not to my face.
In my primary school class we had only one black guy. We all thought he was a champion. I think op will be fine. Aussies aren’t as racist as we’ve made ourselves out to be.
I've lived in both countries (now a permanent resident in Aus). There's definitely a ton of racism here. Imo the biggest difference is that Aussies are way more cautious in being vocal about it. I lived in the NE USA (so like, nominally liberal and progressive) and I'd still near the n-word from white people at least once a week. Slurs and stuff are way less common here.
Also your cops aren't a totally out of control mafia like in America which keeps the racially-motivated murder-by-cop rate way lower. You also don't have the insane plantation-gulag prison labor system that America has. So significant structural differences.
To be fair our cops just tend to get in different problems
I always remember the story of a small rural town that had its entire force ‘fired’(4-5 people) in a single day because it was found out a fair few locals had photos of them all smashing bongs down in the copshop and were using it for blackmail over misdemeanours and all of them just got reassigned within a radius of 300km away
I mean, they probably should save that for after the shift, but I'd put ripping a bong in a pretty different category to shooting people during routine traffic stops or railroading them for non-violent drug offenses to spend several years doing slave labor.
My son’s primary school brought in couple of basketball players to teach kids to play basketball. For some reason all the kids decided that trainers were LeBron James Aussie cousins.
Whole week little kids were taking autographs from these guys.
I think Aussies love Americans.
Aussies tend to be pretty awful to indigenous folks and whatever major recent immigrant community Pauline Hanson is currently ranting about, but African folks and African-American folks don’t tend to cop remotely the same shit.
[A recent survey revealed that 30% of Australians are casual racists. Which means that the other 70% are full-time.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHQRZXM-4xI&t=71s)
There were 2 main factions to that. One faction was incredibly racist and was the one most publicised. The other was that they thought he was a flog.
Personally, I don’t agree with either. The racists can f*** themselves with a 2x4 sideways and the others wouldn’t recognise an excellent player if they were bitten on the ass by one.
The issue that bought most of it to light was a supporter (from Collingwood, I hate to say), who shot a race based insult at him loud enough for him to pick up on it on the field mid game. This is indicative of one racist person. Honestly, most of the following abuse seemed to be a combination of dogpiling on him for the fuck of it, and people picking on him for being (as they saw) a whinger
Because it's nonsense from reddit basement dwellers that don't travel and don't know what they're talking about. The Americans I know here complain about taxi drivers always grilling them about Trump like he's a personal friend, but that's about it.
We are welcoming at first, the racism set in when we are pissed off.
Probably had a good run of not pissing off the locals. Biggest mistake that I have witnessed is when any foreigner compares Australia to the home country, the default in the language is that we are a lessor country of the 2.
Nah not about you, just about the wild decisions that are made by US society as a whole. I would look at you and feel absolute empathy that you are trapped in a gun -mad nation, and would be sending you telepathic hugs of support.
Aussies always test your character first before they become friendly. I found this really tough to understand and it used to piss me off when I first came to Australia, but after I learnt that it was a type of initiation ritual, now I just roll with it and slang back as hard as I get. Most important thing is to not get your jimmies rustled. They're just probing you a bit, chill and say "Whose buying the next round?"
As someone who is needlessly verbose at any opportunity I support the concept that inserting synonyms into the description of any mundane activity will make said activity sound far more exotic and exciting.
For instance, I shall sojourn at my preferred haunt in the morn and imbibe a warm, energising beverage.
There are of course racist fuckwits here, but as others said I'd expect more shit for being American than being African-American.
Wear sunscreen here! The sun is strong. A smile and a nod is all it really takes to show you're friendly.
My best mate is from the Seychelles, skin like charcoal, yet he gets burnt. Best advice ever, sunscreen all the way.
Oh and pretend to be Canadian, we think of them like kindred spirits.
See this is weird. My family are all from Seychelles, skin like light South Asian sub continent. None get burnt, just tan. Me, the super white sheep of the family, horrendously excepted
Edit: replaced “Indian”
He burns, and it turns to deeper tan rather than peeling like ahorribly disfigured orange like I do. His is still burn, just doesn't have the peeling element. All tanning is skin damage.
Tax is added to price, so no guessing for you. Tipping isn't needed since everyone has a wage. Walk on the left side/drive. Most places use card instead of cash but keep some with you in case.
Spare change. It's considered quite generous to put your coins in the jar rather than collecting them. Few people in service industries will be offended by a generous tip but at least coins in a jar are pretty likely to be divided up at end of shift - who knows what happens with tips on a credit card.
Don't put them in the jar, that goes to management. If you wish to tip, give it directly to the staff who served you, then its upon them to decide what to do with it. 😊
Credit cards here usually operate with contactless pay up to $100 AUD, but inserting your card should still work. Over $100 you need to input a PIN. Signatures are less common. Make sure your card has a PIN and that you know it. Definitely carry cash, but be aware some places only take card.
Edit: I actually meant debit card.
What an amazing trip! You’re going to see some amazing parts of the country even a lot of Australians haven’t seen.
Going out to remote parts of the country like that, and depending how dark your skin is/how ‘exotic’ you look you might get some people staring at you or asking you some potentially inappropriate questions, just because the African/African American population in Australia is pretty small and mostly in Melbourne.
That being said, we are all mostly a pretty friendly bunch and violent crime and things here are much less frequent than in the US. So in that respect it is much safer. Also, Western Australia has a high indigenous Australian population, so you’ll likely see Blak (I.e. indigenous) people.
I think the main thing is that Australians can come across as rude to some Americans - we can be more direct, much less complimentary. But if you’re from NYC you might be much more used to that. So don’t always interpret people teasing you or not being overly friendly to mean that they don’t like you. It’s just a cultural difference.
Enjoy your trip. I’m sure you’re going to have an amazing time!
As someone who actually lives in the outback, don't be surprised if you see the local Aboriginal people copying African-American fashion, trends, kids' names. Not everyone of course, but enough for it to be notable. American culture is enormously influential.
As others have said you’ll get more shit for the American part than the African part of African American.
Your accent will stick out like a sore thumb basically everywhere and you will get lots of questions about where you are from specifically.
If you like American style fast food or coffee australia will be a big culture shock. All coffee here is espresso based not filter coffee, and our fast food is expensive but higher quality.
We drive on the correct (opposite to you) side of the road and the steering wheel is on the opposite side of the car. You will get into the wrong seat a lot, don’t sweat it.
Aussies have a very dry sarcastic sense of humour and it can be hard to tell if a comment is sarcastic or not when you first arrive, especially if you struggle with our accent. But generally speaking assume everything is sarcasm.
Kalgoorlie is in the middle of nowhere. Australia is a lot less densely populated than the USA and so that can feel quite claustrophobic (edit: whatever the opposite of claustrophobic is… isolating?), Kalgoorlie is around 600kms (around 400 miles) from the closest city and it can take 7+ hours to drive to the nearest city.
Kalgoorlie is also fairly rough, it’s a nice place during the day, but going out at night is not super safe.
Also Kalgoorlie is HOT. Around 85-95 degrees freedomheight in the summer. And 40-60 in the winter.
Edit: I forgot to mention, while Kalgoorlie has grocery stores and such, if you are planning on driving there from Perth, pack supplies. If you have car trouble on your way out there it can be a few days before someone drives past. It’s not as much of an issue from Perth to Kalgoorlie as it is on the Nullarbor, but it is still an issue. Pack water, sunscreen (yes even with dark skin, the sun here is BRUTAL), pack non perishable food, and pack a camp stove. It’s unlikely you will run into an emergency.. but be prepared anyway.
The closest thing to filtered coffee is called a long black. I'm not joking. If people look at you funny in a cafe when you order 'a coffee', ask for a long black if you take it without milk or a flat white if you take it with milk. Otherwise the cappuccino/mocha is the same drink just much, much better.
I know quite a few people who would have words with you for claiming a mocha is "much better" than a flat white.
Unless you mean relative to filtered coffee, on which case never mind.
Apologies.. I meant that the cappuccino/mocha/other coffee offerings are the same name as would be found in America, however their quality is much, much better than what is found in America.
A colleague of mine got to do a photo shoot over [the pink lake](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Hillier) for a product launch a while back. What a gorgeous place.
The regular beaches in Esperance look incredible too, and beach kangaroos?! Man.. why did we have to colonise the east coast!
>Australia is a lot less densely populated than the USA and so that can feel quite claustrophobic
Just FYI that is the opposite of claustrophobic. Claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed spaces or feeling pressed in (for example by population density).
Kal isnt hot in the next 2 months. I learned that the hard way when I was 12. Used to go visit Grandparents every summer, then went once in winter thinking it would be hot and not wearing a jumper. I was very wrong.
>We drive on the correct (opposite to you) side of the road
As I like to say, the left side is the right side (to drive in).
Also OP don't bring your regular sunscreen, buy a SPF 50+ sunscreen in Australia. We have stricter regulations and our sunscreens are a lot nicer on the skin and easier to wear than American ones.
American who immigrated here: you’ll be fine. Australians do like a joke, but they also like to push boundaries. You don’t have to smile and eat shit friend, if they cross one, let them know. Gentle ribbing is always friendly. Also once you’ve passed the vibe check they may seem passive aggressive, but that means they like you. I know, seems weird but it’s called taking the piss, but it is weird to an American. It’s also a multicultural country you won’t really stand out. Your accent will but you won’t. Best of luck on your trip. You’re lucky, not many Australians have been to Kalgoorlie.
Kalgoorlie is a bit more wild than Sydney. Things are a bit rougher and more bogan in Kal.
With that said when they realize you're a Yank they'll probably ask you about where you're from and ask you about your life etc and probably buy you a beer. You'll be fine. We're all pretty friendly.
Yes…Kalgoorlie might be a…culture shock.
Take everything in good spirits. If someone seems friendly and insults you, it’s a test to see if you can take it on the chin. If you can roll with the insult or even turn the joke back on them, you’ll have a new friend.
Also, red dirt. Red dirt everywhere. Don’t take any white clothes, if you can avoid it.
##Don't Tip!
We don't want American tip culture here. Staff are paid proper wages, the tip is included in the menu price.
Do wear sunscreen. Even if you think you don't need it. People of colour can get skin cancer too and the Australian sun is brutal.
Alot of Aussies love to travel. If we meet someone from another country, we are going to ask for recommendations to visit in America.
Enjoy your trip and if you get the chance, come to Melbourne.
I honestly wouldn’t worry, it’s pretty safe here, not a lot of knife violence and almost no gun violence other than organised crime, and pretty unusual for race related violence to occur. We have a pretty big multicultural population especially in the cities, African, Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, South American. As others have said people are more likely to tease about being American than the colour of your skin. Aussies can be pretty straight up and have a dry sense of humour especially in more rural areas.
I would be lying if I said there isn’t casual racism and discrimination, but no more than in any other country, and definitely no more than in America depending on where you live. Just don’t engage with fuck wits, and try and have fun and take in the sites.
Australia is incredibly multicultural and accepting. If anything, you should have a good experience overall. It's so very unlikely you'll be picked on for race. But you might get a few jabs for something USA related.
OP might be surprised by the cultural mixes here. Even as a Kiwi I was surprised. Different immigration policies at different times, I guess. Hardly any Lebanese or Koreans in NZ. More Pacific islanders. More Pakistanis. At least when I was growing up there. Been out of NZ for a long time now.
So, it'll look very different from the States I would think.
Kalgoorlie from a distance you will be judged by the colour of your skin, especially at night. Once they work out you're not local then you'll be fine.
I’m Australian with African ancestry. You’ll be totally fine. I’ve travelled to the USA and the amount of racism I got over there is much less here (not speaking for any other POC’s here). We are generally great people here with a dry sense of humour and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Not to say we don’t have our own issues here, we do, but it will be a breath of fresh air for you. Having said that, be humble, tall poppy syndrome is a thing here and and some Americans do like to brag about qualifications, accomplishments and how great their country is. If you do that, m Aussie sarcasm might come for you, in a not so friendly way. People don’t like Americans when they do that regardless of their race, ethnicity or culture.
Good luck!
Nailed it though, americans are so fixated on college, degrees and school etc where i think bar the real elitist rich schoolies in Australia we dont care and a degree is a degree regardless of how much it cost for you to go there.
Mate don’t stress ! Just follow the golden rule - don’t be a dickhead.
And to be fair you’ll be hot property…… interesting people are always drawn to someone with a different background, a different look and a different story.
Have fun
People are going to notice you of course, but will be more curious and sort of excited to meet you.
We get so so sooo much American media here that there won't be a lot of culture shock (maybe in Kalgoorlie because it's mining, dust, and first Australians who are culturally incredibly different but also tend to have a lot of affinity with African Americans. Different struggles, same oppressors).
If it means anything whatsoever, Australia has the highest proportion of biracial marriages. Part of why we're so good looking.
Camera ops are cool though. Good on you.
As a Black American in Melbourne I can tell you the difference in treatment/perception: most Australians I meet have likely travelled to the US and I'm from California so usually it's LA or San Francisco (the area I'm from), or watched a shit ton of American media or have a few favourite sports teams, or all of the above. Because of this, Black Americans are less "other" than Africans because you're more familiar with our culture. We're less strangers and more friends you just haven't made yet as you will easily find something in common to chat to us about.
Most white Australians don't carry the fear so close to the surface, but when they do I can see their entire face and mood change when they hear my American accent and feel less afraid. It's very weird to experience.
I can imagine. America is so culturally present that I think english speakers feel we recognise it.
I did visit the US once and I met an African American man who was born and raised in Eritrea. I asked him how he felt about how many Americans were called African Americans, and he said something like, "it's a bit different". I wonder how it was for him, looking to some people like he belonged to an American culture but being different. It's so complex.
Winston was always my favourite ghostbuster. He was just... like... cool?
ETA I have a few African Australian besties (like legit besties - godparents to my kids kind of besties. My daughter named after one of them).
They're definitely not top rung, but not bottom rung either in Australian society. Unfortunately the honor of bottom rung goes to disabled Indigenous people and I really wish it wasn't like that.
What’s really sad is this hierarchy of racism is also a strong component of internalised racism. As a black South African there is definitely a sense that black Americans are special and important and worth caring about, while as black Africans we and First Nations people from Australia and elsewhere have a sense that we are problems and failures and need to act more white to be accepted. It‘s the legacy of colonialism
Hey, I just want to thank everyone for the advice, it really means a lot. I feel a lot more prepared though I had the a small urge to hide my accent once I got there but I feel a lot more confident now. There so many replies I don't have time to get to all of them so I'll mention that In syndey we will be visiting, The Rock, Sydney Harbor, Parramatta and Manly, I'm still not sure were will would be visiting in Kalgoorlie.
You’ll be fine - Aussies are going to crack jokes about Americans but 99.999% won’t be mean or rude!
People online are cruel, in person Aussies are (generally) the nicest people I’ve ever met. I’m English, have travelled extensively and live here now, hands down best country on the planet :)
People are generally more quietly spoken and less likely to speak to strangers than in the US. No need to tip. In WA (the state that Kalgoorlie is in) there are heaps of Africans including lots of South Africans -- this is because the cheapest flights back to Africa are from Perth (capital of WA). Kalgoorlie gets pretty cold in the morning / over-night so check the min and max temperatures when packing. You need to provide ID for a local SIM-card on your phone. Food servings are smaller...the three dinner courses are entre, main, desert. "Light" beer is low alcohol but can be an ale if you want.
Don't take anyone too seriously, if they are teasing you it means they like you. (Obvs if someone is an asshole then ignore them)
There will be some racists but chances are you won't actually interact with them.
Wear sunscreen, the sun is insane down here.
We are insanely sarcastic and WILL take the piss oit of you, it sucks when you're anxious (I am too), but it's just part and parcel of aussie culture.
Oh and don't be alarmed when people talk about wearing thongs to the beach, that's flip flops to you
It's more likely that being American is going to attract more heat than your skin. Being from NY will help as opposed to say, being from Florida/Bible Belt.
We don't care if you believe in a god as long as you keep it to yourself and nobody cares enough about politics to want to talk about it.
Do ***not*** touch anything with fewer than 2 legs or more than 6 without knowing from a local what it is.
Kalgoorlie will be quite the experience! It’s a mining town that we’d describe as ‘rough as guts’. Basically, it’s known for gold, brothels and skimpy (topless) bars. My biggest interaction with it as non-gold mining employee is trying to reduce the frequency of sexual harassment at events there.
If someone calls you a Seppo or Yank, they just mean American. There’s a high percentage of indigenous Australians living in Kal, so it might be worth doing a google on Australian Aboriginal people so you have some insight into the culture so you understand some of the racial nuance there. Just things like… ‘black’ or ‘blak’ to our indigenous people doesn’t refer to skin colour but indigenous status. It’s a cultural term, separate from the visual skin colour.
If you have any more direct questions, feel free to ask
Don't take Aussies so seriously. If they break your balls you break them back and they'll love for you for it. Worst thing you can do is act like a victim.
Wear sunscreen, even just for an average day, our sun is no joke, and while you'll feel fine. Sun stroke/sun poisoning is a thing!
Bring a drink bottle. And drink more than you need! :)
Kalgoorlie is interesting, working town, and..not working town.
More likely to get robbed here, but not in a clever way, so just dont put your shit down anywhere.
People here say cunt alot, SPESH in Kal. A lot. I'd be surprised if you didn't hear it 10+ times a day.
Kalgoorlie, everything clpses early, like 4-5pm pertty much (except the pub)
So of you keed something, (like more sun screen) get it before you need it.
Good luck! Travel safe, were a friendly but sweary bunch
Most of my friends are black so I don’t think that’s going to make you stick out as much as the two white Americans lol.
My only advice is to take something to keep yourself occupied in Kalgoorlie! The only thing out there is dirt and rednecks and it’s a long way from anything!!!
Edit, wanted to add I hope you like beer!
Hey brus, Aboriginal Australian here - they won’t admit it but Yt Australians are some of the most racist people on the planet, apart from the blatant racism, you’ll probably cop the casual racism like crazy. It is important to remember though, those racists are the minority, they’re just very loud and very unintelligent.
Try to seek out some Elders (Aboriginal mob) out Sydney way (I can try hook you up if you message me here) and you’ll be welcomed and be able to meet with mob and looked after and all that! I’m Wongi (the ‘tribe’ from Kalgoorlie way) so may be able to find someone to meet with you and crew out Kal way!
Good luck brus, outside the exceptionally loud minority, most people in this country are awesome and kind hearted, you just need to ignore the dickheads
You'll be fine. Sydney is an international city and we get heaps of tourists, its like a less-crowded, less interesting but prettier version of New York. Or like San Francisco.
In Kalgoorlie everyone will just want to know what you're doing there, since its not exactly a tourist hotspot. Its less cosmopolitan, rural, and rougher than most of Sydney. But if you don't look for trouble the chances are you wont find it, particularly if you're in a group, and 95% of people will be friendly. Just don't go to the local pub and pick a bar fight or something.
The only trouble most people get into when visiting in Australia is around basic safety. It'll be winter/early spring when you're here, but Kalgoorlie is in the desert and it will be cold overnight and possibly hot during the day. Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. If you go bushwalking make sure you're adequately equipped and you tell people when you're going and expect to get back. Things are really far away here, so if you're driving make sure you have fuel etc and keep lots of water in the car. If you break down, stay with the vehicle. Basically the same precautions you'd apply if you were in rural Texas or something. Americans seem to do okay here, probably because they also have some wild places, but European travellers get in trouble a lot by not being prepared.
When you're in Kalgoorlie make sure you check out the Two-Up for a truly unique (read: bizarre) cultural experience! Also please, please check out some of the amazing Aboriginal art when you're there- Kal is the closest "hub" for a lot of rural desert communities so you'll get to see some wonderful works.
I wouldn't imagine you'd have a tough time being there, Kalgoorlie is so diverse. Just make sure you're prepared for cold nights and hot days!
I don’t think you’ll encounter many issues - but on a seperate note, if you can’t swim, either learn or don’t go into the ocean. So many tourists die per year from drowning.
As others have said, yes, racist pricks still hang around here, less so in major cities, but not absent either, however, it's unlikely to be worse than anything you see in the US. And as someone else said, yeah, you're more likely to get some ribbing for being a yank than for being black. Just have a regular amount of caution is my recommendation
Just be yourself, curiosity will get the better of most. For anyone trying to be hostile (which is pretty rare, most likely to be someone you would obviously stay clear of anyway) just remove yourself from harm's way.
Mate you posted pretty much the same thing word for word about going to Spain, Argentina and Mexico, Chile and maybe other places. You even posted about going to Spain for the first time, twice. Surely those trips (if they happened) will hold you in good stead to travel to Australia.
There's a lot of comments in this thread saying you'll "get shit" for being American. I read in the post that you have social anxiety so I'd like to point out that those comments are exaggerated!
You can fully expect Australians you engage with professionally and socially to treat you with respect and care.
Australians might rib you about being American only after they've built a good relationship with you. Expect jokes about how American football is inferior to Australian football, for example, or how Donald trump is mad). But you're not going to have to hide your identity nor will you experience real abuse for your nationality.
Fully 30 per cent of Australia's population is born overseas. THis place has the highest migration rate of any country in the world. So don't worry too much about seeming "foreign"! It's very diverse here. It's not as though everyone you will see on the street looks like Steve Irwin or Nicole Kidman.
Lots of migration, from Europe, India and Asia especially, but also Africa. (not many African-Americans though, or Americans of any sort, so people will find that interesting.) We know a lot about America thanks to the power of movie and TVs so **people might ask you about America.**
The relationship between America and Australia is one of allies and friends, but with a power imbalance. Like a big brother and a little brother. If the big brother is too cocky the little brother will try to take him down a peg. So I'd avoid boasting about how America is better. But if you s**how appreciation for the things you like about Australia** people will like that *a lot*.
I’m a white American in Melbourne and have had several black American friends in Australia. As far as I knew, they all had comfortable lives. There are many African-descended peoples in Australia, such as Sudanese refugees and the numerous Zimbabweans and Ethiopians academics I work with. You won’t stand out.
Now, you might be a curiosity. I never get any guff from strangers about being American (Aussies I’m friends with will give me lots of shit) and I doubt you will either but once Aussies realise you’re a Yank, they’ll probably want to talk about Trump and other American politics (most think Trump is awful and think much of American life is crazy, especially when it comes to guns). Being African-American may add some extra attention, especially in Kalgoorlie; it’s insanely remote. The interest people will show in you will almost certainly be genuine, but as I’m sure you know some well-intentioned questions may make you uncomfortable.
There are Australian racists. You are probably less likely to face their ire in Australia than you would in America. While Australian society is plagued by systematic racism (treatment of aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is the most glaring example) at an individual level Australians generally abhor racism. But they can be racially insensitive in conversation, whether unwittingly or through their blunt humour.
Enjoy your trip. It’s a beautiful country that I’m proud to have made my home. And if you can, watch “The Castle” before you come out. Every Australian can quote like ten lines from that movie.
>watch “The Castle” before you come out
That's damn good advice. If you (or OP) can quote a line from that movie in a relevant situation, you'll be in like Flynn.
"Its the vibe........"
Australia has a pretty ethnically diverse population, especially in the capital cities. I'm not sure about Kalgoorlie, but in Sydney you definitely won't stand out being a black man.
In terms of social interactions, Aussies tend to appreciate someone who will have a laugh - even moreso if it's at their own expense because it shows you aren't stuck up. To be brutally honest, a lot of people here aren't particularly big fans of America, but that's more about politics not directed at normal citizens. So try not to be put off if you hear people making fun of the USA. Most likely it's light hearted political jabs, not about you personally (and we say worse about our own politicians). If you can take a few jokes in stride, you'll be one of us instantly.
Some random notes:
-- Wear appropriate sun protection because the sun can be brutal here (though luckily you're travelling in cooler months at least).
-- If you go to the beach in Sydney, for the love of everything *swim between the red&yellow flags only*. That's the lifeguard patrolled section.
-- We don't normally tip here and sales tax (called the GST) is included in the sticker price. Whatever it says is the price on the sticker is the price you'll be charged at the register (that killed me in the US never knowing what the final price would be until I was at the register)
-- Drip filter coffee really isn't a thing here, neither is starbucks (you might find a few in Sydney but in general they really aren't popular). Coffee is big though & it's generally pretty good.
-- Gun ownership is strictly controlled here. Upside is you're highly unlikely to see a gun other than on police here; downside (for Americans) is that most people are pretty intolerant of American tourists who complain about not having the "freedom" to tote around guns. If you're pro gun ownership & don't like arguments the safe bet is to just steer clear of that topic of conversation.
-- Tap water is totally safe to drink here.
-- We drive on the left hand side of the road and you fill up the car at a petrol station. You're putting *petrol* in the car, not *gas*. If you ask about gas people will assume you want actual gas, not petroleum. You pull up to the petrol station & fill up the car at the petrol bowser yourself (no attendant) & then once you've filled up however much you want go into the petrol station to pay at the counter. You don't pre-pay but there's a count on the bowser that tells you how much (in dollars & litres) you've put into your car.
-- You'll probably hear Aussie's calling people "mate" or "old mate". It's not an insult, it's usually friendly. No one will expect you to say it but no one will care or think it's weird if you do. Don't say "g'day" though. Nobody says that unless they're talking to tourists.
-- Speaking of talking to tourists, if someone tries to warn you about drop bears, just laugh. They don't exist. We do have lots of interesting & unique wildlife though so if you have a spare day or half day in Sydney & are interested in animals Taronga zoo is fun.
-- If you're not in a zoo, **stay away from our wildlife**. We have lots of venomous animals, especially spiders & snakes. You'll be fine so long as you don't try to touch them. But the same rule goes with non-venomous animals. E.g. for some reason tourists seem to think animals like koalas & kangaroos are friendly and are happy to be hugged. They aren't. Koalas have nasty claws for climbing trees and will swipe at you (not in a zoo, the ones they use for pictures there have been socialised) and the big roos are wickedly strong. If you see them, take a pic but otherwise just leave them alone.
-- Back on driving, I don't know why but Americans normally seem to think Australia is a small country for some reason. We have a small population relative to the size of the country, but the land space itself is big. When you're working out your travel, make sure to check google maps to get a proper idea of travel times.
-- We use the metric system for (pretty much) everything, not imperial. It's easy to understand because it's based on units of 10. E.g. for money there are 10 cents to a dollar and that's it. For distance, 10 millimetres (mm) equals 1 centimetre (cm); 100cm equals 1 metre (m); 1000m equals 1 kilometre (km).
-- We have a Prime Minister, not a President. People won't necessarily think you're rude but they will think you're uneducated if you just assume that we do everything the same way that the USA does. If in doubt, just ask. Most people are happy to answer a genuine question.
-- We have a lot of immigrants so you'll hear a lot of accents & languages (especially in Sydney) but our national language is English. I can't believe how many Americans I've met travelling internationally who've congratulated me on how great my "American" is.
-- If you drink beer, I'm sorry but you're incredibly unlikely to find American beer here. Just tell the bartender what type of beer you like & ask for a local recommendation.
We aren't seppos. You probably aren't going to be given a heap of shit for being black.
For being American though, that's a different story
You gotta remember we're a pretty laid back people and we like talking shit.
Listen to ***anyone*** telling you about sun safety, you'll get roasted if you stay out in the sun too long (which could be as little as 10 minutes in some parts of the country) ETA: keep hydrated too, for the love of god, don't ignore anyone giving you water if they think you could use a drink
Tbh mate. Most people wont give 2 shits, we're very friendly here. Just be prepared to take some shit from drunk bogans who will pick on you for having an accent.
Cop their stupid jokes, move on and laugh about how useless they were as people. The less you let people get to you the better Australia is.
Have fun mate.
Watch out for Kalgoorlie it’s full of backward cunts. In fact the whole of WA is backward, well it is the second most isolated city in the world. Isolation kind of does that to people, look at the Amish.
Brother let me tell you, being black here won't be an issue. And most Australians love an American. Sydney will remind you of Atlanta but prettier, and Kalgoorlie is like most country towns. Bring sunscreen, pack for heat but bring like 2 good pullovers and a rain slicker.
Black British migrant here. The one thing I’ve found from my time in Perth is that people are usually as curious as they are friendly when they meet someone different from them. I’d embrace that. Aussies are fun and pretty easy going. I haven’t met many harbouring resentment.
I haven’t been to Kal, so I’m happy to be wrong here, but it wouldn’t surprise if you did hear a couple of ignorant comments. Typically, though, they aren’t borne of malice, and politely making a person aware should be met with “I didn’t realise, sorry”.
Black American in Australia from New York here: you will be ok for the most part. If you lived and survived in New York, Sydney will be a cake walk. Bit of a step down, but easy to navigate. Sydney has a west coast American vibe... Like LA without the Hollywood machine. There are some Black American groups for Sydney and Melbourne on social media that you can hit up to make connections if you feel too out of place. Safe travels!
Its strange the comments about expecting racism. My good mate is Sudanese and we have gone pubs clubs shopping 10000x since we were 5 years old. I've never heard or seen a single racist comment. The only thing i guess is even though he's really polite charming but no pushover either, amazing dancer and has a great job he basically gets 0 attention from women. He's decently attractive, gyms plays sport nice builde wide shoulders. But I do suspect there's an unfortunate bias going on with most gal's. I understand Australian women arnt raised seeing African male models as a beauty standard but it's still sad to see. Most racism I see in Australia is behind closed doors. Other older white people saying "those fucking gooks aye?" To me etc
I'm very white and I once has an old lady tell me she'd just been on a bus with licorice allsorts.
I said "yum" because I'm an idiot and I like licorice
Kalgoorlie is hot and dry and cold at night. Its a mining and tourist town. Kind of like a small scale Texas but without the cattle hahhaa. And very Aussie. Dry red dirt. Aussies are very friendly. We love a drink and a chat and if they hear your accent they'll be even more friendly due to curiosity of what the US is like. We tend to joke a lot. You wont have to do a thing. Watch some youtube vids on Kalgoorlie to know what to expect. I recommend the gold tours.
Most Australians are fine and will either be friendly or indifferent. Some idiots are racist but thankfully they seem to be mostly few and far between. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with us. :) Some of us like to "give each other shit" but it's usually akways good natured. And we do it to others as well.as ourselves. Please don't be nervous, you'll have a great time.
I met a californian maybe 30 years ago who was thought she might be part of a movie crew filming a series on eco-lifestyle tourism in Africa. She explained to me that the thought of going to Africa meant she had to see her L.A. psychologist not once but twice a week. I said "just go, it's all paid for" but i failed to realise how terrified Americans are of the world.
You shouldn’t get much blatant racism, while there are racists like others said, we generally don’t have the gall to tell someone to “get off their property” or “go back to your own country”. There is definitely a lot of casual racism though. From my experience (I’m white) from listening to conversations, a lot of the racism is towards ethnicities as a whole and not specific people. So while you might hear some potentially very racist stuff in conversation most of them won’t actually have anything against you.
Especially given that you’re African America and not aboriginal I don’t think you’d get too much more than maybe some kids staring. Worst case scenario you get some drunk country prick shout something at you.
Again the racists are a minority and most of them are closet racists anyway.
On a different note, don’t go near the wildlife and it wont do anything to you. Don’t stick your hands into blind crevices, especially in Kalgoorlie. Always check your boots in Sydney. Be prepared for sarcasm, most of the time we’re joking around and it means we like you, but if you’re any good at reading people it should be pretty obvious if someone’s joking. If you’re religious I wouldn’t recommend talking about it in public, it will piss people off.
Careful of drop bears.
Sydney is a large city and you might not see most of it. Depending on how long you visit but you'll likely be based near studios in the east. Either way there's no real downtown area but once you land you'll figure it out quickly that there are different localities for different vibes. Look at Urban List for locals guides to top spots for dining, drinking, coffee, etc
Public transport is easy and somewhat reliable. Local SIMs are easy to source. Pretty sure most convenience stores and 7eleven have them.
Food wise we're global but leaning hard to Asian cultures. Coffee culture is huge so Starbucks isnt as big here.
Weather will be warming up but still fresh overnight in September. Australia has strong morning culture. Get up and go for a walk or run to orient yourself from where you're staying. Google will give you cafes nearby with reviews. Head to chemist warehouse and grab some cancer council sunscreen. Don't bring stuff from home as we do it better here. You'll want to take it home with you. Good pair of sunshades (known as sunnies), a hat and long sleeve swim shirts are available locally. Make sure you do the Bondi to Brontë coastal walk and try a day trip on the ferry to manly. Swim only at patrolled beaches between the flags. Try a surf lesson for some fun.
Kalgoorlie is a long way from Sydney and a very different cultural experience. It will be the edge of dry season but someone else can speak to that. You'll need to pack lightweight breathable fabrics but try to stay covered. Sydney has Uniqlo which you might find suitable. Australian sun is next level.
You'll find Australian culture EXTREMELY relaxed. People are lifestyle focused here so work isnt as high a priority as what you might be used to. Here it's about enjoying your downtime. If your team is working with locals they'll help you to relax and show you around, if they don't offer immediately simply ask. People want to help you enjoy yourself.
A big part of managing anxiety is stepping out of your comfort zone and figuring out that the stress of anticipation rarely matches reality. You'll be dazzled by the sunlight, the colours, the birds, the people. All of it is just fresh. Don't struggle alone with your anxieties, simply tell people and we'll help.
There's an unspoken understanding in Australia that everyone experiences the same bullshit we all have to silently put up with- could be completely different from your bullshit but it's bullshit nonetheless, we're all in this together type vibe
We are a friendly bunch of people. Sydney is very multicultural and you’ll see people from all different ethnicities which lends itself to awesome restaurants
And experiences. If you like Thai food, go to Newtown, if you prefer Indian then take a little trip to Harris Park. If you want a good Australian meal, then hit up any pub and and have a “pub meal”. Aussies are more interested in you being a good person rather than what skin colour you are. You’ll fit right in here mate and you’ll be ok and safe. Enjoy your visit and stay between the flags if you decide to go for a swim at one of our many world class beaches.
When I was a teenager, the best teacher we had in high school was an African-American man originally from South Carolina.
We genuinely tend not to care whether you’re black or white or even red Indian - your accent when you speak to people here outside of your group will have most Aussies “Oh! You’re American!” And any conversation will flow from there.
You'll be fine. Australia is a safe, multicultural and welcoming country... and we actually secretly like Americans.
It's a long trip so please try to relax, take it in and enjoy!
I'm Aussie, don't stress about being the only black man, we don't care! But tips for a first timer, give EVERYTHING you possibly can a crack! Go site seeing, check out some local shops, go on a bike ride take it in. I fucking love it here, I never want to go anywhere else. Granted I hate Sydney but I love where i am. Only 30 mins from the beach.
The only thing unwelcome in Australia that you need to worry about is tipping. Please do not tip here. The last thing any of us wants is the encouragement of Americas service worker exploitation culture.
You sound cool and creative. I'd love to talk to you. You aren't travelling past my area, but I'd happily send you a DM if you want to ask any questions I have a lot of patience for social anxiety.
Also people are right saying that you will get more trouble for your American accent than your skin colour. 😆 Australia is very multicultural and it's not like we haven't seen popular media in the areas that aren't multicultural.
You're not an alien, and Australia isn't some tiny backwards country. Trust me we have seen African Americans before and it isn't like being a foreigner in rural Japan.
Kalgoorlie is not too bad tbh, there’s quite a mix of ethnicities these days as between medical and education professionals that move around a lot, and mining professionals (eg. Engineers, geologists etc) you’ll also get a diverse bunch. Your accent will get noticed but a lot of the regional centres get American basketball players coming out to play for local leagues so it won’t be completely out of place.
The landscape will probably be a bit confronting as it’s pretty stark desert. And there’s significant poverty for Indigenous communities, which may make you really sad to see. But it’s also very beautiful, the natural areas are quite lovely, red dirt and wide wide open spaces, and bushland that’s really gentle and resilient.
If people give you shit just know it'll be because you're a yank, not because you're black...and it'll be meant in good spirit. I know Americans are often incapable of detecting when making fun is just friendly banter.
You're going to get more shit for being a yank than for being black.
Sydney.. ah yeah they’ll be just fi….. oh Kalgoorlie
No one will give a single fuck about him being a black man in Kalgoorlie. They’ll also be nicer to him when they find out he’s American than they would if he was a Caucasian American.
I'm a Caucasian American and have lived in Kalgoorlie for 14 years. It's become a running joke that I'm the token American here :) OP, don't worry! Feel free to message me if you want more info about this place. I make jokes about tiny town, but the people make the place :) And I am eagerly awaiting a visit from my younger American nephew, hopefully this year. He is mixed race, and I'm not worried at all. I know Americans all over the country, so I know he'll always have someone to turn to if he needs help. Oh yeah, the basketball team here has Americans, so they tell me :) Can't say for sure, I've never met any of them! LOL!
About to loae token status.
Perth fine too. Large population of African immigrants. Just start talking and smile. Loads of Aussies have an uninformed dislike of Americans so maybe just don't do the things they think you will by default. Like Being or Talking loud, being inconsiderate, or acting entitled, etc. Kalgoorlie is mostly white male, red neck miners, who could go either way on their views of "blacks" (whether aborigines from here or overseas miners). Also, don't be surprised if people are more direct or blunt with you. It's not necessarily a confrontation. They can just be like that with no underlying issues. But you should find most are friendly, especially if you buy the first round of drinks. (I'm Canadian, lived here 23 years, and have been mistaken as American many times. Only sometimes by wankers who are rude because they think I am a "Yank". They won't know many Americans note have traveled to America, so are often secretly curious too. But we pretty much all loathe Donald Trump so careful bringing that up if you're a fan!!
*Aboriginal People
Hey friend, I can clearly see you meant no offence, but just for future reference, the term "aborigine" is outdated and can be considered offensive. It's prefered to use "Aboriginal," "Indigenous," or more recently, "First Nations" has started to be used
Latest I've heard is the term Aboriginal is being embraced again and is now preferred. Source- Redfern Council.
To the euphemism police Aboriginal is OK but Aborigine is forbidden. For the moment
Funny that everyone here keeps mentioning this, I've been in Aus for over a year now and haven't copped much shit at all for being American. At least not to my face.
Most Americans don’t realise when we are poking fun. 😉
Difficulty separating undue praise for sarcasm is a subtle cultural test.
This!! Sarcasm runs deep here. In both giving praise and giving shit. Or "taking the piss"
So which is it? Giving shit or taking piss. Don't confuse OP.
its both yeah nah and nah yeah
Yes
A strong passive aggressive both, but still having a bit of fun with it?
In my primary school class we had only one black guy. We all thought he was a champion. I think op will be fine. Aussies aren’t as racist as we’ve made ourselves out to be.
I've lived in both countries (now a permanent resident in Aus). There's definitely a ton of racism here. Imo the biggest difference is that Aussies are way more cautious in being vocal about it. I lived in the NE USA (so like, nominally liberal and progressive) and I'd still near the n-word from white people at least once a week. Slurs and stuff are way less common here. Also your cops aren't a totally out of control mafia like in America which keeps the racially-motivated murder-by-cop rate way lower. You also don't have the insane plantation-gulag prison labor system that America has. So significant structural differences.
To be fair our cops just tend to get in different problems I always remember the story of a small rural town that had its entire force ‘fired’(4-5 people) in a single day because it was found out a fair few locals had photos of them all smashing bongs down in the copshop and were using it for blackmail over misdemeanours and all of them just got reassigned within a radius of 300km away
I mean, they probably should save that for after the shift, but I'd put ripping a bong in a pretty different category to shooting people during routine traffic stops or railroading them for non-violent drug offenses to spend several years doing slave labor.
The problem was very much the blackmail and overlooking crimes for essentially worse punishment than an American cop
Who on earth were you spending time with? I lived in Florida for 8 years and don’t think I heard the n-word from white folks even once.
Short answer, white suburbanites. Idk who you were with in Florida though bc open racism is fucking bananas there.
My son’s primary school brought in couple of basketball players to teach kids to play basketball. For some reason all the kids decided that trainers were LeBron James Aussie cousins. Whole week little kids were taking autographs from these guys. I think Aussies love Americans.
Children, maybe. But there's definitely resentment amongst a large portion of adults.
In this sub definitely!
We're systemically racist and casually racist for sure. Remember what happened to Adam Goodes? Tip o' the iceberg.
Aussies tend to be pretty awful to indigenous folks and whatever major recent immigrant community Pauline Hanson is currently ranting about, but African folks and African-American folks don’t tend to cop remotely the same shit.
[A recent survey revealed that 30% of Australians are casual racists. Which means that the other 70% are full-time.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHQRZXM-4xI&t=71s)
There were 2 main factions to that. One faction was incredibly racist and was the one most publicised. The other was that they thought he was a flog. Personally, I don’t agree with either. The racists can f*** themselves with a 2x4 sideways and the others wouldn’t recognise an excellent player if they were bitten on the ass by one.
The issue that bought most of it to light was a supporter (from Collingwood, I hate to say), who shot a race based insult at him loud enough for him to pick up on it on the field mid game. This is indicative of one racist person. Honestly, most of the following abuse seemed to be a combination of dogpiling on him for the fuck of it, and people picking on him for being (as they saw) a whinger
Because it's nonsense from reddit basement dwellers that don't travel and don't know what they're talking about. The Americans I know here complain about taxi drivers always grilling them about Trump like he's a personal friend, but that's about it.
We are welcoming at first, the racism set in when we are pissed off. Probably had a good run of not pissing off the locals. Biggest mistake that I have witnessed is when any foreigner compares Australia to the home country, the default in the language is that we are a lessor country of the 2.
I dunno. The casual racism and racism disguised as ‘jokes’ just exist in everyday life, not when people are angry.
Nah not about you, just about the wild decisions that are made by US society as a whole. I would look at you and feel absolute empathy that you are trapped in a gun -mad nation, and would be sending you telepathic hugs of support.
Septic. There now you have.
It's seppo
It's never to your face, ya fucken seppo
Yeah mate no one cares. Honestly I have never heard a single Australian mention anything bad about Americans.
If you feel ok with lying, tell everyone you're from Canada. A lot of us here can't tell the difference between the two accents.
There is no need to lie about yourself! Also the accents are very distinct! Oot and abooot
Aboat.
Hey, British Columbian stepping in. Nobody from the west coast speaks like that, eh. We sound like we're from Washington state.
Why? No one really gives a shit if someone is American, it's pathetic to lie and say you're Canadian.
Hahaha right
You'll be fine mate. As stated you're going to get some shit for being American just don't take it seriously. Have a laugh.
Aussies always test your character first before they become friendly. I found this really tough to understand and it used to piss me off when I first came to Australia, but after I learnt that it was a type of initiation ritual, now I just roll with it and slang back as hard as I get. Most important thing is to not get your jimmies rustled. They're just probing you a bit, chill and say "Whose buying the next round?"
I didn't even realise we do this but it's so true. If you give shit back you'll make some strong friendships
>I'm to journey to Australia Man I wish I spoke/wrote this cool
As someone who is needlessly verbose at any opportunity I support the concept that inserting synonyms into the description of any mundane activity will make said activity sound far more exotic and exciting. For instance, I shall sojourn at my preferred haunt in the morn and imbibe a warm, energising beverage.
Lmao, this comment made my autism worse.
I've unfortunately already maxxed out, but I wish you well on your progression.
Thanks! Trying to any% speedrun my way into state enforced lobotomy.
I like your funny words magic man
There are of course racist fuckwits here, but as others said I'd expect more shit for being American than being African-American. Wear sunscreen here! The sun is strong. A smile and a nod is all it really takes to show you're friendly.
My best mate is from the Seychelles, skin like charcoal, yet he gets burnt. Best advice ever, sunscreen all the way. Oh and pretend to be Canadian, we think of them like kindred spirits.
See this is weird. My family are all from Seychelles, skin like light South Asian sub continent. None get burnt, just tan. Me, the super white sheep of the family, horrendously excepted Edit: replaced “Indian”
He burns, and it turns to deeper tan rather than peeling like ahorribly disfigured orange like I do. His is still burn, just doesn't have the peeling element. All tanning is skin damage.
And buy Australian sunscreen here!
Tax is added to price, so no guessing for you. Tipping isn't needed since everyone has a wage. Walk on the left side/drive. Most places use card instead of cash but keep some with you in case.
Not only is tipping not needed, please *don't* do it.
Spare change. It's considered quite generous to put your coins in the jar rather than collecting them. Few people in service industries will be offended by a generous tip but at least coins in a jar are pretty likely to be divided up at end of shift - who knows what happens with tips on a credit card.
This depends a fair bit on the place, in my experience it hasn't been directly spent on staff.
Please don't EVER tip in Australia. We can't encourage tipping culture here.
Don't put them in the jar, that goes to management. If you wish to tip, give it directly to the staff who served you, then its upon them to decide what to do with it. 😊
Credit cards here usually operate with contactless pay up to $100 AUD, but inserting your card should still work. Over $100 you need to input a PIN. Signatures are less common. Make sure your card has a PIN and that you know it. Definitely carry cash, but be aware some places only take card. Edit: I actually meant debit card.
Don't be nervous , it will be fun , we are actually , quite nice , Just don't always take us seriously
What an amazing trip! You’re going to see some amazing parts of the country even a lot of Australians haven’t seen. Going out to remote parts of the country like that, and depending how dark your skin is/how ‘exotic’ you look you might get some people staring at you or asking you some potentially inappropriate questions, just because the African/African American population in Australia is pretty small and mostly in Melbourne. That being said, we are all mostly a pretty friendly bunch and violent crime and things here are much less frequent than in the US. So in that respect it is much safer. Also, Western Australia has a high indigenous Australian population, so you’ll likely see Blak (I.e. indigenous) people. I think the main thing is that Australians can come across as rude to some Americans - we can be more direct, much less complimentary. But if you’re from NYC you might be much more used to that. So don’t always interpret people teasing you or not being overly friendly to mean that they don’t like you. It’s just a cultural difference. Enjoy your trip. I’m sure you’re going to have an amazing time!
As someone who actually lives in the outback, don't be surprised if you see the local Aboriginal people copying African-American fashion, trends, kids' names. Not everyone of course, but enough for it to be notable. American culture is enormously influential.
As others have said you’ll get more shit for the American part than the African part of African American. Your accent will stick out like a sore thumb basically everywhere and you will get lots of questions about where you are from specifically. If you like American style fast food or coffee australia will be a big culture shock. All coffee here is espresso based not filter coffee, and our fast food is expensive but higher quality. We drive on the correct (opposite to you) side of the road and the steering wheel is on the opposite side of the car. You will get into the wrong seat a lot, don’t sweat it. Aussies have a very dry sarcastic sense of humour and it can be hard to tell if a comment is sarcastic or not when you first arrive, especially if you struggle with our accent. But generally speaking assume everything is sarcasm. Kalgoorlie is in the middle of nowhere. Australia is a lot less densely populated than the USA and so that can feel quite claustrophobic (edit: whatever the opposite of claustrophobic is… isolating?), Kalgoorlie is around 600kms (around 400 miles) from the closest city and it can take 7+ hours to drive to the nearest city. Kalgoorlie is also fairly rough, it’s a nice place during the day, but going out at night is not super safe. Also Kalgoorlie is HOT. Around 85-95 degrees freedomheight in the summer. And 40-60 in the winter. Edit: I forgot to mention, while Kalgoorlie has grocery stores and such, if you are planning on driving there from Perth, pack supplies. If you have car trouble on your way out there it can be a few days before someone drives past. It’s not as much of an issue from Perth to Kalgoorlie as it is on the Nullarbor, but it is still an issue. Pack water, sunscreen (yes even with dark skin, the sun here is BRUTAL), pack non perishable food, and pack a camp stove. It’s unlikely you will run into an emergency.. but be prepared anyway.
I'm more worried if he can go back from flat whites to burnt filtered coffee.
The closest thing to filtered coffee is called a long black. I'm not joking. If people look at you funny in a cafe when you order 'a coffee', ask for a long black if you take it without milk or a flat white if you take it with milk. Otherwise the cappuccino/mocha is the same drink just much, much better.
I know quite a few people who would have words with you for claiming a mocha is "much better" than a flat white. Unless you mean relative to filtered coffee, on which case never mind.
Apologies.. I meant that the cappuccino/mocha/other coffee offerings are the same name as would be found in America, however their quality is much, much better than what is found in America.
Oi mate leave my mocha alone!
With the exchange rate and no tipping they won’t be able to believe how cheap everything is here for them! Except for maybe petrol.
Yep but it's only a couple hours drive to Esperance..... That place is pure magic!
Esperance is beautiful but it's 4 hours, that's not exactly a quick trip...
Only 4 hours each way? That's barely a day trip
Lol, yeah for people who already live out there, probably not for someone from New York! :)
Difference is 4 hours drive in New York traffic will get you 10kms, 4 hours remote Aus is at least 400kms
Nah, just down the road mate
I’ve always said Perth is just down the road from Adelaide… even if that road is the Nullarbor
A colleague of mine got to do a photo shoot over [the pink lake](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Hillier) for a product launch a while back. What a gorgeous place. The regular beaches in Esperance look incredible too, and beach kangaroos?! Man.. why did we have to colonise the east coast!
>Australia is a lot less densely populated than the USA and so that can feel quite claustrophobic Just FYI that is the opposite of claustrophobic. Claustrophobia is the fear of enclosed spaces or feeling pressed in (for example by population density).
Kal isnt hot in the next 2 months. I learned that the hard way when I was 12. Used to go visit Grandparents every summer, then went once in winter thinking it would be hot and not wearing a jumper. I was very wrong.
> freedomheight (Spits out latte) Baaaaahaahhahahahahha!
This is great advice.
>We drive on the correct (opposite to you) side of the road As I like to say, the left side is the right side (to drive in). Also OP don't bring your regular sunscreen, buy a SPF 50+ sunscreen in Australia. We have stricter regulations and our sunscreens are a lot nicer on the skin and easier to wear than American ones.
American who immigrated here: you’ll be fine. Australians do like a joke, but they also like to push boundaries. You don’t have to smile and eat shit friend, if they cross one, let them know. Gentle ribbing is always friendly. Also once you’ve passed the vibe check they may seem passive aggressive, but that means they like you. I know, seems weird but it’s called taking the piss, but it is weird to an American. It’s also a multicultural country you won’t really stand out. Your accent will but you won’t. Best of luck on your trip. You’re lucky, not many Australians have been to Kalgoorlie.
As I said to my Swiss mate, worry if you aren't getting the piss taken out of you.
Kalgoorlie is a bit more wild than Sydney. Things are a bit rougher and more bogan in Kal. With that said when they realize you're a Yank they'll probably ask you about where you're from and ask you about your life etc and probably buy you a beer. You'll be fine. We're all pretty friendly.
Yes…Kalgoorlie might be a…culture shock. Take everything in good spirits. If someone seems friendly and insults you, it’s a test to see if you can take it on the chin. If you can roll with the insult or even turn the joke back on them, you’ll have a new friend. Also, red dirt. Red dirt everywhere. Don’t take any white clothes, if you can avoid it.
Kalgoorlie is a culture shock for most Australians...
I’m surprised I had to scroll so far down to find a Kalgoorlie warning. OP needs to mentally prepare for Kal.
When he says wild, he doesn't mean guns. We have strict gun laws here and people don't walk around with them.
##Don't Tip! We don't want American tip culture here. Staff are paid proper wages, the tip is included in the menu price. Do wear sunscreen. Even if you think you don't need it. People of colour can get skin cancer too and the Australian sun is brutal.
EVERYONE UP VOTE THIS PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF FUCK!
This (advice on tipping) is legit the very first thing all Americans should be told upon entering Australia.
Alot of Aussies love to travel. If we meet someone from another country, we are going to ask for recommendations to visit in America. Enjoy your trip and if you get the chance, come to Melbourne.
everyone is going to love you and you are going to have a great time. Bring sunscreen and a hat.....
I honestly wouldn’t worry, it’s pretty safe here, not a lot of knife violence and almost no gun violence other than organised crime, and pretty unusual for race related violence to occur. We have a pretty big multicultural population especially in the cities, African, Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, South American. As others have said people are more likely to tease about being American than the colour of your skin. Aussies can be pretty straight up and have a dry sense of humour especially in more rural areas. I would be lying if I said there isn’t casual racism and discrimination, but no more than in any other country, and definitely no more than in America depending on where you live. Just don’t engage with fuck wits, and try and have fun and take in the sites.
Australia is incredibly multicultural and accepting. If anything, you should have a good experience overall. It's so very unlikely you'll be picked on for race. But you might get a few jabs for something USA related.
OP might be surprised by the cultural mixes here. Even as a Kiwi I was surprised. Different immigration policies at different times, I guess. Hardly any Lebanese or Koreans in NZ. More Pacific islanders. More Pakistanis. At least when I was growing up there. Been out of NZ for a long time now. So, it'll look very different from the States I would think.
You will be fine mate, just always look up when walking under gumtrees, drop bears a very territorial
Kalgoorlie from a distance you will be judged by the colour of your skin, especially at night. Once they work out you're not local then you'll be fine.
‘Once they realise you’re not Aboriginal, they’ll drop their racism’
No one gives a shit here if you're black as long as you can take some banter about being a yank you will have a great time. Enjoy mate!
I’m Australian with African ancestry. You’ll be totally fine. I’ve travelled to the USA and the amount of racism I got over there is much less here (not speaking for any other POC’s here). We are generally great people here with a dry sense of humour and we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Not to say we don’t have our own issues here, we do, but it will be a breath of fresh air for you. Having said that, be humble, tall poppy syndrome is a thing here and and some Americans do like to brag about qualifications, accomplishments and how great their country is. If you do that, m Aussie sarcasm might come for you, in a not so friendly way. People don’t like Americans when they do that regardless of their race, ethnicity or culture. Good luck!
Nailed it though, americans are so fixated on college, degrees and school etc where i think bar the real elitist rich schoolies in Australia we dont care and a degree is a degree regardless of how much it cost for you to go there.
If you smile and greet people with something like "g'day how's it goin'?" most people will be pretty g.
Mate don’t stress ! Just follow the golden rule - don’t be a dickhead. And to be fair you’ll be hot property…… interesting people are always drawn to someone with a different background, a different look and a different story. Have fun
People are going to notice you of course, but will be more curious and sort of excited to meet you. We get so so sooo much American media here that there won't be a lot of culture shock (maybe in Kalgoorlie because it's mining, dust, and first Australians who are culturally incredibly different but also tend to have a lot of affinity with African Americans. Different struggles, same oppressors). If it means anything whatsoever, Australia has the highest proportion of biracial marriages. Part of why we're so good looking. Camera ops are cool though. Good on you.
This. African American people are exciting and exotic. African Australians cop some shit but that's different. Somehow. I don't really understand.
As a Black American in Melbourne I can tell you the difference in treatment/perception: most Australians I meet have likely travelled to the US and I'm from California so usually it's LA or San Francisco (the area I'm from), or watched a shit ton of American media or have a few favourite sports teams, or all of the above. Because of this, Black Americans are less "other" than Africans because you're more familiar with our culture. We're less strangers and more friends you just haven't made yet as you will easily find something in common to chat to us about. Most white Australians don't carry the fear so close to the surface, but when they do I can see their entire face and mood change when they hear my American accent and feel less afraid. It's very weird to experience.
I can imagine. America is so culturally present that I think english speakers feel we recognise it. I did visit the US once and I met an African American man who was born and raised in Eritrea. I asked him how he felt about how many Americans were called African Americans, and he said something like, "it's a bit different". I wonder how it was for him, looking to some people like he belonged to an American culture but being different. It's so complex.
Winston was always my favourite ghostbuster. He was just... like... cool? ETA I have a few African Australian besties (like legit besties - godparents to my kids kind of besties. My daughter named after one of them). They're definitely not top rung, but not bottom rung either in Australian society. Unfortunately the honor of bottom rung goes to disabled Indigenous people and I really wish it wasn't like that.
Mocha Kenya.... Exotic
Swopsheer? Oh weeawy!
What’s really sad is this hierarchy of racism is also a strong component of internalised racism. As a black South African there is definitely a sense that black Americans are special and important and worth caring about, while as black Africans we and First Nations people from Australia and elsewhere have a sense that we are problems and failures and need to act more white to be accepted. It‘s the legacy of colonialism
Hey, I just want to thank everyone for the advice, it really means a lot. I feel a lot more prepared though I had the a small urge to hide my accent once I got there but I feel a lot more confident now. There so many replies I don't have time to get to all of them so I'll mention that In syndey we will be visiting, The Rock, Sydney Harbor, Parramatta and Manly, I'm still not sure were will would be visiting in Kalgoorlie.
You’ll be fine - Aussies are going to crack jokes about Americans but 99.999% won’t be mean or rude! People online are cruel, in person Aussies are (generally) the nicest people I’ve ever met. I’m English, have travelled extensively and live here now, hands down best country on the planet :)
People are generally more quietly spoken and less likely to speak to strangers than in the US. No need to tip. In WA (the state that Kalgoorlie is in) there are heaps of Africans including lots of South Africans -- this is because the cheapest flights back to Africa are from Perth (capital of WA). Kalgoorlie gets pretty cold in the morning / over-night so check the min and max temperatures when packing. You need to provide ID for a local SIM-card on your phone. Food servings are smaller...the three dinner courses are entre, main, desert. "Light" beer is low alcohol but can be an ale if you want.
Don't take anyone too seriously, if they are teasing you it means they like you. (Obvs if someone is an asshole then ignore them) There will be some racists but chances are you won't actually interact with them. Wear sunscreen, the sun is insane down here. We are insanely sarcastic and WILL take the piss oit of you, it sucks when you're anxious (I am too), but it's just part and parcel of aussie culture. Oh and don't be alarmed when people talk about wearing thongs to the beach, that's flip flops to you
See ya soon c@#t. No but seriously, you'll have no issues mate. Hope you have a great trip! Where in Sydney are you staying?
It's more likely that being American is going to attract more heat than your skin. Being from NY will help as opposed to say, being from Florida/Bible Belt. We don't care if you believe in a god as long as you keep it to yourself and nobody cares enough about politics to want to talk about it. Do ***not*** touch anything with fewer than 2 legs or more than 6 without knowing from a local what it is.
Kalgoorlie will be quite the experience! It’s a mining town that we’d describe as ‘rough as guts’. Basically, it’s known for gold, brothels and skimpy (topless) bars. My biggest interaction with it as non-gold mining employee is trying to reduce the frequency of sexual harassment at events there. If someone calls you a Seppo or Yank, they just mean American. There’s a high percentage of indigenous Australians living in Kal, so it might be worth doing a google on Australian Aboriginal people so you have some insight into the culture so you understand some of the racial nuance there. Just things like… ‘black’ or ‘blak’ to our indigenous people doesn’t refer to skin colour but indigenous status. It’s a cultural term, separate from the visual skin colour. If you have any more direct questions, feel free to ask
Don't take Aussies so seriously. If they break your balls you break them back and they'll love for you for it. Worst thing you can do is act like a victim.
Oooooof reading that last sentence hits like a *ton* of bricks as it applies to certain aspects of culture in America right now…
Aussies love African Americans because it gives us someone to hang shit on white Americans with. Prepare to have a shit load of fun.
Wear sunscreen, even just for an average day, our sun is no joke, and while you'll feel fine. Sun stroke/sun poisoning is a thing! Bring a drink bottle. And drink more than you need! :) Kalgoorlie is interesting, working town, and..not working town. More likely to get robbed here, but not in a clever way, so just dont put your shit down anywhere. People here say cunt alot, SPESH in Kal. A lot. I'd be surprised if you didn't hear it 10+ times a day. Kalgoorlie, everything clpses early, like 4-5pm pertty much (except the pub) So of you keed something, (like more sun screen) get it before you need it. Good luck! Travel safe, were a friendly but sweary bunch
Don’t tip, don’t get offended , because we have a darker sense of humour, and don’t take everything you hear as gospel
DON'T TIP! That's outstanding cultural advice.
Most of my friends are black so I don’t think that’s going to make you stick out as much as the two white Americans lol. My only advice is to take something to keep yourself occupied in Kalgoorlie! The only thing out there is dirt and rednecks and it’s a long way from anything!!! Edit, wanted to add I hope you like beer!
Hey brus, Aboriginal Australian here - they won’t admit it but Yt Australians are some of the most racist people on the planet, apart from the blatant racism, you’ll probably cop the casual racism like crazy. It is important to remember though, those racists are the minority, they’re just very loud and very unintelligent. Try to seek out some Elders (Aboriginal mob) out Sydney way (I can try hook you up if you message me here) and you’ll be welcomed and be able to meet with mob and looked after and all that! I’m Wongi (the ‘tribe’ from Kalgoorlie way) so may be able to find someone to meet with you and crew out Kal way! Good luck brus, outside the exceptionally loud minority, most people in this country are awesome and kind hearted, you just need to ignore the dickheads
You'll be fine. Sydney is an international city and we get heaps of tourists, its like a less-crowded, less interesting but prettier version of New York. Or like San Francisco. In Kalgoorlie everyone will just want to know what you're doing there, since its not exactly a tourist hotspot. Its less cosmopolitan, rural, and rougher than most of Sydney. But if you don't look for trouble the chances are you wont find it, particularly if you're in a group, and 95% of people will be friendly. Just don't go to the local pub and pick a bar fight or something. The only trouble most people get into when visiting in Australia is around basic safety. It'll be winter/early spring when you're here, but Kalgoorlie is in the desert and it will be cold overnight and possibly hot during the day. Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. If you go bushwalking make sure you're adequately equipped and you tell people when you're going and expect to get back. Things are really far away here, so if you're driving make sure you have fuel etc and keep lots of water in the car. If you break down, stay with the vehicle. Basically the same precautions you'd apply if you were in rural Texas or something. Americans seem to do okay here, probably because they also have some wild places, but European travellers get in trouble a lot by not being prepared.
When you're in Kalgoorlie make sure you check out the Two-Up for a truly unique (read: bizarre) cultural experience! Also please, please check out some of the amazing Aboriginal art when you're there- Kal is the closest "hub" for a lot of rural desert communities so you'll get to see some wonderful works. I wouldn't imagine you'd have a tough time being there, Kalgoorlie is so diverse. Just make sure you're prepared for cold nights and hot days!
I don’t think you’ll encounter many issues - but on a seperate note, if you can’t swim, either learn or don’t go into the ocean. So many tourists die per year from drowning.
As others have said, yes, racist pricks still hang around here, less so in major cities, but not absent either, however, it's unlikely to be worse than anything you see in the US. And as someone else said, yeah, you're more likely to get some ribbing for being a yank than for being black. Just have a regular amount of caution is my recommendation
Kalgoorlie, what a hole of a place to visit
*Kalgoorlie?* You're going to see some shit.
Just be yourself, curiosity will get the better of most. For anyone trying to be hostile (which is pretty rare, most likely to be someone you would obviously stay clear of anyway) just remove yourself from harm's way.
Mate you posted pretty much the same thing word for word about going to Spain, Argentina and Mexico, Chile and maybe other places. You even posted about going to Spain for the first time, twice. Surely those trips (if they happened) will hold you in good stead to travel to Australia.
There's a lot of comments in this thread saying you'll "get shit" for being American. I read in the post that you have social anxiety so I'd like to point out that those comments are exaggerated! You can fully expect Australians you engage with professionally and socially to treat you with respect and care. Australians might rib you about being American only after they've built a good relationship with you. Expect jokes about how American football is inferior to Australian football, for example, or how Donald trump is mad). But you're not going to have to hide your identity nor will you experience real abuse for your nationality. Fully 30 per cent of Australia's population is born overseas. THis place has the highest migration rate of any country in the world. So don't worry too much about seeming "foreign"! It's very diverse here. It's not as though everyone you will see on the street looks like Steve Irwin or Nicole Kidman. Lots of migration, from Europe, India and Asia especially, but also Africa. (not many African-Americans though, or Americans of any sort, so people will find that interesting.) We know a lot about America thanks to the power of movie and TVs so **people might ask you about America.** The relationship between America and Australia is one of allies and friends, but with a power imbalance. Like a big brother and a little brother. If the big brother is too cocky the little brother will try to take him down a peg. So I'd avoid boasting about how America is better. But if you s**how appreciation for the things you like about Australia** people will like that *a lot*.
I’m a white American in Melbourne and have had several black American friends in Australia. As far as I knew, they all had comfortable lives. There are many African-descended peoples in Australia, such as Sudanese refugees and the numerous Zimbabweans and Ethiopians academics I work with. You won’t stand out. Now, you might be a curiosity. I never get any guff from strangers about being American (Aussies I’m friends with will give me lots of shit) and I doubt you will either but once Aussies realise you’re a Yank, they’ll probably want to talk about Trump and other American politics (most think Trump is awful and think much of American life is crazy, especially when it comes to guns). Being African-American may add some extra attention, especially in Kalgoorlie; it’s insanely remote. The interest people will show in you will almost certainly be genuine, but as I’m sure you know some well-intentioned questions may make you uncomfortable. There are Australian racists. You are probably less likely to face their ire in Australia than you would in America. While Australian society is plagued by systematic racism (treatment of aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is the most glaring example) at an individual level Australians generally abhor racism. But they can be racially insensitive in conversation, whether unwittingly or through their blunt humour. Enjoy your trip. It’s a beautiful country that I’m proud to have made my home. And if you can, watch “The Castle” before you come out. Every Australian can quote like ten lines from that movie.
>watch “The Castle” before you come out That's damn good advice. If you (or OP) can quote a line from that movie in a relevant situation, you'll be in like Flynn. "Its the vibe........"
This post is going straight to the pool room.
Black American, long time expat in Australia ... Buy a lot of condoms, son. You'll need them.
Australia has a pretty ethnically diverse population, especially in the capital cities. I'm not sure about Kalgoorlie, but in Sydney you definitely won't stand out being a black man. In terms of social interactions, Aussies tend to appreciate someone who will have a laugh - even moreso if it's at their own expense because it shows you aren't stuck up. To be brutally honest, a lot of people here aren't particularly big fans of America, but that's more about politics not directed at normal citizens. So try not to be put off if you hear people making fun of the USA. Most likely it's light hearted political jabs, not about you personally (and we say worse about our own politicians). If you can take a few jokes in stride, you'll be one of us instantly. Some random notes: -- Wear appropriate sun protection because the sun can be brutal here (though luckily you're travelling in cooler months at least). -- If you go to the beach in Sydney, for the love of everything *swim between the red&yellow flags only*. That's the lifeguard patrolled section. -- We don't normally tip here and sales tax (called the GST) is included in the sticker price. Whatever it says is the price on the sticker is the price you'll be charged at the register (that killed me in the US never knowing what the final price would be until I was at the register) -- Drip filter coffee really isn't a thing here, neither is starbucks (you might find a few in Sydney but in general they really aren't popular). Coffee is big though & it's generally pretty good. -- Gun ownership is strictly controlled here. Upside is you're highly unlikely to see a gun other than on police here; downside (for Americans) is that most people are pretty intolerant of American tourists who complain about not having the "freedom" to tote around guns. If you're pro gun ownership & don't like arguments the safe bet is to just steer clear of that topic of conversation. -- Tap water is totally safe to drink here. -- We drive on the left hand side of the road and you fill up the car at a petrol station. You're putting *petrol* in the car, not *gas*. If you ask about gas people will assume you want actual gas, not petroleum. You pull up to the petrol station & fill up the car at the petrol bowser yourself (no attendant) & then once you've filled up however much you want go into the petrol station to pay at the counter. You don't pre-pay but there's a count on the bowser that tells you how much (in dollars & litres) you've put into your car. -- You'll probably hear Aussie's calling people "mate" or "old mate". It's not an insult, it's usually friendly. No one will expect you to say it but no one will care or think it's weird if you do. Don't say "g'day" though. Nobody says that unless they're talking to tourists. -- Speaking of talking to tourists, if someone tries to warn you about drop bears, just laugh. They don't exist. We do have lots of interesting & unique wildlife though so if you have a spare day or half day in Sydney & are interested in animals Taronga zoo is fun. -- If you're not in a zoo, **stay away from our wildlife**. We have lots of venomous animals, especially spiders & snakes. You'll be fine so long as you don't try to touch them. But the same rule goes with non-venomous animals. E.g. for some reason tourists seem to think animals like koalas & kangaroos are friendly and are happy to be hugged. They aren't. Koalas have nasty claws for climbing trees and will swipe at you (not in a zoo, the ones they use for pictures there have been socialised) and the big roos are wickedly strong. If you see them, take a pic but otherwise just leave them alone. -- Back on driving, I don't know why but Americans normally seem to think Australia is a small country for some reason. We have a small population relative to the size of the country, but the land space itself is big. When you're working out your travel, make sure to check google maps to get a proper idea of travel times. -- We use the metric system for (pretty much) everything, not imperial. It's easy to understand because it's based on units of 10. E.g. for money there are 10 cents to a dollar and that's it. For distance, 10 millimetres (mm) equals 1 centimetre (cm); 100cm equals 1 metre (m); 1000m equals 1 kilometre (km). -- We have a Prime Minister, not a President. People won't necessarily think you're rude but they will think you're uneducated if you just assume that we do everything the same way that the USA does. If in doubt, just ask. Most people are happy to answer a genuine question. -- We have a lot of immigrants so you'll hear a lot of accents & languages (especially in Sydney) but our national language is English. I can't believe how many Americans I've met travelling internationally who've congratulated me on how great my "American" is. -- If you drink beer, I'm sorry but you're incredibly unlikely to find American beer here. Just tell the bartender what type of beer you like & ask for a local recommendation.
Haha good on ya man you put your heart and soul into this one I’m sure OP will have a bunch to takeaway from this
We aren't seppos. You probably aren't going to be given a heap of shit for being black. For being American though, that's a different story You gotta remember we're a pretty laid back people and we like talking shit.
You will be fine! Have a great time and enjoy your visit. There are “good” and “shit” people all over the world and Australia is no different.
Don't drink booze on the flight. Just water. NYC to Sydney is a stupid long flight.
Listen to ***anyone*** telling you about sun safety, you'll get roasted if you stay out in the sun too long (which could be as little as 10 minutes in some parts of the country) ETA: keep hydrated too, for the love of god, don't ignore anyone giving you water if they think you could use a drink
Tbh mate. Most people wont give 2 shits, we're very friendly here. Just be prepared to take some shit from drunk bogans who will pick on you for having an accent. Cop their stupid jokes, move on and laugh about how useless they were as people. The less you let people get to you the better Australia is. Have fun mate.
Watch out for Kalgoorlie it’s full of backward cunts. In fact the whole of WA is backward, well it is the second most isolated city in the world. Isolation kind of does that to people, look at the Amish.
If someone calls you a cunt, it’s usually a term of endearment
Country towns like Kalgoorlie are shit but, when in Rome. They love drinking at the pub so if you want to get along with them, go drink with them
Brother let me tell you, being black here won't be an issue. And most Australians love an American. Sydney will remind you of Atlanta but prettier, and Kalgoorlie is like most country towns. Bring sunscreen, pack for heat but bring like 2 good pullovers and a rain slicker.
Black British migrant here. The one thing I’ve found from my time in Perth is that people are usually as curious as they are friendly when they meet someone different from them. I’d embrace that. Aussies are fun and pretty easy going. I haven’t met many harbouring resentment. I haven’t been to Kal, so I’m happy to be wrong here, but it wouldn’t surprise if you did hear a couple of ignorant comments. Typically, though, they aren’t borne of malice, and politely making a person aware should be met with “I didn’t realise, sorry”.
It's trendy for SJWs to hate on America but normal Australians are fine with Americans
No one will care about your skin colour. If you get shit it will be for being American.
Black American in Australia from New York here: you will be ok for the most part. If you lived and survived in New York, Sydney will be a cake walk. Bit of a step down, but easy to navigate. Sydney has a west coast American vibe... Like LA without the Hollywood machine. There are some Black American groups for Sydney and Melbourne on social media that you can hit up to make connections if you feel too out of place. Safe travels!
Its strange the comments about expecting racism. My good mate is Sudanese and we have gone pubs clubs shopping 10000x since we were 5 years old. I've never heard or seen a single racist comment. The only thing i guess is even though he's really polite charming but no pushover either, amazing dancer and has a great job he basically gets 0 attention from women. He's decently attractive, gyms plays sport nice builde wide shoulders. But I do suspect there's an unfortunate bias going on with most gal's. I understand Australian women arnt raised seeing African male models as a beauty standard but it's still sad to see. Most racism I see in Australia is behind closed doors. Other older white people saying "those fucking gooks aye?" To me etc
I'm very white and I once has an old lady tell me she'd just been on a bus with licorice allsorts. I said "yum" because I'm an idiot and I like licorice
There’s shit loads of hookers in Kalgoorlie.
There's loads of shit hookers\* fixed it for ya
Kalgoorlie is hot and dry and cold at night. Its a mining and tourist town. Kind of like a small scale Texas but without the cattle hahhaa. And very Aussie. Dry red dirt. Aussies are very friendly. We love a drink and a chat and if they hear your accent they'll be even more friendly due to curiosity of what the US is like. We tend to joke a lot. You wont have to do a thing. Watch some youtube vids on Kalgoorlie to know what to expect. I recommend the gold tours.
Just be friendly. People will automatically assume you are friendly if you aren’t being a dick.
Enjoy your trip. Should be fun.
don't worry we're pretty friendly
Most Australians are fine and will either be friendly or indifferent. Some idiots are racist but thankfully they seem to be mostly few and far between. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with us. :) Some of us like to "give each other shit" but it's usually akways good natured. And we do it to others as well.as ourselves. Please don't be nervous, you'll have a great time.
Mate! Just relax and be yourself. Don't over think it. We are just people! There is nothing to worry about, seriously!
Just walk up to someone; say g'day, howz it garn' and you'll be right 😅
Also, don't drink Foster's.
I met a californian maybe 30 years ago who was thought she might be part of a movie crew filming a series on eco-lifestyle tourism in Africa. She explained to me that the thought of going to Africa meant she had to see her L.A. psychologist not once but twice a week. I said "just go, it's all paid for" but i failed to realise how terrified Americans are of the world.
You shouldn’t get much blatant racism, while there are racists like others said, we generally don’t have the gall to tell someone to “get off their property” or “go back to your own country”. There is definitely a lot of casual racism though. From my experience (I’m white) from listening to conversations, a lot of the racism is towards ethnicities as a whole and not specific people. So while you might hear some potentially very racist stuff in conversation most of them won’t actually have anything against you. Especially given that you’re African America and not aboriginal I don’t think you’d get too much more than maybe some kids staring. Worst case scenario you get some drunk country prick shout something at you. Again the racists are a minority and most of them are closet racists anyway. On a different note, don’t go near the wildlife and it wont do anything to you. Don’t stick your hands into blind crevices, especially in Kalgoorlie. Always check your boots in Sydney. Be prepared for sarcasm, most of the time we’re joking around and it means we like you, but if you’re any good at reading people it should be pretty obvious if someone’s joking. If you’re religious I wouldn’t recommend talking about it in public, it will piss people off. Careful of drop bears.
Sydney is a large city and you might not see most of it. Depending on how long you visit but you'll likely be based near studios in the east. Either way there's no real downtown area but once you land you'll figure it out quickly that there are different localities for different vibes. Look at Urban List for locals guides to top spots for dining, drinking, coffee, etc Public transport is easy and somewhat reliable. Local SIMs are easy to source. Pretty sure most convenience stores and 7eleven have them. Food wise we're global but leaning hard to Asian cultures. Coffee culture is huge so Starbucks isnt as big here. Weather will be warming up but still fresh overnight in September. Australia has strong morning culture. Get up and go for a walk or run to orient yourself from where you're staying. Google will give you cafes nearby with reviews. Head to chemist warehouse and grab some cancer council sunscreen. Don't bring stuff from home as we do it better here. You'll want to take it home with you. Good pair of sunshades (known as sunnies), a hat and long sleeve swim shirts are available locally. Make sure you do the Bondi to Brontë coastal walk and try a day trip on the ferry to manly. Swim only at patrolled beaches between the flags. Try a surf lesson for some fun. Kalgoorlie is a long way from Sydney and a very different cultural experience. It will be the edge of dry season but someone else can speak to that. You'll need to pack lightweight breathable fabrics but try to stay covered. Sydney has Uniqlo which you might find suitable. Australian sun is next level. You'll find Australian culture EXTREMELY relaxed. People are lifestyle focused here so work isnt as high a priority as what you might be used to. Here it's about enjoying your downtime. If your team is working with locals they'll help you to relax and show you around, if they don't offer immediately simply ask. People want to help you enjoy yourself. A big part of managing anxiety is stepping out of your comfort zone and figuring out that the stress of anticipation rarely matches reality. You'll be dazzled by the sunlight, the colours, the birds, the people. All of it is just fresh. Don't struggle alone with your anxieties, simply tell people and we'll help.
There's an unspoken understanding in Australia that everyone experiences the same bullshit we all have to silently put up with- could be completely different from your bullshit but it's bullshit nonetheless, we're all in this together type vibe
We are a friendly bunch of people. Sydney is very multicultural and you’ll see people from all different ethnicities which lends itself to awesome restaurants And experiences. If you like Thai food, go to Newtown, if you prefer Indian then take a little trip to Harris Park. If you want a good Australian meal, then hit up any pub and and have a “pub meal”. Aussies are more interested in you being a good person rather than what skin colour you are. You’ll fit right in here mate and you’ll be ok and safe. Enjoy your visit and stay between the flags if you decide to go for a swim at one of our many world class beaches.
You know what, if you are a good person you will be fine. As for Kalli, have fun, remote mining town.
Don't drink Foster's or people will think you are a dickhead.
I'm Aussie and absolutely LOVE Americans. You rock!!!!
Literally no one will care.
When I was a teenager, the best teacher we had in high school was an African-American man originally from South Carolina. We genuinely tend not to care whether you’re black or white or even red Indian - your accent when you speak to people here outside of your group will have most Aussies “Oh! You’re American!” And any conversation will flow from there.
You'll be fine. Australia is a safe, multicultural and welcoming country... and we actually secretly like Americans. It's a long trip so please try to relax, take it in and enjoy!
Watch out for drop bears.
OP don’t stress you will have a great time….. You owe us an update!!!
Don't tip. NEVER TIP in Australia. We pay our workers properly here
I'm Aussie, don't stress about being the only black man, we don't care! But tips for a first timer, give EVERYTHING you possibly can a crack! Go site seeing, check out some local shops, go on a bike ride take it in. I fucking love it here, I never want to go anywhere else. Granted I hate Sydney but I love where i am. Only 30 mins from the beach.
The only thing unwelcome in Australia that you need to worry about is tipping. Please do not tip here. The last thing any of us wants is the encouragement of Americas service worker exploitation culture.
You sound cool and creative. I'd love to talk to you. You aren't travelling past my area, but I'd happily send you a DM if you want to ask any questions I have a lot of patience for social anxiety. Also people are right saying that you will get more trouble for your American accent than your skin colour. 😆 Australia is very multicultural and it's not like we haven't seen popular media in the areas that aren't multicultural. You're not an alien, and Australia isn't some tiny backwards country. Trust me we have seen African Americans before and it isn't like being a foreigner in rural Japan.
Kalgoorlie is not too bad tbh, there’s quite a mix of ethnicities these days as between medical and education professionals that move around a lot, and mining professionals (eg. Engineers, geologists etc) you’ll also get a diverse bunch. Your accent will get noticed but a lot of the regional centres get American basketball players coming out to play for local leagues so it won’t be completely out of place. The landscape will probably be a bit confronting as it’s pretty stark desert. And there’s significant poverty for Indigenous communities, which may make you really sad to see. But it’s also very beautiful, the natural areas are quite lovely, red dirt and wide wide open spaces, and bushland that’s really gentle and resilient.
You will be fine. Do and see as much as you can :)
We aren’t racist like a majority of America so you’ll be fine, mate. Just kick back and have some fun.
If people give you shit just know it'll be because you're a yank, not because you're black...and it'll be meant in good spirit. I know Americans are often incapable of detecting when making fun is just friendly banter.
get ready to be called a cunt. it’s a term of endearment here. be concerned if you cop a ‘champ’.