So, have you seen a kangaroo?

Melbourne, Vic, AU

Yes, yes we’ve seen a kangaroo…

As Americans, Australia is fascinating in a completely different way than any other country in the world.  Because of all the other countries out there, Australia is the one where we can look at what they have done and say, “but for a few key choices, that could have been us.”

Our mainland is similar size, we have the same parent-nation and defacto common base language.  Most of both of our neighbours are from a different culture (US is beside Latin / Spanish influence while Australia is right next to Asia.)  Australians came, in large part, from prisoners while the US got started, at least in the eyes of England, as basically a bunch of armed insurrectionists.  After declaring independence, we’ve both maintained close ties with the motherland, we both had to resolve conflict with a native population, we both face similar issues on fronts of economics and immigration…we could go on.  Our two countries had a lot in common starting out and face many similar challenges to this day.

Like slurpee brain freezes

Which is why it’s so fascinating how we have both developed along slightly different paths.

Wow, Kentucky cricket…who knew!?

Unlike the other countries we’ve been to, the fascinating thing is not how massively different life here is from what we’re used to.

With Oz, the interesting things are in the details of living.

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