Confessions of a South Australian drama queen

I thought I'd better clear things up over an anonymous comment posted on my blog in regards to my over-dramatised obsession with my state.

"Why do you live here if you hate us so much?" asks a very good friend of mine. Good question. And my answer is, I don't hate you. In fact, why would I live in Victoria? Did you know that even if I DID have the marks to get into uni in Adelaide, Bendigo was my first preference? Why? Because, I felt this, drawing, longing, to come to this utterly bizarre town, and also the course structure and subject range seemed more appertising than that of Adelaides. I know that God wants me here in Bendigo, and I also know that He put me in this course for a reason.

I like to embrace my South Australianism. I like it that I'm that bit more different, it makes my world that bit more interesting. I do understand that I often do get a little carried away, in fact, some of my accent can be a little 'over-dramatised' Adelaide style at times. I'm not sure if even some of the words I say I'm pronouncing correctly, but I just think that if it works for one word, wouldn't it work for another?

And of all places, moving to Bendigo, where they speak over-dramatised victorian, that being with things like Pall Mall - wha??

Being South Australian makes me feel different. It makes me feel special. But I know that if I had ran out of options and was forced to move back to Adelaide, I'd probably turn into a victorian.

But South Australia definately has it's flaws. And because of them, I am here in victoria. And if everything actually goes to plan, I plan to stay here in victoria as long as I'm in this country. This state is much more.. progressive.

Even a friend said to me the other day "I love it that you're South Australian!" I think that's so they can pick on me with "I demand an answer!", and on the weekend I had some kids throw a ball at me because I was South Australian. Hmrph.

My mum was Victorian, my dad was South Australian. I must just be confused :P

I hope this is enough justification, dear anonymous commenter. I am sorry if I came across as how you described, I did not mean it, and meant it all in good fun. Please forgive me.

Anyway, the answers to the quiz. This quiz was designed after I read some interesting statements in an article and apparently we say things different, and wanted to see if anybody had any idea, or if the statements were true.

1. Pusher. We call them prams as well, but I grew up knowing them as pushers. Steff rested my mind that they call them pushers here too.

2. Yes it's a sparrow, but the answer I was looking for was Spoggie! That's some South Australian slang!

3. Cristop was right. So was Steff. Actually all the answers were right, but I was looking for the SA link to them. A terrace is a street. I read in the article that terraces only existed in SA, and I thought for a minute, looked at a Bendigo map, and couldnt see terraces anywhere! I was convinced, and thought, wow, how posh are we! But then my housemate reminded me that Bendigo actually has Lyttleton Terrace, and like Steff said 'The terrace'.. damn. Thought I was unique for a sec.

4. Peanut paste. I was living with another South Australian on res last year, and he was making some satay stir fry. Anyway he sent this girl down to the local IGA with a list of things, and on this list was "peanut paste".. Now she got to the supermarket and didn't have a clue what it was, and was looking all around the supermarket for this peanut paste! She came home with a packet of peanuts.

5. Steff was right except they only exist in South Australia, and yes, us weirdos do associate them with the word stobie. And it's not a nonsense word, it's the sername of the men who created them.

Switch ~ simplemindedness? How is any of this making anything simple ;)

< so what do you think I call one of these??

I'm South Australian, but that's ok, God loves me anyway!! (in-joke.. except it's true)


So anybody who wants to discuss this further can meet me at polites (mysterious buildings every interstate visitor always has to ask about) half an hour ago!

References:

• South Australia - 'Kind of different'?
• It's time South Australia was fenced off from the rest of us