Assumptions on Mylot lead to misunderstandings
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325759)
Rockingham, Australia
April 19, 2017 7:28pm CST
I think most of us would agree that we've learnt many things from myLot. Being Australian and belonging to a site where most members are predominantly from other countries, I have had my horizons very much widened.
After over twelve months here, I'm only just starting to realise that I shouldn't 'assume' anything. As I commented this morning 'another assumption down the drain'. And that is perhaps where assumptions belong.
Things that are commonplace to me have been queried by readers. And I've puzzled over some terms or read through all the comments for 'clues' that would save me looking silly by asking about something which is obviously well-understood by others.
The most common assumption I see about Australia is that it is full of dangerous creatures. And it is – so spread the word and let's keep Australia for Australians – except for any myLotters of course.
And because I'm on a quest to not 'assume' anything, and I can't 'assume' you'll know I'm telling a fib, I must point out that the above paragraph is meant to be funny. So don't 'assume' anything. Have you had to put any assumptions down the drain recently?
Photo is of a kangaroo on our road. He has had his ear injured, probably in a fight.
57 people like this
50 responses
@rebelann (111164)
• El Paso, Texas
20 Apr 17
I stopped assuming I knew what someone meant when Jabo politely explained that using the word 'bugger' is actually foul language in British. Up til then I never knew there was such a huge different between English in America and English in the UK and evidently Australia. It was an eye opener.
As for those who do not speak English as a first language that I can understand, I've dealt with that most of my life because so many Army wives were foreign born so going to school with their kids I learned what they had to do to help their moms cope with English. Also, my community is over 80% hispanic, many of them do not speak English at all.
6 people like this
@rebelann (111164)
• El Paso, Texas
20 Apr 17
Now just what do Brits think of when they hear fanny packs @CoralLevang ? I have an inquiring mind 
3 people like this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 Apr 17
About a month ago I did, someone assumed I was attacking gays because I said Bruce Jenner is not a pretty woman but it had nothing to do with gays, just one ugly man/woman.
I wish I could come to see your country, I think its awesome from what I read, now Africa is supposed to be dangerous.
but it had nothing to do with gays, just one ugly man/woman.
I wish I could come to see your country, I think its awesome from what I read, now Africa is supposed to be dangerous.5 people like this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 17
If you want to visit Australia, you are more likely to transit in my country.
Hope you can spend a few days here.
My country is generally safe, except for mosquitoes that can give you dengue fever! Though it sure is a guaranteed way to lose way, I doubt anyone wants to suffer through a week of dengue fever.
3 people like this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 17
Wow, if this kangaroo stops in the middle of the road in front of my place, he will hold up the traffic for hours!
It seems strange that sometimes, you see Mylotters from some developing countries complain about the difficulty of hiring and keeping servants, and asking the Mylotters from developed world about how to deal with it.
The problem is that hardly any Mylotters from developed countries can afford a full time live-in helper.
This surely is one aspect of Mylot that we do not expect when we join.
4 people like this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Apr 17
@JudyEv That depends. In Indonesia, many middle class family has live-in servants or servants who come in every day to do the housework.
Many of them do not have washing machines at home, because the servants do the laundry by hands.
One household usually has 2 or 3 servants.
Over here, many middle income family hire foreign live-in maids to do housework, take care of children or aged parents.
That is the norm here.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
20 Apr 17
We occasionally hire gardeners to mow our lawns and people to do house cleaning, but most of us don't have the money to hire regular household help and do the chores ourselves when we are still in good health and young enough to do them.
4 people like this
@Jackalyn (7559)
• Oxford, England
20 Apr 17
I always did assume Kangaroos hopped along the main roads in Australia and Koalas hung from every tree. But then I also think all Scottish men wear a kilt and that Queen Elizabeth wears her crown to breakfast as queens wear crowns. For some reason I always think of cricket the moment I see an Indian poster and as for the US....I assume they eat donuts for breakfast. Meanwhile I cannot assume all Africa overun by lions as they were all in the lion park when I visited Harare.
I assume that Kangaroo knows what it is doing.
Actually the fun in Mylot is finding out all these cultural things that we would not otherwise know.
By the way, it is not always raining in London.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Apr 17
I will admit that the stigma of Australia being a place of dangerous creatures is pretty prevalent here in the US, but not to the point that I think people would be afraid to visit there! Americans love Australians (we especially love your accents), and you have some of the most beautiful and pristine natural areas in the world! I've always wanted to visit Australia to go surfing, as well as Scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef!
3 people like this
@moffittjc (118442)
• Gainesville, Florida
20 Apr 17
@JudyEv Those Irish are a bunch of scaredy cats! Afraid of a few snakes and spiders? They need to toughen up! Haha
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Apr 17
@moffittjc I must have got it wrong but I thought you'd said the same thing once - about all our nasty critters. 
2 people like this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
20 Apr 17
No, Jorge has always told me a lot about Australia.
Specially about all the Birds in the Garden and outside of the house where he lived.
Love the Kangaroo and they can defend themselves for sure.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
20 Apr 17
@JudyEv
Melbourne mainly.
They did move around a bit also at first.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Apr 17
@lovinangelsinstead21 We always say that Melbourne can have 4 seasons in one day. The weather is pretty unpredictable there.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
20 Apr 17
It's okay to ask to be clarified on things being said , my friend. I always do that. If ever some would find me so ignorant by doing so, then i don't care. I just want to be clarified well about something before I make my comment. Better safe than sorry, right?
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48937)
• United States
25 Apr 17
I think that many of us have never seen one , so keep them coming.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48937)
• United States
26 Apr 17
@JudyEv when you moved there was that your first up close encounters with them?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 17
@Tampa_girl7 We had pet kangaroos when we were on the farm but we weren't surrounded by them like we are here. Here is me with pet lambs and Joe.
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
17 Jul 17
I think a lot of the U.S. perception of Australia was formed by those Crocodile Dundee movies. Not to mention the Nature specials showing the snakes, etc.
I've lived around snakes in the southwest U.S. and seen very few, but the idea of snakes, especially cobras, still scares the bejeezus out of me. And lizards. Definitely scared of those big lizards. Goannas. Brrrrrrr.
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
18 Jul 17
@JudyEv I'm not familiar with Steve Irwin's projects and saw only one of the Dundee movies. I'm kinda fascinated with Australia. (Do Australians call it Oz?) Also, I'd like to visit NZ someday.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Jul 17
@blitzfrick I think Steve Irwin's TV shows were more popular in the US than in Australia.
1 person likes this
@paigea (35684)
• Canada
20 Apr 17
It seemed to us that Australia (South Australia mainly) had very few predators. Mostly marsupials it seemed. Maybe I was making an assumption there.
But we saw kangaroos on the side of the road and nothing even seemed to come and eat them. Here, when a deer gets hit, it is eaten and picked clean within a couple of days. That is mostly by birds, but coyotes etc. help.
3 people like this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
17 Jul 17
@JudyEv Egad, goannas. I had to look it up. That's enough to put me off of Australia.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Jul 17
@blitzfrick Our goannas are much too small to be a threat - and they are much more scared of us than we are of them - mostly anyway.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Apr 17
We have very few predators. Dingoes are mostly seen more in the outback areas. Otherwise it's just birds. Roadkill would mostly be eaten by eagles and other birds, and perhaps goannas, so it takes a long time before it is cleaned up.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Apr 17
Great photo. I have been fascinated by Australia for a long time and really like your posts. I can't get enough old Aussie shows like Water Rats.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 17
@JohnRoberts Sea Patrol was good. McLeod's Daughters you might want to take with a small pinch of salt. Have you heard of Blue Heelers?
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
20 Apr 17
@JudyEv Water Rats is streaming here. I have also seen Murder Call, City Homicide, McLeod's Daughters, Sea Patrol.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
20 Apr 17
A fighting kangaroo, just like in the cartoons! Love the photo.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 17
@teamfreak16 A pugilistic roo.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
20 Apr 17
@JudyEv - I know, very muscular. He almost looks like he's making a face for the camera.
1 person likes this
@diosabella (4789)
•
20 Apr 17
Assumptions could be very well lead to misunderstanding and from last week experience I'm practicing not to assume anything anymore. Its sad to lose something over it too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 17
@diosabella The 'roo doesn't look really happy does he?
@diosabella (4789)
•
20 Apr 17
@JudyEv Yes. But even living in the same country doesn't make things the same or as easy.
I don't know but the kangaroo looks mad.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
20 Apr 17
Assumptions are a part of life and always will be...I wouldn't worry much about it.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
20 Apr 17
@JudyEv In that case I would go back into the discussion and amend it LOL!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Apr 17
@AbbyGreenhill I could do that but people aren't going to go back and read the thing again unless I say 'amended' or 'edited' or something in the comment.
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 17
I don't think I really worry about it much but sometimes when I don't explain something in the discussion I might need to explain it over and over in the comments - which is okay too but I'd save myself a lot of typing if I got it right in the text.
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
22 Jul 17
LOL! I am curious what your assumption concerned, Judy!
I haven't been on myLot enough lately to have made any assumptions about anything! (Even if I did make an assumption vanny knocks it right out of me! 
)
)1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
27 Jul 17
@JudyEv Some things, like chooks and spekky I already knew from a friend who lives in Australia. I met her on Bubbs and still read her blog sometimes.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Jul 17
Mostly it's thinking a term or phrase might be well known in other countries when it actually isn't. 'Spekky' (spectacular) is one word that I often have to explain and chooks (chickens) is another. There are others too but I can't think of them at the moment. I can't imagine vanny letting you get away with much.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
18 Jul 17
One thing a friend told me about Australia is that there are plenty of snakes there. Must be dangerous for camping then.
1 person likes this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
18 Jul 17
@JudyEv Ah okay. That's good. It would be too scary to have snakes looming around human habitation :)
1 person likes this
@cavalierscholar (205)
•
21 Apr 17
great kangaroo. never seen one in person, we don't have them here in the USA
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Apr 17
This is one of the big bucks. The does are quite a bit smaller.
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Apr 17
I wanted to edit my previous comment but can't for some reason. The main photo is of a big buck. The other of a doe and joey in our garden.
