Are you a true

SHWETA SIROHI GUPTA

if living in Australia and adopting the customs and mannerisms makes you

You’re a typical Indo-Aussie if….

lYou prefer Aussie chicks for eye-candy but only desi girls fit the wedding bill. A desi wife will double your income, yet halve your domestic workload, without demanding individually-managed bank accounts. Now that’s what you call a winwin situation!

lYou find it easier to chuck rubbish just outside trash-bins, not inside! How difficult is that?

lYou criticise aapno des wholeheartedly when you migrate to Australia. Within weeks, you start missing home and remembering all the good things about it.

lYou work really hard to find your place abroad.

lYou miss your comfort zone the most after leaving India.

lYou discover and live by the fact that dignity of labour exists! You proudly drive a taxi or serve in a restaurant to pay off your fees.

lYou abide by most, not all, rules to make Australia your new home.

lYou roll your eyes when looking at the price of groceries. You are reminded of the cliché, “Aate-daal ka bhaav pata chal jayega, jab ghar sey door nikloge!” lOn a budget, you sacrifice bhujia to buy a phone card. lYou pay triple the price of fast food to pig

Being a vegetarian, you are extremely careful about what passes as veggie food.

Whether you are a student, migrant or even an employee on a work visa, from the first day that you arrive in Australia you need to get accustomed to doing you own chores from cooking, cleaning, ironing, washing, grocery shopping and everything else. It’s a huge culture shock for most, many feel homesick and want to go back because of the comforts they have in India. The Australian culture and attitude to life is unique and every Indian here needs to experience it themselves. It is an experience worth it, mainly because of the weather, the laid back attitude of Aussies, and potential for our future. We came here and struggled a fair bit for the first two years. We did different jobs from car-washing, driving taxis, working at gas stations, pizza delivery, bartending, cleaning…you name it! We experienced shared accommodation, worked dual shifts and long hours, but the journey was full of learning experiences and loads of fun. Now we are on the threshold of completing our studies and getting settled, but we wouldn’t change a thing from our past which has made us what we are todaystrong men!”

Tushar, Arpit, Naresh, Aroon, Pankaj, Kshitij out on desi chatpata khana. $3 for a humble samosa…what a rip-off! lYou crave desi mithai more than you ever have in your life! lYou think the Aussie accent is funny, but only until you pick it up yourself. Switching over to barbeque lunches is a natural progression. lYou pretend to enjoy healthy salads, but deep within you crave for ghee fried-fatty stuff that you’ve eaten when growing up. lYou try hard looking for ‘Made in Australia’ souvenirs when planning a trip back home. Something (read everything!) which is ‘Made in China’ is not going to impress your cousins in India, is it? lYou love the three B’s of your newly acquired Aussie lifestyle…beach, barbecue and beer. Although bhawan, Bharat and bhajiye still top your list, without a doubt! lYour interest and love for sport isn’t just restricted to cricket, but has widened to footy and rugby… lYour dictionary now consists of words like ‘Sorry’, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Please’. lYou become more tolerant on roads as you learn to drive in your own lane without using the horn. lIt takes you several months to realise that buses and trains here are relatively noise-free and listening to bhangra on your phone’s speaker isn’t a good idea. lYou realise the true value of family and friends. They would always come forward to lend a hand, but you’d think they were interfering….Oops!

For Indian vegetarians, Australia is a bit of a punishment unless we want to survive on salads or fast food at every street corner. Indeed, as diehard vegetarians we were quite nervous about potentially starving in this land of burgers and steaks, or being served a platter of indifferently boiled vegetables or even fish (but fish is vegetarian! Hah!). When we arrived there were barely a handful of vegetarian restaurants, let alone Indian cuisine. But now every cuisine from Mediterranean to Greek to Italian has superb offerings which are meatless and there are plenty of Indian restaurants around. In fact, at some restaurants what we have on our vegetarian platter looks so delicious, that we have the carnivorous lot eyeing our food!

Shwetha and Divyesh Iyer

I was zapped when I migrated to Australia two years ago. I was fluent in English and did not even think of the Aussie accent as one of the initial hiccups of settling down. ‘G’day mate! Howya goin?’ I initially felt that Aussies spoke English as if they had returned from the dentist! I have one particularly memorable episode to recount. I slipped in the bathroom and injured my back, and had to be hospitalised. I was alarmed when I heard the nurse telling me, “You’ll be going home to die.” What she actually said was, “You’ll be going home today.” It was dreadful and later, hilarious moment! I love the ‘no worries’ Aussie accent now, and have adapted to it so well that when I go to India on holiday, my friends tease me of flaunting a foreign accent.”

Rahul Gupta

TOONGABBIE $339,950

Pendle Hill Auction

124 Smith Street NORTH FACING

Great Starter, this home features 3bdrms, separate lounge and dining rooms Updated kitchen and bathroom, separate sunroom and carport all set on a good Size block close to all amenities ideal first home, investment or even knock down and rebuild

Open For Inspection: Saturday 11.30am – 12pm

VERY CHEAP

Buy the land and get the house for free!

This house needs a renovation rescue or a

BAULKHAM HILLS $529,950

Interest* Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000 Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw

GIRRAWEEN $589,000

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE

Situated close to school, shops and transport is this 5 bedroom home is sure to please, 2 spacious living areas, original kitchen, 2 original bathrooms, separate dine and lounge, split system air conditioning, security alarm, all bedrooms includes built-in’s, great outdoor entertainment area with double lock up garage. Set in a great quiet location.

Auction: Saturday 31 October 2009 on site at 12pm

Laing & Simmons Wentworthville 9688 4000

Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw

Constitution Hill Auction

LARGE BLOCK

32 Mount Street

This home is situated on a large block of 815sqm, high on the hill and still close walking distance to trains, shops and schools, features include 3 bedrooms, main with built-in, reverse cycle air conditioning, alarm, large lounge, and dine area, good size kitchen and double LUG, currently tenanted, lease expires 30/01/09.

Open for inspection: Saturday 1:30pm

TOONGABBIE $389,950

815SQM BLOCK APPROX

This old style country home has loads of character, with an east facing frontage of 20mtr approx and set on approx 815sqm. Needing some TLC this home has so much potential, currently the home consists of original kitchen & bathroom, large lounge and dining, reverse cycle air conditioning, above ground pool and lock up garage.

TOONGABBIE $349,950

WELL PRESENTED MODERN TOWNHOUSE

This three bedroom townhouse offers spacious open plan living, built in wardrobes in all rooms, main bedroom with ensuite, modern kitchen & bathroom, air conditioning, generous sized courtyard and tandem lock up garage. Laing & Simmons Toongabbie 9631 5555 Contact Leanne Ollerenshaw

Wentworthville Auction

TOONGABBIE $389,950

ROOM TO MOVE

Extra large townhouse in popular complex with 3 good sized bedrooms, spacious L shaped living area, ensuite to main bedroom and third toilet downstairs, modern kitchen with gas cooking, ducted air conditioning, double garage with remote door and extra large private courtyard.

Laing & Simmons Toongabbie 9631 5555 Contact Alan Fowler

Merrylands Auction

A hand-crafted brass idol & Shiva Lingam are here from Kolkata, India

Principal activities of Sydney Kalibari shall be:

• To run Soup Kitchen (vegetarian) for infirms & retirees of Neighbourhood

• Hold socio-religious activities through prayer, meditation & discourse

• Care for elderly/senior citizens during weekend afternoons followed by complimentary lunch

WE SOLICIT YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

ALL ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO COME & JOIN

THE INAUGRAL KALI PUJA CELEBRATION ON 17TH OCTOBER 2009

AT 83, WENTWORTH AVENUE, WENTWORTHVILLE

THE CELEBRATION WILL START FROM 08:30 P.M. ON 17TH OCTOBER 2009 www.sydneykalibari.com

Sydney Kalibari, PO Box 7907, Baulkham Hills 2153 NSW

Phone: (02) 9836 4097 Fax: (02) 8580 4637

Email: sydneykalibari@gmail.com

Contact Nirjhar Dutta on 0412 368 767