Saturday, October 25, 2008

Geography Project -- Australia


I was supposed to study Australia during the month of October, in my so-called geography project. Well, I still have a few days left in the month to try to learn something about the place -- the only continent in the world that is encompassed by a single nation.

As of this morning, I knew no more than the average six year old American kid about this country. Kangaroos and koala bears and people who say Crikey a lot. There's an Outback Steakhouse in my city that serves Bloomin' Onions. For all I really know, nobody in Australia actually eats those things.

Now I know that the capital is Canberra and that Australia is composed of six states and a handful of islands. I know that that scoop out of Her northern shore is called Gulf of Carpenteria.

Still pitiful, such lack of knowledge.

I don't know of Her great writers, Her cultural personalities, Her inventions, Her history beyond the fact that the Dutch were the first Europeans to sight Her and that Great Britain settled the place.

6 comments:

Janice Thomson said...

2 or 3 bloggers from Australia visit my blog - their photos and info are just amazing about this beautiful beautiful country. I'd love to visit it someday.

Anonymous said...

A couple of years ago I went to Australia (mostly Tasmania, but also a little time in Sydney and Melbourne). It's a beautiful country. The thing that really fascinated me was all the animals which evolved specific to that continent, many of them marsupials.

Anonymous said...

have a look at http://www.outbacksecrets.com

Eastcoastdweller said...

Janice: I would love to go there, too. And put New Zealand and Christmas Island on my itenerary, too.

Citizen: You lucky, lucky Lady! What I have learned recently is that Australia is actually a living museum of animals. Marsupials once lived everywhere but got outcompeted except in Australia, and except for 'possums here in America.

Geoff: Thank you, I certainly will!

Anna said...

I am ashamed to admit that everything I know about Australia I learned from reading the Thorn Birds when I was thirteen.

My brother was there in July for World Youth Day. See, if I was a priest, I too could travel the world on someone else's dime. Wait a minute...I'm a woman...and a lesbian...I'll have to rethink my strategy.

Eastcoastdweller said...

Arial:

Maybe You will still find a way to get there someday, on Your own dime!

Send me a postcard when You do.