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Hi All! My name is Rosie and you have just flown into my country, Australia. I created this website when I was about 18 as a world tour to provide a bit of information about my penpals and their countries. Now I'm 24, and I have continued to correspond with only two of them, Cat, from Mauritius, and Riku from India. I put a lot of work in, so I'm definately not going to wipe it! However, I need to update so my page will better reflect who I am now. Anyway, to take my little tour, scroll down through the information on a page, then click on the little aeroplane to take you to the next country. If you don't want to go on tour, click on the "click here" symbol usually near the top of each page. This will bring up a list of all the countries to visit, and a link to my webrings pages. Have fun and please sign my guestbook!
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Like I said, I'm an Aussie, geographically though, that doesn't tell you much. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world, a fairly big place (approx 7 682 300 square km.) We are divided into 6 states, Victoria (where I live!) Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The Northern Territory is more or less a state; and we have the ACT, Australian Capital Territory, which surrounds the Canberra area. Canberra is the capital city, in case you hadn't guessed. We also have a few external territories, they are: Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Heard Island, McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory. Even though we are so large, we only have a population of 19 million.
With such a large country you'd expect some varying landscapes...Grasslands, forests, "bush" which is the American equivelent of "brush" and looks just like the background to this page, we have tropical rainforests, mountains- some are snowcapped in winter, some very nice beaches and the world's largest coral reef- The Great Barrier Reef. Amazingly enough, most of the continent is desert....
We are a multi cultural society, we have people from all over the world! Apparently we have people from over 100 different backgrounds, who speak about 90 different languages, and practice around 80 different religions. The Aborigines, who, being the indigenous people of Australia, certainly deserve a mention! Before white settlement there were about 250 different languages with around 750 different dialects. Unfortunately, 50 of them are completely lost, and another 100 will be lost in the next generation or two. Only about 50 languages survive 'strongly' now, but even out of those, only about 20 are spoken by large groups. The "average Aussie," whatever that may be, speaks "Australian English." It is just like anyone else's brand of English if you can ignore the accent, the slang, and the fact that we talk too fast. Never mind those slang dictionaries, you might need an interpreter :)
Oh, and by the way, we all have pet kangaroos to bring our mail in, and a platypus in the swimming pool. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Information from the Guinness Encyclopedia, the Cultures of the World series and off the top of my head
I HAVE WON AN AWARD, LET ME BOAST! LOOK YAY TO ME!!
I have discovered the fun in adopting! Visit my Adoptee's Residential Area.
As a 'Thank you' to Differentia who helped me get this page started, I will put a link to her page! So, ladies and gentlemen: Differentia's Page!
Thank-you to TTG13, who helped me when I was starting to learn html!
A link to my beloved's website. It's a GURPS Kalamar conversion site. If you don't know what that means, you probably won't be interested. It's designed for all you role players out there.
We've been together for about two and a half years now, so we'll be getting married eventually, when we can afford it. Anyone who knows us won't be surprised to find we are planning a medieval wedding. Well, more middle ages actually, around the time of William the Conqueror. Look what those lucky people we'll invite are going to be encouraged to wear! Won't they look spiffy?!
Here is a link to the company where I got my penpals! IYS (International Youth Service)
See the exchange rate between the $AUS and anything else, Yahoo Currency Converter
To see pictures of this country's paper money, go to Ron Wise's World Paper Homepage
To see the words of the national anthem, go here The first verse is what we usually sing. I thought the third verse was really the second. I've never heard of the other three verses, I suppose being as multicultural as we are, singing about our "British Souls" would not only be considered racist, but plain silly. As far as I know, there is a third verse, but it's not written there. Weird Huh?
To see pics of Australia's floral emblems, go to this site
To look at all sorts of info about Australia and particularly Melbourne, go to Ozybloke's Page.
For a page about the language make up of Australia, including Aboriginal languages, go here
For a page showing the holidays of Australia, look at the Global Calender Can't put a link to the Aussie page, because the webmaster asked us not to. *Shrug*
Some Aboriginal Art
Interested in an Aboriginal Dreamtime Story Site?
This is a site about a classic Australian children's story, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie
Here is a site about Lightning Ridge, an opal mining town. Opals are gorgeous. I love 'em
Do you want to e-mail me? Any comments? Or suggestions?
(I will take complaints if I have to, but only if they are written in a nice way!)
Please drop a line in my letterbox: rosie_0801@yahoo.com
Please gather up your belongings! We are now departing Australia from Tullamarine, Melbourne's International Airport.
In case you are wondering, any pics on this page or any others of mine, that aren't cited to someone, are either mine (that I scanned myself,) or they are Geocities owned clipart or things. Ok everyone? I'm trying to do this "proper" so if there is anything here I've missed citing, please say so!
