Aussie Lingo

So, I am sure you all think we are down here speaking all this Aussie speak by now. Well, no. The truth is that so many of the words they use here, I have trouble using myself. I cannot bring myself to call the stroller a pram or a diaper a nappy. It just doesn't come naturally to me and it sounds like I am trying to be someone I am not. Maybe even a little too Mary Poppin-ish.... I have not yet been able to greet someone with, "How ya going."  Oh, my high school English teacher would have a heart attack with that one.  I still use a shopping cart at the grocery store- not a trolley. If I say trolley I am expecting the Rice-a-Roni trolley to go by.   I am sure you are thinking, um, Steph, it is just some words. I realise that and I am trying. Truly.

But don't fret (Em!) I have discovered one word that I love and that I have now adopted into my vocabulary.  It is a little silly, but it works for me. The word is sunnies.  Sunnies are sunglasses. I love this word. It flows so nicely and it really is a lot easier to say than sunglasses. Maybe it is because I say it so often- "Cooper where are your sunnies? Cooper where did you leave your sunnies? Cooper pick up your sunnies off the floor. Cooper did you break your sunnies? Cooper did you lose another pair of sunnies?" Maybe it because we have bought 8 pairs of sunnies since we arrived- most of which are scattered around the Sydney area lost to us.  Maybe because it is a cute word and sunnies look so cute (and so silly) on the boys. Not sure I would call my own sunglasses, sunnies, but for the boys it works.  So, there you have it. I am one word into Aussie speak, but still have a long way to go. :)