Customer Reviews

Americans' Survival Guide to Australia and Australian-American Dictionary

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A Review of Americans' Survival Guide to Australia and Australian-American Dictionary (Paperback)
by Rusty Geller (Author)


Having been brought up in both the US and Australia, I bought this book out of curiosity for how one side saw the other and was surprised by it's breadth. Not only is it packed with the kind of information those who are visiting or emigrating from America (US/Canada) really need to know, Geller also weaves stories of his own experiences throughout which added reality and kept me reading.

Often guide books are presented too technically, but not so with this one. The style is easy and understandable all the way through. I have not read a book like this from cover to cover before, but this one taught me things I didn't know about Australia. There is also an extensive contents and index that pin point's particular issues quickly.

The first part of the book takes you on a journey that unveils the intricacies of all the issues you are likely to need to know about to successfully deal with a trip or move to Australia. The information is well sorted into issues and gives you the surrounding knowledge required to tackle each. For example: How do you get a car into Australia? Or use American electrical equipment? Order a beer, or migrate with your pet? Geller goes through processes like; language differences, entering the country, buying real estate and the education system, pulling the relevant information together and pointing out common pitfalls and misunderstandings you run up against when moving to a country that has so many sociological similarities. He also identifies the perplexing differences and links them comfortably back to the American vernacular. More than anything this guide gives you a gentle insight into the ways of Australia and Australians, so you are can feel out the culture and get on better, faster.

The second part is a very serviceable dictionary of Australian terms and phrases or `your cheat sheet', as Geller put it. The coverage of colloquial `Aussie lingo' is useful for any intending resident, business traveller or tourist and is an amusing read too. Have a "squiz" for yourself.

Whether you are going to spend time in Australia, or you are just thinking about it, the `Americans' Survival Guide to Australia' is worth having on your shelf and a good read to boot.

Reviewer Jack Seddon
20th October, 2007

Having travelled back & forth between the U.S. and Australia for 30 years, I thought I knew my way around Down Under pretty well. However, once we decided to move over permanently, I soon realized I might as well have come from another planet!! If only we had a survival guide like this to combat the daily head scratching and keep our sense of humor alive!

If you are making the trip for the first time, planning to stay awhile or just curious about the cultural differences, this little book will open your eyes to the subtle variances that are discovered only by interesting experiences. Highly recommended for keeping you safely to the left, in harmony with the Aussie attitude of 'no worries' and out of socially embarrasing moments when you might say the 'wrong' thing! Enjoy the book and the country!!

This book is packed with valuable and interesting information. The Australian-American dictionary is also valuable and humorous. I ran many of the terms by a few Australian friends, and they confirmed they use the terms all the time (terms that most Americans would NOT understand). All in all, this is a terrific book and well worth the price for anyone that's traveling to or moving to Australia.

I purchased this book to help us prepare for our move to Australia. It is so insightful! I have learned so much about things that I hadn't even thought about. It has made me re-think decisions on what to take and what to leave here, and I know that once we actually get there, I will be using this book as a reference, over and over again. Thank you, Rusty Geller, for writing this book and helping me to be much more informed about the new experiences that await us!

I bought this book because I am an American who will be spending one year in Australia on a work-holiday visa. This book has some useful information, but I believe that it would be most useful to someone who is migrating to Australia...someone who intends to buy a house, raise a family, and settle in for good. For tourists, backpackers, or working-holiday makers, I think there are likely to be better sources out there that pertain more to their specific situations. For example, there are pages of information about the real estate market, even down to what roofs are made out of in a typical Aussie house, but only a short paragraph about finding an apartment or room to rent, and absolutely no info whatsoever on hotels, hostels, or any other type of accommodation that will be sought by tourists and short termers.

Another thing, if you have spent any decent length of time in Britain then you will likely find, as I did, that 95% of the information to be redundant. The info shared on language terms/slang, working, taxes, healthcare, driving, education, and other cultural things are very similar, if not identical to the way they are in Britain. However, if you have never spent any length of time outside America, particularly in a British or commonwealth country, I think you will find this book very helpful.

Some info in this book that I found to be very helpful:

1. A good description of the typical Aussie attitude towards life (which from the author's description seems different than Brits, and WAY different from the workaholic, perfectionist, self-righteous American attitude!)
2. Time differences: they are really confusing in Australia, with some cities being 1/2 hour difference from others, and daylight savings time only applying to certain areas.
3. Lots of info on Aussie cars and driving etiquette.

Some things that I would have liked to have seen in the book

1. more specific info on different types of visas you can get and what to expect at immigration (eg. what kind of questions will the officers ask you?)
2. Although there is a section about gun laws in Australia, I am interested in laws pertaining to other "weapons". For example, is it illegal to carry my Swiss Army knife (as it was in Britain)? What about pepper spray or stun guns?
3. Like a lot of first time Aussie travelers, I am a bit paranoid about all the dangerous creatures and was hoping to learn some specifics on how to identify some of the most common poisonous spiders, snakes, etc. as well as where they are commonly found and what to do if you encounter one. There is a brief section on dangerous wildlife, but the advice provided by this book is simply to "watch out for them".
4. I was hoping there would be more information on seeking work in Australia. Where is the best place to seek work (newspapers, internet, job boards, is there a government operated job seeking service)? Also, what is some of the unique work etiquette that one might encounter when working in Australia? What is the appropriate dress for an interview?
5. More info on taxes for casual workers. Where do you get a tax ID number? Who needs one? If you are only working casually and earning under $6,000 do you pay tax then get it back or is there a special box to tick so you earn tax free form the beginning?
6. What to expect as far as prices go for accommodation, food, clothes, etc. Do business owners try to rip off tourists as they do in many other countries?

I received this as a gift before relocating to Australia, and it was very helpful. Even after living here for over 6 months, I still return to it for "translations."
Everyday subjects are discussed, such as the Post & how they only deliver, not pick up from your mailbox. How else would I have known this? And the phone numbers, that was helpful as well.
Great read, easy & quick.

I have travelled Down Under ten times for business, and when we learned that we would go to live there for a couple of years, I figured that we would encounter things the traveller does not notice. Somehow we ended up with numerous (10+) books on Australia from many friends and family. Most were travel books and list the best hotels and points of interest. This book however, stands high above the rest for those who are going to live there. The author is well informed, and his writing style is excellent. He is able to convey understanding of culture and underlying perspective that few have tackled and none have achieved; yet his writing is light and humorous. 5 Stars.

We are moving to Australia from the U.S. and bought this book to help prepare. It's full of useful information- like how to use the phone, when to go shopping, etc. The dictionary is great! Even though they speak English there are ALOT of different words. This is a great book and I would highly recommend it to US expats planning to live in Australia.

This was a Christmas gift for a college girl, going "Down Under" as an exchange student. We all got a kick out of it!

A great guide for U.S. and Canadian citizens looking to relocate to the Southern Continent. Well written and full of information and fun facts. I now wish that I had purchased this guide book years ago.