This week we'll have a slightly different arrangement. Because IJO hosts language competition on Wednesday and I'll not meet you for the class, please read/watch the materials below:
World War I (the "Great War")
Australian were sent to both Eastern and Western fronts.
This year, on Tuesday, April 25th, we celebrate 102nd anniversary of Gallipoli landing.
Click the picture below to enter a great interactive website that will help you learn the story behind the tragic Battle of Gallipoli. As you remember it was a turning point in Australian history and an abrupt change in Australia/Britain relations. It gave rise to a strong sense of Aussie identity and resulted in development of "broad" Aussie accent.
Please click on all interactive elements on the website. It will take you around 20 minutes to watch/listen/interact with information there and you will need some of the facts for the test. So please do do it!
Western Front and the controversy of "voluntary" enlisting - click here.
Right before Easter, John Clarke passed away. He was one of the best and most important satirists in Australia and New Zealand. He will be dearly missed...
Here's a video that pays tribute to the great man.
"Australian sport deserves quality piss taking or none at all."
Australians are a nation of active people and they like to joke that they spend more on excercising than on education, but it doesn't mean that they are going to worship their sportsmen and sportswomen blindly. They always retain a healthy dose of irony and humour.
Asked about cricket, they would say something like that:
Cricket is a game that moves about as fast as a Jamaican on valium. It involves watching 11 men in white clothes stand around a field for a few hours, then break to have lunch, stand around, then break again to have a cup of tea, stand around, then go home. The same thing occurs for another 4 days, and then after all that effort, both teams call the whole thing a draw...
Remember, "Australian sport deserves quality piss taking or none at all." So true ;-)
Australians pride themselves on inventing football. That's correct. Football. (see the link under science). However "footy" may mean different games in different states. More on that here.
Some of you know already that I'm hopelessly in love with AFL
Talking about sport, we can't possibly forget about Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Sydney was the second Olympic Games organized by Aussies. The first one was in Melbourne in 1956.
That date also marks Aussies' love affair with swimming.
Still, whether you are a professional athlete or an amateur, the main point is to be able to have fun.
Have a listen to this commentary. Pay attention to how Polish audience react to Aussies scoring goals, and how the Australian commentators react to the goal scored by Poland (first two minutes). A bit eye-opening, eh?
