Over the rainbow. . .

For those of you who don't know (I didn't before we came here), Aussies call their homeland OZ. So when we saw this rainbow AP exclaimed, "Oz really is on the other side of the rainbow!"

Sometimes it actually feels that way and, while much is similar to the U.S., much is very different. So here are some of the little “tid-bits” that I keep meaning to mention, but never quite get to:
1. Canberra is very clean and as a whole Australians are very environmentally conscious
-they line dry their clothes (and dryers here are really small)
-people take reusable fabric bags for shopping
-there are recycling bins at the store for your plastic bags
-the dry cleaners reuse your hangers
2. Food is similar, but not quite the same
-groceries (along with everything else) are SO expensive
-HUGE selection of gluten-free food at the grocery store
-Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine are common; Mexican not as (we miss our corn tortillas!)
-You can get baby food in Capri-sun type pouches with a valve for sucking (great for on the run!)
-No velveeta here (AP asked someone at church where we could find some and the response was, “Is that something Italian?”
3. Driving
-on the “wrong” side of the road
-confusing roundabouts
-the roads go in circles or change names suddenly and it’s easy to get lost
-tons of people walk, job, ride bikes everywhere; we do too and the exercise has been great for all of us!