Oh, wow! So in some places it is the dark all winter, light all summer? I heard something about that before, wow!

Well, not exactly all winter and all summer. But in the very far north places, yes from late November to late January, the sun never comes above the horizon. Yes, it gets a little lighter for a couple of hours in the middle of the day but the sun never rises. And in the summer, the sun never sets for a couple of months and it stays light all day long.

In between the couple months in the summer and couple months in the winter, it fluctuates. Kind of like this:

light for an hour
light for two hours
light for three hours
light for four hours
(and so on)
and then back down
light for 24 hours
light for 23 hours
light for 22 hours.

It doesn't fluctuate that much in a day, of course, but it's not either dark or light. I'm sure you guys probably know that, just clearing it up. We slowly get more light and then slowly less.

Where I'm going to college in two weeks, it's only light for about four or five hours during the middle of the day.

I think Antarctica is like that but I'm sure other places have that too though.

Anywhere near the poles is like that. Any latitude above 66.5 degrees north latitude or below 66.5 degrees south latitude, will experience twenty four hours of darkness in the winter, and twenty four hours of daylight in the summer.

I would love to go to Norway for a year, and experience these dramatic changes, but alas, airfare is expensive, and time is even more pricey.

Oooh, a smart person who knows stuff like that! Yea, exactly.

Wow... *is personally glad to live where she does!*

Which brings on a question: is USA the only "wow" speaking country? I doubt, but I ask.

Lu

What do you mean by "'wow' speaking country"? World of Warcraft? No, I'm pretty sure there are players from all over the world.

I mean, who uses the word "wow" a lot.

Ah. The word 'wow!' is over-used in Australia too.

So what are some unique Aussie words? Is it true that guys are 'mate' and girls are 'sheila'?

Any other unique ones?

I have a question for Brits, I dont think its been asked yet...

Why do you call redheads "Gingers"???

Lucy of Narnia, it's not common to hear people call girls 'sheila' but 'mate' is used quite a bit, generally for both genders.
Hmmm... Unique Aussie words? Let me think about that one a little more.

O.K, Here's a question for anyone who's living in England: what would you say is the most popular genre of music?

One time I heard a guy from the UK call a girl "swizzie". Is that a word over there, or did he make that up? And if it is a word, what does it mean? (*hopes it doesn't mean anything bad because I don't want to get in trouble for posting it on here* lol)

~Riella

C.S.LewisNarnia,
I live in the city suburbs of an Australian capital city. Here, there are many types of animal and bird life (moreso birds). We often see blue-tongued lizards and skinks, the occasional possum or koala and various birds (from rainbow lorikeets, magpies and New Holland honey-eaters, all the way up to the occasional ibis and hawk). We also have feral animals - rabbits (often), mynah birds (often) and the very occasional fox. If anything messes up our bins during the night, the culprit is most likely a possum.

Of course kangaroos and wallabies are plentiful but they're more confined to the bush and mountainous areas (although the occasional kangaroo or wallaby will roam into the suburbs).

Wow. You make our suburbs sound so boring. That sounds like fun!

Yes, it's good. Granted not all city suburban areas in Australia are similar to where I live. Some are more built-up, others pretty much resemble the country (some of my relatives live in the suburbs and they live in the bush). Thanks for the kind comments. I'm sure there are good things about your suburbs too!

I thought "wow" was a Canadian thing.
I was wondering what some Canadian sterotypes are? From what I've heard, people think we say "eh" and "sorry" all the time. I got asked if I live in an igloo once in a forum. I found it especially odd seeing as it was someone online . . . I don't think igloos have electricity.
I do say sorry a lot, but I only know one person I know says eh frequently. Actually, I've been trying to say eh more often, so as to live up to that sterotype, but I keep forgetting.

Of course, I'm in British Columbia, so I can't speak for all Canadians.

By the way, if you have anything you'd like to ask an Alaskan, I'm more than happy to answer. (We don't live in igloos, btw)

I second that, narnian_at_heart!
(both the offer and the igloo statement. )
My mom seriously thought we would have to live in igloos when my dad got transferred here with the Army.

I got asked if I live in an igloo once in a forum. I found it especially odd seeing as it was someone online . . . I don't think igloos have electricity.

Warrior 4 Jesus, thank you for the Australian 'burb description! We get moose, eagles, and once a small black bear. I think I'd prefer the koala variety! And kangaroos, too. That's amazing!

Outlier, I thought 'Fawkes' was pronounces as 'f-or-x' (forks). Did it really sound like 'fox'?

You're right, it is 'forx', I've never anyone say it 'fox'.

Really?! I'm disappointed. "Fox" sounds so much better.

Here it's much less common to ask someone about their heritage, or be so clued up on your own (like I see people saying "I'm one eighth Irish, one eighth German, a quarter this or that...and so on). And a lot of the time, if you were born in England, you generally just consider yourself English, unless you have very close ties to another culture (for example, my family, and both my parents, are Irish, but I was born in England and have lived here all my life so it's never crossed my mind to call myself Irish).

That's odd! (No offense. It is very patriotic of you ) I'm only 1/4 Italian but proud of it. It's a good-sized slice of who I am, and I think it shows. BUT I am first and foremost an American.

Australians:
Do you have Spam?

Do you say "Fall pregnant" instead of "Get pregnant"? (Sorry; weird question. I asked because of what it says on the Vegemite website! - bottom topic on the page)

Do you like The Man from Snowy River (movie) and is it accurate?

people think we say "eh" and "sorry" all the time...I only know one person I know says eh frequently...Of course, I'm in British Columbia, so I can't speak for all Canadians.

My penpal from Canada actually told me that stereotype was true. She actually says "Eh" almost all the time, as does her friends. She's from Ontario, though.
I've never heard about the "sorry" thing before. I wonder if she knows about that one...

The only other Canadian stereotype I've heard is that the people there are super nice. (My penpal says that one is false, lol )

~Riella