An Indian woman living in Australia has shared five things she found "completely normal" in the country but said they "genuinely shocked" her as an Indian. Taking to Instagram, Disha Shah listed everyday differences ranging from shops closing early to workplace culture and well-maintained public parks.
One of the things that Shah said surprised her was the early closing time of shops. "Shops close at 5 PM - and they REALLY mean it," she wrote, adding that unlike India, where many shops remain open late into the night, finding a store open at 6 pm on a Saturday can be difficult in Australia.
She also highlighted seeing police officers on horseback in city centres. "You're walking through the CBD, minding your own business, and suddenly there's a police officer riding a horse. Completely normal here… but it still shocks me every time!" Shah wrote.
Another difference she pointed out was the first-name culture. "No ma'am. No sir. No aunty or uncle," she wrote, adding, “Your boss is Sarah. Your teacher is James. Your doctor is Michael. Everyone is on a first-name basis!”
Further, Shah also said that she was struck by how people leave work on time. She wrote that staying late is not treated as a "badge of honour". “People value their personal time, family, and weekends. Work-life balance is genuinely a priority here!” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Further, Shah also said that she was struck by how people leave work on time. She wrote that staying late is not treated as a "badge of honour". “People value their personal time, family, and weekends. Work-life balance is genuinely a priority here!” she said.
{{/usCountry}}The last point on her list was Australia's public parks and amenities. Shah praised the free BBQ facilities, clean public toilets, walking tracks, playgrounds and picnic spots, saying that much of it is free and well maintained.
(Also Read: Indian woman in Australia explains how things called ‘too desi’ in India become ‘premium’ abroad)
Social media reactions
The post prompted several reactions from users in the comments.
Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "Imagine being surprised by clean public parks and amenities"
"And, employees are respected more and mental health is a genuine priority at work," commented another.
"No spitting or peeing in public, no Tobacco stains , higher levels of civics responsibility. If you are comparing it to India the list is very long," wrote a third user.