It pains me to admit it, but: I’m practically un-Australian.
Here’s three reasons why:
1. I Can’t Swim
Australia: land of the great swimming legends. Every kid can swim even before they can walk!
Or can they?!
I was the kid that dreaded summer phys ed lessons because that meant one thing: swimming.
It was downright humiliating to be in the “Turtles” (or whatever funky name they gave the slow group), year after year after year. It’s mainly the breathing that I struggle with; I think I’m just really uncoordinated. I went for extra lessons as a child but nothing really helped. I somehow dog-paddled my way through until Teacher’s College, when we had to pass our Life Saving Certificate in order to graduate. Uh oh!
I’ve gotta give myself points for sheer determination – I swam the length of that ruddy pool and I passed. I may have come out at the other end coughing and spluttering for dear life, but I PASSED!
2. I Don’t Eat Seafood
One of the things us Aussies – and Queenslanders in particular – are known for, is our great seafood. Even the old tourism ads showed how Australians will “throw another shrimp on the barbie”. The great Australian Christmas tradition is to indulge in prawns, oysters, crab and other fruits of the seas.
And I hate them all!
When I went for allergy testing a few years ago, it turned out I’m actually allergic to seafood, so perhaps it is just as well I never liked it!
3. I Hate Sport
I’m a rare creature – an Australian that hates sport in any way, shape or form.
I’ve already mentioned how I dreaded phys ed in Summer because that meant swimming.
What I failed to mention is that I hated phys ed lessons at any time of the year. I’ve never been any good at sport of any form.
I broke or sprained my fingers too many times to count in my primary school years, in my vain attempts to catch a softball or basketball.
It’s not just playing sport either – I’ve just never understood the great Australian fascination with sport. I mean, IT’S ONLY A GAME, PEOPLES!
Dear reader, will you still love me now that you’ve realised I’m practically un-Australian?!
Linking up with My Home Truths for 3 confessions for the price of 1!
Look, I can forgive you for number 2, because I don’t eat seafood either. When I lived in the US for 11 years people couldn’t believe I didn’t eat seafood and was from Australia! But #1 and #3….look not everyone can swim, but I’m not sure I can move past the not liking sport thing. It might be a deal breaker for me Janet. lol 😉
Nah, I don’t believe you Aroha, us Team IBOT-ers stick together!!!
I might have to join you for 1 & 2 but gosh I love my seafood. Having said that I’m hardly tolerating much food at the moment, so I’m possibly as un-Australian as you at the moment. Perhaps we should join a club or a support group or both.
Seafood seems to be one of those things – you either love it or you don’t. And I don’t!
I can’t swim either! I’ve always had a phobia about putting my head under water. And I detest sport! So you’re not the only one. I do like most seafood though, except oysters. They’re gross.
I don’t really like putting my head under water either, after a swimming teacher pushed me under when I was 5 years old …
We still love ya! But I can’t believe that you live in Queensland and you can’t swim. I come from Victoria and even I can swim. It was my favourite past-time when I was a kid and I still love a dip in the ocean or our swimming pool when the weather warms up. As for sport, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so I will forgive you for that one. 🙂
I love playing in the water, and can float with the best of them, but just can’t coordinate all the swimming movements.
I still love you! I like some seafood (fish and the occasional prawn but that’s it!), I can swim if necessary (not that I do it all that often) and I do really like my tennis. But, really, I could take or leave all three. SO don’t feel all that bad Janet!!!!
Glad you still love me! Us Monday Confessors need to stick together 😉
I love swimming and most seafood, but I hear you on sport. Particularly televised sport. Like cricket. I’d rather watch paint dry.
Or motor racing. Or football. Or … anyways you get the idea!
I’ll forgive you! I think some people are water babies (like me) and some people aren’t. I only started eating seafood in the last couple of years and even then (apart from oysters) I have to cover them in sauce to eat them.
I wondered if one day I would develop a taste for seafood (I never ate avocado, mango, mushrooms, asparagus as a kid and now I love them!) … but it’s just never happened.
I can’t swim either x
But we’re so beautiful Rae, somebody would surely come to our rescue if we got in strife 😉
Oh dear! I am not sure we can be friends anymore!! Lol….
I love to swim although living where I do that doesn’t happen very often as I prefer a nice lake or the beach over a grotty swimming pool! Love me some sport! BUt I am almost with you with the seafood, I only really like prawns and really have to be in the mood for them!
saw this pop up in my fb feed and had to have a read! I hate all the emphasis on footy and cricket too and my confession is that I can swim but I don’t like the beach – too hot and sandy and there’s seaweed and other yuckies floating around – and you get dumped by waves. Give me a nice serene swimming pool any day!
LOL you sound like Mr 22, he hates the beach too for much the same reasons 😉