From Police To Public Parks: Indian-Origin Woman Lists 5 Normal Things In Australia That Shocked Her

Moving to another country for school or work is a common choice for millions of people seeking new experiences, but relocation always comes with a period of adjustment, with a new culture and daily habits catching people completely off guard. In an Instagram video, Disha Shah, an Indian-origin woman living in Australia, recently shared five of the biggest everyday surprises she experienced after making the move down under.

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Here are the 5 biggest everyday surprises she experienced

1. Shops lock up early: She said that in contrast to Indian cities where markets remain open late into the evening, Australian retail stores routinely shut down by 5 PM. However, the point was countered by a user, who said, "Actually supermarkets are open 'till late, and shopping centres are open late Thursdays and Fridays. A lot of people work long hours; it depends on the type of job."

2. Mounted police in city streets: She said seeing police officers patrolling busy downtown business districts on horseback was shocking. "Completely normal here... but it still shocks me every time!" she wrote in the caption.

3. First-name culture: Dropping Formal Titles: She said people do not address their supervisors, doctors, teachers, or elders by titles like sir, ma'am, or traditional terms like aunty and uncle. " Everyone is on a first-name basis!" she wrote.

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Watch the video here: 

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A post shared by Disha Shah (@dr.dshah)

4. Strict work-life boundaries: She said that staying back late isn't seen as a badge of honour, and people value their personal time. "Work-life balance is genuinely a priority here!" she wrote.

5. Quality public parks: As the last point, she said that the quality of local outdoor spaces is really nice. Most neighbourhood parks offer well-maintained playgrounds, clean restrooms, walking paths, and free public barbecue stations for anyone to use. "And the best part? Most of it is completely FREE and genuinely well maintained," she added.

Social media reactions

The post resonated with many users on Instagram, as they liked and commented on the post. "Police on horses? There is one place in India where it's common... Trivandrum. You can see them patrolling the city every night. They are called the Ashwarooda Sena or the Mounted Police," one user wrote in the comment section.

"It is not the government or the laws, but the people with discipline makes it possible," another user noted.

"And employees are respected more and mental health is a genuine priority at work," said a third user.