1. Expectation: You'll ride a kangaroo to work every day!
Reality: How boring... Australia has a public transport system too. But you can't really complain when it looks like this:
2. Expectation: All the animals want to kill you and you will probably die a very slow and painful death.
Reality: OK, so there are some dangerous animals in Australia. But they're not all bad. Just look at this little baby wombat for a minute, would you?
3. Expectation: You'll sun bake every day and become gloriously tanned.
Reality: After one summer and some unfortunate tan lines, you'll remember you like having skin and also the ability to make facial expressions without feeling pain.
Plus, in a lot of the big cities, it's not actually hot year-round.
4. Expectation: All Australians eat is shrimp on the barbie.
Reality: Thanks to Australia's cultural diversity, we eat food from around the world every day, and "Australian cuisine" is actually quite hard to define. It's a real culinary melting pot (GET IT?!).
5. Expectation: Koalas are pets! You'll have seven in your apartment and you'll love them like they're your own children.
Reality: Sadly, the only time you really get a chance to hold them is in captivity.
6. Expectation: Everybody lives by the beach. So of course, you will too!
Reality: Some inner-city suburbs are equally – if not more – popular to live in. What they lack in sand they make up for in ~culture~.
7. Expectation: You'll live in fear of being attacked by drop bears and will constantly have to be watching your back.
Reality: Don't want to scare you, but, YOU SHOULD BE SCARED. Not to be confused with koalas, drop bears are known for their vicious and often unprovoked attacks.
