I was really happy when I was leaving Europe in that I'd finally be going to an English language country and have no problems making myself understood. Not so. It turns out that the American and Australian language combined with my 'strong accent' and some Yanks inability to listen (and use their brain) means sometime people had no idea what I was on about! When you're in a foreign land you usually pick up a few words of their native tongue to help you get along, and the same holds for the US. Problem is, the words I'm picking up are English and they're starting to stick. I fear the 'talking like a Yank' is taking hold. So, to combat the situation, if I use any of the following words in conversation you have my permission to verbally abuse me or at least slap me round a little.

• hiking (bushwalk)
• restroom/bathroom (toilet)
• peppers (capsicum)
• soda (coke)
• galoshes (gumboots)
• ketchup (tomato sauce)
• flip flops (thongs)
• pronounce mocha, mow-ca
• drug store (pharmacy)
• gas (petrol)
• weight challenged (fat b******)
• shoot (s***)
• darn (b*****)

If somehow the sounds; an-tie-bi-o-tics spew out of my mouth, just put me down. Oh yeah, and if I ever hijack a conversation with 'When I was in...' or 'During my time in.....', hit me hard, I hate when people do that.