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Singing The National Anthem: What Does Advance Australia Fair Mean?
When it comes to proudly singing and talking about our national anthem Advance Australia Fair, Australians are divided on this. Some of us are proud of our national anthem, and some of us not so proud. I went to pre-school in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and don’t remember singing Advanced Australia Fair except at…
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Why Asians Are Smart At School. Or Not So Smart
There’s the stereotype that Asians are smart at school, always doing very well and coming in top of the class. There’s the stereotype that Asians get straight A’s on their exams and are academically gifted. I was one of these Asian kids, someone who always did well in school. It’s no secret school is competitive…
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What Does It Mean To Be An Asian Australian Writer And Artist
For a long time I struggled to call myself a writer. A writer in Australia. A writer and artist who is Asian Australian. Along this journey of self-discovery, I’ve realised it’s not easy for us of Asian heritage to stand out in the Australian arts scene and accept that it’s okay to be different. Recently,…
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Just What Is Australia’s National Dish? There Isn’t Really One
When it comes to choosing a dish that represents Australia as a nation, us Australians have always been divided on this. There are so many foods we associate with our country. A few months ago, the Asian Cup 2015 tournament hosted by Australia chose the meat pie as Australia’s favourite food. But a few years…
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Why We Love Certain Foods And Flavours, And Hate Others
There are foods that we like, and others we dislike. Flavours we love, flavours we hate. Sweet. Sour. Salty. Bitter. And all other sophisticated flavours – like earthly, tropical tastes – in between. I’m not a fan of sour foods. But my mum is. Whenever she’s back in Malaysia, she buys loads of sour lollies…
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What Does It Mean To Be Australian?
As an Asian person living in Australia, being Australian has always confused me. It’s something I’ve struggled to put into words. What is “Australian” exactly? When I was a kid and up until university, I remember my Chinese-Malaysian dad saying to me countless times, “You were born in Australia. So you are Australian.” The older…
Mabel Kwong 