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These 4 little adorable “mates” are celebrating a very important day in their country today, Australia Day . It is January 26, 2009 today so that would make Australia only 12 years younger than our neighbours to the south in the United States. And 79 years older than this country, Canada.

I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t know it was their birthday. I know my countries and I know the United States, too. But I think I understand the reason why we know so little about our very distant relative and that is exactly it—it’s long way to New South Wales.

We were both pink on the map when we spent that week studying Australia in geography class. Both countries have historical ties to the British Empire. Moses wasn’t paying attention that day, as usual. He wanted to go to basket weaving class.

This isn’t just another excuse for a “sickie” (Aussie slang for what we call a sick day, you know, I don’t feel like going into work so I’m feeling kinda’ sick cough cough). It’s an important day for them just like Canada Day and the 4th of July for these two geographically close countries.

I was lucky enough to make a new Aussie friend about 10 days ago on the Internet. Her first words were “Sure why not”. MW doesn’t realize it, but she has become my personal ambassador to her country. She’s off celebrating this special day with family at a big get together just like we do, sharing all kinds of wonderful homemade tucker. And for us, it’s the middle of the winter but it’s the middle of the summer there, of course.

MW offers this introduction in her Facebook profile.

Want to know what I’m like? I’m an Aussie, from convict and free settler stock. I live on the biggest and most beautifullest(if thats a word) island on this planet and couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be. Lucky Bugga aren’t I.

I understand beautifullest perfectly—it’s more beautiful than beautiful. It also gives you the sense that Aussie’s aren’t into being real formal and they are very proud of their country. In fact, I joke with MW that she is “refreshingly easy” because she is. Any time, I have a question about something, her response is very detailed and explained in sufficient detail to make me get a good feeling for what the answer really means, not just the facts.

Just this week I was asking my car guy, who moved from Venezuela 11 years ago, why he picked Canada as his new home with all the good options out there. Why not Australia? He lifted his eyebrows and said “I thought of moving there but Canada was closer. I don’t like to fly so I can just handle a 5 hour flight to visit my parents. Seventeen hours is too much for me.” And not to mention the International Date Line.

So it looks to me that the Internet is making that 17 hours less significant. Google translate isn’t much help though. Even if it could help with Aussie slang, it still can’t do what those “mates” in the picture and MW do and that’s smile from their toes.

So “Happy Aussie Day, Mate”. Try not to burn yourself on the barbie and you and your mates have a bee’s knees day. I’m working on being a likeable dag and not the one that sticks to the jumbuck’s wool. But I do feel a lot like the last one.

Happy 221.