Weekend with the Grommets

I recently when on a surf trip with about 12 awesome Australian mates down at Lennox Head.  This is one of the best places to surf in the world.  I did not initially know it, but it was actually with an organization called Christian Surfers.  The weekend was amazing!  Not only did we surf almost the whole weekend, but I was also able to experience what it is like to hang out with a bunch of grommets.  You may wonder what I mean by “grommets.”  A grommet is a teenage Aussie who can just rip it on a surf board.  They make Johnny Tsunami look like a stupid bloke.  They were a blast to hang out with!  They always seemed to be “stoked” or “frothin off deir chops” the whole weekend.  Although I admit it was a little embarrassing trying to surf with them. 

 This weekend helped teach me a lot about the Australian culture and they way they deal with certain things.  First of all, they really do have a “no worries” attitude towards almost every situation.  They also love to joke around.  Even during a situation where an American would be really serious and stressed out, they seem to just throw around jokes and laugh about it.  For example, we were struggling to get a car started the day that we were trying to head home and multiple grommets just came up to the driving and started making jokes.  A group of American would normally be really concerned and serious about this situation, but the Aussie’s were definitely not serious.  “Oi! I know what’s wrong with your car mate…. It is a piece a crap, aye!” one grommet said.  Followed by another grommet saying “No mate, I know what da problem with your car is mate….  You’re gay!!!”  Followed by an adult Aussie saying “Well mate, sounds like you got a big lizard stuck in your carburetor.  So what you godda do is catch yourself a croc and put him in dere to eat the lizard, aye..”  Ultimately, none of these comments helped start the car.  Luckily, my American mate Pete Dougherety was smart enough to convince them to push it down the hill and try starting it.  It worked like a charm even though there was a fence that almost got run over. 

Ps I wish I was a Grommet!