a lot of british english is used here. i expected that from a commonwealth country. after all, they've got the union jack on their flag and the freaking queen in their money! but sometimes it's just annouuuuuying. (extra u's added for comedy)

words/phrases i'm used to from uk english but is not part of my lexicon:
mates ... instead of friends (since mate in america means your partner/boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/husband/wife thing as well, or 'to mate' as in 'to breed' or 'to copulate', i just don't feel that comfortable saying it. i don't mate with my mates, ya know!)
lift ... instead of elevator (when i need a lift is when i need a ride!)
flat ... instead of apartment (a flat is flat bread, or flat tires, or flat soda!)
pram ... instead of baby stroller or baby carriage (what the hell is a pram i say!)
torch ... instead of flashlight (a torch has fire, not batteries!)
trolly ... instead of shopping cart (i saw another even crazier word for it, but it escapes me)
biscuit ... instead of cookie (biscuits and cookies are different)
chips ... instead of fries (what the hell do they call chips?! i think it's crisps)
bonnet ... instead of car hood (bonnets are hats for babies!)
boot ... instead of car trunk (uh, boots are something i wear on my feet)
car park ... instead of parking lot (i suppose it makes sense but 'car park' to me sounds like bad english for 'park the car'. see jane run. see jane car park.)
good on ya ... instead of good for you, or congratulations (this one is just really british to me)
bugger ... instead of shit, damn, various expletives (very british and i hate hearing this expression every time)
take away ... instead of take out food or to go (phrase wise it makes sense, i just never thought i'd use those words!)
petrol ... instead of gasoline (petrol just sounds sooooo british to me)
whinge ... instead of whine (i hate this one so much i want to punch out everyone who says it)
queue ... instead of line (there's a long queue in front of the cinema. ahhhh)
all the words with extra u's (colour, favour, honour, etu ceteru)

words/phrases i can't get over:
tomato sauce ... instead of catsup! or ketchup! (and it's a very strange, sweet, spiced up taste that takes time to get used to)
heaps ... instead of lots, or loads, or many, or tons
sweet (as) ... instead of cool, or awesome (this is surfer/skater stupid-boy talk in america to me so i just can't bring myself to use it)
tyre ... instead of tire, as in car tyres--what the hell?!?!
gherkins ... instead of pickles
coriander ... instead of cilantro (am i that mexican? just californian!)
chilly box ... instead of cooler or ice chest (alright, the phrase makes sense, it's just still foreign to me)
bach ... instead of summer home (pronounced batch, short for bachelor!)
togs ... instead of swimsuit (i have no idea how they came up with 'togs')
tramping ... instead of hiking (americans probably think tramping around is whoring around!)
scroggin ... instead of trail mix (i don't get this one but apparently the way to remember it is "SCROGGIN = Sultanas, Chocolate or Carob, Raisins, Orange peel, Glucose, Ginger, Including Nuts")
capsicum ... instead of bell pepper (this guy tried to explain it and he swore they weren't bell peppers)
kumara ... a sweet potato/yam thing (this guy tried to explain it and so poorly that we thought they were peppers!)
dairy ... instead of liquor store (either phrase is just as weird, it should be convenience store)
superette ... instead of convenience store (it makes sense in that 'ette' is the smaller version of something, in this case the super market, however it just sounds weird)
serviette ... instead of napkin (serviette? oh c'mon! napkins, damn it!)
reckon ... instead of suppose, or guess, or think (as in 'i reckon it would take three years'; sorry but in america only ancients or hicks say reckon, or ancient hicks!)
duvet ... instead of quilt, or blanket (i just think it's weird but then i'm not one for housewife nomenclature)
lay by ... instead of lay away (it makes sense in context but if i was to simply hear the phrase 'lay by' i would think, "lay by where?")
fortnight ... instead of 2 weeks (i swear to god i have never heard anyone use this word until new zealand. prior, i only knew it from ancient texts)
jandals ... instead of sandals (bizarre! at first i thought it was a brand name or a typo)
no worries ... instead of no problem (makes sense, just too new to me, though i'm really sick of the phrase)
singlet ... instead of tanktop (still very foreign to me)
domain ... instead of park (what the fuck? do you mean like public domain? whatever!)
aubergine ... instead of eggplant (huh? i don't get 'eggplant' either)
lead ... instead of leash (as in 'all dogs must be on a lead', huh?)
reclaim ... instead of recycle (cardboard reclaim, glass reclaim, etc.)
trading hours ... instead of business hours (i should walk in trying to trade! how many cds can i get with 5 chickens?)
hash key ... instead of pound key or pound sign (#)