Hello, Iím Vijay Khurana.
Welcome to My Australia, the show about people from overseas having Australian experiences.
Coming up today
Preeti finds some bargains on an op shop tour
Three garments for fifty cents.
Saj has a go at juggling
and Weiping heads to her first Australian Chinese New Year festival.
A lot of people in Australia buy things at op shops.
Itís a lot cheaper and the proceeds go to charity too.
In fact, I got the shoes Iím wearing right now for about six dollars - bargain.
Letís see what Preeti finds when she goes op shopping.
My name is Preeti and originally, I am from India.
My state is Punjab.
That is at the north part of India.
We have a little family like me, my mother and my father and my younger brother.
My father didnít work.
He has some physical problems so it was only my mother who brought us up.
Sheís my idol and she is the bravest lady on Earth I have ever seen.
Being an Indian girl, you donít have any other concern except your husband.
Your family wants you to go away with your husband wherever he takes you.
He came here about four to five years ago.
He was on student visa and later he decided to stay here because he saw better opportunities
here
and heís enjoying his job and he had fun here.
So far I have experienced all the good things in Australia because people, they are fabulous,
they are friendly.
They donít have that feeling like youíre from other country, youíre alien to us or
something like that.
They are very supportive, co-operative but you have to initiate yourself, you know.
You have to make friends.
Today Iím here to shop.
We are going on a bus.
I donít know why people go to an op shop and shop on a bus specially.
I can see all happy cheering faces so I think Iíll be in a good company.
I hope weíll be having fun and lots of shopping and laughing.
Any tips for me?
Any tips?
Ah yeah, be quick.
Yeah be very quick because bargains go really quickly yeah.
Weíve got morning tea.
Weíve got lunch.
Itís all gonna happen today but before we go any further I actually do need you all
to take our op shop oath.
So could you please all raise your
I do solemnly swear ...
that Iím going to have some fun.
Iím gonna bag a bargain
Iím gonna bag a bargain,
Iím here all on my own.
I havenít been on shopping on my own.
I always did this thing with my mother and normally with my husband now.
Probably a quarter of the bus today that have been on tours before.
And weíve got two ladies that actually met on our bus.
3X, largest.
Now thatís a big too big.
Thereís a definite social side and a definite bonding of women.
Weíve got people who have come here before.
They come on by themselves and then theyíve met up with someone else on the tour
and the next thing theyíre going out for dinner together and itís just lovely
because weíve all got one thing in common, we enjoy this sort of outing.
So Preeti what you find in this store is that there are discounted new items.
Right.
Thatís the point, new item.
So throughout the middle of the store youíll find brand new shoes, hand bags.
Right.
All sorts of bits and pieces.
Okay, cool.
But itís discounted.
Okay.
And then on the sides youíll find all your pre-loved.
And thatís where youíre getting your four or five dollar tops and things like that,
so, all righty?
Cool.
Thanks.
Cool.
So you go for it girl.
Wow, I like this.
Iím gonna buy something for myself of course.
Maybe a lot of things for myself and something for my husband and of course something for
kitchen as well.
Three garments for fifty cents.
That oneís nice.
Iím really surprised by the bargains, by the prices, specially.
It is trendy.
You always read stories about people like Kylie Minogue shopping at Vinnie's in Melbourne
and things like that.
Thatís where she got her hotpants from.
Preeti, let me show you something Australian.
I canít buy this.
Six dollars.
I know but look at the colour combination.
I look all right in ëem.
Hey look.
And I wonít.
A lot of the stores have vintage, so, you know, at the moment weíre talking about an
80s revival
and you will find that if you go to an op shop youíre gonna find authentic 80s.
Whatís this?
What is this?
Shopping bag.
For belly-dancing.
The thing is I have never bought second-hand things before.
Specially clothes.
I donít want to buy those clothes which already have been worn out, you know.
Yeah, but stuff like bags or shoes, kitchen stuff, I donít mind buying that.
Five minutes of shopping until we get back on the bus to get some more shopping done,
so please, get in your line and pay and weíll be off to our next stop.
That was really good.
I got a whole bag of stuff.
She got a whole bag and looks at this bag.
This is ...
A cool bag.
A dollar!
Thatís cute.
I got slippers.
Five dollars, five dollars.
Wow, you really got a lot of stuff.
Yeah, I love op shopping.
Itís my favourite thing in the world.
It was fantastic experience on the bus.
Everyone is so friendly and they are accepting me with their wide arms.
Weíve been talking a lot so far.
I donít know.
Itís a very small size.
Itís kind of different and beautiful, attracting, fascinating, yep, and of course, thereís
always a good bargain here.
But I can't find my size.
I just heard that all the shoppers, and of course you as well, are volunteer here.
Is that right?
Yes.
Wow, and how could you guys manage all the time?
Because all the things that we have to sell are things that have been donated and given
to us.
So we have a very supportive clientele who come and buy
but we also have a very supportive community who are prepared to pass on to us things that
theyíre no longer using.
Girls are buying huge things.
They have full bags.
Some of them have two full bags and everyone is loving it.
Of course, shopping.
Every girl loves it.
Today Iím missing my mum so much because normally I shop with her and and you know,
you can discuss, you know, what ... is this your good decision or not.
I really miss my mum because she is my best friend.
Itís been two years that Iím here in Australia but still I havenít found a best friend you
can say but I just got a job.
Itís been three weeks and I am really looking forward to make friends up there.
Thank you so much for coming and thanks for raising money for lots of charities as you've
done today.
Thank you.
Good bye.
Goodbye ladies.
Bye.
Today was a fantastic experience for me and it was fun, it was exciting and it was a bargain.
Look at me.
I bought something for my house.
I bought something for my husband,
for myself and I got something additional, a present.
See you girls, bye.
I would definitely go on that trip again.
I need to buy a couple of more things, yes, and next time the most important thing will
I keep in this my mind, will be quick.
Very quick.
Looks like Preeti had a great time and bought some cool stuff and itís all for a good cause
because the money goes to charity.
Next up, clowns make it look pretty easy but just how hard is it to learn to juggle?
Saj heads to the National Institute of Circus Arts to find out.