Neen James is an Australian native living in Bucks County, Pennsylvania who celebrates Australia Day in winter and the Forth of July in summer. She says “Australia Day is to Aussies what 4th July is to Americans.” As a business women and active member of the community, James says it is important to understand and embrace all cultures and as more American socialize and do business with “Aussies,” she wants to bring the Australian celebrations to life in Bucks County.




Australia Day, the 26th of January, is a community day with formal and informal ceremonies for all Australians around the world. It is the biggest day of celebration in Australia and is observed as a public holiday. Australians come together as a nation to celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian.

James says, “I love living in the U.S. as an Aussie. Americans love Aussies and I have been made to feel so welcome and have been totally immersed in my local community and neighborhood. It makes me laugh when people say ‘just say something’ – with my unique voice combined with an Aussie accent!”

Prime Minister John Howard's says, "On Australia Day, we celebrate the Australian achievement and recommit ourselves to preserving this nation's precious gifts of liberty, opportunity, fairness and mateship. ... Wherever Australians gather - in parks, at the beach, or just at home in the back yard - this is a day to reflect on what being an Australian means to each of us." Sounds similar to our Forth of July.

Australia Day commemorates the day when Captain Arthur Phillip took formal possession of the colony of New South Wales and became its first Governor in 1788.”

James says, “As an Aussie living in American I know we both speak English but sometimes we are not speaking the same language. There are so many words and saying that are different, and some just don’t translate. It makes me laugh of some words you use in the US are considered rude in Oz and vice versa! It is also funny that we spell the same words differently!”

My husband and I celebrate Australia Day every year to teach our American friends some new language, new flavours (spelling intentional), and new history that they don’t necessarily teach here in the classroom.”

James says, “It is funny to celebrate my Australia Day with snow on the ground! In Oz the sun would be shining and we would be at barbies wearing thongs, singlets and slapping on sunscreen! Regardless, it’s fun to share in two wonderful traditions as an Australian-American.”