Last Days & Reflection

January 21-22nd
Our last day was pretty much comprised of watching everyone else go home. Michael and I and our new junior crew had one more day in the city and decided to make use of both days by: SHOPPING & EATING!!! I think some of my best meals were found on those days. I also finished my souvenir shopping for huge family and didn’t miss anyone. I had so much stuff leaving that I had to buy a new suitcase just for the flight home. I really wasn’t excited about getting back on the plane home but I was excited to go home to see my family and friends.

REFLECTION
I really liked Australia but I have to say I didn’t like it as much as I did Singapore. It just seemed too American/European and lacked a lot of the exotic feel I felt in Asia. I did really appreciate the cuisine there though because it was enough to be adventurous but also had safe options for days when all I wanted was a pizza…even if it had kangaroo or crocodile on it.
My favorite part of the trip was definitely the trips to the sanctuaries, Ernest Hills, Parliament and Google. All of them brought something new and interesting into my life and made my experience in Australia way more memorable. My least favorite part of the trip was having to dodge the floodwaters and not being able to help those in need. It was almost unreal because even when we first arrived there was flooding occurring but no one was panicking because its pretty normal in the rainy season. It didn’t really hit how serious it was until the news showed how the water kept rising and spreading and we became trapped that it was a eye-opening experience.
I was really proud of our group for buckling down and making sure we accomplished all we could on this trip. I really appreciated our TAs too, because they did keep us informed and tried to make the best out of our hairier situations. Without everyone’s cooperation, I think we still might be in Agnes Waters.
Australian business is way more relaxed than in America. They are also very straightforward and direct when addressing and speaking to one another. The fact that they are focused on information and innovation, alcohol, and sports is very unusual but also pretty cool for the younger business professional. I don’t know if I would ever want to work in Australia but I cannot say that they do not operate well or work hard to be a noticed world power.

Wine Tasting, RBA, Qantas & Google

January 18-20th
On Tuesday, I was really excited because we were going wine tasting in Australian wine country. We went on the Hunter Valley Tour and visited Ernest Hills Vineyards, Golden Grape Estates, and McGuigans. Out of all of them, I truly enjoyed Ernest Hills because they were so passionate about their products. I ended up buying three bottles from them and later that day we returned because so many people believed they were the better bet out of even the number two winery in Australia, McGuigans. I was really sad though that all were pretty much local sellers, except McGuigans, because of its popularity it was able to ship abroad.

The next day we got up early and had to get back to the learning business with a trip to the Federal Reserve Bank of Australia. Richard Finlay, a senior economics analyst, gave us a presentation. He explained the way bank works and that the bank is responsible for: monetary policy, payments system stability and efficiency, financial system stability, issuing Australia's currency, banker to the government, and managing foreign exchange. We were also taught about how important protecting Australian currency from counterfeiters was. Since they use polymer technology for their plastic notes, they encrypt each bill with 7 different layers of protection in different places on each bill. The little viewer window on each bill with a different image in it allows for machine scanners to tell what the bill is when placed in a machine. The economic state of Australia is also a major concern for the RBA because of the flooding occurring in Queensland and the extent of the damage being done could affect some of the country’s resources and exports.

After lunch, we went to go visit the Opera House and take a tour. I have to say that I was not all that impressed by the largest theater they offered because it seemed small compared to those here in the States or in Europe. Overall, I was impressed though because they are making an effort to keep theater modern and provide shows that appeal to all age groups. In that way I feel like they are trying to keep the arts alive.

When we returned from the Opera House it was time to do our Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb. Definitely was worth the money and the experience. You can see almost all of the downtown area of Sydney from the top and the surrounding areas. I also learned something I thought was a myth: if you jump off a bridge from an extreme height it’s the same as if you were to jump and hit concrete. Either way you pretty much die, so its best to avoid either one.

On our last official day of Sydney, we visited Qantas and Google. I went on the Qantas airport tour. I really enjoyed it because not only did we learn about the security and how the airport operates, but we got to see the first-class and business class lounges. If I ever make the kind of money to afford or get invited to their lounges, I will know I have truly arrived at VIP status.

At Google Sydney, I literally fell in love with the idea of working for them. They have such a relaxed atmosphere and the way that they incorporate everyday technology into their work schedules. To use their meeting rooms you need to scan the 2D barcode with your smart-phone to see the openings for the day. We met with a UMD graduate named Stephanie, who told us about her hiring by Google and also learned about the life of Claire Hatton, who has worked almost everywhere and through everything and is a head of one of the companies public outreach groups. The company policy is: “Organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful". From starting as almost nothing in 2003 and being a household term all over the world, Google is really sticking to its policy. I’d love to work there just for the atmosphere but the free three meals a day and game room are a definite bonus as well.

Canberra & Sydney

January 14-17th

On Friday we went to the airport to fly to Canberra from Melbourne. Finally escaped the flooding!! On Saturday, we visited the Australian Sports Institute and was given a guided tour of the facility by one of Australia’s training Olympic athletes. We had a lot of fun in the game room which had virtual and physical games for us to try and test our skills with. We also visited the Canberra Glassworks facility and made cool glass tiles.

Sunday we went to the Open Weekend Market where we got to see the heart of Canberra. Many city natives as well as traveling artists came to display their work and share their talents. I have never had a better breakfast meal than I had there. Freshly squeezed juices, fresh fruit and yogurt, specialty breads were just a few of the things we found there. I even found a guy who grew all sorts of organic teas and bought some for my mom.

After the market we left for the National Museum of Australia. It wasn’t really what I expected it to be. It showcased the native indigenous people of Australia and a lot of aboriginal artwork as it migrated toward modern European Australia. What really bugged me about everything in Australia was that they were all apologizing for having taken the aborigines’ land and killing them off. To me it didn’t seem like they didn’t know what they had been doing but because the government had recently issued an apology to the aboriginals, it seemed like it was necessary for everyone to confess that what had happened was wrong. To me it just seemed like to little, too late.

Our day wasn’t over yet as we left to go visit Parliament. Australia is still under the Queen of England but operates on a mix of British and American government. They have a Prime Minister who is head of the country but have a semi-democratic parliament that has two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. We learned that voting is mandatory in Australia and that if you don’t you WILL get fined. The building was beautiful and we even got to tour the roof to see the gorgeous view from the center of Canberra. That night we bused up to Sydney.

Monday: we went on the Blue Mountains tour and visited Featherdale Wildlife Park. Both were very unique and interesting experiences and it was a chance to really get to see Sydney and Australia in its more natural state.

Featherdale Wildlife Park

Blue Mountains Tour