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.
No comments:
Post a Comment