On the second part of the trip, we spent our time in Sydney, Australia! In Sydney, I’ve noticed slight differences in how they conduct business compared to the US. The main difference I’ve noticed is how businesses and companies in Sydney care more about the work-life balance of their employees much more than in the US. In Sydney, free time and vacations are valued and can often be taken for months at a time (of course, with some extra time put in during the working season). However, in the US, there’s about 2-4 weeks that most corporate workers can get off during the year. I found this to be the most interesting topic discussed during the presentations, company visits, and speaker events. Something else I noticed in Australia is the law they passed, something about disconnect. The law basically said that if your contract says you are to work nine to five and your boss messages you at six, then you aren’t obligated to answer the phone. I found this so interesting. Since I’m starting my career in public accounting, this law is unheard of and even humorous to think about.
Some things I’ve noticed in Sydney regarding the interactions are that in Sydney, people’s niceness is between the US and New Zealand’s. US being the friendly country while New Zealand is the not so friendly. In Sydney, people often came up to my group offering help because we looked so lost, which is something I’ve found people in the US to do more often. On the other end, people in New Zealand weren’t as friendly.
Overall, I’ve learned on this trip that there are people (and even countries) out there that have the same values as me (I’m talking in terms of work-life balance) and that moving there is definitely possible. I used to think wherever I ended up here in the US, I wouldn’t be fully content. However, after studying abroad, I’ve realized that I can achieve that “dream” life I’ve been wanting.
