Having returned back to the United States, I have been reflecting on the past two weeks that I spent abroad. After spending a week in New Zealand (as described in my first blog post), my group traveled to Sydney, Australia. This was a surreal experience, as we witnessed the unique Australian wildlife, the beauty of the opera house, and the stunning beaches.
During a visit to the U.S. Consulate, I learned how different Australia and the United States are when it comes to conducting business. In the U.S., it is important to prove to the opposing party that you are capable and competent. This is generally achieved by listing previous accomplishments. In Australia, however, this is perceived as boastful and rude. They do not want to hear you brag about what you have done, even if you did not mean it in a prideful manner. Instead, it is important to build a relationship with one another so that they trust you for you, not for your achievements. Australians are also far more risk averse. They follow rules and don’t like to take risks if they can avoid it. This sharply contrasts American businesspeople, who have no issue taking risk and are often rewarded for it by the government.
As for engaging with the locals, I learned that they are no different than people in the U.S. (or at least, in Texas). The people are quite friendly and helpful. They seem to enjoy meeting foreign travelers. One thing I noted, however, is that many of them have an opinion on American politics. Many people I interacted with brought up American politics at some point in our conversation without being provoked. This surprised me, as I know little to nothing about the New Zealand or Australian governments. I learned to listen with an open-mind and figure out where their perspective of our leadership stemmed from.
Overall, this is an experience that I cherish. I loved seeing these two beautiful countries and getting to meet their kind and interesting inhabitants. I learned that many preconceived notions I had, such as how the landscape would be, were incorrect. I can’t wait for the opportunity to travel back.
