Submitted by Rachael Belinfontie on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Australia sponsored by the School of Nursing…
When I arrived in Sydney, one of the first things I noticed was how diverse the population was. At first, I thought it was because the city attracts visitors from all over the world. While that may be true, I soon learned that Australia is overall a multi-cultural country and that definitely shows in Sydney, one of its largest cities. Having visited several large cities in the United States, I knew what to expect when it came to city life, so I didn’t really experience any culture shock. I was surprised by how similar Sydney was to American cities. It made me realize that yes, Australia is very different from the U.S, however, cities are cities. There may be a few significant differences between them, but overall, they’re more similar than not.
I also quickly noticed the Australian accent. Though Australia is a mainly English speaking country, it did take me a few days to become familiar with the pronunciation and word phrases used. I had to look for signs that said “way out” and “toilet” and “lift” instead of “exit” and “restroom” and “elevator”. The language wasn’t too different, but not quite the same either. It made me realize how truly hard it can be for people to learn English as a second language.
I find it interesting how similar yet different Australia and the United States are. I look forward to what my second week may bring.