I can most identify with the kindness and cleanliness that I have found in this country. All of the streets are clean and all of the people are happy to talk to you if there’s an opportunity for conversation. I love that the people out and about put aside any differences and just get to know each other whether they are locals or not. I also identify with the fact that everyone likes to be on time here because that is what is expected. That keeps things very orderly and organized. Lastly, I identify with the style of this country in terms of fashion. I enjoy putting together outfits that I typically wouldn’t wear in Pittsburgh. No one really regularly wears sweatpants and leggings like they do at home and I love being able to express my sense of style without feeling “different”. I am excited to take that mentality back to the States with me. 

I find it challenging to assimilate to the travel culture that is here in Sydney. Supposedly people are to keep to the left side of the sidewalk when walking, but I am finding that a good majority of people just walk in the middle due to the fact that this country is so diverse and everyone is trying to conform to the norms here. It can be quite difficult to navigate through the large crowds this way. It also took me a minute to adjust from walking on the right to the left. In addition, people tend to take their time here when walking as well, but I am used to the fast-paced environment from home. Another example of “deep culture” that I find difficult to assimilate to is the volume at which people speak. Everyone here is so soft-spoken and I can’t help but to ask people to repeat themselves once or twice. I didn’t even realize until I got here how loud being from the States. My roommates and I have been in multiple situations at restaurants, stores, and pubs where we can recognize that we are obviously the loudest people in the room. For example, we went to a sushi restaurant and not only after we realized how loud we were being, we also realized we were pretty much the only people talking at all.

In almost every store, my roommates and I get asked where we are from. When people learn that we are from the States they are so curious and usually ask us what we’ve done to explore so far. Then they give us recommendations as to what we should do in our time left. It is helpful to hear from a local what is worth spending our time on. We also often get told how much people love our accents and that usually ends up being a conversation where we meet new friends to follow on Instagram. These interactions impact my own identity because they help me feel welcome to this country. Yes, we stand out as Americans sometimes, but never in a bad way.