One part of Australia’s culture that I sometimes struggle to adapt to is its laid-back attitude, especially when it comes to work matters. There are many customs regarding work that differ from those in the United States. For example, it is not always considered polite or acceptable to email co-workers after work hours or on the weekend. In my work experiences in the U.S., communicating outside of work hours is something that is expected of employees. My internship situation is different since I am working at a start-up company, and communication times are more lax. One strategy that has worked for me is making sure to answer right away so that you don’t end up messaging too late into the day. 

One way that I experience uncertainty in my internship is that I am often given a significant amount of leeway to choose which areas in the political marketing field I want to investigate. I am also given the independence to find new ideas that I believe to be innovative and present them to my supervisor and co-workers in the U.S. I navigate this ambiguity by doing the best research that I can and listening to feedback after presenting it to my supervisor. Often, conversations about my research will lead to different avenues that the firm wants me to look into for the next week. I have come to appreciate the trust I am given in my assignments and enjoy seeing what I can do with the expectations given to me. 

Outside of the classroom and work, I often find myself exploring the city of Syndey. I use my free time after class or on the weekends to find new cafes, neighborhoods, and shops that I have not seen before. This often leads me to meet new people and see different sides of the culture. A good majority of the time, I like to explore these things on my own. I found that discovering new places by yourself is a good personal growth opportunity and can help you adjust to a new lifestyle. Sydney has so many great areas, all within bussing distance; it makes it very easy to explore places one after another. My personal favorite locations in Sydney so far are Surry Hills, Glebe, Darling Harbour, and Haymarket. I am looking forward to investigating North Sydney in the coming months and taking the ferry when I am in the harbor area.