Three Months in Australia
No, I didn’t have any ‘shrimp on the barbie,’ or sparring sessions with any kangaroos…so what exactly did I do in Australia for three months?
The boring response would be that I audited different clients during their busy season. While this is true, I also had an amazing experience seeing many new sites, sounds and culture. A typical day in the office wasn’t much different then checking your mail in the morning, analytical procedures, making a client phone call to explain to a controller how to use the equity method of accounting, going through some lengthy yet necessary checklists and praying you can get a cash flow statement to reconcile at the first attempt. However, throughout the day you take notice of subtle things through conversing, such as learning that South Africans refer to traffic lights as robots or hear the gents bicker over last night’s rugby match. Even though English is their language, the Aussies have a tendency to truncate words and use lingo that can catch you off guard at times. Hint: thongs are flip-flops and Zed is just the letter “Z”. Also, I heard more Iggy music than I could put up with.
It’s no surprise that Sydney is one of the most desirable places to live with the moderate winters, long summers, beaches and plenty of parks. The landscape and weather promotes outdoor activities like a walk through the ‘bush,’ a swim on a lunch-break or a game of netball (the most ridiculous knock-off of basketball ever {https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgr2zmq9CUk}). There are many waterways throughout the Sydney metro area which makes water transportation a means of commuting. I was one of approximately 4,000 people who took the Manly to Circular Quay service daily. I’d say the 30 minute ferry ride was one of the most memorable aspects because, aside from people watching, I got a daily dose of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Some days had high seas which was a thrill. Despite being a former penal colony where the British shipped, Sydney has a lot to offer which is why many British and other expatriates, relocate to the 6th largest country on Earth.
Oh, and they do say ‘mate’…excessively.
By Dan Richardson, CPA, MBA | 609.520.1188 | [email protected]
