Earlier this week, we all arrived in Sydney to embark on an 8 week educational experience. Throughout the first week, I was able to explore the city and see the various different landmarks, restaurants, and beaches that Sydney has to offer. Over the weekend, we went on a walking tour of Sydney, learning about the culture and history of the city, and how Australia came to be. The country effectively started out as a port city, with many prisoners being shipped out to Australia to work as the country was completely surrounded by coastline, which meant no possible escape route. We learned about the history of the various buildings, including the famous Sydney Opera House. We were able to take photos on top of a scenic bridge that had a view including both the massive cruise ships and the Opera House. Moving on to Sunday, we took a bus ride up to the walkabout wildlife sanctuary, where we were able to directly interact with the kangaroos and koalas. This was an experience unlike any other, and the concept of petting kangaroos was one I had not thought was possible until yesterday. Additionally, we were taught how to throw boomerangs and were able to hold a python snake.
On Tuesday, we spent the day at Bondi Beach, which was an amazing experience. The beach itself was beautiful, and the scenery was incredible. Additionally, the water temperature was great, and swimming in the water was very enjoyable. We were able to eat dinner around the area and explore the various restaurants and shops in the Bondi Beach area.
I want to reflect on the culture and community that Sydney has to offer. First of all, it took my a little to adjust to the foreign currency difference, but I was able to grasp the change relatively quickly. One thing I found very fascinating was the concept of including tax in the listed sale price of a product. For instance, if you were to buy a computer, the sale price would already include sales tax, so you know the exact price you are paying beforehand. I think this is a very smart and efficient way to price items, and it informs the buyer of their actual price much better.
Moving forward to reflect on class, I was able to begin my 4-week journey of financial decision modeling. I was not expecting to improve my Microsoft Excel skills as much as I did in the first week, and I feel very prepared already for a potential internship in either data analytics or financial services. I also like how interactive the courses are in Australia as opposed to the United States, there is a lot more opportunity for experiential learning. For example, in my financial decision modeling class, I was able to complete practice problems during class involving many different Excel functions such as linear progression. I found it much easier to learn by completing the problems myself as opposed to watching the professor complete them.