This week was centered around completing my Business Law and Financial Decision Modeling courses on a high note. I experimented with setting while doing school work this week. I worked from my apartment, various rooms at UTS, and also explored different cafes by Bondi beach. My personal favorite out of those options was working from cafes in Bondi. In order to maximize the day, I would bring all of the beach equipment I would need as well as my study materials. On Friday, I had a take home exam in Business Law and believed it would be best to separate it into sections and complete it throughout the day as opposed to compact it into one seating. As a result, in the morning I went to The Depot (cafe right by the beach) and completed a section of Business Law. Following that, I met up with friends on the beach and relaxed for an hour and then went back to The Depot to continue the exam. I found that by planning ahead, I was able to complete the exam and enjoy myself on the same day. Additionally, I noticed by diving the exam into sections, I felt more energized when working on the exam.
To celebrate the completion of the first portion of classes, we as a group went to Melbourne from Friday to Sunday. While waiting for the plane to land, I looked out at the city lights shining in the night and I could not help but feel excitement to see what Melbourne had to offer. The first day, we had a walking tour of Melbourne. I mistakenly overslept and in a rush, somehow managed to meet the group on time for departure. We arrived at the meet up spot with the guide at 9:45 AM and were scheduled to meet at 10:00 AM. I used this fifteen minute opportunity to grab some breakfast and a coffee from Starbucks. The only reason I mention this is because later in the tour, we would find out that the best way to point out a tourist in Melbourne (a city which prides itself on great coffee) was to see if they grabbed coffee from Starbucks. In terms of trying to blend in with the city and not look like a tourist, I was off to a rough start. In addition to facts about coffee, throughout the tour we learned about the history of Melbourne and important events such as the Victoria Gold rush and heard exciting stories such as the life of Ned Kelly. The tour also provided some great views!
(Photo of the Royal Exhibition Building, 2/8/2025)
Being in a city besides Sydney gave me my first opportunity to compare cultures. My first impressions of Sydney’s culture is that the city is filled with people who are active, kind, and passionate about their city. Being in Melbourne I was immediately struck by how much pride the people have in their city. Most locals I talked to had what seemed like a prepared elevator pitch as to why Melbourne is better than Sydney. This sense of passion brings a positive energy to the city. Where I noticed the kindness of the locals was on Sunday. Sunday morning I went to what looked like a very popular breakfast spot and then went to a gym nearby. At the gym, the sun was peering through the windows and I checked my phone to find out the weather was approaching a high of above 80 degrees. I decided it would be a great idea to visit the beach as that was a part of the city I had not been to yet. Only issue? I had no idea where to go, how to get there, or if it is worth it. So, when leaving, I asked the gym receptionist for their opinion. In a 15 minute speech of useful information I not only found out where to go and how to get there, but I was given a spare card to use for public transportation and a written list of recommendations for places to visit in Singapore. Once again, the willingness to help from locals in this country is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Following recommendations, I went to St. Kilda. The main difference between culture in Melbourne and Sydney is the activity level. The beach was far calmer than in Sydney. It was rare to see an individual running or biking. This was by no means disappointing to me, just a difference. After arriving at St. Kilda and getting lunch, I saw a long pier extending towards the open sea. At the end of this pier was a swimming spot where plenty of people were relaxing. It took less than a minute for me to dive in after discovering what it was. The spot was filled with energy as the sounds of family and friends laughing echoed around me. Having the opportunity to visit Melbourne was a once in a lifetime opportunity!
(Photo taken from St. Kilda Pier, 2/9/2025)