STUDY ABROAD INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – MAN 4956
AUSTRALIA – SUMMER A 2012
CITY-AS-TEXT ASSIGNMENT

PART A
As I embarked on my 20 hour trip to Sydney, Australia I couldn’t help but to wonder what lied ahead. I have had certain interest since I was a child in visiting this country but as many people do, I had certain preconceptions. The only thing I knew of this country was what I had seen on TV on the Discovery Chanel about the animal population; which the country is home to more than 140 species of marsupials (animals with pouches to carry their young), including koalas, wombats and the Tasmanian devil, now found only in the Tasmanian wilderness. Australia is also home to many unique animal groups thus creating in my mind a fear for both the marine life and other animals known only to reside there; and no there are no kangaroos bounding around downtown. I was also concern about the culture shock, I had this idea that Australians where more tall, light skin, blue eyes, blonde hair, but that quickly change upon my arrival ; there’s a diversity in culture (mostly Asian) and both man and women were not to tall.
My idea of an open fields and small dessert like rural areas and under developed city quickly changed upon my arrival, while much of the land is grassland or desert, Sydney is a highly developed city with an economically advanced mixed economy. The city is much developed with so many places to visit like: The Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbor, which overlooks the whole city, Circular Quay and other activities that include restaurants, clubs and cafes. One particular problem I encounter was the language barrier, I knew there were a lot of aboriginal people still, therefore many different dialects, to my surprise, English is the actual language of the country (although a bit hard to understand) since they have refined the way they speak to each other