Hi again from Down Under! Things have really been ramping up lately—class workload is getting heavier, my internship is getting more involved, and my friendships are getting stronger. I’ve really settled into the groove of a weekly routine. My weekends are spent exploring in and around the Sydney area, and my weeks are spent in the classroom and local libraries working my hybrid internship. While the pace is certainly picking up, I can’t help but notice the differences in Australia and America’s work-life balance. Even on my busiest days, the intensity of young adult life in America differs greatly from young adult life in Australia.
On the surface, a slower pace of life seems like an easy concept to assimilate. In reality, I have found this adjustment to be more difficult than anticipated. Australians have a deeper, more culturally integrated understanding of purpose. They truly exemplify the mindset of work being part of life, not life being part of work. For example, many Australians that I work with tend to get up with the sunrise and exercise before work to make the most of their day. I have also found that the standard work week is shorter. Fridays and Mondays are generally the most flexible, depending on the place of employment. Further, jobs offer four weeks of annual paid leave as opposed to the traditional two weeks we experience in the States. The higher up you are in a corporation, the more paid leave you are awarded. Australians work hard, but they understand that life doesn’t have to revolve around work.
In contrast, life in the United States is significantly more hierarchical. Our workplace is formal, rigid, and many people are focused on how to move up the ladder in their careers. Even college life revolves around achievement—whether it be landing a dream internship, winning research grants, or earning high marks. Both cultures certainly have their benefits and downfalls. Adjusting between the two is where the challenge occurs.
As an intern and student, it has been difficult for me to shed my hustle culture that is widely shared in my home country. My internship supervisor has emphasized getting to know her interns as people, not just as employees. I have had to learn how to communicate with coworkers outside of the workplace and in social situations. Shedding this hierarchical mindset to communicate naturally with someone who is my superior has been a difficult, but valuable, skill to learn. I have also learned to let go of the expectation that learning needs to be competitive. There is less of an atmosphere for measurable success here, and more emphasis on deep understanding. Success in the classroom is not measured by the highest grades, but by the most understanding and participatory engagement. This shift has been incredibly refreshing, while simultaneously being a curveball to my traditional learning experience. In a broader sense, I am learning that my definition of success is less about showy accolades than it is meaningful connections and valuable experiences. After all, I want to live a life full of incredible stories, not just incredible LinkedIn connections.
Ultimately, my experience with Australia’s workplace culture is contributing to my intercultural intelligence. It has opened my eyes to the pressure we face as students in the United States and the importance of learning for enjoyment instead of achievement. The lessons I’ve learned on work-life balance will stick with me long after I leave Sydney to go back to Pittsburgh.
That’s all for this week—thanks for following along!