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Seeing Australia With American Eyes
I recently spent some time in Australia and here are a few things about Australia that stood out for me
Australians are very kind. I did spend time riding public transportation. I did not need to worry about the things I see regularly in the Bay Area (human feces on our trains, people smoking meth, enormous amounts of litter strewn just below the train tracks in-between stations, etc). In Sydney, the bus riders always acknowledge the bus driver. Children and adults alike say please and thank you. The buses and the streets are clean. The bus drivers are also kind and helpful.
Australia does not have free Wi-Fi at most local cafes. Americans are accustomed to 24/7 free Wi-Fi in cafes, at Starbucks, Peets, McDonalds, wherever. In Australia, my first impression is that this just is not going to happen. People do not hang out in cafes all day. When the cafes close, they either go home, or they might go to the pub. Cafes typically close at 3:00 p.m. You can order coffee at a restaurant, but the typical all night American-style coffee house is non-existent. You might spend your whole day hunting for Wi-Fi, and a place to plug in…
