Student Post - Julie Bullock

Australia has been an interesting trip. The mixture and variety of cultures here are even more numerous than in America. I have always considered our country to be one of the most successful mixtures of cultures and ethnicity, but Australia is impressive. I attended mass at one of the most beautiful Catholic cathedrals I have ever seen, St. Mary's, located in the Hyde Park region of Sydney. I literally had goosebumps as we listened to the choir sing. They were amazing. The church is an architectural masterpiece with huge, beatify archways. My grandfather is going to be thrilled to learn that I was able to see and attend mass at the church. Prior to leaving the States, he informed me of the places he would like to visit if he had the chance, as he always does before I vacation, and it will make him so happy to see the program I will bring back and to see my pictures of St. Mary's.

Today we visited the U.S. consulate general. I learned how important Australia's global relations with the United States are. I did not realize how closely the United States and Australia work together on things such as combating terrorism. The speakers were so informative and really gave me new perspectives about how the global economy is changing. They informed us that the United States' economy and continuation as a dominant force in the world's market is very dependent on its relations with Australia. I had no idea that the pacific region has so many dominant influences on world trade and it was refreshing to see how countries are working together as a global community to combat our world problems. It was also interesting to learn how well Australia's financial state is due to their vast resources. It is apparent that there is a lot of money and wealth in Australia, and perhaps gives me hope that our country, too, can continue to have great success in this tough world.

Student Post - Neil Reynolds

I woke up in Sydney for the first time this morning. I walked out the door, and I am greeted by the most incredible view. Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbor Bridge, two of Sydney’s most famous landmarks simultaneously with the sun barely peeking out from the clouds behind them. I walk a few steps onto the patio and I sit down to work on the Law Journal write on competition. I am the only one on the patio. After about 5 minutes, someone comes walking onto the patio. He stands there taking in the view for a few moments and then he approaches me. He asks me where I am from and what I am doing here. I tell him. He asks me if I have studied the Aborigines, the indigenous people of Australia. I tell him we have, and that they were treated very similarly to the Native Americans in my country. He identifies himself as an Aboriginal Australian. His name is Joel Bailey.

We talk for the remaining hour before I have to leave for breakfast. We began talking about his job and the general routine of life for him in Australia. Instead of a monthly rent like we have in USA, they pay by the week. He says many people in Australia live week to week, and he is one of them. I asked him about minimum wage laws in Australia. He told me they didn’t have a minimum wage. Your wage is determined by your age group and your occupation. Age groups he mentioned were “youth” and “adult.” Occupations would vary tremendously I imagine. He told me when he was a youth he made $6.25 an hour. Interestingly enough, this is exactly what my first wage was at Burger King in the US. He currently makes $25 an hour. The important thing I took away was that there was a lot of varying wages all over Australia, and no set minimum, but the minimum possible wage would be reserved for a youth under age 18.

He then started talking about his family and how they lived. He is the only member of his family living week to week, and working for his wage. The other members of his family live off of the government. He says the government pays them $200-250 per week, and their quality of life is not very good. He tries to push his sister and his mother to get jobs and make around $400 a week like him so that they can afford to spend money on things like alcohol and entertainment, but they just do not want to work. He is happy working hard during the week and having fun on weekends. He also takes pride in earning things for himself instead of having everything handed to him. He wonders why his family doesn’t at least try it.

He also talked about the apology. When he was in high school the government issued an apology to aborigines for the “lost generation,” a time when aboriginal children were taken by the government in an effort to assimilate them into the culture (or perhaps other more nefarious reasons). He was the only aboriginal at his high school. They brought him up on stage in front of the entire school to apologize to him. They let him say a few words. He tells them that they have nothing to apologize for. No one in that room had anything to do with the lost generation. They had no reason to apologize, and he could not accept their apology.

Finally, we talked about video games. He played a lot of the same video games as I did. Including World of Warcraft (“WoW”). WoW is the reason I am so interested in visiting Australia, and why I have so many friends in this country to visit. We exchanged information, and when I get back to the states I can add him as a friend in WoW so that we can play video games together.

Student Post - Going to the Gardens - Emily Frazer

The highlight of my week so far was nothing too academic (although everything was incredibly interesting).  When I stepped onto the grounds of Sydney, Australia’s Botanical Gardens my heart melted a little bit.  I played with Cockatoos, climbed on rocks jutting out of Sydney Harbor, defended my carrot cake from suspicious looking birds, and ambled through the beautiful trees of Australia with my friends and fellow law students.  I couldn’t have had a more pleasant day. 

Our group also went to the ANZAC Memorial by St. Mary’s Cathedral and I was humbled.  They lost so many at Gallipoli and in so many other wars and yet, I don’t actually remember a time when I learned Australia, specifically, ever joined in a fight.  Neither my history classes, nor my general education ever really covered it.  In a way though, I suppose, this makes their dedication to freedom that much more valuable because they are the unsung heroes.  As I left, I took a long pause in contemplation and was saddened by the loss, but grateful for their service. 

It should be said again, thank you.

Wednesday - Blue Mountains Visit

On Wednesday, the group rose early to travel to the Blue Mountains outside Sydney.  The first stop was to a wildlife park, where the students had the opportunity to pet Koalas and feed wallabies.

We then continued on to see the famous Three Sisters rock formation and attend a fascinating Aboriginal Australian ceremonial performance. 

Tuesday - The U.S. Consulate and Vivid Sydney Cruise

Today, the students visited the U.S. Consulate, where they were honored to meet with U.S. Consul General Hugo Llorens.  During the visit, the students also met with representatives of the IRS Criminal Investigation division, FBI, and Diplomatic Security Service.  It was a wonderful visit and a great opportunity for the students to learn more about international enforcement actions and white collar criminal prosecutions worldwide.

After the Consulate visit, the students took a cruise around Sydney Harbour to see some the lights from the annual Vivid Sydney festival.

 

Monday - The Courts and a Walking Tour of the Rocks

On Monday, the group began the day by visiting the Supreme Court of New South Wales. During the visit, the students were able to meet with a representative of the court to learn more about the court's operation and the application of criminal law in Australia.  The students then watched several appellate arguments in criminal matters.

In the afternoon, the group enjoyed a walking tour of The Rocks with a special focus on the role of law in early Australia.

The First Couple of Days in Sydney

As the week progresses, this blog will feature photos of the group's activities, along with individual blog entries by the students discussing some of their unique learning experiences in Australia. Below are a few pictures from activities during the first couple of days.

The group arrived on Saturday and spent much of the day adjusting to the new surroundings.

On Sunday, the group enjoyed touring the Hyde Park Barracks Museum and the Police and Justice Museum.  Each offered hands-on opportunities to experience Australia's past and learn more about the important role law has played in the country's history.

After touring the museums and spending the afternoon at a festival in Manly Beach, the group gathered at Hugo's in Manly for a wonderful welcome dinner.  We arrived just in time for a spectacular Sydney sunset.