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Greetings from “Down Under”

Ruxandra Calin – a Zicklin MBA student, spent this past summer interning at Ernst & Young in Australia. She shared her excitement with Ellen King, Assistant Director of Employer Relations in the Graduate Career Management Center, in an email:

The experience so far has been amazing. Australians are warm and friendly people who greet you with “How u’re going?” Confused at the beginning we soon realized it is their way of asking “How ‘u’ are doing?” On that note the mail boxes in the Ernst & Young office are called “pigeon holes” and football is “footy”, which they are indeed very passionate about. We went and experienced the stadium on a Saturday. The Australian football is a mix of European soccer and Rugby, but without helmets. Even in the cold weather the Aussies’ spirit and support for their team was high.

Melbourne has a lot to offer, from busy shopping areas, to art centres and small streets cafes. It reminds me a lot of Europe, especially the trams and the old train stations. Through its architecture Melbourne has a distinct Victorian style and its buildings are full reminders of the past.

For two weeks I was lucky to experience the country side as well as I was assigned to a client outside Melbourne. It gave me a chance to really bond with my team and enjoy activities together from morning runs, to experiencing different cuisines at dinner, to bowling contests. Australians have a high team spirit and they take time out of their busy schedule to get to know each other and built relationships. On an away from the office Friday the entire Financial Services team went out and learned how to play the drums in a real African style, followed by an ice-skating lesson and drinks, not at the same time!

Last weekend we visited our peers in Sydney, another marvelous destination that also offered surfing lessons for those of us with swimming abilities (I wasn’t one of them). This past weekend I have also travelled to a couple of vineyards with the group of secondments from the Netherlands, Scotland, France, Canada and US. It was a fantastic time seeing how people coming from such different cultures connect and realize how many things they enjoy together.

What I’ll take back with me is not only the things I learned on the job but also the team approach that focuses on close discussions, meetings and a lot of brainstorming. We also, as a team, implemented a new way to connect and reward each other after a week of work during the busy season. On Fridays we each say something we appreciate about another team member. It’s a great way to end the week on a positive note.

I enjoyed working with everyone here and maybe we’ll get a chance to meet again - perhaps if they are coming to NY - or I’ll try for sure to come back here.

I look forward to seeing you back at school. Hope you are well. I have more stories to tell.

Warm Regards,
Ruxandra

Ruxandra Calin,
VP of New Relations - Zicklin Graduate Accounting Society
MBA in Accountancy - Class of 2012