Valerie, 23
Born in Vancouver, Canada
Came to Australia in January 2019 and left in May 2019
How did we meet?
Valerie and I met at a Career Management tutorial at university! I remember initially asking her what part of America she was from: how presumptuous of me. To this day, we remain good friends.
What is your occupation?
I am an auditor in the Audit and Assurance department at Deloitte. I studied a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance and Accounting, at Queen's University at the Smith School of Business. In the future, I want to move more into health consulting; Deloitte has a branch that deals with logistics and operations so I’m looking to move there within a few years.
Why did you come to Australia?
I went to Australia previously on a family holiday and I loved the climate and lifestyle, so I decided to study here as an exchange student at UNSW and fully immerse myself in the Australian way of life. I knew that there was a lot more to Australia than just the touristy places we’d visited earlier, so it was an easy decision for me to come back and stay for a longer time.
What do you like about Sydney?
It reminded me of a lot of Vancouver so it made me appreciate a lot of aspects in my hometown. There’s embedded multiculturalism that permeates everyday life in Sydney. Initially, I was apprehensive that I wouldn’t fit in as my accent clearly stuck out. However, I was welcomed with open arms by friends who were very open-minded and curious.
I can tell that Sydney takes the conservation of its coastal environments very seriously; as someone who loves spending time in the ocean, it’s great to see these initiatives. At university, I took a few classes on sustainability and it profoundly impacted me - it reinforced the notion that we have to protect our precious natural ecosystems.
I love the coffee culture here. Sydney definitely started and fuelled my coffee addiction; it’s so much better than Canadian coffee.
What don’t you like about Sydney?
I am saddened to see that the younger generation, especially in bigger cities like Sydney, has been heavily influenced by American culture. For example, they’d imitate American accents to be trendy, whereas I truly believe that Australia’s own culture, traditions and history is beautiful and should be celebrated more often.
I found travelling around Australia to be extremely lengthy - however, it didn’t stop me from visiting all parts of the country from Perth to Melbourne and Cairns. It’s similar to Canada, where flying from Vancouver to Nova Scotia takes around 7-8 hours.
What would you like to say to Sydneysiders?
Thank you for being so down to earth and accepting me for the Canadian I am, even after asking stupid questions like “Is Sydney the capital of Australia?”
Thank you for teaching me how to do a Tim Tam Slam.
What languages do you speak?
English, Cantonese
Cantonese is the language I use to speak with my relatives.
I studied French from kindergarten through to Year 12 and I can speak it to a basic level and understand people if they speak slowly. We mostly study Quebecois French, which is spoken in the province of Quebec.
Teach us one word/phrase from your native language.
Mickey
375ml of hard liquor, such as rum, vodka and whiskey.
For example, if you were to hold a party at your place, you could ask a friend to “boot me a mickey of tequila eh.”
Double double
Refers to a coffee with two creams/milk and two teaspoons of sugar. This is commonly used at coffee shops such as Timmy’s (Tim Horton’s).
What is one thing you want us to know about your native country?
The west coast is better than the east! The weather is milder and it’s called the “California of Canada.” We have beaches and mountains all within English Bay. The best seafood is wild Pacific salmon and Kusshi oysters, and they’re all found on the west coast. The best ski resort in the world is also in Whistler, where actually a lot of Australians go.
Who is the most famous person in your native country?
As a Vancouverite, I will say Ryan Reynolds. My favourite movie starring him is The Proposal.
Other famous Canadians include music artists Drake, The Weeknd and Justin Bieber.
My childhood crush was Sidney Crosby and he remains my favourite hockey player till this day
What is the best dish in your native country?
Lay’s Ketchup Chips
Ketchup chips are the national snack of Canada and Lay’s is the best brand to buy - they are the OG brand.
London Fog
A London Fog drink is an Earl Grey tea latte. It’s made with Earl Grey tea and frothed milk with lavender seeds. It’s a delicious pick-me-up on a dreary day.
Disclaimer: All posts are personal opinions and perspectives of the interviewees and are not a perfect representation of the whole country/experience.
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