Again, part of our blog assignment is to include some specific reflections on each place we go to. The following are various aspects of life in Brisbane, Australia that I observed.
The Built Environment:
Brisbane appears to be a very modern city. Immediately, I noticed that many of the buildings and skyscrapers were very contemporary architecture and that there were many unique buildings dotting the skyline. I also noticed that Brisbane had a very advanced infrastructure. They have a complex bus and train system and use separate roadways and tunnels for their buses. It seems that these bus tunnels and roads are a fairly new development but still manage to fit into the city well and are extremely effective at managing traffic. One of the great things about Brisbane is although it is a large city, it doesn't feel large. The city puts a very big emphasis on an active, outdoor lifestyle so you find that the city doesn't feel stiff and stuffy. Instead, there are countless pedestrian bridges and walkways and many public pools, parks, playgrounds, and grassy areas, particularly along the river that runs through the city. Brisbane also puts a great deal of effort in a sustainable environment. There are numerous green star buildings (the LEED program of Australia) all around the city and almost all new construction is built with a sustainable perspective.
The Natural Environment:
Again, like Sydney, the natural environment is successfully fused with the built environment in Brisbane. Everywhere in the city there lie massive trees, ones that have clearly been there for hundreds of years. You can observe that when the city of Brisbane was planned, maintaining wildlife was a priority. There is a myriad of exotic birds, plants, and animals in Brisbane just like in Sydney. Australia does an excellent job of preserving their natural environment, even in urban settings.
The Local/Minority Culture:
One distinct difference I noticed between Brisbane and Sydney was that there appeared to be more Australians here in Brisbane than in Sydney. While there were still various nationalities and you still got the feel of the city being somewhat of a "melting pot,"it was nowhere to the degree that Sydney was. The locals here were all very friendly and accommodating and usually very eager to tell you all the great things about Brisbane. Brisbane felt much more residential and was a very family friendly environment. At night, down in the city, I did notice a number of apparently indigenous people, seemingly homeless or on drugs. Obviously, I am NOT making a comment that all the ancestors of the Aboriginal people are like this but the only ones I ever saw here in Brisbane were in this capacity.
Conversation With a Local:
While I talked to a few random locals during my time here in Brisbane, my favorite conversation was with the sweet asian man that owned the coffee shop next door to our apartments. One morning, I was the only person in the coffee shop and we got to talking. Turns out, he has lived in Brisbane for many years but has also lived in places all over the world, including New York City. He asked me many questions about what all our group was doing in Australia and then told me that Brisbane was the best city in the great country of Australia.We then went through the entire coffee menu (literally) and he asked me how the various drinks were different than the American versions. I told him there weren't many differences and that we liked his coffee very much. We talked some more about the differences between Australian and American culture. For example, he said he felt that Americans were ruder than Australians but also had more ambition and they didn't take things as personally. However, he assured me that our group of students were never rude and wished us all well on our travels. It was interesting to talk to a local that wasn't originally from Australia.
