JACK WEINGART / THE EAGLE Relaxing in the Australian sun.

BRISBANE, Australia—Whether I’m jotting notes at uni, rushing through the grocery store, or (god forbid) in a shopping centre, I’m always taken aback by the number of people that I see who are barefoot. This is nothing new or abnormal for Australians, however. Being barefoot is a part of the culture, and it coincides very closely with the relaxed and simple nature of this vast yet scarcely populated country.

In America, shoes are pretty much standard for all communal places. The “No shirt, no shoes, no service” rule, however, simply does not apply here in Australia. Queenslanders tend to hold true to the nation’s popular “no worries” slogan. Children in primary school are even allowed to walk the halls without shoes on. Having worked at a day care in New York for over for three years, I know children without shoes are sent to time out in the good old U.S. of A.

So what is it exactly about Australia that makes being barefoot acceptable? There is plenty of glass and rocks here, so the ground surely isn’t any safer. The attitudes, even in urban environments, are drastically different, however. Australian cities, such as Brisbane, do not have the same hustle and bustle attitudes that seem to plague American cities like Washington or New York. Yes, Australians still have places to be and things to do. But they seem to live their lives with much more ease, free from worrying about things that are out of their control.

Stuck in traffic after you left the house ten minutes late for work? No worries! Didn’t do so hot on an exam when you spent two straight days studying? No worries! Can’t find your student ID to board the bus to uni? No worries, the driver sees your backpack and packed lunch!

Having witnessing or actually experiencing situations like these, it’s clear to me that Australians just seem to have a better sense of knowing when to fight their battles and when to concede to the powers that be. This isn’t to say that Australians could care less. Inversely, I’m saying that Australians seem to have a greater perspective of what truly matters in life. If being barefoot suits you, then no worries mate, it’s your life after all.

Jack Weingart, SOC ‘11, is currently studying abroad at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.