Howdy Y'all: A Secondee's Experience at Weaver Part 1

This year Weaver had four visiting staff members participate in the Weaver Secondment Program, two working in Dallas and two in Houston. See what Amanda Saldanha from Staples Rodway in New Zealand had to say about her experience at Weaver and in the United States.

Name: Amanda Saldanha

Position: Senior Associate III, Audit, Dallas

Dates: January – April 2016

Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand

What were the objectives of the secondment? 

The main objectives were to assist the firm with short term staffing needs during busy season and to support the development of employees’ knowledge, skills and work experience. This opportunity provides a good combination of gaining great work experience and learning about the local culture of a new location.

Briefly detail your secondment experience 

This was my second time around with Weaver and it sure didn’t disappoint! I had an amazing time traveling around Texas. I’ve been living in Dallas during this secondment, but I was able to visit San Antonio, Fort Worth, Austin and Houston. I enjoyed attending rodeos in both Fort Worth and Houston, getting my dancing boots on and learning different line dances and the two-step! It was a great experience making new friends in Dallas, and meeting up with old ones during my visit to Houston. I also had a photo op with Jake the longhorn! I enjoyed working with the audit team in Dallas and engaging with the other Weaver secondees. 

What have you learned as a result of the secondment experience? 

I worked with clients in industries different from those of my clients back home in New Zealand. I also had the opportunity to learn a different firm’s audit methodology, PFX and US GAAP. 

What was a challenge you had to overcome while being in the United States? 

Getting used to the currency was a bit of a challenge – specifically the different coins. Understanding that the dime was worth 10 cents but is smaller than the 5 cent coin was confusing, and I was always asking retailers if I had given them the right change! Back home, our cash notes are colored with each color representing a different denomination. Working with new auditing software also took some time to get used to.

Did you pick up a local phrase or habit while here? 

I found myself dropping “y’all” into conversations. I also began rolling my r’s, as sometimes people at local retailers would have trouble understanding my accent!

Name a favorite experience from the trip.

A few of my favorite experiences in Texas included attending the rodeo and line dancing! I also spent a weekend in Orlando, Florida. I had a blast at Universal Studios, specifically at Harry Potter World!