Margot during her internship in Australia

Hey! Who are you and where are you from? Where do you study/live/work?

I am from Amersfoort (The Netherlands) and live here too. I study International Business Management at Tio University in Utrecht. Currently I live for 3 months in the Bondi district in Sydney because I am doing an internship here :)

What was the first thing you thought when you arrived in Australia?

'Here we go, a new adventure'. I have often been abroad by myself but never for so long and I had never done an internship before. When I got on the plane I thought 'What did I get myself into?!' for a moment but that idea was quickly replaced by enthusiasm.

What was the most shocking difference between the Netherlands and Australia?

I think the clothes. Every day I'm sitting on the train with pupils of all ages wearing uniforms, which we are not used to in the Netherlands. With adults it sometimes seems like they're wearing their sportswear 24/7.

What does your daily work day look like?

I arrive at 9am and the first thing I do is open my laptop and check my mail. I work on different tasks the rest of the day. Which tasks exactly are different each day. Then at 5am it is time to go home again.

How is the working atmosphere at your internship company?

The working atmosphere is good, it is a nice team and everyone works hard but jokes can also be made. And like last time, we went out for dinner with a group.

Have you ever been homesick? How did you handle this?

I've had quite a few camps in my life so I'm used to not being home. Although I have never been away from home for so long, I have not had any homesickness so far. But nowadays it is also very easy to chat/skype with family/friends.

Do you feel at home in Australia? Why (not)?

Yes, I certainly feel at home here. I find it hard to say why exactly, but it is just a feeling. As I said to a friend the other day: when someone would ever offer me a job here I would say yes.

Is there a typical local dish that you really can not eat (or really like)?

Australia is very multicultural and you also have real food from all over the world so something for everyone. They also have kangaroo, emu and crocodile meat, but I have not eaten it yet. Will definitely try though, luckily I still have 2 months;)

Give us tips on who to become friends with abroad. The Russians? The Irish? The Chilean?

I always like to be friends with locals, after all you learn most about the country that way. But in the end it does not matter that much and I can become friends with people from all countries as long as you have the same sense of humor.

Describe the people of Australia in three words.

Friendly, relaxed, distant.

What did you learn from your experience abroad? Was it the beloved community that you liked? The cheap cocktails? The beautiful nature? Or was your experience less than expected? Details, we want details!

Well, of course I am in Australia so nature is beautiful! I also find it funny to see how in some things they are still behind compared to the Netherlands.