Imme in Melbourne from Sydney

Imme in Melbourne: “There’s no holiday vibe here.”

I could write hundreds of stories about Australia, and maybe I will. Today, I’ll start with one. It’s an ode to one of my favorite places: Melbourne.

Melbourne

I don’t know if I love Melbourne because the city suits me well, or because my favorite person lives here, or just both. Melbourne is the cultural city of Australia — the place that feels most like Europe, but including screaming cockatoos and an indescribable scent that reminds me of summer. You can walk into any café here and be served the most fantastic lunch plate. Like you’re in the Masterchef kitchen: flowers on your food.

What I like about Melbourne is that it’s a very sprawling city. One that consists of neighborhoods, each with its own character and size. City centers, as we know them in the Netherlands, don’t really exist here. There’s the Central Business District (CBD), but for more atmosphere you better explore an outer neighborhood. There you’ll find endless parks with plants you’ve never seen, faded-colored shops and cafés, hidden murals, and lots of cool architecture. I want an Australian house too, with a small patio where a cat is sleeping!

Why I’m here

When I studied in England, I had two housemates: one from Canada and one from Australia. The three of us were like a family: we cooked for each other and watched series together. Bought chocolate for each other when someone felt homesick. An ugly, brightly colored old house with the most beautiful view over Bath. My Australian and I often drank coffee on our balcony, in the sun, looking out over the city. Dreaming about our future plans.

And then suddenly it was The Future. My little brother studied a semester in Australia, so I thought: why not, and bought a ticket. My prejudices about the country were big. Surely only super-tanned, sporty people lived there who wouldn’t get my Dutch sarcasm. And what on earth was I supposed to do with so many beaches? Australia turned out to be heaven, and Melbourne, where my friend lives, my second home.

And now she’s getting married, and I’m back! Being in a city for the second time for longer makes everything different. Where last time I didn’t quite understand how huge Melbourne was put together, now I easily take the train and tram by myself. I recognize streets and names and parks from last time and already know a bit what my favorite neighborhoods are (the north). The negative sides are there too: two months in an Australian city are not good for your wallet. I suddenly can’t eat those beautiful lunches every day anymore, and breakfast out under 10 euros is actually not an option.

A City to Live In

Still, I find it very special that I’m living the daily life of my friend here. Living in another city gives new insights, and I believe that after some time abroad, you become super flexible. Maybe I don’t feel 100% at home in the Netherlands anymore, but I do feel at home in many new, extra places around the world!

When people think of Australia, they often imagine a big adventure, and that’s true, but Melbourne is a place to live in. The city doesn’t let itself be conquered easily or quickly, and you have to really try to get to know it. There’s no holiday vibe here. It’s not like London, for example, where so much happens at an incredibly fast pace and sometimes you’re walking on the sidewalk with hundreds of people at once. No, Melbourne is chill. There’s so much to do, the weather is pleasant, the people are kind and hip, the coffee is perfect, and you don’t have to do anything.

I’m managing here just fine. No worries.