Margot during her internship in Australia

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

I’m from Amersfoort and I also live here. I study International Business Management at Hogeschool Tio in Utrecht. At the moment, I’m living for three months in the Bondi neighborhood in Sydney because I’m doing an internship here :)

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

I thought, “Here we go, a new adventure.” I’ve been abroad alone before, but never for this long and I’ve never done an internship before. When I got on the plane, I did briefly wonder what I had gotten myself into, but that thought was quickly replaced by excitement.

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

I think the clothing — every day I’m on the train with all kinds of school kids of all ages wearing uniforms, which we’re not used to in the Netherlands. And with adults, it sometimes seems like they wear their sports clothes 24/7.

What does your typical workday look like?

I arrive at my internship around 9 AM every day, and the first thing I do is open my laptop and check my email. The rest of the day I work on different tasks. Which tasks exactly vary by day. Then at 5 PM, it’s time to go home again.

How is the work atmosphere at your internship company?

The work atmosphere is good, it’s a friendly team and everyone works hard but there’s also room for jokes in between. And just recently, we went out to eat with a group.

Have you ever felt homesick? How did you deal with it?

I’ve been to quite a few camps in my life, so I’m used to being away from home. Although I’ve never been away this long before, I haven’t felt homesick yet. Nowadays, it’s also really easy to just message or Skype with family and friends.

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

Yes, I definitely feel at home here. It’s hard to say exactly why, but it’s just a feeling. Like I told a friend, if I were ever offered a job here, I would say yes immediately.

Is there a typical local dish that you REALLY can’t eat (or actually really like)?

Australia is very multicultural, so you really get food from all over the world—something for everyone. They also have kangaroo, emu, and crocodile meat, but I haven’t tried those yet. I definitely want to, luckily I still have 2 months ;)

Give us tips on who you should become friends with abroad. The Russians? The Irish? The Chileans?

Personally, I always find it most fun to make friends with locals, because that’s how you learn the most about the country. But in the end, it doesn’t really matter much—I can make friends with people from all countries as long as you share a similar sense of humor.

Describe the people of Australia in three words.

Friendly, relaxed, distant.

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

Well, of course I’m in Australia, so the nature is definitely beautiful! I also find it funny to see how, in some ways, they’re still quite behind us in the Netherlands.