Timothy (32 years old) immigrated to Australia: ‘I fell in love with the country right away’ | for travel

Who is the: Timothy de Ruyter (32)

migrate to: Melbourne Australia.

Since: 2016

work: strategic transportation plan

What is life like in Melbourne?

“Amazing! Melbourne is a city after my heart. A very creative city with lots of street art, like graffiti. There are endless museums, delicious restaurants and so many options. The beach is just around the corner, the vineyards are relatively close by and before you know you’re in the mountains. Immediately I am at home. And of course the climate is great.”

Why did you choose to immigrate?

“My mother is Indonesian, so I grew up in a multicultural way, and I am always interested in other cultures. I studied in Belgium for four years, but that study made it difficult for me to travel. So I chose international studies, which made it easier for me to live elsewhere. In 2015 I was able to take part in the exchange and I indicated that I wanted to go to Southeast Asia because of my Indonesian roots.Except there were no exchange universities there, except for Singapore, but I was there before.Fortunately, there was a good university in Melbourne, which was nearby Relatively from Southeast Asia so I chose it.I fell in love with the city and country right away.I loved life so much and met my partner there so choosing to come back after getting my bachelor’s degree was easy.After that semester I finished my bachelor’s degree in Holland and then came back To Melbourne in 2016 for my masters degree there, and I have lived here ever since.”

De Ruijter met his partner in Australia.

Ⓒ private photo

What did you encounter?

“Visas. Applying for a student visa or permanent visa in Australia is primarily very expensive, but it is also a real problem. Since my partner is Australian, I was eligible for a partner visa, and the waiting period was two years. You have to prove that you are indeed In a relationship. Even friends and family have to fill out forms to make sure your relationship is real. In addition, you have to provide certificates of good conduct and deposit around A$8000, remitting around €5000.”

What are the biggest differences between Holland and Australia?

“People are completely different. The Dutch are very busy and find it normal to make an appointment a month in advance. If the train is three minutes late, the Dutch are angry all day. Everyone here is more spontaneous. It is almost normal for the train to be 15 minutes late and no one cares. Australians enjoy this The moment is over.”

What is your advice to people who are also considering immigrating to Australia?

The visa process in Australia is long and expensive. Make sure you are well prepared and know the immigration rules. Of course it’s good to get information from others, but the rules change quickly, so don’t take everything blindly and do your own research. See also Dutch legislation. There is a possibility that you will lose your Dutch citizenship, so find out what it is all about.”

When did you know you made the right decision?

“My partner was abroad, so I was home alone. I picked up the car and drove to Great Ocean Road, a beautiful road along the southern coast of Australia. I sat there alone on the beach and everything fell into place. I felt so happy.”