First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hi, my name is Sander! I’m a student of International Business from Maastricht in the Netherlands. I love to go out and explore nature and new cultures, as well as play sports and read a good book every now and then.
How did you find yourself in Australia Interning for Go West?
My love for exploring new cultures lead me to explore Russia last year, so I wanted to contrast that experience as much as possible. Therefore, when my university put forward an internship position in Australia, I immediately knew it was a golden opportunity.
What do you hope to gain from your internship with Go West?
I hope to have a time in Australia which will help me pave the way to a bright future, with many new friends and experiences along the way. I’m curious to see what all the people and places will have to offer.
Which is your favourite Go West tour and why?
Every tour offered by Go West Tour has its own charms. The Great Ocean Road Sunset Tour is magnificent to see, and the Yarra Valley Wine Tour gives an insight into all the different tastes of the region. My favourite, however, is without a doubt the Grampians Day tour. It takes you around the Grampians National Park and lets you explore the local wilderness.
So far, what do you love about Melbourne?
One of the things I love about Melbourne is that it’s an incredibly modern city, but you can still easily find beautiful nature in the middle of the city, amid all the skyscrapers. The people in it also have a very laid-back and open attitude, which always makes for a great experience.
From your experience, what is your most important advice for guests visiting Melbourne for the first time?
What I think is most important for new visitors to Melbourne is to go out there and just do things. Go to the parks, visit a museum, relax on the beach, enjoy the night life, there is always something fun and interesting to do in Melbourne.
What have you found different about Australia/Australians to your home country?
The most obvious difference between Australians and the Dutch is that the Australians have adopted a much more relaxed and go-with-the-flow-attitude. Australians are a lot better at just stepping back and enjoying life, not letting their everyday problems get to them.
What is your favourite native Australian animal and why?
Picking one animal from the array of unique creatures from Australia is quite the task, but if I had to choose one, I’d go for the platypus. It’s a completely unique animal that goes against everything you’d expect when you first see it.
Do you think you’ll be returning to Australia?
Australia is such a vast, beautiful and pleasant country that can’t help but come back here. There are so many things to see and do on this wonderful continent that it would be a challenge to do it all in a single lifetime!
