Stano Murin - Expat in Melbourne, Australia
We’ve had the chance to talk to Stano Murin, 42, a Dutch expat in Melbourne. He lives with his Australian husband, whom he has been married to in the Netherlands since 2009. Mr. Murin, who has been staying in Melbourne for four years, now works as a photographer.
Read more about his experiences in the full interview below.
Q: Where are you originally from?
A: Czechoslovakia
Q: What made you move out of Czechoslovakia?
A: I love to travel.
Q: Where are you living now?
A: Melbourne
Q: How did you come to choose this new country of residence?
A: I’m married to an Aussie.
Q: How long have you been living in Melbourne?
A: Four years.
Q: What has been the most difficult experience you've had when you were new in Melbourne?
A: Sometimes it feels here like going back in time! Everything here is over controlled!! I lived most of my life in Amsterdam-‐ NL … That’s a country to learn from!!! Even the Miky card… 20 years behind!! In Prague, you SMS to the tram company before you use it and they text you back in 5 sec. and That is the ticket. So NO MORE PLASTICS CARD!
Q: Would you say that formalities like getting visas or work permits and international health insurance were particularly difficult in Melbourne? What was your experience with these?
A: I moved 23 times in my life. It was like anywhere else. Just with a crazy price tag.
Q: Are you living alone or with your family?
A: With my husband and our dog Buddy.
Q: How are they adjusting to the Expat Lifestyle?
A: They were born here.
Q: Was it easy making friends and meeting people? Do you mainly socialise with other expats in Melbourne? How did you manage to find a social circle in Melbourne?
A: It wasn’t easy. Everything and everybody are living so far. That’s what dictates you the way of living. In Europe everybody was just five min away!
Q: What are the best things to do in the area? Anything to recommend to future expats?
A: Buy a dog to start with. But even that is crazy controlled… when and where you can walk your dog… In Europe you can take you dog anywhere you like… The pub, restaurants.
Q: How does the cost of living in Melbourne compared to your home?
- How much is a cup of coffee?
A: The same as here… $4.
- How much is a meal in an inexpensive restaurant?
A: $5 in Prague.
- How much is a meal in an expensive restaurant?
A: $15.
- How much is a bottle of wine? How about a pack of cigarettes?
A: Wine – $4 Cigarettes – $4.
Q: How do you find the local culture and people in Melbourne?
A: People here are nice but racist. I’m white European but the things I hear all the time over here are sometimes / often unacceptable.
Q: What do you think are the positive and negative sides of living in Melbourne?
A: Positive… Beautiful country. Far from all the world troubles.
Negative: Racism, Conservatism.
Q; Do you miss home and family sometimes?
A: Not really.
Q: How do you cope with homesickness?
A: I travel a lot.
Q: Do you have plans to move to a different country or back home in the future?
A: Maybe to the US one day.
Q: What has been the hardest aspect to your expat experience so far?
A: Watch how the crazy government of Abbot is dealing with citizens of Australia and nobody really cares enough to act. People here deserve better!
Q: What tips can you give other expats living in that country?
A: Be good and show the love! That’s how we should all live. I hate aggression! Doesn’t take us anywhere good!
Q: Do you have favourite websites or blogs about Melbourne?
A: Not really.