Ellen de Jong

Story

We fell in love in London, 2 physiotherapists; one from Australia, the other one from the Netherlands. After a year together travelling and working in Europe, I wanted to see where this Aussie surfer came from. His brother worked for Qantas and therefore he had a stand-by ticket on reduced family rate. I bought a ticket for the same flight, but there was not enough room for “stand by passengers”, so I had to go there alone and he would follow.

Twenty-four hours later I arrived at Sydney airport, hoping that my future in-laws will be waiting for me. Luckily I had seen a picture of them and recognised them easily. Later I heard they had some more problems, as all passengers appear to resemble my blond hair and large backpack.

There I was in this far away country, staying with people I had never met, but they took me in their house like a daughter.

I still remember that first morning walking through their garden with all these strange trees and plants; bottle-brush, gum trees, grevillias. Cockatoos and galahs were everywhere. The next day my future husband arrived and he would show me around and teach me the ins and outs of Australian culture. Search every beach for the perfect wave and then return to first one, to have an early morning surf. Barbecues without coals but with a gas bottle and hot plate and they cook everything on the barbie, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Females tend not shake hands on introduction. National Parks the size of my home country. Kilometres of undisturbed bush land without any sign of human existence except for the road we were driving on. The colours of the land, what beauty!

We decided to live together in both our countries but very soon knew that Australia was the place to start a family. So here I am now, with 2 beautiful daughters (born 2002 & 2005), who speak both my language and Australian. We have been able to blend our both cultures, take the best of both and live happily ever after….

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