From our Correspondent is a series by the makers of podcast De Dag. Every Sunday we meet one of the NOS correspondents, the country where they live, and the stories that they think deserve more attention. Today: Meike Wijers, correspondent Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands.

Meike never thought she would end up on the other side of the world. She always wanted to cross the border, discover other cultures and countries. During a trip through Latin America, she had thought she would move there. But her then Australian boyfriend landed her first in London and then down under.

As soon as she set foot on Australian soil, she was sold by the raw nature, the beautiful birds and the people. The country fascinates Meike because it is full of contradictions. It is a country made up of migrants, but in recent years anti-migration noise has also grown here. Also, dealing with the original inhabitants, the aborigines, still feels uncomfortable. And then there are the thousands of islands that fall in its area with their own cultures and customs that are so interesting.

When Meike left, people told her: prepare yourself, you won’t be very busy. But Wijers didn’t notice any of that in recent years. She says she doesn’t spend enough time on the beach, which she loves so much. The combination of that beach and the multicultural city of Sydney means that Meike is not thinking about leaving for the time being. “Even though it was never a dream of mine, it has become that. It remains a very interesting place to work and a very nice place to live.”

Next week: a conversation with Rolien Creton, correspondent in Copenhagen. If you have a question for her, send it to dedag@nos.nl(opens in new window)

Presentation and editing: Marco Geijtenbeek

Editorial staff: Lars Hulshof