Next Stop: Melbourne - Arjan van Rooijen

How come you are living up in Melbourne?

I’ve always felt the urge to live and work abroad for a while. Some of my motivations are: broadening my horizon, seeking adventure, improving my English language skills, and nature (enjoying it and helping to protect it). I also wanted to see how aspects of Dutch culture play a role elsewhere; work pressure and perfectionism, for example.

For some reason, Australia had been calling to me for quite some time. When I finally went backpacking there in 2017, I fell in love with the country straight away. It wasn’t until 2024, however, that I actually emigrated. In the meantime, I also met my partner, who first moved from Friesland to Utrecht for me and then, fortunately, wanted to move to Melbourne with me, too. 

What does your typical week look like now?

I teach Dutch for two half-days a week at a private school. Most of the children have one Dutch parent. Their varying level of proficiency makes it challenging, but I also really enjoy it. In addition, I spend about two days working on freelance communication assignments for Dutch clients. I usually do this at the local library, where I can concentrate really well. 

The rest of the time, I’m setting up an Australian branch of The Pollinators. It’s a charity that helps butterflies, bees and other pollinators survive. In Australia, that’s particularly interesting, because here mammals such as flying foxes and real possums are also considered pollinators. I help with education and raising awareness, but also with rewilding, a form of nature restoration. The common thread in my work is social relevance. 

What is your fondest memory of your time as a student in Utrecht?

Having spent nine years studying in Utrecht, I have a huge collection of wonderful memories. Cycling through the city centre, for example, was always a real treat for me. And as soon as I’d completed my first bachelor’s degree, a music course at the University of Arts Utrecht (HKU), I really threw myself into student life. Back then, I went out a lot, joined the student volleyball club USV Protos, and travelled all over the Netherlands for the volleyball association to introduce bossaball – a combination of acrobatics, volleyball and footvolley. Within Language and Culture Studies, I was just like The Very Hungry Caterpillar: from Spanish to Greek mythology and student radio, I did it all. Communication was my main subject – my intellectual anchor and the field in which I have built my career. What I loved about studying within the Faculty of Humanities was that you learnt to think ‘properly’. Things like critical reading and analysing. And making connections. A whole new world really opened up for me back then. I count myself lucky with all those wonderful memories.

Thinking of the Netherlands, what do you miss most?

Apart from friends and family, I miss the city of Utrecht, where I lived for 22 years. Especially its beauty: the lovely buildings, the squares, the outdoor cafés, and the lively atmosphere on the streets that comes with it. We’ve been living here for two years now, and for the first year and a half I was constantly comparing things. People here are warm, but it takes a long time before you’re admitted into the ‘inner circle’. Another aspect is the forthrightness of the Dutch. Here, people tend to beat about the bush more. Sometimes that means you don’t know where you stand. Occasionally, I do miss that directness here.

If there are alumni new to Melbourne who might feel a bit lost, as I did in the early days, I hope connecting with us might alleviate that feeling.

Why do you want to get involved with Utrecht University’s Melbourne Alumni Network?

I’m a social animal and I love being around people. If there’s nothing going on, I’ll organise something myself. So it’s mainly the social aspect, the camaraderie and the sense of connection that appeal to me. I also enjoy helping each other out. That might be in a professional context, but not necessarily. If there are alumni new to Melbourne who might feel a bit lost, as I did in the early days, I hope connecting with us might alleviate that feeling. And for me, that mutual support also involves sharing knowledge. Think of lectures, guided tours, organising something that makes you wiser. That isn’t happening at the moment, so I’d like to organise it.

I really like the fact that this network is specifically about Utrecht and Utrecht University. The more common ground, the better. In September 2026, I’m organising a first general get-together. We’ll see who turns up and what people fancy doing later on in the year. We’re right next to a lovely wine region, but there are also wonderful walks and cycle routes. And next January, the Australian Open is on. Perhaps we can attend that together.