We welcome you to our newest interview in our weekly series. Here we interview each week somebody from the community and learn a bit more about their lives. This week, Meg tells us more about her life in Australia.  🇦🇺
 
Michelle is a wheat and sheep farmer in Australia, her father Kurt was born in Pratteln BL and came to Australia in his 20's. She has been back to Switzerland many times to keep in touch with her family. It is not easy to travel when you run a farm. However, she plans to return to Switzerland in 2023 to celebrate her 50th birthday. 😀
 
What is your name and where are you living now?
 
My name is Michelle. I am a wheat and sheep farmer in Australia. (You can see the farm from the sky in the picture above)
 
What is your connection to Switzerland? Have you been born there, or do you have some roots in Switzerland? 
 
My father Kurt was born in Pratteln BL and came to Australia in his 20's. I have been back to Switzerland many times to keep in touch with my grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins. I took my children there for the first time in 2019.
 
What is the thing that you miss about Switzerland the most?
 
The scenary is breathtaking of course but I think it is the memories from moments in my childhood that I miss the most- I have memories of waiting at train stations in the middle of the night for a connecting train so the sound of the SBB jingle (which I have as a text message tone on my phone) always reminds me of this. Of course I would say I miss all the food like Vermicelles, Rivella, etc. But I am excited that I can now get it anytime I want through the Swiss Food Box!
 
What do you think is better or do you like more in your new country?
 
I have not lived in Switzerland so I can't really say. But I know my dad would say we have fewer social rules in Australia.
 
Do you have any plans of returning soon? For vacations or permanently.
 
I always try to return to Switzerland every few years (on a farm you do not have so much ability to leave the property) but I plan to go in 2023 to celebrate my 50th birthday. In 2019 we celebrated my dad's 80th birthday with his siblings.