Swiss down under have mixed feelings about home

Gregor Berger has enjoyed his time in Melbourne swissinfo.ch

After four years in Melbourne, Sonja and Gregor Berger enjoy Australia, but at first, Sonja Berger struggled with homesickness.

“It was Gregor’s idea to go to Australia. I needed a little time, at first, to get used to it,” explained 29-year-old Sonja.

The Bergers had planned to stay in Australia for two years. Gregor Berger is a psychiatrist and took a position as a researcher at the University of Melbourne in 1999. His research project was so successful, however, that he received further financial support.

Young patients

The psychiatrist works with young people who receive psychiatric treatment for the first time.

In his work he tries to determine whether particular fats have an influence on their psychiatric well-being.

“Here in Melbourne, a city of 3.6 million people, it is much easier to conduct research. In Switzerland, the study would be difficult to conduct as there wouldn’t be enough patients,” the 35-year-old from Basel said.

“The population is very open to research. It’s no problem to recruit patients for the study. Also, the Eppic-Center is one of the few clinics in the world that specialises in the care of young people with psychotic conditions.

“For me, my position here is a stroke of good fortune,” he said.

Missing the mountains

Sonja Berger was less happy during the first months of her new life. She was often homesick and missed her family, friends and the mountains.

“As a Swiss nurse, I first had to register my diploma,” she said. “I needed an English examination, and couldn’t work right away.”

Without work, the days passed very slowly. It was difficult for her to make friends. After six months, however, she finally found a job. Today, she is studying to obtain credentials as an intensive care nurse.

She and her husband have the feeling that in spite of everything, they have relatively quickly become accustomed to their new surroundings.

Coming home

A return to Switzerland, whether for a short or long time, in the meantime, would stir up mixed feelings.

“We would be happy to return to Switzerland, but coming back is also a little frightening,” said Gregor Berger. “After our time here in Melbourne, we see many things in a different way.”

For the present, Sonja and Gregor enjoy the uncomplicated life of Australia. In recent years, they have learned to value the informal dealings and the positive outlook of the Australian people.

Those are characteristics that the Bergers will try to bring back to Switzerland with them.

by Christian Messerli in Melbourne; translated by Denise Kalette