Melbourne is a very friendly, welcoming and multicultural city. It also has a great environment for arts and culture and a noticeable sense of optimism. When I first arrived, I was impressed by the helpful attitude of general Australians and the availability of food from many different countries.

I greatly enjoy meeting and making friends with local people here as well as people from many different countries. People in Melbourne are very tolerant of other cultures and traditions.

I have found my university in Melbourne to be of extraordinarily high quality in regard to the academic standard. My supervisors are very helpful and the Department staff is extremely supportive. My university facilities are excellent, with good IT resources, superior infrastructure, greater funding for research activities and much less bureaucracy. I use the computer lab and the library often; most of the facilities here are of a very high standard. I have acquired many new research skills and gained expertise in using computers here and I have greatly enjoyed presenting my work at various seminars and conferences.

I will always have very fond memories of the wonderful and caring friends I have made in Melbourne. I feel that they have become almost part of my own family. The Australian landscape is strikingly beautiful and I enjoy the cultural diversity.

I spend leisure time with my wife and three year old son visiting Melbourne's many tourist spots such as Federation Square, the museum, aquarium and planetarium, as well as the scenic parks and gardens. I have traveled to places in regional Victoria with other families, and also to Canberra (Australia's capital) and Perth in Western Australia.

New students will find Melbourne to be an incredibly enriching and rewarding intellectual experience. I believe independent living promotes personal development and social networking.

Living in Melbourne has been beneficial to my personal and professional advancements and that of my family. Following submission of my PhD thesis I hope to find a suitable employment position, at least for the immediate short time, as I like it very much here and would like to explore future career opportunities in my field.