People of Ryde presents Jose Francisco
Published on 18 June 2020
In 2008, my family and I migrated from the Philippines to Australia. One of the biggest challenges for me as a migrant is knowing what city is the right place for me to live and reside, what city is the safest, what city is convenient and accessible to public transport and what city truly embraces diversity and multiculturalism. Ryde would be on the top of my list!
My family settled in Newcastle and I spent most of my teenage and pre-adolescent years there. When I left school, I decided that it was time to move on another chapter of life, that is, changing places and environment. No ‘ifs’, no ‘buts’ and certainly no doubts or fears. There was no city other than Australia’s biggest city that I could think of choosing, except Sydney!
It was time to experience living in a different city with a different outlook and ambience, but where in Sydney to settle? I spent countless hours and days surfing the internet and browsing every classified page of newspapers and tabloids to try to find cheaper, yet safe and convenient, Sydney suburbs. Out of 30 local government districts in Sydney, the City of Ryde stood out to me the most. Firstly, it is very close to Macquarie University, where I had been accepted to study a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Science. Secondly, it is easily accessible by public transport. A travel time of 30 minutes from Ryde to the Sydney CBD is a big bonus, especially for me who likes wandering about and experiencing the hustle and bustle of the heart of Sydney.
My two and a half years of living in Ryde have given me a lot of opportunities that I would never of imagined. I was able to study at Macquarie University, which is close to my home. Accessibility in Ryde is never a problem, as it has a well-established mass transportation system including trains, taxis and buses, which run from 7am till 1am. Trying to catch public transport at midnight after partying is never a problem for me. Access to essential services is convenient and also affordable. Shopping centers, hospitals and medical practice clinics, convenience stores, supermarkets and food markets can be found all over Ryde. In addition, you cannot get bored living here, as there are many recreational and leisure places to visit such as cinemas, recreational parks, aquatic centers, public libraries and worship grounds.
As a food geek, you can find hundreds of restaurants throughout Ryde, with cuisines ranging from Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, Japanese and Korean. Of course, there are also heaps of fast-food chains such as McDonalds, KFC, and Dominos Pizza.
According to some renowned experts and planners, Ryde is one of the safest suburbs to live in throughout Sydney. I agree! I am not afraid to wander around the streets of Ryde, even past midnight. All the essential places and hang-around zones are equipped with CCTV cameras and security. At the same time, Ryde is a melting pot of cultures which embraces people who come from everywhere and anywhere. You might meet someone along the street who is from India while you might see someone on the bus who is from China or France. It is very nice to meet and socialise with diverse people from different backgrounds.
Fast forward to now, I am proud to say that I have no regrets in choosing Ryde as my permanent city to live, reside, study and work. As one of the safest suburbs to live throughout Sydney, Ryde embraces the true values of diversity, multiculturalism, safety, convenience and accessibility. Compared to Newcastle, Ryde is the best and I recommend Ryde as the place to be!