Ulrika

Sayaka (japanese) and her partner, after they lived in Australia, Japan and Canada have decided to settle in Dunkirk. 

We are located at an intersection with numerous European cities, Belgium, England, The Netherlands… We travel with ease at every possible opportunity.

Sayaka, how did a Japanese person like you come to settle in Dunkirk?

We were living in Chamonix and my partner wanted to come back to the area of Dunkirk where he’d spent a part of his childhood. My arrival played out like in the film Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (Welcome to the Sticks)…amid a rain storm! Living in the mountains is refreshing, but I I felt much better welcomed here. My husband and I lived in Australia, Japan, Canada, that’s why I like the geographic position of Dunkirk. We are located at an intersection with numerous European cities, Belgium, England, the Netherlands… We travel with ease at every possible opportunity. The region now offers me new career prospects. And the cost of living here, compared to Chamonix, is a real advantage! I also have a 2 years old little boy and finding a childcare facility for him was quick and simple enough. No longer do I use the car to take him to the library, go to activities or the market because we can get everywhere on foot or by free bus. Plus, I’ve discovered a real passion for flea markets! One time, my family came from Japan to visit us and they really liked Dunkirk, above all the wide diversity of landscapes including the beaches, forests, sand dunes and the port