Tips for the newcomers

I can only imagine how daunting it must be to move to a new city and start a study in the middle of a global crisis. I remember myself being quite anxious about the move a year ago. The university did a wonderful job organizing a welcome for all of us newcomers. To this day I keep in touch with some of the people I met in the very first week. Reflecting back on that experience brought me some ideas of what I wish I knew sooner. I’ll also give some tips on how I think you can find your people or else, enjoy the solitude in the city of Nijmegen.

First of all, if you plan to stay here for long you need a Dutch bank account. With the exception of Germans, I’ve never seen anyone use the maestro card system. It often happens that my card is not accepted and I don’t have cash on me. That is probably beneficial for my bank account balance but it certainly becomes an annoying nuisance in the long term. I also recommend getting the travel discount for trains, which can be loaded onto your personal OV-chip card. It costs about 50 euros per year. With it you can travel the country for a reasonable price, with a 40% discount for travel during off peak hours.

Onto the making friends part. In the beginning, I made friends with everyone around me. I chatted up people at the gym, hung out a lot in my Hoogeveltd kitchen and asked if I can join party plans when my classmate told me about an event in the city. I know that the execution of these would be different during Corona times. Nevertheless, the point remains the same. I think making suggestions and plans with people, via WhatsApp or face-to-face, even if you don’t know them very well is a good way to go. Sure, it might be that you meet a few weirdos or endure some cold social rejection but through all of this, you are experiencing people and life for all that it is. Put your heart on the line, be honest and brave. Of course, with appropriate distance measures and whatnot.

Finally, if all else fails and you are feeling like you are stuck here, redirect your focus and energy towards yourself. Luckily there are two bookshops I know in Nijmegen that stock books in English. In one, called Dekker van de Vegt, you can buy magazines from all over the world. It is where I get my British Vogue and sometimes even the fancy Italian one. Take your book out to one of the numerous beaches or parks Nijmegen has to offer and enjoy the bliss of solitude.

My top 5 likes and 5 dislikes about the Netherlands

After almost 2 years living in the Netherlands, I was able to experience everything this country has to offer: the good, the bad and the ugly. So, these are my top 5 likes and top 5 dislikes about the country of windmills.

Top best things:

1.Cyclopaths

They take you everywhere, they are smooth, well connected and surprisingly wide. Crossing the idyllic Dutch landscapes on a bike brings a relaxing vibe you can’t find anywhere else.

2. Everything from the Albert Heijn bakery section

Apple pies, frikandelbroodje, stroopwafels, appelflap…. the names are strange, but the taste is great. And who said the Dutch have no cuisine, huh?

AH’s apple pie: the best thing you’ll ever try (candles not included)

3. Balanced lifestyle

The Dutch are the masters of time management and they rarely work more than they should. Here, it is not about working hard, but working smart. The benefit of this is to have plenty of time to enjoy life and do your own thing. After all this time living here, I would say I am starting to learn how to do it. 

4. Flat culture

Forget about hierarchy, here everyone matters. I really like how humble and polite professors usually are in here. They don’t feel or act superior, and that is something really cool about this country. 

5. Seasons

For someone who grew up in a tropical country seeing the seasons changing is magical and I’ll never get used to it. I would say I got to know 4 different Nijmegens.

Top worst things:

1.Speed cyclists. 

I don’t understand the entire concept of it, it feels like the ‘Tour de France’  happens all year long in this country (especially on Saturday mornings). They are really impatient (and annoying), ringing their bike bells to send a clear message: GET OUT THE WAY! The same is valid for people on their electric bikes, they are also very impatient.

2. Smoking culture

Sometimes it seems like every young person smokes, not only the Netherlands, but Europe as a whole. As a non-smoker, I wish my clothes wouldn’t smell like ashes as much as they do. 

3. Overpriced stuff

A full meal at a Brazilian university would cost around 0.3 euro – those are my standards for food prices. Here a meal costs at least 5 euro. No need to say more hahah. 

4. Weather

It can change every minute and it often does. Forget about snow in winter, usually it is that persistent light rain at 1°C accompanied by a super-strong wind that blows against you while you are trying to go anywhere on your bike. Definitely not my favourite thing about this country. (But we had a great summer this year, can’t complain much)

5. Non-opening windows

I don’t know what the problem is with Dutch architects, but they insist on designing spaces with fixed windows. When you have people smoking inside or it is 30+°C outside (it is rare, but it does happen), or both, it is not really convenient. My message to them: STOP!

All in all, I would say it is definitely more positive than not. I am glad I’ve chosen this country for sure, but like the locals, I will never stop complaining either. See you next time! Doei!

Looking Back on The Year: A Letter

I’ve been in Nijmegen for a year now. It has been the most beautiful and challenging year of my life. I’ve learnt more than ever, and these lessons will stay with me forever. Now I just want to look back on what I learnt to feel more prepared for the second year.

This is what I learnt:

1.It’s okay to be lost: You’ve taken the rug underneath your feet by deciding to shift to a whole new country. Things will be afloat for some time. It’s just a matter of time before it all falls in line. You can’t speed up the process no matter what you do. What you can do though is have fun while you’re at it.

Lost In Utrecht: We never stopped having fun even for a second.

2. Appreciate yourself: You have to celebrate every tiny accomplishment. You finally learnt how to grocery shop, you finally learnt how to use public transportation. You worked really hard on your academic tasks while going through the first winter of your life. Sure, there might still be things you can’t do well, but don’t let that negate how well you’ve done. Don’t wait for others to point this out to you, true appreciation begins here: within you.

Appreciate yourself just like how your best friend does when she clicks a picture of you

3. There is so much to life: You’ll have too many moments of being overwhelmed. Something that I learnt is to take the focus off of me and my struggles and just look around. There is so much to life, there is so much happening every day; great and horrible things. You’re just a part of that world. You’re young now and the only reason things seem difficult is because you showed up to life. You struggle because you’re completely alive. Life is about a lot of things; you just didn’t know it yet.

You’re a part of a really big, beautiful, complicated world. Ground yourself!

4. It was all worth it in the end: The experience of studying abroad has many components to it. Academics are just a tiny part, most of it is finding new places, new people. I can now say that I’m really lucky to have met some of the loveliest people in the past year. I came here knowing absolutely nobody, and now I can say my girls will be a part of my life forever.

Appreciation Post: Just look at them, I fall in love everyday

5. Life ultimately becomes an act of letting go: It hurt so much to leave my first apartment here, it hurt to not be able to go to classes anymore. But we all got over it, we realised there are only so many things in life you can hold on to. The rest is transient and you’ve to let go. I chose to hold on to my passions. I chose to hold on to all my loved ones – here and back home. And this was the most difficult and important lesson I have learnt.

Let Go

Everyone starting the new year, good luck and never take anything too seriously. You will never be this young again.

And, you’ll be fine. I promise.

Love,

Nada