Habits from Home
For international students, the first few weeks in The Netherlands are probably the most exciting. You learn about the Dutch way of life: riding a bicycle, eating bread and cheese for breakfast and complaining about the weather and the bus being late. But after a while you start craving a slower pace (Aruba), you miss the passion (Brazil) or you want to order Magner beer in the pub (Northern Ireland). Sensor spoke to a few international students and asked them: what do you miss most about home?
Fresh fish and slippers
Who: Rushella Tromp
From: Aruba
Study: IBMS
‘Walking around in slippers every day of the year, my sunglasses, fresh fish straight from the harbour, just driving around in my car with friends, hanging out on the beach, wearing shorts and a top all year round, playing Dominoes in the backyard, barbecuing, my wonderful friends and family… the list goes on and on’, laughs Rushella Tromp, when we ask her what she misses most about her beloved island. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I like it here in The Net herlands, and I’ve been here for almost five years already, but sometimes I long for the more relaxed days on Ar uba.’ When Rushella talks about home, her eyes light up. ‘The pace is slower and the weather is ALWAYS good. And you can just go to a friend’s house without making appointments. I really had to get used to that when I got here: set ting a time, being on time, discussing time, buses and trains having to be on time… it’s not as strict and important in Aruba. Then again: I love it that everything works here and the winter is fun for me, because I get to wear all types of clothes that I can’t wear on Aruba, like woollen sweaters, scarves and a hat. I love that, haha!’ A ty pical Caribbean snack, usually for breakfast, that Rushella sometimes craves is Pastechi. ‘It’s a pasty filled with cheese, ham and veggies. You can get them in Holland, but they don’t taste the same.’
‘Chinese takeout in Belfast is beyond great!’
Who: Mark Barbour (20)
From: Northern Ireland
‘It might sound absolutely crazy and funny, but what I miss most from Belfast is the Chinese takeout food. Especially the beef curry with fried rice is beyond great.’ Back home, Mark lives in a dorm room close to the university. ‘I don’t like cooking, so I get takeout food all the time. Any time of the day is good for me, haha. I could eat it right now!’ The fact that Holland has many Chinese restaurants and take outs, cannot solve his ‘problem’. ‘It just does NOT taste the same. I don’t know what ingredient or magic trick makes the difference, but the take outs are just better in Belfast!’ Typical things from home that Mark misses most are playing football and hanging out in the pub. ‘Although I do try to do these t hings as much as possible: I play football as much as I can and just the other night I went to an Irish pub. There is a brand of beer I usually drink: Magners, but I also like Budweiser, which is
American. Over here I enjoy Heineken, but I dislike Grolsch. Very much.’ Other treats from home that Mark misses are ‘Lindt’ and ‘Aero’: two of his favourite chocolate brands, which aren’t available over here. ‘Luckily, my roommate here in Nijmegen, who is also from Northern Ireland, will get some of it soon, by mail. I hope he shares it with me, because I crave it BAD, haha!’
Strong family ties
Who: Shah Jamal
From: Bangladesh
Study: IBMS
‘It might be a cliché, but I miss my mom most of all’, says Shah when we’re asking him what he misses about his hometown Dhaka. ‘She always takes good care of me. She washes my clothes and stuff like t hat. She cooks for me every day. In Holland, I live on my own. So now I have to do everything by myself. It makes me realize how great my mom is. She’s always there for me.’ Shah has three brothers and three sisters; he’s the middle one. ‘It’s a big family, and we have very strong family ties. My father passed away so we only have our mom left. Because of that, we’re very tight.’ To stay in contact with his mom, he calls her every weekend. ‘Sometimes I can even see her on the webcam. It makes me feel good to see her face.’ The thing he misses most about his mother is her cooking, and especially her spicy food. ‘Her chicken curry is delicious.’ What Shah admires about his mom is her hospitality. ‘I can bring anyone home for dinner. Sometimes she cooks a lot and takes the leftovers to the neighbours.’ Shah is probably staying here for five years, but he doesn’t think his mom will be able to visit him. ‘My younger brother and sister are staying in Italy now, and there’s a chance she can visit them there. Maybe then I will go to Italy so we can be together.’
‘I miss walking around in breathtaking beauty’
Who: Yi Shen ‘Cherry’ (22)
From: China
Study: English Intensive Course (EIC)
‘In China, I live in Suzhou, a city which is known for its beautiful gardens’, says Yi Shen, who goes by the name of Cherry in Holland, ‘because it’s easier to pronounce.’ The gardens, for which she has an annual pass that costs 12 Euros and is valid for a hundred visits, are full of gorgeous, colourful flowers. Cherry: ‘My friends and I go there to relax, take pictures and chat. I miss that, especially because there aren’t as many flowers here in Holland as there are at home.’ Next week Cherry will visit the Keukenhof (located near Lisse and considered the ‘Garden of Europe’). ‘I heard there are millions of pretty flowers there, so I look forward to seeing and photographing them. But my Chinese friends won’t be there, of course, so it’s going to be different.’ Besides gardens, Suzhou also has many ancient buildings, and everywhere in the city there are traditional draw ings and poetry written on walls. ‘Sometimes I miss walking around in such breathtaking beauty, because to be honest: Arnhem isn’t the prettiest city in The Net herlands. It does have a nice city centre, but other parts aren’t very attrac tive.’ What else does Cherry miss? ‘My mom’s cooking, types of fruit that you don’t seem to have over here and my car. I do like the fact that the Dutch seem to enjoy life more. In China we are always in a hurry: working, going somewhere, studying. Here, I often relax.’ Back home Cherry never went to the gym, but over here she goes once a week with her friends ‘to keep fit’. When she gets back, she will continue to exercise. ‘I’ll also go to the gardens with my friends more often; I can’t wait to see them again.’
‘Brazilians are very passionate’
Who: Vinicius Dias (25)
From: Brazil
Study: Event Management
‘In São Paolo going out at night is very different’, explains Vinicius. ‘Of course the weather is great, so we have a lot of ‘open bars’ and we hang out on the street a lot. Also, we mix more with other tables. People just talk to each other very easily. We joke around, enjoy ourselves and the vibe is loose and cosy.’ He misses that ‘loose’ atmosphere. ‘I like The Net herlands and the frankness of Dutch people, but especially in public places, people are very private and reserved.’ Going out for dinner is also different. ‘It’s common in Brazil to start your dinner with salads that you get from a buffet. After that, you can place a red or green card next to your plate. If you show green, a waiter will come and give you slices from this big chunk of meat that he carries around: he cuts off the pieces for you. If you show red, he won’t come.’ They charge by the kilo. ‘It’s basically self service, even in fancy restaurants.’ Vinicius misses the meat. ‘Here, it looks different and there isn’t much variation. Back home, I eat it every day.’ Another aspect from home Vinicius has to do without is the passionate nature of Brazilians. ‘I don’t know if it’s the sun, but we have a strong temper. When we laugh, we really laugh and when we cry, we really cry. It ’s deep and it’s almost primitive. We aren’t ashamed to show our emotions. Over here, people are more in control. Sometimes that’s good, though. Things are organized and they happen on time. In Brazil, that can be a bit of a challenge, haha!’
‘On my bike to Nijmegen’
Who: Bexultan Serikbay (19)
From: Almaty, Kazakhstan
Study: International Business course
‘Almaty and Arnhem are both modern cities, so I can do most things here that I do in my home town’, Bexultan says. I go out with friends at home and here as well. I usually go to The Cavern, where more international students go. I also play football a lot in Kazakhstan. Here I have a couple of friends who live in the Honigkamp (a flat for international students), just like me. It’s just a matter of asking, and before you know it, we’re on the field kicking a ball.’ Bexultan likes to ride his bicycle: ‘That is something I do not do in Almaty, which is built between mountains. Lots of roads are very steep. Not flat, like in Arnhem and surroundings. We usually walk, or take a bus, depending on the distance. And when the bus is too crowded, I take a taxi. They are not as expensive as they are here.’ Bexultan went for a ride on his bike all the way to Nijmegen wit h a friend of his. ‘No special reason, I wanted to see another city. So it was a great day out. If you want to cycle in Almaty, you’d better watch out.
There are no separate cycling lanes, like here. It can be very dangerous.’
Schwarzbrot versus sponge bread
Who: Elisabeth Gerhartinger
From: Austria
Study: PABO
The thing that Elisabeth misses most from her home country is simply the bread. According to her all Dutch bread tastes the same. ‘It all tastes like white bread to me, even if it looks like whole wheat bread. It’s way too soft. It tastes like a sponge!’ At home, she always eats Schwarzbrot. ‘That’s bread with a lot of corn in it. It’s much harder and very crispy. I love it! I always make toast with it.’ The only place in Nijmegen where Elisabeth can find bread she does like is Subway. ‘They toast the bread. It’s the only bread that tastes good to me in Holland.’ Elisabeth is lucky, because her friends are coming to visit her. And they’re bringing some bread from Austria with them. ‘I can’t wait to eat it.’ When it comes to shopping, Elisabeth misses the clothing store Zara in Nijmegen. ‘I think it’s better to shop in Arnhem. Arnhem has a lot more stores. Like Zara, or Mango.’ Another thing she’s missing is her car at home. ‘I have to cycle so much around here! At home I always use my car. It’s a Volkswagen.’ When Elisabeth goes out for a drink in her hometown Linz, she always goes to a pub. But she doesn’t like hanging out in the pubs in Nijmegen. ‘They are so empty. In Austria they’re always filled with people. There’s a great ambience and it’s very cosy. I miss that around here.’
‘Where are the karaoke bars?’
Who: Yijia Qi (21)
From: Nanjing, China
Study: Communications
Yijia (European name: Catherine) has been in Arnhem for almost two years now. And she has two more years to go, although one of those years she will have to study abroad. ‘I’m going to Denmark for my studies and I’ll probably go back to China for a half-year internship. Yes, because I miss my family and friends. I’ve been back home twice now, both summer holidays. When I was there I tried to stay as long as I could.’ Her family have not made a visit to Arnhem. ‘But there is a chance my mother will come over for my graduation’, she smiles. ‘It will be difficult though. Neither of my parents speaks English, so it will be quite a challenge for her to make such a journey.’ Besides family and friends she also really misses Chinese food: ‘There is not much diversity in the vegetables here’, she claims. ‘And I miss the different kinds of taste meat can have.’ Last but certainly not least Yijia misses the Chinese number one pastime: Karaoke bars. ‘They are every where in China, but I couldn’t find one in Arnhem. I love to sing with my friends. My favour ite song? It’s been so long. Let me think. Well, it is not my favourite, but I love singing Yellow Submarine by The Beatles. It is a cute song for friends to sing together.’
