D-I-E Netherlands

D-I-E, Phong Ho, Netherlands

These were what I hear in Welcome Day for international student of Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen (a city in Netherlands):
- Do you know that Netherlands is country with more bicycles than people?
- One survival lesson for new students is how to lock your bicycles correctly!
I think those are jokes.  Lesson about bicycle locking is over 15 minutes and was taught carefully. It is also like a marketing for bicycle lock and bicycles store. However, from those sharing, we could understand more about Dutch culture.

At first, I have no idea why there are a lot bicycle in Netherlands. Besides, although I know that bicycle is one main transportation in Netherlands, I think locking a bicycle is really simple. Why do they make it seriously? If many bicycles were stolen in Groningen, so they taught us about that. It was not normal for me because the police had been surprised when I had informed about my stolen bicycle Kokkola (Finland) police station. However, why does Hanze just not send new students an email as warning? Many stolen bicycles mean that the city is not safe. If the school doesn’t hide it, they should not public it like that. Having a bicycle is a kind of scary here. Maybe they just told us a joke...

After that, I knew that many bicycles was stolen in the city is real. Some sound like a joke, but they are serious. That shown Dutch culture. They are direct. they see straight to problems and try to find solutions. Maybe because they taught students to lock bicycle well, bicycles are more than people. Many international students come to Netherlands for study every year. They mostly stay from 6 months to 4 years and get out. They get out Netherlands, but their bicycles with good locks are stay.

From that time, I know that I will learn many things in Netherlands. Besides, Dutchs are humor. They smile with problem. They end lesson with a joke:
- If you do not loose bicycle three times, you did not really live in Netherlands. If you lost bicycle 5 times, you are like a Dutch. If you lost bicycle 7 times, we will beg you to get a Dutch citizenship.

After five months, I really learn a lot from my exchange study!

Phong Ho - Smiling from Netherlands

Hi friends,

My name is Phong Ho. In Finland, I study Environmental Chemistry and Technology in Centria University of Applied Sciences. From September of 2018 to the January of 2019, I had an exchange study in Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands. My exchange program is Renewable Energy, Materials and Processing. This time is valuable experience.

Generally, studying and daily-life in Netherland are quite different from Finland. They are different in details, also. Campus of Hanze is located in same place with campus of Groningen, so that area like a village with many large building from many faculty. Hanze university is much more crowded, diversity. In here, it is easy to meet all nationalities around the world. I had about three subjects per period. The hardest is project subject and the easiest is about Dutch culture. There were about twenty students in my class with half Dutch students and half international students. As exchange students, we had some field trip with bicycles to experience Dutch culture with other international friends. For other subjects, it is quite similar in Finland. I had lectures, assignments, group-work and presentation. From my point of view, teaching in Netherlands is not as freedom as in Finland.

For challenges, there are housing problem. About housing problem, Netherlands has serious housing crisis. In September, over 100 students did not have apartment. A big tent is located by school in campus (outside buildings) for some students. School also provided students live in a secondary school or a boat. I did not use these services. I traveled some hours per day for studying my between my relative house (in Einhoven) and school. Someday, my friends hosted me. However, I have apartment at November. This time is new experience for me.

To sum up, studying in Netherlands give me valuable experience and opportunity to live in a new place with new culture. During that time, I understood deeply about myself, recognized some problems which I had not realized before. I think exchange study is valuable chance for Centria student.

Phong Ho

Introduction - Phong Ho

Hi,

My name is Tan Phong HO, from Vietnam. I am studying Environmental Chemistry and Technology in Centria UAS. I will have a exchange semester in Hanze UAS of Netherlands at 2018-2019.
I like beauty of nature, even so beauty of modern society in middle of nature. Netherlands, which is one of some countries, like Finland..., works well at sustainable development. I hope I will have more valuable experiences and understanding about Netherlands and the Dutch. Besides, after long time to study at Centria, I have realized myself as an engineer in future, but it is not enough. Maybe this exchange study chance can help me realize more clearly about my own way for my future.

Thank you for your reading :).

Tan Feng HO 
Nil-wind

D-I-E Netherlands

1. DESCRIBE: Think of one episode that has left you confused or that you think was strange/different. Describe the object or situation in concrete, observable terms. What happened in the interaction? What was said? What did you see? What did you feel at the moment?

In Netherlands, people are very friendly and social. However, in situations where something goes a little wrong, you can run in to a phenomenon called "Dutch comfort". It is something like cold comfort, meaning you do not get very sympathetic response, but for an example "better you than me". When I was registering as a resident of Enschede in City Hall, there was many problems along the way. I was very relieved when I finally got it done, and I thanked the person at the desk and said that I am glad it's over! The office worker started laughing at my face and said that it is not over yet, I still need to wait about a week for them to send the forms back to me. 

2. INTERPRET: Think of possible explanations (interpretations) for what you observed or experienced. From your cultural perspective, try to explain why you think this situation or experience occurred? Try to find at least 3 different interpretations of the interaction or occurrence. What cultural information have you used to produce these interpretations?  

In the beginning of my stay the Dutch comfort was quite a shock, but luckily our Dutch cultural studies contained a mention about this phenomenon. My first interpretation was that some people are rude and that customer service is bad. This first interpretation was from my Finnish point of view. Then I started to realize, that the Dutch comfort is actually a way to cope with hard situations and the people can actually mean well. To get the second interpretation, I had more experience and knowledge. Now the third interpretation is that the Dutch people are kind of friendly, they regard even strangers like their acquaintances, and they can say things that in Finland would be said only to a friend.

3. EVALUATE: Evaluate what you observed or experienced. What positive or negative feelings do you have regarding the situation? Consider how you might feel if you were a member of the host culture and held the dominant cultural values and beliefs?

The Dutch comfort now can even make me smile because I know it means well. I can even say something like it myself. I think if I was Dutch, I wouldn't even think about this phenomenon because it is so deeply rooted in their communication.

Introduction - Reetta Kangas

Hello! My name is Reetta. I'm a 2nd year Social services student at Centria in Kokkola. 

I'm going on an exchange to Windesheim University of Applied Sciences. It's in Zwolle, The Netherlands. There is a Children and Media minor that I'm going to do. I'm very excited to see what studying is like in the Netherlands, and all the things the program will teach me.

 
I'm originally from Pyhäjoki but have lived in Kokkola since August 2016. Before that I lived in Ireland for 7 months, working as an Au pair. I have also spent two summers at Åland. I love adventures, and even though living far from home is scary, it's also very rewarding.

I hope to learn many things about children and media while I'm in The Netherlands. I chose a Drama and Improvisation course that I'm honestly dreading, but I hope it will teach me a lot. It's something that will take me far from my comfort zone. I'm also excited to learn more about myself and the Dutch culture, and of course I want to improve my English speaking skills.

Letter home Milla

1.       In what country and University are you studying?

The Netherlands, Saxion University of Applied Sciences.

2.       In what Study program are you studying at Centria?

Industrial management, courses in Finnish language.

3.       What are the courses like at the host University?

Interesting. I study Business Engineering here and it’s so far different from the Finnish schedule I would have had.

4.       Describe the study culture?

We get a lot of homework compared to Finland. We are expected to read hundreds of pages theory every week and do multiple assignments for each class.

 There is lot of groupwork and studying is quite independent, the assigments are mostly done outside classes. During classes we have conversations on the theories and we are allowed to ask questions if something in our independent studies was incomprehensible to us.

5.       What is your study group like?

I think we have people from 14 different countries. Surprisingly we have about the same amount of men and women, which is unusual in engineering studies.

6.       Please describe what the everyday life is like in your host country? What do you like in particular?

I spend most of my time at school and at our flat, because of the amount of schoolwork. 

The food in shops is a little cheaper than in Finland, but the food at cafeterias and restaurants unfortunately isn’t.  I like the Unioncard student card, which grants me free swimming at a local pool and the possibility to join student sport associations at University of Twente. For just 30 euros extra fee, I now get to train boxing 3 times per week for my entire 6 months stay. 

Our flat is also quite nice, but the rent for this one room in a flat with 3 other students is 500 euros, which is more than I would pay in Ylivieska for a flat for myself alone.

7.       What has been challenging? Why?

The amount of schoolwork and meeting the expectations of the teachers, which seem to be set a lot higher than in Finland. In Finland I was able to get a top grade by showing up in all classes and doing all assignments in time, but in here, it doesn’t even guarantee passing the course. I am making some Averko courses to Finland to ensure I have enough credits, because in here, we are also allowed only one re-take of exam for this whole time!

8.       What has been the highlight of your exchange so far?

My roommates surprised me on my Birthday – they had secretly decorated our flat with balloons and a ”happy birthday” banner before I woke up in the morning! It was the best surprise I ever had on my birthday and I didn’t expect to celebrate at all.

Introduction: Milla-Maria Koskela

Hi!

I'm Milla-Maria Koskela from Centria Ylivieska. I study industrial management degree in finnish language.

I look forward to travel and study in Enschede, Saxion University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands. I chose it because they have Business Engineering courses :) Besides studying I look forward to networking and challenging myself.

I have lots of hobbies and I wish to continue them, but one above all is JCI activity. I participate it in Finland and I just received an introduction to local chamber in Enschede, which is considering having me as a prospect member.

Super excited!!!
Milla