Is your stay in the Netherlands temporary or permanent?
Research shows that most international students are not really attached to the Netherlands. Most of them leave the country after graduating. Is this also the case with Erasmus students? Do they see their stay in the Netherlands as temporary or permanent?
Roman Shcherbatyy, second-year IBEB (from Ukraine)
“Since I travelled a lot I learned to find my home anywhere. So I can say I feel at home here. However, I am not planning on staying here. The depressing weather is very demotivating. The main reason I came here is because I wanted to study in English and I like numbers. The IBEB ambassadors promoted the study at my high school, which made me apply to Erasmus University.
I am mostly committed to the student life here. All of my friends here are students as well. So besides that, nothing is really keeping me here. I also did not learn Dutch. I know some basic things, but I do not really feel the urge to study it further. Everybody speaks English and I simply don’t have the time.”
Christos Makris, master Marketing Management (from Greece)
“I have been here for eighteen months now, but I do not really feel Dutch. I do think it is very comfortable here. However, our cultures are very different. Besides, most of my time is consumed by studying, as the courses here are very intensive. Therefore, it does not leave me any time to explore the Dutch culture in another way. This is one of the reasons why I would like to stay here and find a job. Then I can also experience the day-to-day working life in the Netherlands.
When I first came to the Netherlands I studied at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. The main reasons to come and study here are the low tuition fees and the affordable living expenses. Furthermore it is quite easy to live here, since it is a very international and open country. I still have to work on the language, but I am starting a Dutch course next week.”
Eduard von Oldershausen, second-year IBEB (from Germany)
“When I heard that my cousin went to study in Maastricht, I started thinking about going here as well. The good universities in Germany are private ones and therefore very expensive. So it is cheaper to study here and the Dutch universities have a very good reputation in Europe. Moreover, my father has lived here for fifteen years. I wanted to go and see it here as well.
The only thing I am really sure about right now, is that I don’t want to go back to Germany. I have lived there almost my entire life and I like to see new places. So I might stay in the Netherlands, I cannot think of any reasons why not. However, I would like to go to Amsterdam. I think there is more to experience there.”
Nuno Genz, second-year IBA (from Germany)
“I can say I do like it here. It is nice, peaceful and calm. Of course I cannot look into the future, but I don’t want to exclude living here. I’ll probably do my master here when I finish my bachelor. Since the cultural differences between Germany and the Netherlands are small, it is not that hard to get acclimated here. Moreover, my parents live close to the Dutch border, so I can go home often.
When I go home I mostly miss my friends and life here. So I guess not so much the Netherlands itself. For me the main reasons to study here was the English programme. In Germany it is not possible to study business in English. Furthermore, the reputation is good and it is not too far from home.” JV
