{"id":132424,"date":"2021-11-08T14:57:13","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T13:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=132424"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:58","slug":"from-umbrellas-to-frikandellen-how-to-adapt-to-dutch-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/11\/08\/from-umbrellas-to-frikandellen-how-to-adapt-to-dutch-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"From umbrellas to frikandellen: how to adapt to Dutch culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

From trying to understand what <\/span>frikandellen<\/span><\/i> taste like to screaming your favourite songs at Cantus, you face many new experiences as an international student in the Netherlands. Some experiences will make you smile; some may surprise you, and to some\u2026 you just can\u2019t get used to. We asked international students about \u2018all things Dutch\u2019 that they are still trying to adjust to, and you guessed it, weather is definitely among them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Ece Dogac Demircioglu from Turkey studies Economics.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNatalia Khozyainova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

It\u2019s a regular afternoon in October: the windows of Food Plaza are being flooded, and the trees outside seem about to pop out. Ece, an Economics exchange student from Turkey, is waiting for her friend in Food Plaza. Ece moved here a month ago, and the one thing that still throws her off-track is ever-shifting weather. \u201cIt\u2019s crazy how it changes ten times a day, just look outside!\u201d, she laughs. It\u2019s true, three minutes later the sun comes out. \u201cSome might think that I\u2019m cold here after Turkey, but this is not the issue. I love rain and snow. But the weather is confusing my plans: do I go, do I not go? I don\u2019t know how Dutch people do it. I hope to learn someday.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Not risking biking<\/h2>
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>

Vladislav Manolov from Moldova studies International Bachelor Economics and Business Economics.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNatalia Khozyainova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

Vladislav, who moved here from Moldova in the summer, is less wary of the weather, as he is using public transport to commute. Living far away from campus, he decided not to risk biking in these unpredictable conditions. As a tram user though, he is frustrated that you can\u2019t top up your card inside the transport or at the stops \u2014 or that you must have a card. \u201cIn Moldova it\u2019s much simpler \u2014 you pay and you go. Transportation here is much better, but how many times I forgot my card and felt the struggle!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Why not use an umbrella<\/h2>
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>

Mary Zhang from China studies Econometrics and Economics.<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNatalia Khozyainova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

And what about students living here for a while? Mary, who originally is from China, is living in the Netherlands since she was 12 years old. She says that the country is so international that it was easy to instantly feel at home. Even the culinary shift went smoothly \u2014 she loves fried foods, and the Dutch cuisine, \u2018quite similar to Chinese in texture\u2019, ticked all the boxes. What she still cannot get used to is Dutch people\u2019s refusal to use umbrellas. \u201cI asked them <\/span>why<\/span><\/i> many times\u201d, Mary laughs. \u201cAnd then they explain that it rains for one minute and gets sunny again, so it doesn\u2019t make sense to open the umbrella. I\u2019m never giving up on my umbrella though!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t

De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t