{"id":180804,"date":"2025-08-19T12:34:05","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T10:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=180804"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:53","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:53","slug":"jamal-op-zoek-naar-studenten-van-ver-in-nieuw-zeeland-rijden-de-bussen-voor-geen-meter-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2025\/08\/19\/jamal-op-zoek-naar-studenten-van-ver-in-nieuw-zeeland-rijden-de-bussen-voor-geen-meter-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamal looking for students from far away: ‘In New Zealand the buses are terrible’"},"content":{"rendered":"

During Eurekaweek, Jamal looks for students with a surprising story. Who has travelled the farthest, who is the most hungover during Sports & Play and who are best friends already? On the opening day Jamal found a student from the other side of the world.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Una Margr\u00e9t Lungdal (with the white pants) and her friends.<\/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\tJamal Bimmel<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The newcomers meet each other during Campus Day. The hunt for the first-year who has travelled the most kilometres to get to Erasmus University starts at the Erasmus Magazine stand. Close by, a group of camera-shy teenagers forms a long queue at a stall where students spin a fortune wheel. Prizes range from bottles of dishwashing soap and law textbooks to tickets for the STAR pub quiz. The lucky winner of a bottle of soap says she\u2019s from Turkey, but under pressure from her friends she leaves immediately.<\/p>\n

Excellent public transport<\/h2>
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>

Elise Nierop spins the wheel.<\/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\tJamal Bimmel<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Elise Nierop, a Psychology student, turns 21 this Tuesday and spins the colourful wheel at the Domino\u2019s stall, all for a good cause: the Sophia Children\u2019s Hospital. Does Elise come from far away? \u201cI was born and raised in Rotterdam\u201d, she laughs.<\/p>\n

In front of the packed food court, a group of international students hangs around. The 23-year-old master\u2019s student Una Margr\u00e9t Lungdal comes from Iceland, a lot further than her fellow students from Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Last Saturday she moved from the cold island to a student complex in Kralingen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been to Rotterdam twice before and public transport is very good here. In Reykjav\u00edk everyone has a car, because the buses have very few stops.\u201d Una says Iceland is very hilly, which makes cycling difficult. That is why she is looking forward to using Rotterdam\u2019s flat cycle paths.<\/p>\n

With two planes and a train <\/h2>
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>

Loane Chauvineau (left) with her housemate Giulia Manta.<\/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\tJamal Bimmel<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

During the lunch break the phone rings. At the EM stand, they found a student from New Zealand by chance. Loane Chauvineau (19) is on exchange and is taking several courses at the ESHCC this year. \u201cI had the choice between the Netherlands and Sweden, but I\u2019m afraid of cold weather, so I chose Erasmus University.\u201d She says it never freezes in New Zealand and winter temperatures never drop below seven degrees. \u201cAlso, I don\u2019t like overthinking, so I chose the first Dutch university I came across.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Loane, the long journey with two planes and a train was certainly worth it. \u201cPublic transport is really awful in New Zealand, the buses are hopeless and very expensive, so everyone goes by car or on foot.\u201d To get to campus Loane likes to cycle, because there are few hills to overcome here.<\/p>\n

'Loser'<\/h2>

She also noticed that students at her previous university gossiped about each other more often than here. She remembers that students were called \u2018nerd\u2019 or \u2018loser\u2019 when they asked a question in class \u201cWhere I come from people are more introverted. In Rotterdam I feel I can talk to strangers much more easily and they judge you less.\u201d According to Loane this fear of being judged does not exist at Erasmus University. \u201cThe Rotterdam students I have met are super friendly and welcoming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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

Lees meer<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t