{"id":70234,"date":"2017-04-29T10:00:20","date_gmt":"2017-04-29T08:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/?p=70234\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:46","slug":"huize-hallelujah-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2017\/04\/29\/huize-hallelujah-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Hallelujah House"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kees (20), Johan (20), Suzanne (19), Sanne (20),\nEefke (19, Mark-Peter (19)<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>

Three lads and three lasses rush up to the dining table and sit down. Mark-Peter \u2013 aged 19 and wearing a gold cross on a chain round his neck \u2013 nevertheless takes off his cap and hangs it on the back of his chair. He folds his hands and the others close their eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear God, thank you for this food. Give us strength in all we do this evening.\u201d This ritual takes place every day in the student house, located on the multicultural Mathenesserweg. Mark-Peter tells us that at least 80 members of the NSR student association are currently living on this street. Some members of this religious association work at the Vastgoedbeheer Rotterdam housing corporation. They tip off NSR if any rooms are free.<\/p>\n

'Sex is something else'<\/h3>

All six occupants are 19 or 20 and enjoy student life to the full. There\u2019s a half-empty bottle of Bacardi on the windowsill, so they obviously drink \u2018enough\u2019. And they share hugs, even with each other.<\/p>\n

But sex is something else again. Everyone sitting round the table shuffles their feet when the word is mentioned. One-night stands aren\u2019t actually unwelcome, but that kind of visit isn\u2019t really encouraged. As Eefke (19) explains: \u201cWe\u2019d ask the person a few questions the next day, about whether they\u2019re OK. We\u2019d be concerned. Nobody needs to act tougher than they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sponsorship by Heineken<\/h3>

The students finish off their meal with three cartons of custard and a container of Greek yoghurt. The eating area is clean and tidy, which isn\u2019t surprising as only ladies live on this floor and a cleaning rota\u2019s in force here.<\/p>\n

On the next floor up, where cleaning chores are shared out through WhatsApp, there\u2019s a sofa made of Heineken beer crates with old beer posters hanging above it. These come from 20-year old Johan\u2019s dad, who had the very same posters up in his house as a student. The iron is another interesting item and was donated by Mark-Peter\u2019s gran. The idea is to build a gateway out of beer crates to create a Heineken corner, with the posters and a flag. \u201cWe\u2019re going to ask Heineken to sponsor us when it\u2019s finished,\u201d Mark-Peter says.<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018Rembrandt\u2019s Night Watch bought at Kwantum\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

The lads are putting up other decorations in the meantime. Mark-Peter once got hold of a McDonald\u2019s poster from a bus shelter after a night out. Another poster is a reproduction of Rembrandt\u2019s Night Watch bought at Kwantum, \u201csimply because it\u2019s so beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark-Peter drops another showpiece: his Bible. One of the lads comments on its dilapidated state: \u201cYou\u2019ve read it to bits!\u201d Which happens to be true as well.<\/p>\n

read more<\/h2>