The new school year is approaching, a good time to reflect on the good and not so good things that have happened since August 2022. A year ago I was at my desk and already mentally preparing myself for what was going to be an overwhelming new phase in my life, going off to college in the Netherlands and moving out on my own. The thought was causing me anxiety, and the sheets on my desk with essays on "Ion" and "The Lighthouse" were being used as excuses to distract me from the next big step in my life. At the time, I had no idea what things were like in Holland, how different everything was from the comforts of home, or how I should approach this adventure. But almost a year after that shock of leaving home, I can proudly say that I have gained some answers for the younger me studying at the office for my BAC.
- Here people really want to help you
A conclusion that struck me from my first day at college, and that hasn't changed for a second during my first 2 semesters abroad. From the moment I arrived on campus to submit my admissions paperwork, I felt how open the ladies at the registrar's office were to guiding me and, after all, doing their job. I put my paperwork on my desk, used to the lack of empathy shown by public office employees who would send you anywhere they didn't have business. This fear of not having everything in order, or of returning when the civil servant was in the mood or on schedule, disappeared about 2 days after I landed on Dutch soil. Even going to the town hall to confirm my move and to get my BSN was an easy operation that took 10 minutes, exactly as long as it said online on the platform where I registered my appointment. There was no standing in queues, or waiting for more counters to open, everything went smoothly. And even if I missed a paper that was stipulated on the website, it was enough to show a picture with the relevant data, the man in question said that frequently those who sign up for a registration number forget from the paperwork. Fortunately, however, I noticed that there was none of that bureaucratic crampon typical of the Moritic lands back home, which was a welcome change.
- Public transport really is an option
And another very good one. Trains are (almost) always on time, among the fastest in Europe, and the short distances between cities make it very easy to visit the whole country. What's more, absolutely all the buses are electric and have well-established routes, which makes it very easy to get from one point to another, especially when you're new to a city. All the timetable and transport details can be found on the NS app, which will even guide you to get an OV Card, specifically to pay for public transport. There's also metro in cities like Amsterdam and The Hague, also new, all good reasons to leave your car at home. Much different, in a good way, from Romania, where public transport pushes you onto roads already full of honking and crowded with polluting cars and buses, and where CFR supplies the same late, 60-year-old locomotives.
- Traffic is much freer
Speaking of... the roads are much freer in the Netherlands, with people preferring the options outlined above, or walking. Add to this the use of bicycles, a real mainstay of transport in the Netherlands. They benefit from the necessary infrastructure, but also from a developed civic sense of citizens, who respect the directions and rights of each participant in traffic, whether on 2 or 4 wheels. In Romania, cycling is discouraged, as there are very few cycle lanes, while the Netherlands has built roundabouts with special lanes for them and giant car parks where people can leave their vehicles. This underlines the importance of the locals for efficient traffic and as close to zero pollution as possible, a value deeply ingrained in the consciousness of the locals, who look at you strangely if you don't own a bike. For more pointers on making traffic more efficient in the Netherlands, here is a link, which should elaborate more.
- The weather is a bit more fickle than at home
And I learned this the hard way, in the most literal sense of the expression. I expected the Netherlands to be a bit colder than our country, especially coming from a southern city, where temperatures are relatively high during spring and autumn. But I didn't expect the Dutch cold to overcome all the clothes I had brought with me the first month. Adding in wind influences and frequent rain, we have a cocktail of flavored teas, nose wipes and Nurofen sent packaged from home to combat the regular colds that tried me in the first months. Furthermore, the climatic peculiarity of this state, to feature all 4 seasons in the span of a day, may make many want to give up college and whatever aspect keeps them stuck in this hell of adverse weather.
- Dutch prices and Romanian wages
It's not a very good combination. Especially when you get to the first McDonald's and see that a 30 lei menu in Romania ends up costing double here. This difference may seem shocking at first, as you may not be too familiar with the prices at home, but over time things settle down and you end up setting a realistic budget. For me, this has taught me a lot about resource management and decision making, as I've always had to consider how much is in the bank and how far I can stretch my duvet. In addition, this cost fallacy has made me look more closely at the phenomenon of inflation and its effects on the cost of food people buy every day and how relevant any small price additions can prove to be.
Bonus
I never thought a country could be so overwhelmed by the large number of migrants it has, let alone a developed country like the Netherlands. But over time, you end up hearing stories about people who have delayed starting university for lack of accommodation, or how others have signed contracts obliging them to pay 700 euros for a forgotten nightmare. Romania doesn't have these problems yet, thankfully, and hopefully soon the Netherlands won't either, but the shock of this reality is one that has stayed with me constantly during my first year here and will make me look at the housing market in other places differently.
The bottom line is that no place can always be perfect, regardless of appearances. But the people we meet along the way may or may not confirm our expectations of a particular area. All in all, I recommend anyone who has the chance and the desire to take this step, to take this decision, because the experience and knowledge gained will only be appreciated in time, and the discovery of a new culture and another reality is immeasurable.
Article by Horia Marin.
Horia is a first year student in the Netherlands studying Marketing Management. He joined the Rompro team recently to share his student experiences in the Netherlands and to help those moving here get a smoother start. She is an outgoing person who likes to get involved in as many activities as possible and help as many people as possible. She hates the Dutch cuisine, however, and public transport delays.
