Outgoing Dutch exchange students kicked off their final farewell last Friday alongside departing international exchange students at Radboud in a celebratory and informative event held in Linnaeusgebouw. Approximately 200 students attended the event. The farewell event gave Dutch students the opportunity to talk with exchange students to gain useful information about the country they plan to travel to. 

The mood was mixed with both excitement and a twinge of sadness, as many exchange students expressed that they were unprepared to return home after their life-changing study abroad experience at Radboud. Many internationals shared the highlights of their experience in the Netherlands, along with some useful advice for the new incoming Erasmus students. 20-year-old French student Jeanne Grimaudi reflected: ‘I’ll be sad to leave. I have met so many great people here. It was so good for me to travel and get out of my comfort zone. On the other hand, it was difficult to get used to the coursework and the mandatory readings. My advice is to be prepared- don’t wait until the last minute to get your work done.’ Difficulties in adjusting to the academic culture of Radboud was a common experience mentioned by most of the international students in attendance. Foreigners also expressed how impressed they were with Dutch people’s advanced level of English.

‘Get used to biking in the snow’

Overall, the intermingling of local and foreign students allowed for outbound Dutch students to make new contacts with their foreign guests – a concern which was noted by many internationals. As Spaniard Blanca experienced, ‘The Netherlands is a great country. People are so open and accepting. It’s not difficult to fit in here. However, internationals always feel a little bit separate from Dutch students so it’s important to find opportunities to meet locals.’ As Dahye Kim from South Korea adds, ‘Get used to biking!’ USA bound Dutch student Boris chimed in: ‘Get used to biking in the snow. The streets are frozen in winter.’

American Marketing student Thuy divulged that the biggest difficulty he had in his transition to the Dutch life was the food, which resulted in a great improvement of his cooking throughout his time here. The Dutch grading structure was another common element which created some confusion among internationals. Feedback from foreigners was met with advice from local Dutch students on how to succeed here. Business Administration student Lisa Kleintjens warned: ‘The Dutch are direct, so students should be aware of this cultural difference.’ Kleintjens is happily heading south to Spain where she hopes to develop her Spanish and experience life outside the Dutch borders.

Start early
According to international exchange faculty member Rob van Leeuwen, 40% of Dutch Radboud students are able to spend a semester abroad. The Universities goal is to raise this number to 50%, as study abroad is considered a valuable experience filled which life lessons which cannot be taught in the textbooks. Van Leeuwen’s advice for Radboud students interested in travelling is to start planning now. ‘Start a year in advance. Some universities are more popular than others, so have a backup plan. Students should really think about what attracts them and what they want to get out of the experience in order to make it most impactful.’

Before bringing the event to a close, French student Paul Davodeau was awarded first prize in the international photo competition. Students were then treated to drinks and hors d’oeuvres as they shared laughs and socialized over memories and pre-travel jitters.