I feel like I am a part of society!
 
‘I always wanted to go to Europe to study – first I went to Greece, and now I’ve been living in the Netherlands for two years. When I finish my master’s in Social and Cultural Anthropology, I’d like to stay on for a few months and then go back to Cyprus. Having studied in two different European countries means I am very much aware of the differences. The Greeks are really laid back and are not very organized, unlike the Dutch, who nearly always have their diaries with them. The Dutch are truly global in their outlook – there are many different cultures to be found here. I don’t feel Dutch myself, but I don’t feel like a tourist either. I feel like I am a part of society! I’ve even got a job in a restaurant in the city centre.
 
I often see my fellow students when I’m not studying – we try and organize something as a group every couple of weeks, just going out for a drink or a meal, or a night out, or whatever. The Anthropology course keeps you busy, but the Netherlands is much too nice not to see anything of it!
 
My favourite spot in Amsterdam? ‘De Pijp,’ a relaxed district in Amsterdam with some great cafés where you can enjoy a coffee, and I love second-hand shops – there are lots in the area.’

Fiorentina Pouli from Cyprus.

I love herring! 
 
‘I have just come back to the Netherlands – for the last three months I have been in my home country, Vietnam, for my urbanization field research.
 
It was only by chance that I came to be studying in the Netherlands – it was a cousin of mine who told me about the country. I am very interested in urbanization, but hardly any research into the subject has been done in Vietnam, while in the Netherlands it is a well-known phenomenon.
The education at VU Amsterdam is very different to that in Vietnam – here you can have debates with your tutors. For example, almost every week I have to hand in a paper, and I always receive feedback.
 
I spend a lot of time on my studies, but I have still managed to see something of the Netherlands – it’s not a very big country. The Dutch themselves are very friendly, and they respect each other. And they stick to the rules, something the Vietnamese could learn!
 
My tip: your student card often gets you a discount in shops and restaurants! And you must try herring – delicious!’

Hoang Vu Nguyen from Vietnam.

Syrup waffles, bicycles and canals - that is what the Netherlands is to me!
 
‘When I was doing my bachelor’s, I went to Italy as an exchange student, and that was where I first heard more about the Netherlands and the VU Amsterdam. My curiosity was aroused, and I’m now working on my master’s thesis.
It’s great to cycle round the city at the weekend, especially if there aren’t any tourists around. Even though I don’t feel as though I’m a tourist any more, I still sometimes find myself acting like one! One of the first things I did when I arrived in the Netherlands was to buy a bike, even though I had never cycled before! I bought a second-hand one from ‘Klavertje vier,’ the cycle shop near the VU. At first I used to just cycle up and down the street, but now I travel across the whole city on my bike.
 
I also have a great deal of contact with my fellow Finance students – there are forty of us. After the end of each period we go to the Bruin Cafe (the bar on the campus premises), and sometimes the tutors come with us! The tutors here are very accessible anyway – the door is always open, and you always get feedback. In Romania it’s a different story. The strangest thing to me when I first came here is that you are allowed to eat during lectures! 
 
If you’re coming to Amsterdam, my tips are to look at www.lastminuteticketshop.nl where you can get a 50% discount on tickets for concerts and the theatre! And don’t forget to bring some rainwear when coming to the Netherlands.’

Gabriela Fortfota from Romania