First experience:
Before I arrived in Leiden I was absolutely terrified. Geared in a massive Kayway jacket and what felt like a million of layers, I landed at Schipol airport. My first challenge was to navigate the public transport system and find my new home. After nearly boarding the wrong train and damaging my suitcase on the European cobblestone streets, I found my room with the help of a lot of strangers. I had a misperception that Europeans are more cold and unwelcoming than the inhabitants of the Southern hemisphere, but I was proved wrong with every smile and random act of kindness. At the airport everyone showed me where to go, a man offered to carry my suitcase down the escalator and a woman welcomed me to the Netherlands with a warm stroopwafel.
My first week consisted of finding my feet in a unfamiliar town and country. Every morning I put on comfortable shoes and deliberately got lost in Leiden’s identical streets. Trying to find the cheapest supermarket, my faculty and way back home was the most pleasant experience. Leiden really is a beautiful place. The streets and canals are framed by narrow Dutch houses and historical buildings. Although the streets look similar, a wrong turn will lead you to a majestic church or a castle dating back from the Roma occupation. I would encourage every exchange student to do the same and to take the time to explore their new home completely on their own, it will give them the knowledge and confidence they need for the first few weeks of culture shock.
The first night in Leiden I was completely overwhelmed and out of my comfort zone. I decided to be bold and message a South African living in Leiden. He immediately offered to take me for a welcoming beer at the local jazz club. This cozy place quickly became my favorite pub to spend cold evenings in Leiden. I immediately met a whole group of international students who were also meeting people for the first time. Our shared experienced caused an instant bond and friendship group.
At first I had problems to understand the Dutch academic system and I was constantly paranoid that I will miss an important class or worse, an exam. But my queries were quickly answered and fears diminished by the friendly Ms. Zagar from the Dutch Studies department. My confidence in myself increased with every admin task I conquered – registering for classes, printing my first assignment and opening a Dutch bank account. It definitely helped me to feel proud of myself and my new-found European independence. I also started to build a daily routine of studying and exploring. Creating a routine gives an exchange student a sense of security and changes the new environment into a place which feels more and more like home.
Half way through:
Half way through my exchange experience I grew familiar with the people and Dutch way of life. Where I was initially astonished every time I heard people having a conversation in Dutch, I suddenly found myself asking questions in Dutch. Which at first felt like an overwhelming and strange holiday gradually turned into my daily life and comfort zone. A comfort zone which starts to feel like home.
A big initial adaption was that most of my classes were in Dutch. I sometimes felt frustrated if a question was asked and I knew the answer, but that I felt limited to express my thoughts on the topic in Dutch. Luckily my lecturers and fellow classmates had a lot of patience and continued to encourage me to practice and perfect my language. It definitely helped to watch Dutch television and to repeat things out loud, although I think my housemates probably thought I was slowly losing my mind.
The Dutch people are extremely friendly and helpful on the streets, but they are notorious to be quite private. It is uncommon if a Dutch person invites you to their house after the first meeting. Keeping in mind the liberal Dutch laws of legal marijuana use and prostitution, one would expect the Dutch people to make use of these liberties. But it is interesting to see that it is not the case. In Amsterdam it is mostly the tourists who visit the Coffee Houses and Red Light District. The Dutch are generally extremely hard workers and family orientated. My housemates were always hard at work and appeared to be fairly conservative. The most distinctive characteristic of the Dutch is however their love for cycling. Children can ride bicycles before they can walk and you regularly see couples holding hands while riding their bikes.
I fell in love with the European summer and everything that happened the moment the clouds disappeared and the canals reflected the sunlight. Everyone moved out of their houses in and into the parks or on to the water. Sitting next to the canals you could look at all the boats and their cheering passengers. The Dutch really appreciate the summer and their culture revolves around enjoying the canals and drinking beer outside bars. Especially in a relaxed town like Leiden, this laid back attitude was constantly evident. While they work extremely hard and take great pride in their culture, they also know how to enjoy themselves.
The greatest Dutch joy is found in football. During the World Cup and on game days every single person, from old ladies to babies, wears an orange outfit. Sitting in my room I can always hear when the Netherlands scored a goal based on the loud cheers that filled the streets. It was especially during these moments that I started to dread the idea of packing my bags and returning home.
Going home:
While flying back to South Africa I contemplated on my time in the Netherlands. I was amazed how quickly six months can pass, and how quickly you can call a place your home. I was ashamed of the tears flowing down my cheeks when I had these thoughts, and a Dutch elderly man awkwardly gave me a tissue. A gesture which worsened my crying! I was happy to return to family and loved one, but extremely sad to say goodbye to new friends and favourite places. I remembered the promises I made of a swift return, but was saddened by the deep truth in my heart… I had to say farewell.
Leiden is a small place and consequently everyone knows each other and have a favourite place they frequently visit. We spend late nights in the local jazz bar, marvelling at the talented live performers and tasty beer. We danced in an underground Dutch disco on Friday nights, raising our hands up to a 90’s hit. We sat for hours in the park on the lush green grass and dipping our feet in the urban lakes. We took a late night train to Amsterdam and walked across the winding canals. We had lively dinner parties where we sat with Google Translate on stand-by. We drank wine from Spain, ate cookies from Poland and chewed on German sweets. And during all of these adventures and lazy days, a group of international people became friends, and friends became family.
Sitting on the plane, I remember the initial fears I had. The mountains of admin I had to conquer to get to Europe. The piles of papers and visa anxieties. The precautions about culture shock, depression and loneliness. I remembered how I constantly checked to see if my passport is safely in my money bag, how I sat at the boarding gates hours before the departure, how terrified I was of arriving at Schipol and finding my new home. When I flew back to South-Africa, my passport was nestled in my jacket’s pocket. I was relaxed and managed to check-in the night before, go out for a farewell party and arrive at the airport with minimum time to spare. I realised I changed as a person. I was confident, more trusting of strangers and relieved of my former panic attacks. Leiden taught me to care less about what people think of me, and care more for people. It taught me that although people have different cultures, people remain people. It taught me that I should be proud of my nationality and beautiful country, and grateful for the opportunities I am given in life.
When I arrived in South Africa, I was surprised to find that nothing changed. My friends lived in the same places, the local Spar still sells delicious pancakes and the same people sit in Bohemia. I had to adjust to returning changed to an environment that remained the same. But I also learned that you return on a dream state, and that sadly you quickly have to realize that reality strikes hard. I am so grateful that the university awarded me with this amazing opportunity. I strongly encourage other students to work hard, do research on scholarships and enjoy the best semester of your life. The six months feels like a short dream, but the friends you make, the cherished memories you create and the lessons you learn will last a life time. Thank you for Stellenbosch University, Leiden University, Stichting Studiefonds, SAVN, the Afrikaans Department and Huba for giving me the greatest gift one can receive.