Helgard in Amsterdam

This document is an extended thank you note to everybody that made it possible for me to go on exchange to the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam for six months in 2014. It gives some feedback on my experience and how much it meant to me. My thanks goes to the lecturers, fellow students and international office at the VU for their hospitality in hosting me. I am deeply grateful to the Studiefonds Stichting at the Zuid-Afrika Huis in Amsterdam who’s generosity made it financially possible, but also for their kind reception in Amsterdam. Thank you finally to the PGIO at Stellenbosch University for their support on all terrains and for putting their faith in me as an ambassador for the university.
Here is why I am so grateful…

Arriving and Settling in:

The prospect of going on exchange to the Netherlands was greatly enriched by the wonderful privilege of sharing the experience with my wife Erin, who was to spend 10 months in Utrecht as an Erasmus exchange student as part of her Ph.D. studies. We had heard so many stories of older couples who had done something similar in their youth and we knew that the shared memories would be priceless.

The downside however was that Erin left 4 months before me! The time apart was difficult for both of us. I won’t bore you with the soppy details, or the stress-filled travel arrangements; let’s just say that it did make the reunion so much sweeter when I finally arrived at Schiphol airport on the 9th of January.

Settling in was easier for me than for Erin as she had gone through most of the necessary admin alone, making her an excellent guide when I had to learn the in’s and out’s of the public transport system, immigration services, getting a bank account and so on. Tinneke from the Studiefonds Stichting gave me a warm welcome at the Zuid-Afrika Huis and so did the friendly people at the Vrije Universiteit.

My experiences at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam:

I was to follow only two courses at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) as the largest outstanding part of my MTh degree was writing a thesis. Both courses involved an in-depth reading of a classic text from the Christian tradition with fellow scholars & experts in the particular field. The first of these took up the challenge of reading Augustine’s massive De Civitate Dei. It was my first experience of this pedagogical approach and in spite of the challenges involved I developed valuable research skills while gaining insight into and respect for Augustine’s thought. The second course focused on the Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor’s widely acclaimed (and at 800 pages equally large) book A Secular Age. As a book that more people speak of than have actually read the work, it stimulated heated discussions on how to understand the phenomenon of secularization and the (new) role that God and religion may play after the so-called “death of God” in the West.
It would be a mistake to reduce my academic experience at the VU to those two courses:

I was also invited by Prof. Willie v.d. Merwe of the philosophy department to take part in bi-weekly seminars in their project Metamorfoses that seeks to trace the transformation of Christianity in a secular age through philosophy, art and literature. This included a number of renowned thinkers that I have previously only dream of meeting.

Prof. v.d. Merwe also gave me helpful guidance in my own research focus and the various discussions and influences made for a very creative atmosphere in which to do research.

In May the Protestant Theological University, located at the VU, held an international conference on God in the public domain, to which a number of my lecturers from Stellenbosch were also invited. The conference was very stimulating and made a great impression on me.

Special mention should be made of two public lectures where, on both occasions South Africans were speakers. The first was renowned poet and intellectual Antjie Krog speaking on Ubuntu. Even though I had heard Antjie speak before, listening to her challenge Western thought with the transgressive spiritual resources offered by African Wisdom in Europe made a lasting impression on me, as it did on her European audience. As inspiring was Mpho Tutu at the annual Martin Luther King lecture. Her challenging and empowering talk appropriated the rich legacy of non-violent protest, reconciliation and hope epitomized by MLK and her father Desmond for the challenges facing the global society today.

In short, the varied experiences at the VU, broadened my horizons considerably as it also equipped me with invaluable skills, knowledge and insight to take home with me

Personal Epiphanies:

Sometimes distance is necessary. Distance awakens the imagination and provides the mental and emotional space needed to reflect. This exchange in the Netherlands provided such distance—distance from my day-to-day life; distance from my people; distance from my country.

The first things I started missing (besides the weather) were my family and friends, and the experience of longing brought home how special these people are to me and how they have shaped me to be who I am. I cannot wait to see them again!

Hearing news reports from home triggers stronger emotions than usual as you try to deal with frustration (hearing news about the ongoing Nkandla scandal), hope (hearing about upcoming elections), and loss (when I heard the sad news of Prof. Botman’s passing) in a foreign country where no one else understands. Not surprisingly I was always emotional whenever I met a South-African here. Erin and I feel a stronger bond with our home country than ever before and are determined to continue finding new ways of making a positive contribution to society upon our return.

With time and space to reflect I could gain new perspective on my own career, which will enter a new phase soon as I am applying for work. I have gained so many valuable insights that I feel refreshed and excited about the time ahead.

But my time here was not all about distance from home. I made many new friends who went a long way to making me feel at home, enriching my experience greatly. I learnt a great deal from them and hope to remain in contact with them in the future.

Traveling in the Netherlands and Europe:

The exchange afforded us with a unique opportunity to travel in the Netherlands and Europe over weekends and holiday breaks. Memories were made that will accompany us for many years to come.

Some of my highlights included entering the awe inspiring Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, strolling through Bergamo on a spring night to eat Italian in Italy for our 2-year anniversary, hiking along the Italian coastline at Cinque Terre, watching an Opera in Vienna, wine-touring with friends in Switzerland and meeting my parents who were on vacation in Belgium.

This takes nothing away from simply living in Holland, breathing in Dutch culture, learning to speak a new language, cycling everywhere, drinking local beer, eating cheese, stroop wafels, pannekoeke and bitterballen and celebrating a King’s birthday in the streets!

The experience as a whole was often as formative and educational as it was fun and exciting. I thoroughly scaled the halls of Amsterdam’s art museums and visited many museums, historical sites and architectural marvels in the other countries we visited. Through such experiences I gained a renewed appreciation for Western culture, while my research reminded me of the importance of appropriating this heritage in ways that are liberating and just.
Not only did we stumble across breathtaking views and humbling sights—we were also offered new vistas on what life could be like.