Leah is currently on exchange at Wageningen University, and here are some of her impressions and experiences.
Pre-departure: Excitement, anxiety and apprehension
Applying to do exchange at Wageningen University was a time consuming process, as the exchange I wanted to do was research based, I had to apply as an exchange student, find a Supervisor, and somehow find a way of fitting my project into their department. However, with the helping hand of various willing parties the process went pretty smoothly and I was finally accepted. Hurdle one conquered!
Upon acceptance, planning the trip to the Netherlands was the easy part. Luckily I have an EU passport, so it was just a matter of going online and booking the tickets. The International exchange department at Wageningen University are so efficient, that they placed me in a room with no hassles. Easy, all my arrangements sorted!
Once I had my ticket and accommodation sorted, came the money matters! Regarding money, I was confronted by many options. I had no idea what to do, so I figured when in doubt cover all bases! I exchanged enough rands to euros to last my first few days there (in case my cards didn’t work), I got an American Express world bank card and I took my South African bank card with me. In retrospect I think taking cash was wise, especially for the first few days, but getting a world bank card wasn’t the best option for me, as very few places accept it here in the Netherlands and it became such a mission to constantly find a bank that I could draw money from, and to top it all they charge you every time you want to draw money! In the in, I decided to register with the municipality and open up a Dutch bank account which made life so much easier.
And then, what to pack??? Heading to European Winter I had no idea what I was facing! South African winters are mild in comparison to what I was about to face, and I didn’t have a clue what to pack. On top of that, winter clothes are heavy and bulky, so I had to pack wisely to not end up being over-weight. And to make it even more complicated, I was heading there at the tail end of summer, so I had to pack semi-summer clothes too…sigh. All I can say is, thank goodness for Emirates, having the luxury of taking 30Kg over was a lifesaver!!
It only hit me the night before that I was leaving home for 3 month to a foreign country, where I knew no one. I felt terrified for the first time, so I did what any reasonable person would do, I stalked my future home. I sat on google maps, virtual walking through the streets of Wageningen, ‘standing’ in front of my future student house and I felt at peace. It looked so incredibly beautiful and I felt at home already! I awoke the next morning with this mounting excitement and I couldn’t wait to get on the plane and leave! Of course there was a tearful goodbye, but I sat on the plane leaving Cape Town International filled with excitement and I couldn’t wait to get there.
At Wageningen University:
I came to Wageningen University eager to begin my research in the labs. I went to see my exchange co-ordinator upon arrival and she had everything sorted out for me, so registering and getting my student card was a breeze. I had found a willing supervisor before arriving who approved my project ‘Insects as food’, and was allowing me to do a part of my Masters research under her supervision. However, upon arrival I was told she had had a severe concussion and would not be returning to work for the rest of the year. That left me in a quite a complicated position, as no one else had the experience and expertise she did in that field. Additionally, the head of department was away so I had to wait for his return before I could figure out my next move.
In the meantime, I got settled down in Wageningen, bought myself a second hand bike, joined a buddy group and kept myself busy by cycling around the beautiful towns surrounding Wageningen and attending international student events. Wageningen is a small student town, much like Stellenbosch, and they are both beautiful in their own way. Stellenbosch is surrounded by majestic mountains and vineyards, whereas Wageningen is amid lush, green forests.
A week later the head of department arrived and we discussed my project arrangements. He was incredibly helpful and insightful, and within the hour he had figured out a way for me to continue as planned. In the end, I didn’t have a supervisor to supervise all my tests, but I was helped immensely by the lab technician and I joined a research team who were more than willing to help me through all the sections of my research. All in all, my experience doing research in the Food and Bio-based Research labs at Wageningen was incredible! The students come from all over the world, and are so interesting and friendly, making the working environment so comfortable and enjoyable. The supervisors and lab technicians are brilliant and always available to help. Additionally, being rated the 47th top University in the world, the facilities are really top notch! I learnt a lot, and I got to work with equipment I hadn’t been exposed to before, making every day different! I’ve really enjoyed working here, as Wageningen is more equipped for my particular project, making a lot of the logistics surrounding testing and results much easier.
Aside from all the academics, the lifestyle in Wageningen is genuinely amazing! It is a hub of international students, are there are always events happening allowing you to experience different cultures, and to go on excursions around the Netherlands and to neighbouring countries. On weekends everyone is always keen to jump on the next train to see a new town in the Netherlands or to head over to boarder to Belgium or Germany for the weekend. My experience here has been so enriching, and I’ve seen more beautiful sights than I could have imagined! Thus far I have met some of the most amazing people, and I have built some really solid friendships along the way. I still have a month and a half left here I’m really wishing my time here would never end!
Returning to Stellenbosch:
I was thrilled to return to sunny South Africa, although I absolutely loved my time at Wageningen, the cold Dutch weather definitely made leaving the Netherlands easier. The process of leaving was not as simple as just packing up and leaving, as it was difficult saying goodbye to all the good friends I had made along the way. Returning, however, was not as easy as I thought it would be either. I had expected things to be the same when I returned, however, in the short three months I has been away so much had changed. Whilst I was away there was constant negativity in the media regarding all the developments in South Africa, both at a Governmental level and at the universities. While I was away, the student protests had gained momentum, and upon my return there was this tangible negativity in the air, and the all-round mood and attitude of students on campus had changed and there was a blatant animosity amongst students that was never there before. It was so strange coming from such this Dutch university, with a multitude of people from so many different countries and cultures, where everyone was so excited and interested in each other’s differences, and then coming back to South Africa, where everyone seemed to be caught in this time warp, where race and creed was of the utmost importance. It was strange adjusting to the mind-set, and in that way I realised how behind we are in South Africa. It affected me quite bit in the beginning, as I was so used to everyone being so open and accepting in the Netherlands that I felt claustrophobic being back. It was great being the Netherlands, in a country where the Government and country works like a well-oiled machine, and it took some adjustment to fall back into the South African lifestyle and mentality. A few weeks after being back, I got into the swing of things and South Africa started to feel like home again. It was great to back in a country where you don’t have to pay for public toilets and the warm sun greets you every morning. There are so many South African idiosyncrasies that I had missed whilst I was away, and despite falling in love with so many countries overseas, there really is no other country like South Africa out there. Being overseas taught me that the grass may seem greener, but as soon as you fly into Cape Town International and see that beautiful mountain welcoming you in, there really is no place like home. My exchange opened my eyes, and I would love to travel much more. Should I decide to study further, studying at Wageningen would be my first choice. They just had such a different approach to research, and I think it’s good to gain knowledge and expertise from two different institutions. At the end of the day, no matter where I travel, Cape Town will always be my home.