Micheala van der Linde
M. Social Anthropology
Semester Exchange in the First Semester, 2024 at Tilburg University
Pre-departure:
The admin involved during the pre-departure process was a lot of stressful work, but both Stellenbosch University and Tilburg University were super helpful throughout. More specifically, Angelo McKerry was always available to answer my emails or to meet with me personally. He always clarified any confusions and answered my questions with patience and kindness. The services of Tilburg University were also satisfactory. The Online Mobility student portal made it very easy to keep track of everything I needed to complete and needed to submit. This helped me to stay up to date and organised throughout my exchange. Tilburg University also applied for my visa on my behalf after I sent them all the necessary documentation. The systems they have in place for exchange students are excellent, and the Study Abroad Team were so helpful and organised. They answered my emails in a timely manner and clearly explained all the processes to me. The pre-departure processes would have felt impossible without the help from Stellenbosch University and Tilburg University.
On a personal level, I had never travelled outside of South Africa and so the thought of me being so far away from home on another continent was terrifying. I felt all sorts of emotions when I got nominated for the exchange. I was excited, but scared. I was exhausted, but also somehow energized. I was anxious, but also calm. But I think most of all, I was just grateful for this opportunity to experience the world and another side of living.
In addition, I had to move house and so I found myself not only packing two big suitcases for the exchange, but also packing my whole life away into boxes. The thought of me not coming back to the home I knew after the exchange was also emotionally taxing on me. My kitten I adopted in 2022 was hit by a car and sadly passed away two days before my departure. Losing her was the most traumatic and heartbreaking experience I had ever felt. I no longer felt excited for the exchange. I felt numb. I came close to cancelling the exchange, but my family helped me and pushed me to continue onwards to pursue the exchange and to make my dreams of seeing the world come true.
Experience at the Host University:
When I arrived in The Netherlands on 19 January at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, I was greeted by student volunteers who helped me to get a train to Tilburg. This was a godsend as I was not familiar with public transport. However, even with the help from Tilburg University students, I still hopped onto the wrong train and got lost. This was fun, however, and all a part of the journey. When I arrived at the Tilburg University train station, student volunteers picked me up and drove me to the campus where they held a welcoming orientation program. Here, we could meet and talk to the various partners of the university such as the insurance partner, the bank partner and various student organizations. We received a welcome pack that included pamphlets of the partners and all the information we would need. The Study Abroad team also made themselves available if we needed help with any admin related issues, such as making our academic timetables. Tilburg University was very welcoming.
After the welcoming, we were dropped off at our accommodation, where I met some of my floor mates from around the world, such as Ireland, Morrocco, Spain, Italy, Korea, Colombia and America. It was fascinating to have a floor so diverse. My neighbor was a fellow South African from Gauteng. It was nice having someone from home on the same floor as me. The accommodation offered by Tilburg University was very nice and modern with a big room with a comfortable bed, study desk and two cupboards. The accommodation was also close to campus. The campus is beautiful and easy to navigate. The campus also has a number of study areas where productivity thrives as the spaces are so neat and comfortable. In addition, the accommodation was also not too far from shops or the city center. What I loved most about studying in the Netherlands was being able to safely cycle everywhere. Cycling was so much fun and helped me to stay active.
Tilburg University also organized a campus tour and a city tour during the TOP (Tilburg Orientation Program) week, which I unfortunately could not attend as I fell ill with a bad chest and throat infection. Due to the difficulty of navigating the Dutch health system, I was sick for the first two months of the exchange. This made it difficult for me to make friends in the beginning and to settle in. The first three months were tough but I made it through.
My initial study plan included 5 courses: Families in Context; Social Cognition; Criminality, Cognition and Personality; Imagining Justice: Introduction to Law and Humanities, and Dutch 1 for International Students. However, due to a number of clashes, I had to drop 3 of the courses (Social Cognition; Criminality, Cognition and Personality, and Dutch). At the end, I only had 2 courses from my initial study plan and 2 new courses: Positive Psychology and Developmental Psychology. I enjoyed the courses as they were equally as challenging as they were interesting.
I travelled to seven countries, namely Belgium; Luxembourg; France; Ireland; Norway; Sweden, and Italy. I never thought I would ever be able to travel to these countries. The architecture, the people, the culture and ways of living were so fascinating and mind blowing to witness with my very own eyes. I got to see the Grand Place in Brussels; the Eiffel Tower in Paris; the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland; the beautiful nature in Norway; the Old Town in Stockholm, and the Colosseum in Rome. I also saw the tulip fields in The Netherlands; it was absolutely magical! Ever since Covid-19, I have struggled a lot with anxiety and travelling has helped me to realize that everything will always be okay at the end. I have learnt to live in the moment and not to worry too much. Travelling has taught me to overcome challenges and to have confidence in myself.
I am in awe of all the beautiful places and people on Earth that I was so privileged to experience. I have stayed at Stellenbosch University for five years and so I am happy that I also got to experience a different educational system. This exchange has added so much value to my life and has transformed me into a new confident person despite some setbacks and failures.
I was awarded the Zuid-Afrika Huisfonds Scholarship as well as a scholarship from Tilburg University for five months. The scholarships were very beneficial as they sustained me throughout my exchange and enabled me to travel as well. It was a bit of a challenge to open a Dutch bank account, but once that was sorted, the finances were sufficient.
Return to Stellenbosch:
I booked my return flight back to Cape Town for 31 July, and so the people on my floor with whom I formed friendships left one by one and that was a weird feeling. The end is a bittersweet feeling. I miss home and my family, but I will also miss the life I created for myself here in the Netherlands in the past seven months; it feels strange to leave it all behind.
Before departure back home, I had to return my rental bike, which was sad because I have grown attached to it. I also have to deregister myself from the Dutch system.
I arrived in the Netherlands when the trees had no leaves and the roads were painted white with snow. And I am now leaving while the sun burns my skin. I arrived here with a fearful heart of the unknown, but I am leaving as a changed person with new knowledge of the world and an ability to trust that everything will always be okay.