Why did you choose to study in the Netherlands? Why did you decide to study in Nijmegen in particular?
While I do have a Dutch nationality from my father, I spent my entire life in Thailand. Apart from a few summer vacations here and there, I knew very little about what life would look like here in the Netherlands. I don’t speak the language, and some things still seem culturally strange to me. My decision to do my studies in this country was to do with the cost of education compared to other places, and also wanting to experience something different. A different culture and climate from that in which I grew up. The atmosphere and culture on campuses in the Netherlands, in general, always felt very inviting, where relationships between students and teachers were more of a partnership to encourage the pursuit of learning.
I was drawn to the psychology Bachelor’s here at Radboud. Before applying, I had never even heard of the university or Nijmegen. What really drew me in was hearing about people’s experiences with this program and in this city. What I actually did was watch a lot of YouTube videos of people walking through their experiences, which I found very valuable and painted such a positive picture of city life and student life.
How would you describe your experience adapting to Dutch culture and daily life?
Having visited the Netherlands on family vacations as a child in the past, I had some previous contact with bits of Dutch culture. However, living here as a fresh adult brought new challenges and moments of culture shock. For example, dealing with the weather, which has a way of taking you through all the seasons in one afternoon. Another surprise I experienced was how early shops in general closed, which I had to get used to. In Thailand, there are 24-hour supermarkets and lively night markets, where you can get fresh street food, which is something that I no longer have access to here.
At first, moving here felt a little isolating. Everything was new and overstimulating. However, overtime, Nijmegen started to feel like home. This became the case after having met more people through my introduction in my bachelors, and in class. There is something comforting about how often you can run into familiar faces, no matter where you are in the city, it gives a real sense of community.
What I found to have been the main driver in helping me settle in was the people. Making new friends with people in similar situations to me showed me that I wasn’t the only one going through a big change. Navigating new experiences together really created some of the core memories with my friends here in Nijmegen.
What differences have you noticed between studying in Nijmegen and your home country? What differences have you noticed between the Dutch education system and the one in your home country?
Prior to starting university, my primary and secondary education took place in Thailand. I had the privilege of going to an international school, which used a British curriculum; hence, it is very different from the system we are using in university now and very different from the Dutch education system. Although I confess I still don’t quite understand that fully. Coming from an educational background where I was surrounded by other nationalities, I found the international demographic of the psychology Bachelor’s to be very welcoming (even though they were mostly German!).
One thing that is very different between studying in Nijmegen vs. Thailand is the formal relationship between students and teachers. In Nijmegen, it is very commonplace to be on a first-name basis with your professors; however, Thailand has more formal standards in which you address a teacher by, for example, “Prof. so and so”. I think the attitude that people bring to the Netherlands is much more relaxed than back at home, which I must say, I have liked.
Have you felt welcomed and supported as an international student at Radboud University in Nijmegen? Can you share an example?
Yes, I felt welcomed as an international student at Radboud. There is a community of internationals in the university, which creates many opportunities to meet others at events and parties. Furthermore, the student associations always try to include international perspectives, with reflection sessions with committees that I have taken part in. For instance, in SPiN, at one point, my committee had a meeting with members of the board to reflect on how things were going, and I was also specifically asked about how included I felt in the group.
What has surprised you most about studying or living in the Netherlands?
One thing that surprised me about studying in the Netherlands is how informal the relationships between students and professors can be. You can call them by their first name and make jokes with them. It almost feels less like they are this big authority figure, and more like another human (if that makes sense). I think it’s great, and that being able to communicate with teachers on the same level can make it easier to ask questions and seek support, which I find important. Plus, it really makes the atmosphere around learning more fun.
What do you enjoy most about living and studying in Nijmegen, both as a student and outside the classroom?
I think Nijmegen is the perfect-sized student city. I find big places like Amsterdam to be a bit off-putting, but Nijmegen provides all I need. There are so many bars and places to go on a night out with friends, plus if you live in the city, it is so convenient to just bike home in like 10-15 minutes and be in bed. I pretty much have the same places in the city that I go to hang out with friends, but I’m not bored with them yet. I think hanging out and partying in the city is definitely an experience. I think that by now I know exactly what kinds of music each place in the city is likely to play. I would bet my life that Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield is going to come up at least 3 times at multiple locations on a typical night out in the city.
Furthermore, in Nijmegen, there is also room to relax and just lounge in Goffert Park, for instance, and enjoy some time in the sun. Also, the Radboud Sport Centre is very convenient, as it is sometimes nice to get in some healthy movement after a long week of studying. Other than that, after having done my Bachelor’s here and now my Master’s, I find that I have made friends with a lot of different people, which has made student life in the city very nice, as there are always familiar faces walking around.
How do you find the cost of living, housing, and public transport in Nijmegen as a student?
I’m not a fan of the cost of living in the Netherlands. I think that a lot of products are definitely getting expensive, but I guess budgeting is an essential skill that I need to keep working on as well. I definitely have to control myself when I’m browsing the toko’s.
In terms of housing, I feel like I definitely had a hard time with it after my one-year contract ended in the first year. Honestly, the housing situation is quite depressing. I had a lot of experience couch surfing at my friend’s places before I eventually found something. I would definitely say that as an international student, it can be even harder, with so many posts wanting Dutch speakers and stating “No Internationals”. I persevere despite that, and I now have my own cosy little room in a student house, but I definitely would not like to move any time soon.
Public transport is super convenient. There is always line 10 going from the station to the university every few minutes, so that is super easy to use. It can get really full sometimes, so I’ve learned about alternative bus lines to the universities as well if it is too full. Other than that, I’ve really gotten used to biking around the city, which I must say was a little of a process. I think I am now very comfortable biking in Dutch traffic, which is what I do most of the time, if the weather is nice.
Would you recommend studying in Nijmegen to other students? Why or why not?
Yes, I really think that the university here is very good, and Nijmegen is such a lovely city to live in. There is a real sense of community among the students here, and I think that they are always happy for others to join in, so I don’t see why not. I have made such good memories here and have really built a close group of friends, which I think really makes life more interesting, as you can go on a journey together.