Hello again, this is Kate back with my posts! I have not posted in a while as I was at home in Ireland… it wasn’t interesting enough to tell you about! However, I have landed in the Netherlands, this day last week. I am attending the Fontys University of Applied Sciences.
I’m going to tell you a little bit my social life here so far, as
it is week 1, a lot of classes have been simply an introductory, rather than
hard study class!
The night I arrived in Venlo, myself and Clara went out for
dinner together just the two of us. We discussed our fears of having no
friends, and that we were glad to have each other if the worst came to the
worst. We ate our food and began to stroll home… that’s when the fun began and
has not stopped since! We walked past a pub where our friend Yasmine was
sitting outside with some other students. We began chatting to them and
suddenly there was a group of about 20 exchange students from all over the
world! All strangers to me… but after about an hour we all felt like best
friends. We all live in the same apartment complex. So far we all see each
other every day, eat and drink together; pretty much everything, apart from
sleeping in the same bed!
Even though we are only here one week, we already have a very
stable group of friends. Only today, we booked a weekend getaway together to
Amsterdam for two weeks’ time. That is the weekend of the 21st of February.
That week, we have a week break from college for a very famous Dutch holiday
known as Carnival. So far, I have heard nothing but crazy things about this
holiday. Apparently, it’s a week of drinking, partying and dressing up in funny
costumes. After Amsterdam, we are going onto Dusseldorf and then Cologne.
Tonight, the international office is hosting an event for all
exchange students as an introduction to Carnival. I really admire and
appreciate the effort and work that the international office has done to
welcome all the exchange students into their environment on Thursday the 6th of
February, an introduction day was held for all exchange students. Here, we
received so much information about the socialising in Venlo. We were given the dos
and don’ts, and the good and bad things about Venlo. After our information
session, we were brought to a bowling alley where we played bowling and laser
tag. All of this was paid for, including food and drinks. I personally felt
that this really created a great environment for friendships to be created.
On Friday the 7th, the International Office, held a lunch for all
the exchange students again. Here, we were given prizes and had a delicious
lunch, again all for free of charge.
Majority of students received a prize. I got a football... I was
thrilled with this as I was wanting to teach my new exotic friends Gaelic
football. About 20 students headed to a green area and there we played a very
aggressive but fun game of something that resembled our traditional sport of
football.
So far, almost every evening the college or the students host an
event that everyone is invited to. I firmly believe that Fontys do everything
they can for their students and their happiness.
I know I have not been here long, but I do not feel lonely or
homesick, I feel as though I am going to make friendships and memories for
life. I have already began teaching Pilates classes in my kitchen! All my new
friends are very eager to learn a new sport... as most of them had never done a
Pilates class previously. I have also joined a mixed soccer team! I’m not that
great but I enjoy being outside and getting to know new people all the time and
also a new hobby.
I really look forward to what they next six months have in store
for me.
Talk to you soon,
Kate.
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