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Going to university is a big change. New responsibilities, new friends, and new-found knowledge. What about going to a university - far away from home? And no, we're not talking East-Coast-to-Clementi distance. Is it thrill or chill, Hooked finds out...
Angeline Oei in Utrecht, Netherlands
13 hours across the globe, eyes wide opened, swiftly flipping through pages of a Lonely Planet Guide, bursting with enthusiasm, and here I am, a Singaporean in the Netherlands.
Perhaps you think – Dutch clogs and windmills? While the Netherlands does boast a tradition of Dutch clogs and windmills, these aren’t the only things the Dutch are good at making.
In the seventeenth century, with a fine stroke and a touch of exquisite details, Dutch painters emerged at their top of the game, producing much of history most well-known paintings. I’m sure you have heard of The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer? Seeing the painting in real life was more than a fascinating captivation; it connected me to the richness of Dutch art, and there emerged feelings of nostalgia for the past that constantly permeates the present.
Upon arriving, the first thing that shocked me was the insane number of cyclists swarming their way through streets. The Dutch were born on bicycles. Nowhere in Singapore will you see multi-story bicycle complexes, bicycle parking spaces in front of supermarkets, malls stations, and drivers and pedestrians giving way to cyclists. Point taken? I love cycling here!
Imagine the wind blowing in your face as you cycle through a path surrounded by lush greenery, chirping angels, the sun’s rays casting golden shadows in the distance; then into the old city center redolent of it glorious past, cycle along the canals, watch the reflection of quaint brick houses which line the streets glow in the water, listen to the tolling church bells, wave to the youth who, with a hearty move, take in gulps of beer. An enormous feeling of freedom, a regained belief in beauty.
Although I must admit…I have had some of the most embarrassing moments on the bicycle…
One becomes less image-conscious and more daring here because the Netherlands welcomes everyone! If you are interested in music, open air live concerts are frequently held; if you enjoy art, the museums here are amazing; if you like women, visit the red light district in Amsterdam; and if you just want to kick back and relax, smoke some weed at a coffee-shop (referring to shops which sell drugs, not kopitiam). Ah, yes. Can you just sense the immense freedom and explosion of creativity over here?
 As an exchange student, life here is really good. I live in a cozy house together with 9 other international students, in Utrecht. We have 2 Italians, 2 Singaporeans, 1 Taiwanese, 1 South African, 1 Luxembourg, 1 Austrian, 1 Polish and a Chilean. How much more multicultural can a tiny flat be?
The atmosphere is lively and friendly; sometimes we cook meals together (just yesterday we were served Tiramisu, by the Italians, the day before we had North Indian Curry, perhaps today I will make bak kut teh), often we engage in stimulating discussion over religion and politics.
In the summer we go to corridor parties (the Dutch students open up all the houses in one corridor, you pay an entrance fee of 6 euros, you are greeted with beer and music, and the entire building is literally rocking its way through the night), otherwise we travel to another city in the Netherlands to watch the tulips bloom, return to medieval times at a castle, go wild on the roller-coaster, party to carnivals…
There is always something to do and somewhere to go – you rarely get bored because most of the times, you become motivated to do the things you never had the time to do back home! So learn to let go of expectations, be open-minded, and you will find the trip to be one of great satisfaction and fulfillment.
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