Lee Polychronopoulos: Going on a Dutch Date

 

So I moved to Vlissingen, the Netherlands, and studying at HZ University for a semester. Let me give a little of what has led me to this point, I had been planning on studying abroad since I began university. Before coming I had been working between 60 to 70 hours a week between school and two jobs. I took leave from both my jobs and came here.

 I am going to write about time for my first blog post and the importance of taken advantage of the time you gain while you are studying abroad. If you are ever bored here, do something about it.

Since coming to HZ, I have made sure to take advantage of my extra time. There are many student programs that allow you to get to know other international students as well as Dutch Students. During the beginning it is important to meet the others because these people are going to be with you during your stay here. They are in the same situation as you so it is really easy to meet. Since coming I hang out with a great group of people and there is always something going on. Some of my favourites are; bike rides, coffee on Vlissingen Boulevard with friends, the HZ Sport events.

If you are in the Netherlands, you NEED to have a bike and a good lock (bike theft is rampant). Get yourself a good sturdy bike because you will use it every day and prices are usually negotiable. I bought a Gazelle, the largest bike company in the Netherlands. It is probably older than I am. The best place to bike is along the beach, some days we have biked 15 Km just to look around and have a coffee.

On the sunny days the best place to bike is also the best place to go with friends and have a coffee or a beer. If it is sunny out there is always someone to go to a cafe with. Most times you don’t have to ask, you just show up at people’s houses. It only costs a couple Euros and you just relax for a while and enjoy the sun. Right now the weather and wind in Vlissingen are changing all the time, but I hope there will be more beach days to come.

Lastly, be sure to get involved with the school activities going on. It is the best way to meet other students, usually free or very cheap, and keeps you busy when the weather isn’t nice. At our school we have HZ Sport where they organize games, similar to P.E., I play badminton on Tuesdays and go on sports trips with the group. We went indoor skiing one night. I was missing the snow so much during that time. I was also able to participate with my Sustainable Development class and organize a World Water Day event. The event promotes the use of tap water, and making clean drinking water more accessible to others.

I feel like I am taking full advantage of the time I have here. I am making new friends, doing lots of cool things, and keeping up with school work. I am looking forward to the month of April as I am visiting Germany and France, as well as Queens Day in Amsterdam (Dutch National Day) on April 29. Right now I am going out for a night of live music and I will continue taking full advantage of my time here.