Homesick for Breda

A busy afternoon 

Because the city office doesn’t have a room big enough to fit all students, they divided the group in two. Marja Kamsma of the Executive Board of Avans had a busy afternoon doing two speeches, two times in a row. Initially elderman Els Aarts of the city of Breda was also scheduled to officially welcome the students to the city. Unfortunately something came up and Kamsma had to do the eldermans’ speech as well. 

‘Breda and Avans both think it’s important for foreign students to come and study here. It’s good for Breda, for Avans and for the Dutch students studying at Avans. With this meeting we really want to show the foreign students that we are glad that they have come to Breda’, says Kamsma. 

Network 

Kamsma referred to Breda as a place of various networks with other countries and companies. ‘Please join these networks and use them for your own benefit while here’, she tells the students.

‘The last days you all went through a process of farewell to your old school, friends and families. It’s always and adventure to go abroad for studies. But it is a great investment in yourself. If you can manage this, you can do so much more in life’, Kamsma says.
She understands that some students feel a bit homesick. ‘But when you’re graduated here and travel further you might feel a bit homesick for Breda as well.’

International Office 

Kamsma expresses that students should help each other get accustomed to life in Breda and the new school. ‘If you face any problems don’t hesitate to ask your teachers or the people of the Avans International Office for help.’

After the speech the students watched some promos for Breda and went for a walk in the centre. They had lunch with foreign students from Den Bosch and had a party night in one of the clubs in Breda closing their first days in an unknown country. [AR]