Every year, international students find their way to Avans for a bachelor’s programme or a minor. But who are these students, what is it like for them to live in the Netherlands, and what do they miss about their home country? This time: Anaïs from France.
Anaïs had long known that she wanted to spend part of her studies abroad. She saw it as the best preparation for working internationally after earning her degree in Economics and Management. From her hometown, a village near Lyon, she began exploring opportunities for a minor abroad.
“The Netherlands was my first choice. Here, most people speak English well, and my English isn’t very good, so I wanted to improve it here. I was also drawn to the culture. Dutch people are nice and you can get everywhere by bike.”
She chose the minor Innovation Management & Creative Leadership in Den Bosch. “There’s a train station here, so you can travel anywhere. Everything in the city is close by too: I can take the bus, cycle or walk. I also feel safe here in the evenings.”
How do you like The Netherlands?
“It’s been the best experience of my life so far. I’ve made friends here and we do lots of fun things together. We’ve already visited The Hague, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Gouda and, of course, Kinderdijk. I feel free here. That’s also because we don’t have many classes, only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The rest of the time I can explore the country and meet people.”
What is your housing situation like?
“I live in an apartment within walking distance of Avans. My roommates are all international students too. I found the place through Avans. When I received confirmation of my enrollment, it included a link to an apartment building where I could apply with priority.
Living here took some getting used to because I didn’t know my roommates. But it’s been great. Since none of us know many people here, we spend a lot of time together. It’s also nice to share experiences.”
What are the challenges of begin an international student?
“Living in a place where you don’t know anyone, in a country with different customs. France isn’t far away, but things are still different.”
In what way?
“In France, lecturers are in charge. It’s very formal. You listen and take notes, but you don’t really interact with lecturers. Here it’s completely different. You work on practical assignments and collaborate a lot. Lecturers are very friendly and helpful. When one of us was looking for a doctor, a lecturer helped us with that. I really appreciate it.
Student life is different as well. Where I live, there are more nightclubs and everyone goes out on Thursdays. In Den Bosch it’s different; people mostly have a beer on a terrace. I go out a lot, mainly with other international students. We often visit cities such as Amsterdam, like we did during Halloween last week. That was really fun, the highlight of my time here so far.”
What is your relationship like with your Dutch classmates?
“My classmates are very friendly, but outside class we don’t spend much time together. They mainly spend time with their own friends rather than with us. I don’t mind, but it’s a bit of a shame. It could be fun to do more things together because you can learn from each other. Really connecting with Dutch people can sometimes be difficult. It’s also different: we’re new here and want to discover everything, while for them it’s just another weekday.”
Do you miss France?
“Sometimes I miss my friends and family, but I talk to them online a lot and my family visited me during the autumn break. It was nice to show them where I live. What I miss most are the mountains. I live close to the Alps, so not seeing them every day is a shame.
I also miss the food. I don’t have an oven, so I can’t make quiche. The bread isn’t the same as it is back home either. I’m not going to lie: French food is better than Dutch food.”
How does Avans support you as as an international student?
“Very well, I feel welcome here. During my enrollment I had to submit a lot of documents. Sometimes I asked for help or confirmation four times a day, but everyone remained friendly and I could ask anything. That’s different from France, where you often have to wait a long time for a response. I also think the Avans buildings are beautiful.”
What would you still like to do while you’re here?
“I want to celebrate 11-11 with my friends next week. I’m really looking forward to it. Apart from that, I just want to keep enjoying my time here. Time flies, and it’s a shame it’s going by so quickly.”
*This article has been translated with the help of AI.
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