Christine Irene Jovita, known as Irene, is a dedicated student at Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, where she is pursuing a degree in Management of International Social Challenges. Originally from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Irene previously studied at the University of Gadjah Mada, majoring in Public Policy and Management within the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences. Currently in her 6th semester, Irene is passionate about addressing global social issues through innovative management solutions.
What motivated you to participate in a study exchange programme?
Studying abroad has always been my dream since I was a kid because I’m really keen on discovering and learning about new cultures and languages, therefore it motivated me to enroll in an international program at my university that obliged me to go on an exchange program for one semester.
At first it was because EUR itself and the courses they provided are relevant to my study interest. And as for the city itself, it attracts me because it is a very multicultural city and has very unique buildings compared to other Dutch cities because it’s a mix of both modern and historic architecture. And also I had already heard about Rotterdam from acquaintances that lived there and shared their experiences with me.
What were your expectations before you left for your exchange?
I didn’t have any specific expectations because I already did some research about how the city looks and the culture in the Netherlands. At first, I was more scared of not being able to find people to be friends with in the city. Because some said to me that it’s very difficult to make friends with the locals there. So there were a lot of anxieties about how I would be able to socialize as an introverted person in a new city.
How did your host university differ from our university?
The teaching and learning style is very different from my host university. First are the big seminar lecture halls that can be very overwhelming at first for me, since in my home university our classes consist of 30 people and interaction with lecturers was very easy. And perhaps also mine had lots stricter in class regulation, such as mandatory attendance in every lecture rather than in my class, that is not mandatory. And also EUR had tutorial classes that really helped in emphasizing the lecture's topics by providing study cases and discussions, whereas my home university doesn’t have tutorial classes.
What were the biggest cultural differences you noticed living and studying in a foreign country like the Netherlands?
I experienced a lot of Dutch culture, and one of the strange things was that I am used to eating hot meals in the morning, meanwhile here people are used to eating just bread for breakfast. Another difference is that everything needs to be planned, here I saw how organized people are with their time. And I ended up becoming someone who is always late when meeting up with people here hahaha.
The cultural differences and adapting through it actually made me learn more about myself. Especially as an introverted person, it was very difficult to tear down those bubbles that you build around yourself for so long. I had to put myself out there and socialize, which was very difficult. It was scary at first, but as I grow facing it everyday I realize that everything will eventually work out. Like finally having a group of friends, finally brave enough to go out alone, and to hop on a solo trip.
I think what I learned the most is to just do whatever my heart tells me to do. Sometimes I avoid things for my own peace, but then, I regret not taking that chance. And here, I get to be my own true self because I took a chance of it. I understand the things that are meant for me and things that aren’t. And it’s something I am still learning even until now.
Social experiences
How did you find the process of making friends in a new environment?
To be honest, I do find it difficult to make friends with locals. Some may seem distant but actually sometimes we need to be the one that reaches out first especially in class. For me as someone who can have terrible social anxiety, stepping up from your comfort zone is part of surviving in a new environment. So I always try my best to talk with someone who’s sitting next to me in class and get to know them, and arrange to sit next to each other again for the next class or study together. But most of my friends are fellow exchange students. One of the earliest ones was through a mentoring program that was provided by ESSB. And we had such a fun mentor that kept our friendship even outside the event. But other than that, I tried to expand my friendship by joining a Facebook group named “Girl Gone International” , a community of females that lives specifically in Rotterdam. I reached out to some of them that posted their interest to make new friends in town. And through that platform, I met this one specific girl, who’s also an exchange student at EUR, who became my very best friend. And the rest was history! I became friends with her and widened our friendship group. For me, it was worth it to fight my anxiety and fear and ended up having such great experiences with the friends I made here.
Challenges
What challenges did you face during your exchange, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was having to mourn over the loss of my uncle a day before my first exam. He was my host family here and he really took care of me throughout my first couple of months there until he left. It was very difficult for me because I was very close with him, he was one of the people that made me feel welcome in the family. He introduced me to a lot of people and basically, he was my home.
A day before he left, he called me and told me to study well and don’t forget to eat well too. I had spent the rest of that week cramming with exams and had confidence I could pass my first exam there. But I was wrong. A day before the exam, he died and the house situation was very busy and I couldn’t really concentrate on studying because I was still trying to process all the grief. I feel like I couldn’t grieve because I wasn't in a real family. I hide my grief but of course I still fall apart eventually. I did my best to last minute study and then on the d-day, I just went blank. I couldn’t even walk properly to campus. I cried in between the exams and cannot answer the question even though I know I studied it. And overall, it was such a difficult time for the family and also for my wellbeing. I was very depressed and cannot express my feelings well. It felt suffocating.
Then I decided to make myself busy with meeting friends and also studying. It helped but still, I felt lost and lonely. So what I did to seek professional help that was available for free by the campus. And the sessions really helped me to open up myself and the grief that I kept. It made me feel a lot better to get through my days.
How did you handle homesickness or any feelings of isolation (if you had any)?
For me living with a host family that are half dutch and half moluccans (And in Indonesia I am also half moluccans so I was already familiar with its culture) has help me to overcome my homesickness because they really made me feel like home with the love they gave to me. And I’m still familiar with the culture such as being surrounded with such big families, the foods and the language. I still speak their dialect so sometimes it was easy for me to communicate with them.
Nevertheless the feeling of homesickness of course would appear out of nowhere behind all of the feeling. I felt it the most during the time I was sick and was very used to having my parents around to take care of me. And during that time they can only accompany me through long distance video calls. But on the other hand, the feeling of isolation was the most difficult for me to overcome. I sometimes felt like an outsider around the family despite the fact that they already welcome me with open arms and are very wonderful to me. Because there are still language barriers between us since I don’t speak Dutch and most of them do. It’s hard for me to really communicate my feelings with them without being lost in translation. And being in a room where you don’t understand the conversation, did make me feel isolated. And it was also difficult that not everybody is as open as the others. Sometimes I wanted to make an effort to talk to them but also my anxiety still controlled my mind and made me scared to start a conversation. And how I overcame it was to learn to slowly communicate my feelings to the relatives that I feel more comfortable to talk to and they usually give me advice and comforting words to me and I feel a lot better afterwards. But it isn’t easy, it is still something I struggle with even after I leave.
Post-Exchange
What was the most rewarding part of your exchange experience?
The friends and family that I gained throughout my time there. Because they are the ones that made my stay in Rotterdam bearable and memorable!
How would you summarize your exchange experience in one sentence?
You can take the person out of the city, not the city out of the person.
Would you consider returning to the Netherlands to work or live in the future? Why or why not?
I would, since I already have a family there that I always look forward to meeting them again. But on the other hand, I wanted to experience living in other countries to be able to experience something new again. Because there is a whole world out there waiting to be explored!
What advice would you give to students considering a study exchange in Rotterdam?
Don’t overthink too much. Everything will eventually work out! Things may be difficult at the start and out of hand, but gradually, it will fall into place.
Practical tips
What are some practical tips you would give to future exchange students coming to Rotterdam (e.g., packing, budgeting, navigating a new city)?
During my pre-departure, I made an entire notion page and list down all my to-do list and its timeline so I know what to keep up with since sometimes I get too overwhelmed and become disorganized. And inside that page I organize several pages for my budgeting plan, traveling plan and also places in Rotterdam to visit. For budgeting, I let myself understand the first couple of weeks how on average I spend on things before setting the numbers. And I would recommend making a weekly budget plan because I think weekly is easy to keep track of. Also, since I lived not near the campus and the city, I commute a lot with the metro and bus. Therefore, I apply for the subscription in RET that costs me 96 euro a month, but I get to travel free with all the public transport in the areas that I commute a lot. So I think it’s also important to calculate how much you will commute, like if it is necessary to just walk or bicycle? and if it cheaper with the subscription or not? because some may not use the public transportation that much and could be more expensive than usual.
What resources (websites, apps, organizations) were most helpful during your stay in Rotterdam?
For me joining a Indonesian students association in Rotterdam was very helpful to find guides and information about the city and the campus from their instagram and joining the Whatsapp group for more information. Other than that, I tried joining facebook groups for people living in Rotterdam and trying to find friends and activities to do there were very interesting, one of the groups that I joined is Girl Gone International Rotterdam, very fun to find fellow women to meet and do activities together in the city. Lastly, I also looked into the instagram of weekendsinrotterdam to find places to visit in town!
