Exchange in the Netherlands: From Valkeakoski to Eindhoven
Hi! My name is Dunia, I’m 22 years old and I’m from the Basque Country, Spain. I’m a 3rd year Electrical and Automation Engineering student in Valkeakoski, but I’m currently doing my exchange semester at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
I chose the Netherlands as my exchange location because I wanted to be in a country that was somewhere in the middle of Europe to travel more easily. Growing up I used to visit the Netherlands a lot, so it wasn’t a very big shocking change, but living and visiting is a very different thing. To be honest, my first choice was to go to Venlo, a small city right on the border with Germany and about an hour away from Düsseldorf. But after thinking about it a little bit, I decided to go for Eindhoven because it’s a much bigger city and very well connected. Also, after living in Valkeakoski for 2.5 years, I had it very clear that I did not want to choose a small city.
My expectations for the exchange were to have fun and travel while learning and getting new experiences. In Finland, my friend group was very international, which I loved because it allowed me to see things from different perspectives. But in the Netherlands my wish was to have a big Spanish friend group, which I got, so I could go a little bit back to my roots.
Design-Based Learning
During my exchange in Eindhoven, I’ve studied in the Fontys University of Applied Sciences. Fontys has fully met and even gone beyond my expectations. I thought it was going to be a very traditional learning environment, but the university is very flexible and super chill. I don’t see a big difference between the education systems of Finland and the Netherlands, since both use design-based learning and are very similar. So, I had no problem adapting the Dutch education system. It is true that the Dutch are slightly more open and extroverted compared to the Finns, but overall, the academic side is very similar.
At Fontys, they offered me a bunch of different minors, but the one I chose is called “EmbraceTEC” at Pulsed Academy. I think it’s the best decision I have ever taken when it comes to my education path. In class we are about 35 students from different nationalities and academic backgrounds, we have Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial engineers, ICT students, HR and Business students, etc.; with 4 teachers that also have very different backgrounds and that are super close to us students (in age and in personal stuff).
We have class 3 days a week (Tuesday to Thursday) from 9:30 until 15:00. We work directly with clients, in groups, and we combine our knowledge to solve the problems. An example would be our last project. We worked for 2 weeks with some wheelchair users, and we tried to solve the problems they presented to us. We were divided into 8 groups and each group got a client. Mine was a lady that had very weak bones and could not reach her home windows without her family’s help, so she asked us to build something light enough for her to be able to do that task. And we did, we used different prototypes, and we came up with a retractable stick that had a grip for her to be able to open the windows.
Experiencing Dutch Life
I knew that bikes were widely used in the Netherlands, but I never thought it was such a big thing. Eindhoven is a big city and without bikes the distances are huge. From my apartment to the city center it’s a 50-minute walk, but by bike it’s just a 15-minute ride. The Dutch are big party people, in Eindhoven there’s a very long street called Stratumseind, full of bars and clubs. My friends and I love to go there to grab some drinks or go clubbing.
Since the studies are so chill, I have a lot of free time. I usually hang out with my friends, we go to the lake, we tan and play card games or play football. We also like going to a friend’s apartment to watch football, like the good stereotypical Spaniards that we are. We travel a little bit, but we still haven’t done any big trips yet, but it’s in our plans. It’s an amazing opportunity to get to know my friends, we have talks and we share experiences.
The biggest challenge I have had here is the Dutch punctuality and eating times. As a Spaniard, punctuality is not my strongest point, but in my defense, after living in Finland I got much better. But when it comes to eating times, it’s like Finland, the Dutch eat incredibly early and I cannot adapt myself to it at all, even if I try.
Highlights of the Exchange So Far
During the exchange I have had many memorable moments but there are three that stand out. Carnival is a big thing in the south of the country, where Eindhoven is located, and the parties lasted 4 days, where everyone was wearing very fun and diverse costumes. My friends and I had a lot of fun going around the city dressed up and seeing people having fun.
Another moment was Koningsdag or Kingsday in English. It’s King Willem-Alexander’s birthday and it’s a nationwide party. We wanted to have the proper experience, so my group and I went to Amsterdam to celebrate it. It’s usually on the 27th of April, but since it was a Sunday and the country is catholic, they changed it to the 26th. Everyone wears orange because it’s the national color, and they go out and have fun. Amsterdam was packed that day, but it was so much fun, with music all around. And lastly, my best friend came to visit, and we went to see the famous tulip fields. It was such a beautiful sight with all the colors.
“I recommend going on exchange one hundred percent. For me, going to Finland was already like a 2.5 year long exchange, and it changed me so much to the better that I do not regret it all. Now in the Netherlands, it’s even better, I get to change more and learn even more. At first, I was a shy girl that barely spoke if not spoken to, and now I get to get out of my comfort so much that that girl no longer exists, and I really like it this way. Everyone I have met has left a piece of them in me, and I can proudly say that I have met incredible people from all over the globe.”
– Dunia, Electrical and Automation Engineering student