My Stenden Journey of a Thousand Miles - by Wadzanayi Chitambo (part 4)

Studying in the heart of Europe, in the student town of Leeuwarden in the Netherlands, gives our blogger Wadzi many opportunities to discover more of Europe. In this blog she describes her trip to Paris, accompanied by her fellow 'Bali' students. Mile by mile eventually all European roads lead to Paris....

All European roads lead to Paris

There is an expression that you can not say you have been to Europe without having visited Paris. That seems like a cliché, but like many others I had always dreamt of going to Paris. It arguably is one of the most famous and monumental cities in the world. Lucky for me, I am so blessed to have my beloved friends Shantika and Andras, who took the courtesy of making this dream come true by surprising me with a trip to Paris on my 20th birthday. The ability to travel freely in and out most of the countries in the European Union also happens to be one of the many perks of having a Schengen visa.

Casual blending at Notre Dame

The great thing about studying in a first world country is that there is an abundance of modes of transport one can make use of, for instance train, car, bus and plane. With that being said we found it to be most feasible to travel by car, plus it would make an awesome road trip. To be honest, I actually had no clue what this journey had in store for me or where exactly we were headed. I had just been instructed to pack my bags for the weekend and was told that we were going on an adventure. So it almost felt like a kidnap, but the good kind, if there is such a thing. It took me by surprise to finally arrive in Paris and could not believe that I was really there in flesh. Words alone can not explain the feeling of excitement and how overwhelmed I was at this moment and time. It really did feel like a dream come true.

Eiffel Tower. Beautiful by day, beautiful by night

As a perfect way to start off our little excursion, we took a visit to the Eiffel Tower right after having arrived. It was just as beautiful as I had imagined, but much more elevated, as if it would scrape the stars in the sky! It looked as though it was made of a tonne steel laces. It is an unwritten rule that one must visit the Eiffel Tower should they ever find themselves in Paris. I myself can relate to this, as it is one of the monuments in the world that should be at the top of your to-do-list and /or bucket list.

French architecture at its best

The school timetable and workload from Stenden is not so hectic. It still gives you a little bit of room to squeeze in some leisure activities as a way to loosen up and get some time off from the books and enjoy. That way you can make the most of your university life. A wise man once told me that there is no point of studying in Europe if you are not going to explore it whilst you are there. Which is indeed a valid point as it also becomes part of the World of Opportunities that Stenden offers. What better way but to study and explore the world at the same time. Such exposure will also be of great use in the future, as a person who has seen more of the world is most likely to be familiar with working and adapting to all sorts of different cultures and backgrounds. Being culturally intelligent is a quality that is increasingly becoming a necessity in today’s hospitality industry.

Some say the grass always looks greener on the other side and it certainly did look great in Paris, if I do say so myself. The architecture alone was mind-blowing, all the inscriptions and carvings on the buildings show the artistic culture of the city. The weather was also great, as the colours of autumn were starting to show on the trees, with some of the autumn leaves already falling. This makes the walk down to the Arc de Triomphe even more enjoyable. It was like brands galore walking down Champs-Élysées, a street full of all the brands one can imagine. This would make a perfect illustration of a shopaholics  heaven.

It is such an extraordinary feeling to be able to witness and explore these national monuments that you once learned about in history classes, read about in novels or seen on television. It was as though history was being awakened, being able to walk through the Louvre museum, which happens to be one of the world’s largest museums. The Louvre is situated in Paris’ first district and exhibits nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century. It is also famous for being the home to Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, as well as for being the humble abode of King Louis XIV. It was such a great opportunity to visit this monument and to thereafter enjoying a picnic in the Louvre Palace’s garden.

This trip to Paris was just a glimpse of Europe and I honestly cannot wait to travel more around Europe and explore all the other monuments out there. That experience will most certainly be shared in the upcoming blogs, as a tribute to my Stenden journey of a thousand miles. Till then…

Photo Credit to Andras Szemes, follow him on Instagram (@szemesa) for more stunning pictures like these.

Raspberry selfies on the road.

My Stenden Journey of a Thousand Miles - by Wadzanayi Chitambo (part 3)

Just one month after her arrival in The Netherlands to study there for one year, our blogger Wadzi had the unique opportunity to meet and greet with the Dutch Minister of Education to talk about a subject that's top of mind at Stenden as well; internationalisation of education. As being the forerunner in the field of internationalisation in The Netherlands, Stenden had the honour to host this important event at the Leeuwarden campus.

Rendezvous with the Minister

Meeting the Minister

On Monday the 6th of October the Dutch Minister of Education, Science and Culture - Jet Bussemaker – visited the Stenden campus in Leeuwarden as a first stop on her tour around the country to gather input for her strategic agenda of the coming 4 years (HO tour). The theme I was questioned about was ‘Internationalisation and Regionalisation’ amongst the students fulfilling their tertiary education. A handful of students were invited to join these discussions as what better way to know more about the students than to ask them for their thoughts and ideas in regards to the Dutch education system. Rainer Prasetiya (Stenden Bali student), Daniel Zents (Stenden South Africa student) and I ,Wadzanayi Samantha Chitambo (Stenden Bali student) were invited to join this special event and pitch our ideas as well as give testimonials about our experiences in regards to Internationalisation.

Stenden's competent rebels attentive to the panel discussions

This event was a great honour and opportunity to be a part of, as I highly doubt I have ever seen such a person of high authority like a Minister face to face yet alone be given a stand to pitch ideas to as well as converse and have lunch with. Furthermore, the day was opened up by the Chairman of the Stenden Board of Directors ‘Mr. Leendert Klaassen’, and thereafter a speech from Minister Bussemaker talking about her aim to aid and enhance the education given to the students in the Netherlands who she referred to as ‘competent rebels’ - rebels, who are able to respond to future problems of the world by thinking critically and being creative.

It's my turn!

Although it was nerve racking to address the hundreds of people that were seated in the Auditorium it was indeed a great privilege to share my experiences with all of them. I opened up my testimonial by saying, “Humans were made to travel and not to remain stagnant as if that was the case we would have roots instead of feet”, which is also the same quote I used in my very first blog. This quote seems to have deemed meaningful to some of the audience. The audience consisted of a few students from other Universities, the Stenden Board of Directors, General Managers form all Stenden campus sites, Academic Deans and teachers from other Dutch educational institutions. Additionally, I shared to the audience that I had chosen to study in an international environment and so far away from home as I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and become a more independent young lady as well as learn about different cultures thus resulting in become more and more cultural intelligent.

Rainer went on to say that he wanted to be a window to two different cultures so that as a foreigner he can learn a thing or two from the locals and vice versa. This way he would also be able to share his experiences at home and urge others to go out into the world and follow their dreams.

The Indonesian Ambassador visiting the campus

This is indeed one of the unique attributes Stenden University possesses as students have the opportunity to learn in a multicultural environment as well as the chance to study abroad in the 5 campus sites around the globe. Another aspect is the ability to be able to meet with people of high authority which is always a good once in a life time opportunity. My fellow Indonesian students studying in Leeuwarden for example had the opportunity to meet the Indonesian Ambassador who visited our campus some time ago.

Extra extra...read all about it!

Many interesting discussions were made on this day with topics such as Student inbound and outbound mobility, Internationalization and Regionalisation and 21st century skills. These discussions led to the conclusion from the Minister that, “the opportunity to self-explore and to experiment motivates students to take courage and to step out of their comfort zone which is a very important part of higher education and one of the 21st century skills students need to possess.” 


Furthermore, it was a great honour for Stenden and those involved on the day to have been the first to host the Minister and assist with giving relevant information that could be useful for her strategic agenda for the education system in the upcoming years. This event also made headlines the next day on page 4 of the national Newspaper which was a great achievement for me to make headlines as well as be quoted in the text, which really was a once in a lifetime opportunity and all thanks to Stenden for making this possible!

My Stenden Journey of a Thousand Miles - by Wadzanayi Chitambo (part 2)

Are you wondering where you will be staying when you go to The Netherlands for one year? Our blogger from Stenden University Bali, Wadzi, is currently studying there and explains all about her new house in Leeuwarden, a home away from home, again illustrated with lovely pictures from Andras. 

My humble abode in NL 

The student accommodation where I am staying

Oftentimes I wondered, where will I stay during my one year of study in the Netherlands? This was something that I couldn’t get off my mind during my preparations for my stay in Leeuwarden. Although Stenden had provided a website by which we could seek accommodation, it is indeed much harder to rely on just pictures as opposed to something you have seen first-hand, which was my main difficulty of finalising my accommodation. Some say looks can be deceiving but I am here to tell you that that is not always the case. 

Selfie time!

 Hereby, I present you a glimpse of what you can expect from the accommodation in Leeuwarden. As you can see in the picture, we are all smiles in a selfie taken from my neighbour’s bathroom. Currently we are living in a brand new building across the Stenden campus which is developed in close cooperation with Stenden to facilitate the international student community. It is in a very convenient location as it is no more than a minute walk from the campus as well as the gym and the campus café which are also located across the Stenden building. Being 50 metres away from the gym gives one no excuse to not work out and keep fit, and being so close to the campus café is great for meeting up with friends for a nice coffee as well as a cosy place to discuss group module assignments.

A gorgeous sunrise - a sight to wake up every day

Not only is this student accommodation located near the campus, thus making it easier for you to attend those early morning lectures, but it is also just a 15 minute walk to the city centre as well as a 5 minute walk from the local supermarket Albert Heijn. This being very convenient as you can always squeeze in a little grocery shopping before or after classes. Waking up early for an 8 am class is not always ideal but there is almost always a perk to those early morning classes as you get to experience this spectacular view of the sun rising from your window. This is one of the most beautiful views I have experienced during my time here as the colours that come before the sun breaks through the clouds are astonishing.

Peaceful canal and park just a few steps away from the campus

In addition to the great location of this student accommodation, there is also a park just next to the building where you could go for a picnic on a nice sunny day, a walk or even to read a book. It is a great place to clear your mind and there are also many ducks that swim in the canal nearby as well as the ponds that are in the park. As rare as it is there are also two very beautiful black swans that are always swimming in the canal beside the student building.



There is a wide range of accommodations available in Leeuwarden, but it is the general opinion that our place is the best start up accommodation for all the newcomers in Leeuwarden as it is so close to all the places you may find yourself visiting in the first few months of your stay. More so, 6 of the Bali students are currently living in this building as well as other students from the Stenden Qatar and Thailand campus sites who are also doing their 60 EC programme (which means that they need 60 European credits in the Netherlands to get their Dutch BBA). There are also many other nationalities that live in the building such as Finish, Hungarian, British, Romanian and many more as it is an international student housing which will make it easier for you to make many more friends and adapt to the multicultural environment.

The bike shed

As biking is one of the biggest trends in the Netherlands there is a bike shed in the building where by you can park your bikes. There are also other modes of transport that you can use in Leeuwarden such as the bus or trains to travel to the other towns. However, the bicycle is always handy for when you want to pop into the city centre or visit a friend’s place. There are also a few bikes that they rent out to the inhabitants of this building.

High tech in-house laundry room

Even though doing your laundry is in general not the most fun thing to do, it can still be very entertaining at this student building as they not only provide a well equipped laundry room, that has more than enough washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards available for your use, but also a television set for your entertainment whilst you do your chores, thus making it more fun and enjoyable.


Additionally the room that I live in at the moment is a furnished studio apartment which has an en-suite bathroom and a private kitchen, all set in safe environment. This building is also paying attention to sustainability – it’s one of the most sustainable student accommodations in The Netherlands – by using solar panels as well as vacuum toilets like the ones onboard in aircrafts which do not use as much water. Furthermore you can also rent a television if you wish to as well as some equipment for your room such as cutlery, pots, plates towels and all the other necessities you will need during your stay. I am truly happy that I have found a nice home away from home where I can spend my year in the Netherlands comfortably and secure close to my fellow Bali students and international student community.

My gorgeous studio

For more information on the accommodation feel free to email klantenservice@woonbemiddeling.nl or visit the accommodation website www.kamerbemiddeling.nl. I will now enjoy a week of holiday, till next time!


Photography credit to Andras Szemes (Follow him on Instagram for more amazing pictures like these @szemesa)

My Stenden Journey of a Thousand Miles - by Wadzanayi Chitambo (part 1)

Enjoying Garuda Indonesia’s in-flight hospitality on the way to Amsterdam

Wadzanayi Chitambo, or Wadzi in short, is currently in her second year of the International Hospitality Management programme at Stenden University Bali. Originally from Zimbabwe, she moved to Bali in 2013 and is keen to explore the overseas opportunities offered by Stenden. This September, she took off to The Netherlands where she will be studying for one year. This article is just the beginning of her exciting journey, her ‘Stenden Journey of a Thousand Miles’. Her story will be illustrated with pictures taken by Andras Szemes, our 2nd year student from Hungary with a passion for photography and traveling. You can expect an update on a regular basis. Enjoy!

It’s just the beginning…

.

Stenden campus building - student cafe

Humans were not made to remain stagnant and stay in one place. If that was the case we would have had roots instead of feet and with that being said we should travel and see more and as much of the world as possible. Fortunately enough for us, the Stenden University Bali students, we have been given this lifetime opportunity to travel and study all at the same time. As required by the Dutch government that if one should attain a Dutch degree, they should complete 60 Elective Credits in the Netherlands which represents a full academic year. This rule is what marked my and my fellow peers’ Stenden Journey of a Thousand Miles as I would like to call it.

My very personal airport pick up service by my besties from Stenden Bali. Next stop is Leeuwarden.
It's me in the middle!

It’s funny how quickly time goes by, it feels like just yesterday I was commencing my studies in Bali and now already a year has gone by and here we are doing our second year in the city of Leeuwarden, which is located in the northern part of the Netherlands. It was a breath taking experience moving to Europe for the very first time in my life. What better way to have started my stay here other than being picked up from the airport by my two closest friends and Bali classmates Shantika Yusuf (Indonesian) and Andras Szemes (Hungarian).

Sports day in Leeuwarden sports stadium

Study Start Week ON!

With this in mind I already felt at home and knew that I would enjoy the rest of my year here. More so, my arrival was just a few days before the Study Start Week which was a mandatory introduction programme for all the new students to attend, which also included us, the Stenden Bali students. Although we weren’t knew to Stenden in general (as being 2nd year students) we were still new to the Leeuwarden campus and had to familiarize ourselves with it. Luckily enough we were placed in the same group for the Study Start Week. It was a mind-blowing experience to enter this beautiful and enormous campus as well as seeing several hundreds of students. I found it very hard to believe that these where students who were starting their first year yet alone that these were the ones in the Hotel Management faculty only! I was mesmerised to even begin to imagine what a normal day at school would look and feel like with all the other second year and third year students from all the other faculties such as International Business and Management Studies, Travel and Leisure management and so forth.

Togetherness with Thai, South African, Dutch fellow students

It was great meeting all the students from Stenden’s other campus sites (South Africa, Thailand and Qatar) who were also studying for one year in the Netherlands or joining the Grand Tour for 1 or 2 modules. With the Bali students being the biggest bunch within the group it felt just like being at home and being reunited again at a new destination. Words alone could not explain the joy and excitement that was in the air. In addition the hosts of our group had been students we had met in Bali before as they had done their Grand Tour there in previous modules (Felix and Rutger). Initially we were the biggest group in the Study Start Week with over 20 people and a variety of different nationalities. It was a very multicultural bunch with people from all across the globe (Indonesia, Hungary, Romania, Finland, Germany, Thailand, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia, Russia and The Netherlands). It was almost as if everyone was from a different place, which made it interesting to get to know each other and share our stories.

The Study Start Week was packed with so many fun-filled activities that made us bond and come together as a unit. Activities such as the Sports-day, Barbeque, Red Club Party, Introduction games, Lunch, City Tour, Into the Wild festival, Master-classes and many more. Although the Study Start Week came to an end and we are now divided over different classes and modules (not to mention being busy with  assignments and school work), we are all still in touch and occasionally meet up for dinner and all. 

Feeling homesick for Bali – but a yummy nasi goreng with abon 

and tempe goreng allways takes us back…and keep us happy

Talking about food, recently we have discovered an Indonesian supermarket that sells all the typical products such as tempeh, mie, nasi, sapiabon and many other ingredients that are needed in the Indonesian cuisine. This is great as when we are missing Bali we can still get some umami for dinner, a nice homemade nasi goreng with some tempeh or beef rendang and anything else you may be craving on that day. This is really heart-warming for all those cold and gloomy days that we often feel home sick, there is this always a nice and spicy Indonesian dish to turn the frown upside down.

A windy day in Amsterdam

  

Warm summer day by the canal

          It’s already almost a month of being in Leeuwarden and many memories have been made and still so many to come. We have had some entertaining days in the city centre, walking around and shopping, having a coffee and so on. Even making the best of every moment, although the weather is not always the best but we still manage to have fun and keep a smile on our faces.

Andras just purchased something very prescious in the local supermarket

There are also many activities to keep ourselves occupied such as travelling to other cities, countries, gym just across the campus site, sports hall with a wide range of sporting facilities from futsal, basketball, swimming etc. for all the sport lovers out there, cycling or walking in the park or by the canals, cinema’s and many more.

I honestly cannot wait to see what more my Stenden Journey of a Thousand Miles has in store for me and I look forward to it. It really is a blessing at my age to have such a great opportunities and such awesome experiences. Thank you Stenden University Bali for making this possible. It’s just the beginning, tot ziens! (which is Dutch for ‘see you later’).

By Wadzanayi Chitambo 

Photography credit to Andras Szemes (follow him on Instagram for more amazing pictures like these @szemesa)