“I relied on YouTube and Google to learn about European culture”
Chinese student Sue talks about life and school in Holland
It is the ‘Week of the International Student’ and SAM asks students from all over the world who study at the HAN: where are you from and why are you here? Today: Sue.
Who: Sue Feng (22)
From: Heilong Jiang, China
Studies: Communication
Here since: February 2018
“After finishing high school, I studied at a Chinese university for about a year. But school in China is very strict and has a very theoretical focus, which I didn’t like. You have to attend every class, from early morning until late in the evening. There is an 11 p.m. curfew, so there is no night life. It did not fit my personality and my needs: I want to travel, feel free and build a community within the world of PR, marketing and communication.”
Codes of communication
“I wanted to study abroad, so I moved to Croatia to study Communication at a private school. I also started working at a hostel there. The culture shock was quite big: there is a different ‘code of communication’ out here in the West. Being a receptionist at the hostel helped me figure out how to interact with people. I also relied on YouTube and Google to learn about European culture. For instance, in Europe it’s very common to introduce yourself right away and start a conversation simply because you want to. In China you have to have a reason, and it happens more naturally. Something bonds or connects you first, then you introduce yourself properly because you are already chatting or you have a clear reason to talk to each other. Also, there is no unlimited access to the internet in China, so international social media like Facebook and Instagram are not used. Because I am here, I have an account now and it helps me stay connected and be part of the international community at the HAN and around the world. It’s also helpful in my (future) work. I really like it.”
From Croatia to The Netherlands
“The reason I quit in Croatia, is because the private school did not facilitate international students as well as I expected. Many classes went from being in English, to Croatian. I ended up hearing about the HAN and life in The Netherlands and did some research. Everything I heard and read appealed to me. Having been here for almost two years, I can confirm that I made the right choice. I love the opportunities and many available resources and connections.”
Paying for a potato
“What I miss about China is the food and how we do everything on our phones, even paying for a potato at the local market. We rarely have cash on us. I noticed that it’s more common here to still do certain payments in cash, or fill in forms on paper instead of online.”
Blurt it out
“What I like about the Dutch and life here in Holland, is that there is a lot of freedom and no social pressure. I like how nice and open-minded most people are and how they take their time to be who they are. What took me a while to get used to is the way Dutch people make random statements, like “I am hungry”, or “I am tired”. I always feel like I have to respond with a solution or some sort of answer. But sometimes they just want to blurt something out. A lot of Dutch people think out loud, haha!”
