Thursday, August 7, 2014
Erica Liu, Maastricht University, Netherlands
22/01/2014
Hoi (“Hi” in
Dutch), everyone. I am currently doing a semester of exchange at Maastricht
University’s School of Business and Economics. I didn’t know
Maastricht even existed before I heard about the university. I looked up the
location of Maastricht on Google Maps and learnt that it is a city far south in
the Netherlands, located close to the German and Belgian border. It would offer
a Dutch experience with hints of German and Belgian influences.
Having come from a city as
urbanized and as fast paced as Hong Kong, it would be interesting to see and
experience how small city living was like. My first impressions were that the
city was beautiful and very quaint, the churches in particular were very
impressive. Maastricht had lots of character and
yet embodied small city charm, with the cobble stoned streets and shops housed
in historical buildings.
After arrival to the
guesthouse and unpacking the luggage, the first thing I did was go to the supermarket. I realized that as
soon you enter any building, you suddenly get very hot as everywhere has
central heating and already I
feel like I have taken my down jacket on and off a hundred times! 29/01/2014
I spent most of my time in the
first week exploring the town and trying hard not to get lost. When I came here, I would like to live as a typical
Dutch. To start with, I bought a second-hand bike and used it to move around in
the city. So far I feel safe riding around with my bike or going to school from
the guesthouse with it. The city has many pedestrian zones so I’d say it’s also
friendly to walk in.
In fact, I am
really fascinated at the way the locals in general have adapted to the Netherlands’ infamously rainy
weather. Today, while strolling through the Markt with some friends, a sudden
downpour occurred. Everyone immediately ran for the shops and was quite content
to stand there and watching the rain fall. Literally the sun is so precious and
all of a sudden it would just disappear. No wonder people always say ‘enjoy the
sun while it’s still here’.
Visiting flea market is one of my favorite
outdoor activities every week. It is opened on Wednesdays and Fridays at Markt. You can buy nearly
anything at the stalls, from flowers and clothes to food and fresh produce.
03/02/2014
With class sizes between 10-15 students, you have to come to class prepared with background of the required readings and a willingness to participate. Actually, most of the time teachers don’t speak! They act as facilitators who assist and guide the discussion in the right direction. The whole section really depends on a discussion between everyone.
Also, we would have to take turns being discussion leader in tutorial meetings. A discussion leader would be responsible for guiding the class discussions, for instance, by keeping discussions focused on relevant aspects, offering summaries and ensuring that every student has an opportunity to contribute.
Time management to get work during the week will be tested, especially with an agenda for traveling during the weekends J
02/03/2014
Maastricht stopped for the three days of carnival and everyone in the city came together to celebrate in the main square. Every year, the mayor officially hands over the keys of the city on the first day to Prince Carnival who will reign for the next 3 days with his Council of Eleven. Isn’t it very funny? What is more, there is again a crazy new carnival song, that you can hear being sung and played everywhere, and naturally, you sing and dance with complete strangers all together in streets.I had no clue what Carnival was about before I came here. But just one day on the streets of Maastricht and you would be amazed at what the Dutch do during Carnival. The people all decked out in costumes (even the elderly!) and some were even acting out the role of who they were dressed as. People were everywhere, in the streets and in the pubs, enjoying life! It was really wonderful to see the crowds watching the parade, as well as those participating in the march.
Endless street parties, beer galore, colourful parades and outrageous costumes; these are what you can expect during carnival time in Maastricht.
27/04/2014
King’s Day is the biggest national celebration I have even seen. A sea of orange flooded the streets of Amsterdam yesterday (26 April) as over one million local celebrants and visitors took to the streets in celebration of their first King’s day in 124 years.
Actually, the fun traditionally begins on King’s Night, the eve of the King’s Day. If you want to experience the orange madness to the fullest, the craziest place to go is definitely Amsterdam. On King’s day, everyone was covered head to toe in orange, which represents the colour of the royal family. The whole country was filled with the carnival atmosphere. DJs played parties on public squares, live music spilt onto streets everywhere, and brightly decorated boats filled canals with people partying, drinking, and so on.
The King’s gift to the nation each year is the one-day suspension of trading licenses. In the afternoon, I went to Vondelpark which was a flea market for kids. They set up stalls to make earnings by selling old toys and clothes, with the help of their parents. There were also other activities dotted around the parks, such as face-painting and games.
Labels: 2013/2014 Semester B
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