Farewell The Netherlands

It’s been a while I created a blog post. Apparently my last post was almost 8 months ago. But now I created a farewell post to The Netherlands because I am going to leave (or already leave when this post is published) because my permit has been expired (or soon enough). As I stand at the crossroads of departure, my heart swells with a mixture of gratitude, nostalgia, and a touch of melancholy. I’ll try to summarize my journey as much as detailed possible because it started 2 years ago so please pardon I am missing some details.

Arriving in the Netherlands

So the journey was started when I got accepted to Utrecht University as a student of Master Applied Data Science. I was very happy at the time because after a long void years of Covid, I am finally can continue my study in Master. It was a dream come true because finally I can study abroad and studying Data Science.

It was exciting and yet so scary at the same time. It was the third time I’ve been step out from Java Island. Stepping in The Netherlands, I’ve met with new friends and new people. I kind of make a mistake didnt expect that The Netherlands housing crisis is a mess. The mistake was I will look for a place to stay after I arrived in the Netherlands. Now that I’ve think about it was very stupid from my side because it is different cultures and I dont have any connection here. I even almost got scammed by random person almost paying hefty fee for fictional room. Thankfully some random Dutch person helps me to calm myself (Thanks Mr. Hubert Roos).

After I almost got scammed, I even need to stay in a student hostel which is a mess and shocking experience for me. 3 weeks living in Hostel, thankfully a fellow Indonesian student informed me that there is a free a room earlier than expected. The plan was that I need to stay in the hostel at least 1 month. I am really glad that I got out earlier than I expected. It is a bit bad experience but experience is an experience and eventhough I dont really like it, I learn it in hard way. There are so many problem with living in the hostel. The main issue is not single privacy and the bed is a mess. Imagine sleeping in the same room of 8 peoples with 4 bunkbeds. Anyway eventhough I sleep in the hostel, the class have to start so I am joining class from the Utrecht University Library. Fortunately enough it was walking distance from the hostel.

The start of the program, new friends, and new rooms

Before the start of the program, there was an orientation and pub quiz with fellow Applied Data Science students. I am glad that I can make a new friends and I remember that I am insanely nervous talking with them because this is the first time I am talking in English and I am naturally shy person. In this pub quiz, I’ve met JT (my fellow Dota and gaming friends) and Jason (Football enthusiast and studying friends) who are the people that will be my closest friend studying in this programs. I’ve also hangout a lot with ADS students from Greek Maria and chat a lot with Dutch friend Bradley that I hangout a lot in the practical class. It was crazy for me to think for Bradley travels 4 hours trave in total just to come to practical class. These 4 people deserve a shout for me because they means a lot for me.

The program started not I expected. The class is hybrid and is really optional to come to the class as long as you attend the Teams meeting class. Now because of various reasons, I kinda doesnt like it because there is not so many classes that we can meet and hangout with fellow students to discuss the class. Many reasons such as the University been to far, the class is not effective even if you are coming to the class, and every students lives in very far away places because of housing reasons or different reasons. Making friends in foreign country is not as easy as you think I guess.