‘If you want to stay, learn Dutch’

“I was surprised to realize that Dutch people expect their government to be very active in providing solutions to their problems,” the Colombian opined

After having worked for several years in their home countries, civil engineers Fanuel Kalugendo and Camilo Medina decided to head to the Netherlands to gain Master’s degrees at TU Delft, attracted they both say by the university’s good reputation and research standards. Kalugendo (MSc Transport and Planning) and Medina (MSc Transport, Infrastructure and Logistics) both recently graduated from their respective programmes, thus concluding their TU Delft experience. With their diplomas now under their belts, the young engineers share their thoughts on life at and after TU Delft.

What are the most valuable things you learned in your two years in Delft?
Kalugendo: “To think more independently as an engineer. I was used to an educational system in which students are mainly required to learn things by heart and reproduce them in exam or assignments. However, in many of my TU Delft courses I had to think beyond methods and justify my own decisions. This is difficult for students, but thanks to these skills I now feel that I can develop and assess engineering projects from a more critical point of view.”
Medina: “One of my most valuable experiences was meeting people from all over the world. It’s very stimulating to learn how people from other cultures see the world, and what they expect from themselves and others. I was surprised for example to realise that Dutch people expect their government to be very active in providing solutions to their problems.”

How do you feel about your overall experience in Holland?
Kalugendo: “I’ve learned many useful things, not only at the academic level but also about other lifestyles. One example is the whole idea of individualism and working independently, which is much more developed in Europe than in my home country. I do however feel I wasn’t able to completely integrate into Dutch society: during my two years, I made more friends among international students than among the Dutch. But the reason was not only the language barrier but also the differences with regard to personal situation.”

Such as…?
Kalugendo: “Well, I was living in a strange country, far from my family. This makes you vulnerable and you try to meet people in similar situations, with similar needs. Conversely, Dutch students generally feel at home and are more confident; they have their own lives and don’t need to make more friends. However, I was lucky to be hosted by a family in Deventer who are friends of a relative of mine in Tanzania. They did a lot to make me feel at home. They regularly invited me over and even attended my MSc thesis presentation. Some kind of program sponsored by the university to provide ‘host families’ for international students would be very helpful. This was done in Deventer years ago, and that’s actually how my relative, who studied there, met my Dutch host family.”

How does Holland compare to your home country?
Medina: “I like this country, although adaptation is difficult as a foreigner. Dutch people are very different from Colombians. I find Dutch people to be less social than we are. A Dutch person seldom approaches people he/she doesn’t know; you always have to go talk to them. Instead, we Colombians are generally more open to socializing with new people – both locals and foreigners. We also like much more to dance, like salsa and meringue, and express ourselves by dancing. Dutch people just don’t dance!”

What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
Kalugendo: “I plan to go back to Tanzania, which was already my initial plan. I have a family back home, so I never seriously considered the possibility of staying in Europe after graduating. Once in Tanzania I’ll continue working for my previous employer, at least for some time.”
Medina: “Originally my plan wasn’t to stay in Holland after graduating, but now I’d like to stay a while. I’d like to find a job related to the transport field and gain some professional experience here. I don’t think this is impossible; actually, I know foreigners who studied at TU Delft and succeeded in being hired by companies in Holland.”

Do you think your TU Delft degree will make a real difference in your future career?
Kalugendo: “I expect it will help me move forward in my professional career, both because of the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired and because of the recognition one gets after gaining a degree from a top university. I’m particularly looking for possibilities of participating in implementing the new Bus Rapid Transit system in Dar es Salaam. Whether or not I’ll professionally benefit from my two years at TU Delft, only time will tell, but it certainly has been a deeply enriching experience for me from a personal point of view.”

Is speaking Dutch a prerequisite for working here?
Medina: “In my experience, it’s hard to find a job here if you don’t speak Dutch. So, my little piece of advice to other international students is: if you want to stay, learn Dutch!”

How have you gone about finding work in Holland?
Medina: “That would be my second piece of advice: make use of the resources the university has available for graduates looking for jobs – like the TU’s Career Centre and Supair. I did and they were very helpful: they reviewed my CV, and they gave me recommendations on how to approach companies. However, I must admit I only got to know about the Career Centre and Supair informally, through one of my thesis supervisors.”

So to find a job here, it’s up to the individual’s personal ambition rather than institutional handholding?
Medina: “The university offers many services to graduates looking for jobs, but there’s no clear guiding process. All information is scattered and no one formally tells you about these services. I don’t feel the university really cares about whether or not I find work here. However, if I don’t find a job, I won’t regard my two years in Delft as a waste of time. Eventually, I’m planning to go back to Colombia and hope my MSc studies will subsequently help me in my career – not necessarily in terms of a better position or higher salary, but in terms of recognition and background to create my own company in future.”

“Twee vrienden van me werkten er al en waren enthousiast. Vooral over de fooi die ze kregen. Nadat ik een baantje bij de supermarkt had opgezegd, ben ik er aan de slag gegaan als koerier. Dat van die fooien bleek precies te kloppen. En dan geldt natuurlijk: hoe meer orders, hoe lucratiever. Door mijn inzet onderscheidde ik me van andere koeriers. Het viel op bij mijn baas en op een dag vroeg hij: ‘Zou je het niet leuk vinden om filiaalmanager te worden?’”
“Ik moet zeggen dat het een hele overschakeling is. Jongens die vijf jaar ouder zijn, moeten ineens naar je luisteren. Ook mag ik een officiële waarschuwing geven, bijvoorbeeld als een koerier structureel te lang weg blijft. Een maximumtijd is er niet, maar wanneer hij twee keer langer weg is dan normaal, ga ik verhaal halen. Sociale controle helpt: op een scherm zien andere koeriers hoe lang iemand weg is. ‘Wat ben jij voor een trage drol!’ hoor je dan.”

“Eerst maak ik altijd de kassa en portemonneetjes in orde. Daarna rol ik alvast twee rekjes met bodems uit. Je moet oppassen dat er niet te veel lucht in de bodems blijft zitten. In de oven krijg je dan grote luchtbellen, die makkelijk verbranden. Om dat te voorkomen moet je een aantal keren goed op de bodem slaan. Normaal gesproken nemen de koeriers de telefoon op. Mocht er niemand zijn, dan doe ik dat. Ik werk binnen gewoon mee, maar houd tegelijkertijd de boel in de gaten.”

“Een keer is het echt helemaal fout gelopen. Het was een extreem drukke zondag, mede door een vijf euro-actie. Daarbij stonden twee niet zo heel actieve medewerkers in de keuken. De bezorgtijd liep flink op met boze mensen aan de lijn tot gevolg. Uiteraard probeer je altijd zo vriendelijk mogelijk te blijven, vraag aan de klant wat hij de beste oplossing vindt. Dat werkt bijna altijd en betekent dan een gratis pizza of soms een flesje wijn. Het is een investering, maar je behoudt liever een klant, want een nieuwe vinden is tien keer moeilijker.”

Bijbaan: Bedrijfsleider afhaal- en bezorgpizzeria
Verdiensten: €6 per uur
Opvallend: Pizza komt hem inmiddels de neus uit