Central Intro Committee (CIC) member Simeon Rangelov tells the students about his own experiences as an international student with rowing association Thêta: “I don’t even like rowing,” he admits. The students laugh. “But the association is about much more than that; it’s a community.” There is a place for everyone in student life, he says; you just have to know where to find it.

She has a warning for those who have signed up for the Dutch tasting later in the day: “Don’t expect too much from Dutch food.” Last year, students were particularly unimpressed with licorice. Reactions ranged from “it tastes like medicine” and “it’s not terrible” to “a unique flavor.”

Jokes aside, Hofstra emphasizes that everyone should be able to feel safe. Next week, representatives of Confidential Peer Support will be available in Neuron every day. “If something happens that makes you uncomfortable, you can go to them.” But you can also stop by just for a friendly chat, she adds.

Holland

After the presentations, the students head to the Blauwe Zaal for a comedy show about the history of the Netherlands and Eindhoven. One thing comedian and city guide Luuk van der Vaart particularly wants them to remember is: “You’re not in Holland.” The entire audience practices pronouncing the word “gezellig” with him. Last year, the comedian gave internationals the same introduction, which Cursor attended for a report.

At the information market in Atlas, students can pick up their campus cards, get to know the umbrella organizations of student associations, and learn more about banks, insurance, and other topics. Cursor also has a stand at the market, with new Intro Magazines and maps of the world where students can use pins to mark where they come from.

Special encounters

Some newcomers pass by the Cursor stand several times to look at the pins on the world map. Students from small island states in particular—Malta and even the U.S. Virgin Islands are represented—are curious to see whether more people from their home countries will be studying at TU/e.

The information market is also a place for special encounters. Two Polish students who have known each other for years meet again in Eindhoven. “It’s such a coincidence. We went to elementary school together, then high school, and now we’ve run into each other here again,” one of them says. “I don’t think we can get rid of each other,” the other jokes.

Airbnb

Finding a room in Eindhoven is far from a given for many students. Still, most students have managed to find a place, conversations suggest. Most have a room in a shared house, while others are happy to have their own studio.

Not everyone has found a permanent place yet. One Czech student is temporarily staying in an Airbnb. Still, he remains positive: “It’s not ideal, but I believe I’ll find something soon.”

Rental prices are a recurring topic, with many students saying they are very high: amounts of €1,100 and €1,200 per month at The Social Hub come up. A room in an old-fashioned student house with a shared kitchen and bathroom costs €500 to €600.

A student from Turkey has to pay €2,000 for his accommodation. “It’s temporary. I’m looking for something else because I can’t afford this in the long run.”

Brexit

Matvii (“Just call me Matteo”) pays €850 for a small studio in the city. He was born in Ukraine but has always lived in Cyprus. He is delighted when, shortly after he places a pin on the island, another new TU/e student does the same: what a coincidence!

After chatting with his fellow countryman, Matvii is happy to talk with Cursor as well. He will be studying architecture. “Since Brexit, the Netherlands has become the obvious place to study in English. Studying in England has simply become far too expensive.”