From Stellenbosch to Groningen: Bismarck's experience studying a semester abroad

As a South African student from the University of Stellenbosch, travelling 13 hours by plane to a country in the northern hemisphere, and arriving in a foreign city with no familiar faces for a semester abroad can sound a bit daunting. However, the experience was far from daunting, and the best words to describe my semester abroad would be “life changing”, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Before the mobility

The process of getting to Groningen was extremely smooth and efficient. The university kept me well informed about all the necessary requirements before embarking on my journey. Through the SSH platform, it was easy for me to find accommodation as an exchange student. Visa arrangements were also simple, as I just sent in all the required documentation to the university and went to visit the Dutch embassy in South Africa a couple of weeks later to collect my visa. The process before the exchange was so simple and easy that it really relieved me of some of the stresses I was feeling.

During the mobility

Where do I even begin! With so many unbelievable experiences, I could write an entire book on my time in Groningen. Upon arrival, I immediately signed up for both introduction weeks, first the famous “Kei week” and then the more international “ESN week”. These weeks provide students with the perfect opportunity to make new friends and get a good feel for the city. The weeks had a good balance of social events, introductions to different cultural and sporting societies, educational seminars, and everything in between. In these two weeks I made friends that would go on to be my closest friends throughout my exchange, and possibly for the rest of my life.

Regarding academics, I enjoyed how structured everything was in my faculty. If I had to compare the standard to my home university, I would say that the workload, as well as the difficulty was almost identical, however, I felt that the method of having 2 hour lectures and 2 hour tutorials for each course every week kept me up to date with my work, and the online “Brightspace” portal made it easy to access the necessary academic material in order to perform well. The staff support is also at a world class level. Everyone was always willing to help, answer questions, and get the most out of the students. Something I noticed was how passionate the professors were about their courses, which was lovely to see. My grades improved significantly at University of Groningen, and I am proud to say that I averaged 8.6 across all courses completed whilst I was abroad.

On a more personal level, my experience at RUG will be a massive part of my life going forward. I made amazing friends and met so many amazing people who made me feel at home and so comfortable in my new environment. I learnt a lot about myself and others, and I felt like a grew a lot as a person. As a South African, it is not often to find ourselves in a position where we can simply take a train to visit a new country. I made the most of the opportunity, traveling to multiple countries and gaining such valuable, worldly experiences.

It was not always sunshine and rainbows though (literally). If I had to highlight the difficult times during my semester, it would ultimately be the weather. As a South African I was not used to weeks on end of cold, wind, rain, and snow. The weather definitively took a toll on my mood some days, and if you are a student from a warmer, sunnier climate such as myself, I would suggest taking vitamin D supplementation. But as the Dutch say, you are not made of sugar, so you will not melt! The cost of living was also a lot higher for me, so I had to be very aware of how I was budgeting during my time in Groningen. Some further notable mentions:

After multiple, catastrophic crashes on my bicycle, I eventually got the hang of the Dutch mode of transport and could successfully cycle all the way to class without using hands! Learning to cycle well was essential in making the most of the exchange period.

The city has one of the best vibes I’ve experienced in my life, with a very young population. The university is very international, and all locals can speak English well, so I never experienced a language barrier issue, although learning a few Dutch phrases goes a long way, and shows the locals that you are appreciative of their language and culture.

Summary

Overall, I look back with such fond memories. I hope to return as soon as possible, and to any students considering Groningen as an option for an exchange semester, do it! You will enjoy every second and never look back.