His first encounter with the Netherlands was at the age of 17 because of an exchange, but JuanFra stayed because of love. “I was allowed to do my master’s in Amsterdam in 2012 and that’s where I met my wife.” He is from Ecuador and she is from Russia. Yet they were inseparable after that. “We are doing our master’s together. This was a program in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany. So we followed each other all over Europe. We also did our PhD together, the first part in Italy and the second part in the Netherlands.” When his wife got a job at Erasmus University, he also followed her. And he doesn’t regret it.
Every neighborhood a surprise
“I think Rotterdam is a super beautiful city. It is small, but it has residents from many cultures and nice places to go out. The city also has different people on the streets and many different cuisines. Every neighborhood is different too. I find that very valuable.” He therefore advises other newcomers to take a good look at what Rotterdam has to offer. “There is a surprise in every neighborhood. That is why I am very happy that I am allowed to live here.”
Not just Dutch
JuanFra also thinks it is good to learn Dutch if you do not speak it and come to live here. He himself learned the language on a course and then by practicing with friends and colleagues. “But don’t just learn Dutch,” he advises. “There are so many different people here from different countries.. it is also nice if you can say a few sentences in different languages.”