A Turk, a Moroccan, Jhon is mistaken for everything. But few people guess where he was really born: Colombia! “Unfortunately, I have no memories of that. Probably because adoption is a traumatic experience. But you don’t realise that when you’re young.” With his sister, he ended up in Spijkenisse at the age of four “with a very nice mother and a very nice father.”
Less alone
Only after several years in Spijkenisse did he get to know Rotterdam. “The first memory of it is when I was on the metro to the city. Back then there were fewer high-rise buildings than now, back then Rotterdam was nicer.”
Once there at secondary school, he experienced that there were more people who were not born in the Netherlands. “I found that breath-taking. I found out that there are more people who look the same as me, with the same skin colour and so on. That made me feel less alone. I felt more in place and safer.”
Making a little effort
Still, he acknowledges that as a newcomer, you have to make an effort to feel at home in the city. “Fortunately, I can say that for students and expats, Rotterdam is indeed a city that is there for you, but you have to make a little effort. I think that’s because Rotterdam still has that working-class vibe. All the Rotterdammers don’t say “come and visit” of their own accord. But once you know them, they do!”
Vienna as an example
Jhon has made an effort and he therefore feels at home in Rotterdam. “Now I want to stay. But if there is one city I would want to live in within Europe, it is Vienna. That city has the same atmosphere as Rotterdam but is just a bit more progressive and social with certain things. So you could say Vienna is another example of what Rotterdam can be.”
Sharing residence
For instance, he thinks we could still better embrace the city’s diversity. “Despite our different characteristics, we still share our hometown. So as long as that’s the case, we should have a good time together.”