In Botswana, you stop the bus by shouting loudly. Here, you press a button,“ says Layla from Botswana. That country is a world apart from here. ”In Rotterdam, everyone keeps to themselves. In Botswana, you greet people on the street and chat on the bus. I missed that here at first.”
Accidentally in the Netherlands
She ended up in the Netherlands by chance in 2024. “I was in Poland with my mother for a conference,” says Layla. “She was in her meetings and I was bored. So I decided to visit a friend in The Hague. Those few days gave me such a good impression of the Netherlands that I eventually decided to enroll in a study program here. That was never the plan.” In 2021, she started studying in The Hague. She did her first year online from Botswana, but then she made the move to the Netherlands.
More diversity, more energy
After studying in The Hague, Layla was ready for something new. “I’d seen enough of The Hague. I wanted a bigger city, with more diversity, more energy.” She deliberately chose Rotterdam: “Here, I don’t feel like I’m being stared at. There are more Muslims of color, and I immediately noticed: I don’t stand out, I blend in.” She joined student associations, sought out people of color, and built her own community. “Without that, you quickly feel like an ant in a big city here.”
The value of community
Layla emphasizes how important it is to find your own group. “There are only about ten people my age from Botswana in the Netherlands. We get together, cook traditional food, and hold on to our roots.” She is also active in the African student association. “That community gives me stability.”
At the same time, Layla is also trying to integrate: she is teaching herself Dutch, enjoys going to markets such as the Afrikaandermarkt or the Alexandrium, and is a fan of chicken nuggets and fries with onions. “I’ve really adopted some Dutch customs. Being on time, for example. In Botswana, 11 o’clock means: I’m just leaving the house now. Here, I plan my route and make sure I’m on time.”