“My two nationalities give me the freedom to feel at home in multiple places,” says Marty from Burkina Faso. His Dutch mother and Burkinabe father met in the late 1980s in Burkina Faso, where his mother worked as a volunteer for a few years. Marty was also born there. However, the family soon moved to Mali. After almost ten years, they went to Tanzania, where Marty finished high school. “It was different there than in West Africa. That’s where I grew up.” Still, Marty says that living in West Africa shaped him. “It taught me who I am and where I come from.”
After high school in Tanzania, Marty came to the Netherlands to study. That wasn’t a strange choice, because the family went to the Netherlands almost every year to visit his mother’s family. His father had also studied in Belgium before. “If I could have done the same studies in Tanzania, I probably would have stayed there. But in the Netherlands, everything was taken care of: I had citizenship, my mother’s family, and I received student financial aid.”
Attracted to Rotterdam
He studied in The Hague, but was drawn to Rotterdam. “My best friend and my brother moved to Rotterdam. I started visiting more often and found it to be a pleasant, lively city. When I finished my studies, I thought: why not live here?” Language also plays a role. “I grew up speaking mostly English. In Rotterdam, I find that I often speak English with others on the street. That also makes it easier for me to feel at home here. “
People with similar experiences
Marty quickly felt at home in the city. “My first address was on Middellandstraat. It seems even more multicultural there than in the rest of Rotterdam. I easily came into contact with people from all kinds of backgrounds. I really liked that.”
He likes being able to find people who have the same background or experiences. That’s how he joined the Association for Students of African Heritage. “When I attended their first event, I thought: wow, there are many more people like me than I thought. I later became chairman, and that really changed my perspective. You feel at home when you interact with people who have experiences similar to yours.”
He has now been living in Rotterdam for years, where he balances his nationalities. “In the Netherlands, I sometimes feel too Burkinabe, and in Burkina Faso, too Dutch. But most of the time, I manage to find a good balance. It also gives me the freedom to feel at home in multiple places.”
Food and cycling
He still misses West Africa regularly. “When I was young, I was always outside, always barefoot, climbing trees… I sometimes miss that in the Netherlands.” He also misses the food. “ When I come back from Burkina, my suitcase is always full of food that I like. I share it with my brother.”
One small detail connects Burkina Faso with the Netherlands: the bicycle. “In Burkina Faso, many people cycle too. Not everyone, but in everyday life you see a lot of people on bikes. There’s even a Tour du Faso, just like the Tour de France. I think that’s funny.”
Helping family in war
Last year, Marty spent another whole year in Burkina Faso. “I wanted to be close to my family, especially because I had health problems. But the country is at war. My whole family has been driven out of their village and now lives in the capital. I helped them find houses, schools, and everything else that goes with it.”
He tried to start a business in the country himself. “My family had an old bus. Together with a garage, I spent months renovating it. Eventually, I started a transport company. It didn’t go as hoped, but it was an educational experience.”
Back to Burkina Faso?
The country continues to draw him back. “I’m going to Portugal soon to escape the hay fever in the Netherlands. And at the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026, I hope to live in Burkina Faso again for a few months. Maybe even permanently, if I can arrange my work properly.”