“Unfortunately, I have no memories of my home country. Probably because adoption is a traumatic experience. But you don’t realise that when you’re young,” tells Jhon. When people see him, most of them think he has Turkish or Moroccan roots. But few people guess where he was really born: Colombia! 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
He grew up in Spijkenisse, a city next to Rotterdam. “There were shops there too, but not many. We always called it the village. For most things, we went to Rotterdam, the big city. We went shopping at the Zuidplein shopping center, for example.” He also went to vocational college (MBO) in Rotterdam. “I still remember always taking the metro there. From the window, I could see Rotterdam; there were fewer high-rise buildings then than there are now, i like those high buildings Rotterdam.”
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!” He made Rotterdam his home by providing information about being LGBT for youngsters. “If you work in a socially environment, you become automatically more social.”
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 concerning that part, Vienna can be an example for Rotterdam. But Rotterdam is more diverse, i like that.”
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.”