“As long as you don’t give up on the city, the city won’t give up on you,” says Juan from Honduras. Although, he is actually a citizen of the world. He lived in Guatemala for five years when he was very young. When he was nine, his family moved to China because his father got a job there. “I turned ten in Guatemala and fourteen in China,” he says. He then lived in the Philippines for three years and in Warsaw, Poland, for a year. “In Warsaw, I knew I wanted to stay in Europe. I knew Amsterdam a little, but not Rotterdam.” Nevertheless, in 2022, he chose to study at Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
Modern and diverse
His first impression was mixed. “I was quite surprised. The tall glass buildings… it felt modern and different from what I had expected.” Still, it didn’t feel wrong. “I actually liked it quite a bit.”
Juan liked that everything was within reach. “I can cycle to school, to the supermarket, to work… everything is accessible.” Compared to other countries, he considers this a big advantage. “In Honduras, you have to be mindful of safety everywhere. Here, I feel much freer.”
Juan quickly noticed that Rotterdam is much more diverse than other cities in Europe where he has lived. “In Warsaw, you saw almost only white people. In Rotterdam, you see many different communities and cultures. I found that really special.” At university, he also met many international students. “There were people from all over the world studying with me. That made it easier for me to adapt.”
Winters, paperwork, and being alone
Juan had a hard time with the winters. “From November to February, it seems like everyone goes into a wintersleep. It’s cold, wet, and dark.” During those months, he really had to push himself to do anything. “It was also the first time I had to take vitamin D,” he laughs.
But the biggest culture shock came from the municipal paperwork. “I didn’t know you had to register within three weeks. My appointment at city hall took a month. And then my landlord had the wrong paperwork… everything had to be redone.”
It didn’t help that he had to go through this alone. “For the first time, I wasn’t living at home. That took some getting used to.” Fortunately, he still has digital contact with his family in Honduras. “We have a group chat with more than thirty people. I call my grandparents often. I never want to lose that connection.”
Alternative music
And so he quickly found his place in Rotterdam. According to him, that’s easy in Rotterdam if you have a particular hobby or passion. “There are places for everything here. If you have a specific interest, there’s probably a community for it.” Juan loves alternative live music. “I go to punk shows and see local bands. It’s something I used to only know through a screen. Now I’m there myself. I’ve been going to concerts for two years and I’ve never been disappointed.”
Staying longer than planned
He feels so at home in the city that he wants to stay longer than planned. Now that he has completed his bachelor’s degree, he is starting a master’s degree in media and creative industries. “I’ll definitely stay here for another year. After that, my father will come to Amsterdam. That would mean that we would be living in the same country again as a family. I think that would be nice.”
Because he was only going to stay here for three years, he didn’t invest much in the language. So although Juan has many Dutch friends, he doesn’t speak Dutch yet. But he thinks it would be useful to learn it quickly. “Some jobs require you to have B2 level Dutch. Now I have to catch up.”
A tip for new Rotterdammers
Still, he looks back positively on his first years in Rotterdam. “It was stressful at times, but I’ve found my place here. Rotterdam feels like home.” Juan has clear advice for newcomers: give the city a chance. “It can be difficult to find your place. But keep trying. There are people here who share your interests. If you don’t give up on the city, the city won’t give up on you.”