Wiebe Schokkin, Recepient 2007
University of Twente, The Netherlands, Civil Engineering
Host University, Florida Atlantic University, Civil Engineering

Wiebe Schokkin is a student in Civil Engineering at the Technical University Twente and is in his last year of the Bachelor program. Host university is Florida Atlantic University. He will be the guest of their Civil Engineering Department from February though April.

Wiebe:
Three weeks ago I came back in The Netherlands and I am still looking back on four terrific months in Florida, it was a perfect time. My supervisors at the Florida Atlantic University are very satisfied with the results from my concept thesis report about emergency evacuation. At the moment I just finished my final report.

Because I had a very interesting research topic, made a lot of new friends and discover many beautiful places in Florida, I had almost automatically a very good time. However, I also learned a lot about myself and about the world. During my stay in Florida I learned to become more independent and to implement my so far gathered knowledge regarding Civil Engineering in general and transportation more specifically into reality. Although I faced some ‘normal’ difficulties, I am satisfied with the final research result and confident about my future Civil Engineering career.

Of course I was confronted with the difference between The Netherlands and America. At the Florida Atlantic University for example I experienced very hard working students and employees and the somewhat ‘strange’ (very positive) grading system. However, I have doubts about both their effectiveness. I was also surprised about the passive attitude of many people I needed to work with, which made it difficult and hard to be dependent on them. This is something I am not used to at my University in Holland.

Regarding Florida’s citizens I am very laudatory because I only met helpful, hospitable and interested people. I am not sure if this is a characteristic of people from Florida or from all the Americans in general, but probably this will be confirmed or not during my coming RV-trip trough America from San Francisco to New York this summer.

Finally, I would like to thank the NFLSF deeply for our cooperation, which made this terrific opportunity possible!


Sincerely Yours,


Wiebe Schokkin