Carlos Gomez, Recipient 2009
University of Florida, USA, International Business with Honors Major
Host University, Hogeschol Rotterdam (RHO), Business

Carlos:

My academic experiences in the Netherlands presented great challenges and learning opportunities through the coursework itself and the variety of students I had to work with on a day-to-day basis. The educational system and expectations within the school were different from the systems I am used to because of the differences between our Western societies. The material, too, was different from what is taught in the United States, but that can be attributed to the differences in the type of schools FIU and RHO are. Finally, the variety of students was pleasantly diverse, much more so than anticipated, and provided excellent learning opportunities for everyone outside of the normal class work challenges. All in all, the combination of learning experiences inside and outside the classroom made for a rewarding stay.

The educational system in the Netherlands, as I experienced it, is very different from the one in the United States. In the Netherlands group work is heavily emphasized, to the extent of mostly ignoring theory and focusing mostly on the practical and immediate applications of concepts taught. The teachers had much experience working with foreign companies and were well versed in the concepts and ideas of international business if only because the Netherlands as an economic entity is heavily reliant on international trade as well. This has a negative side to it too, though. Personal excellence is rarely recognized or fostered, which gives students little incentive to apply them to solo work outside of their projects. Student projects are heavily favored over individual work, so students often prefer to devote their energies to their group projects and neglect their individual work.

The content of the coursework itself is geared more towards immediate application in the business world which, like mentioned before, focuses on group work. In order to get students used to working with others in a variety of roles, many different projects on different subjects are given. In fact, the only course for which I did not have a major group project was Dutch Language. This might be due to the nature of the RHO, which is more of a vocational school, while FIU is more of a standard university in the United States. The system at the RHO results in students who are more immediately acquainted with business practices and ideas that are used in the business world they will be going into.

Not all learning is gleaned from slides and lectures, and this was never more prominent than with my interactions with fellow exchange students. They came from a great variety of countries within the European Union, and a few from other areas like Pakistan, China, Japan, Turkey, and Suriname. While I already had some experience with the latter groups, the variety of customs and attitudes within the European Union was truly impressed upon me. It's hard for me to speak of a "European culture" or of "Europeans" in a broader sense now. There's just such a multitude of schools of thought within the European Union that it's very hard to generalize those countries into one homogenous bloc. Moreover, I was able to understand each different person and their cultural background and their ways of thinking. This was critical, because there were many and frequent misunderstandings between the European students themselves and even more frequently between Europeans and Asians. Having lengthy experiences with each group allowed me to mediate any misunderstandings.

Architecture and the Art of Living

European architecture is idolized in my native Latino culture, so it’s quite a big deal to get to see the real thing up close. Rotterdam is an interesting case; rebuilt almost entirely after WWII, it still retains many characteristics of Old World cities. By all rights, it should have been redesigned for the advent of the personal car, not retrofitted for pedestrians and yet it was in many ways.

Of course, major lanes were introduced and the city is ringed by a large expressway network and the main roads bisect Rotterdam, but they are not as present or pervasive as bike roads and pedestrian ways. Small roads and tightly clustered neighborhoods set the lifestyle for those in Rotterdam and it prioritizes several things:

The first is community. The predominant type of housing is flats, arranged in small buildings. This means lots of public space, as all land that would have gone to lawns goes to public parks and common areas. The ground floor of many buildings house stores, most commonly small markets, which provide another gathering place for people. With the constant shuffle of people in and out of the same building and common areas to eat and play, this means lots and lots of interaction with your neighbors.

The second is transportation. Getting around on solely on bike is totally possible, if not entirely practical. Being without a car is entirely practical, though, due to the extensive (formerly) public transport system consisting of trams, buses, metro, and trains. Bike paths snaking through the city provide venues for bikes, motorized bikes, and scooters if you want individual transportation. They become even more useful as you enter the neighborhoods, which are designed for a car and a half, or more appropriately a car and a couple of bikes.

So their city planning, the type of buildings they live in, the streets themselves have led to a style of living which allows truly living. They are not ensconced in their homes surrounded by a moat of grass, then again in another bubble when they enter their cars. By biking and walking, they truly experience their city, which is hard to do in a car. By taking public transport they see each other. I’m not delusional; most won’t talk to anyone on the metro, buses, or tram. But simply seeing the teeming masses on a daily basis helps you remember that there are other people out there, too, outside of your job, friends, and family, going to work or school and living just as you do. I believe this helps foster a sense of empathy.