“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are for,” the wise American Author John A. Shedd once said. Keeping that sentence in mind, I took my ship – well in my case a bike, cause yeah that’s what they do there in the Netherlands –jumped inside the car and...
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“Your life is like a newspaper in a newspaper stand. Everybody reads it”. With this motto, Agatha Akhabue (29) lives her life at the fullest. Born in Ekpoma, Esan West Local government Area of Edo State Nigeria, she’s now discovering the world, trying to make it a better place. In front of me sits...
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By Thomas Pickelner and Wyatt McCall There are many ways to travel around Utrecht, from biking to busing, all of which show a different side of the city. But there’s an even more peaceful and healthier route to take, and that is floating along the canals in a kayak. We had heard a lot...
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An old city, founded by the Romans and with a city center which dates back from medieval times, it would be easy to choose a favorite place in Utrecht near the Oudegracht or somewhere around the Dom Church. However, there is one place that makes me feel more at home in this city than...
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The room is a cozy one. There’s a small desk in the corner with a couple of books and a laptop on top of it, there is a black lounge chair you can just sink in to and there are some small posters on the wall. It’s hard to believe that 23-year old French...
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Travelling from one country to another, one always has expectations, especially if it is a place you have heard of, or longed to be. Your first impression of the place will either make you love or hate it. In addition, questions arise like: Do I want to come back here? Yes, I would love to. No,...
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Utrecht is the Dutch-style city I had imagined it to be before arriving in Holland. I have previously visited Amsterdam, so I thought that Utrecht would look pretty similar and I was right. It is a small city compared to my hometown, Madrid, which is a very good thing when you want to move...
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A tall, slim, twenty-something blonde softly leans against the handle bars of her utility bicycle, and takes a swig from a cigarette. An Aztec eternity scarf is draped around her porcelain neck, her blonde hair perched on the top of her head in a loose bun. As she crosses one leg over the other,...
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When arriving in a country for the first time, I usually head for the supermarket. Not just to ease my jet-lag with a snack or some ice tea, but to learn. Just as the local media will tell you a lot about its readers, the grocers’ is a great place for getting to know...
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With the exception of the spicy offerings on the menu, going to one of the coffeshops of Utrecht is very similar to having a ‘fika’ in Gothenburg. It is a place for casually dressed people who meet up to enjoy the good life while its raining cats and dogs. I knew there would not...
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When I’m on my bike, I pretty feel like a Dutch person. I pedal as fast as possible (which however means slower than Dutch people), ringing my bell, trying to avoid the cars and to not hit someone when I’m braking. But when I take a look around me, it reminds me that I...
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Curly hair, light blue eyes and freckles. Except for his height you could take him for a Dutch guy. But when you hear him speak you’r sure that’s not the case. The American accent could be taken from an old western movie. Wyatt MCcall has escaped San Francisco to see something totally different. Raised...
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On his facebook’s profile pictures, Kai wears an unusual T-shirt. The inscription on it : “Mister easy.” Kai easy? Yes of course. He is easy to speak with. He answers to all the questions without any problem. Ask him anything, and smiling, he will always find a way to help you. He became easily...
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Bobbie van der List is the younger of three children and he grew up with “three mothers” as his older sisters took care of him too and advised him in, for example, going on a long trip to get to know himself. After finishing high school, at the age of eighteen, all on his...
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I got my first impression of The Netherlands, and of Utrecht itself, in the train on the way from Amsterdam to Utrecht. Seeing the city from the outside, one of the things that attracted my attention is that those low typical Dutch houses shaping the city are surrounded by some huge buildings, probably belonging...
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Politics, anthropology, journalism- and a somewhat less serene leisure time. 24-year-old Anouk Mentink is used to the noble art of simultaneous capacity. This hasn’t always been the case, though. - I did a lot at high school, but not studying. I was a bit lazy back then I guess, Anouk admits with a smile....
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Dear Caroline This morning (or to be more honest- early this afternoon) I woke up to my eighth day in Utrecht. I have merely been here for a week, but it feels much more like three months. New city, new room, new school, a Lot of new people- as you can imagine everything is...
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By Alexandra Tengberg and Bart de Bruijn Whether you’re in Utrecht with family, friends or that special someone that makes your heart pur with delight you’re sure to find something to do here. Among the many attractions of Utrecht are its green areas. The parks that fill with life and (on a good day)...
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By Steffen Hesseldal Windfeld-Hansen and Beatriz Paúl Naya “You just need to look at the yellow piece of paper, and then you will know where to get it”, Arie said in the library. It seemed easy, just around the corner, as many things are in Utrecht, but as it turns out, nothing is that...
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Steffen Hesseldal, 28 years old, Copenhagen (Denmark) It was his last course of journalism and he wanted to travel abroad. After studying Economics for a year and getting bored with it, he decided to change his professional future. Actually, if you meet him for the first time, you will see the journalist prototype. Wearing...
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