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Expat life in Nijmegen: Lara, South Africa

In the series "Expat Life in Nijmegen", expats talk about their lives in the Netherlands' oldest city. How did they end up here? What do they do in daily life here and what do they think of the city and its surroundings? 

Here's the story of Lara from South Africa...

"My paternal grandparents are originally from the Netherlands, but they migrated to South Africa in the 1950s. So, I grew up in South Africa, but I have a Dutch passport and I’ve always been connected to the Netherlands through that side of the family.

The reason I looked into moving to the Netherlands was Covid. Because of the pandemic, the master’s program I was hoping to do in South Africa was not going to take any new students the year I was planning to apply, so I looked into other options. I was always passionate about human genetics, so I wanted to do a master’s in that field, and that’s how I found Radboud. I started here with a master’s in medical biology and right now, I’m doing my PhD at the Radboudumc.

Something I’ve noticed for sure is how much more distinct the seasons in Europe are in comparison to South Africa. Of course, that has to do with latitude, but in South Africa, the seasons are just way less noticeable. The light doesn’t change that much – and not all trees lose their leaves.

In the beginning, I also really struggled with the cold. I was neither prepared nor ready for it. I am much more used to it by now, but it was quite the learning curve, dressing according to the Dutch weather. But I think that’s just part of living in the Netherlands. People just get on with it, and I love the Dutch expression ‘you’re not made out of sugar.’

Since moving to Nijmegen in 2021, I lived in three different places, so I’m quite experienced when it comes to moving at this point. At the moment, I’m living in my own apartment, so the application process was different than when I was looking for student housing. I think having written something up about yourself really helps, so you can reply to adverts as quickly as possible. When I was apartment-hunting, I used a subscription service and sent my application as soon as I was notified via WhatsApp.

If there’s one thing I could say to students considering moving abroad it’s: if you’re thinking of moving, just do it. I think you learn a lot about yourself moving somewhere new and taking yourself outside of your comfort zone."

More expat stories - Life in Nijmegen

Studying & working in Nijmegen

Nijmegen has a lot to offer in terms of studying, working and business. The oldest city in The Netherlands is also one of the largest student cities in the country. The city presents itself as a leading global player in solving social issues and problems. With its significant position in the Health & High Tech sector, Nijmegen belongs to the international top when it comes to improving the quality of life, healthcare and the development of high-quality technology for various social applications.

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