Victor Popa is a PhD student in Physics, in the group of Computational Material Science. He started his PhD in October 2000 after one year of research fellowship in the same group.
Victor says that the Netherlands is an 'open country' with a 'hospitable' and 'tolerant' society. 'When I came I was prepared to meet with difficulties in adapting to living here but it was not as hard as I expected. I had to choose between a university in the United States and the University of Twente. Now I think the Netherlands was a better alternative for me.'
In his group he is the only Romanian. But in Twente there are many Romanians and he knows almost all of them. Romanians like to meet each other without a special reason, just for talking for example. It is not an exclusive mini-Romanian society because the Romanians make friends easily. Victor agrees with me: 'I know Dutch guys with a similar way of thinking as mine. We usually travel to interesting places in the Netherlands or sometimes gather in a bar'.
For most of us going away from home or, even further away, from our native country is a life-experience. It is difficult to adapt to a new climate and environment but at the same time it is interesting and intriguing to meet people with different habits and behaviour than yours. This matter of adaptability is different from nation to nation. However interesting the process of adapting to a strange country is, some nations are better at it than others.
The Dutch have a long history of sailing the world-seas and trading everywhere, where the Romanians are a more land-related people and do not enjoy being far away from home for a long period of time. 'But when a Romanian feels comfortable somewhere he is very open and talkative' Victor adds. Speaking about differences between Dutch and Romanians, Victor says: 'I think Dutch people have a kind of "neutral" attitude not only towards foreigners but also between themselves. It is a striking difference. Romanians involve much feeling in what they are doing and because of that they take almost everything personally. Generally speaking, Romanians usually show they care about something more than the Dutch do'.
The moment people travel and establish contacts with other people humanity takes a step ahead. Our knowledge diversifies in contact with others. In this sense Victor thinks that the Romanians can learn something from the Dutch: 'I like their spirit of order and correctness'.
But Victor would not want to miss the Easter celebration in Romania with well-loved traditions like 'Ciocnitul Oualelor', or the Clashing of the Eggs. 'I miss my parents, my grandparents and my friends. I miss my tomcats too but I will go home for the Easter holiday to see them all.'
