'I know what it's like to be away from home'

| Redactie

The Introduction to most people means the spectacle that could be seen on campus this week and last week with first-year students. But another introduction is also taking place. Last week seventy Master students from twenty different countries were introduced to Dutch life at the faculty of Educational Science and Technology (TO). Lidwien Mulder-van Midden (29), as secretary of the International E

The Introduction to most people means the spectacle that could be seen on campus this week and last week with first-year students. But another introduction is also taking place. Last week seventy Master students from twenty different countries were introduced to Dutch life at the faculty of Educational Science and Technology (TO).

Lidwien Mulder-van Midden (29), as secretary of the International Education Office of TO, knows all about it. For months she and a colleague have already been working on master students' registrations, applying for their visa and finding them housing.

'Two weeks ago all students arrived on campus. We help them arrange a residence permit, they have to register and they do workshops. We also get them a bike. If necessary we learn them to use it too.'

This sometimes takes some doing. 'Some students need a long time to learn it', Mulder explains. 'A lady from Tanzania needed several weeks to get the hang of it. And then, when they can finally cycle, they dare not go off campus.'

Mulder enjoys the international character of her work. 'I can well imagine how the master students feel. I lived in America for two years. I was an au pair, first in Minnesota and later in New Jersey. After that I spent a year in England, without having arranged anything, I had a number of jobs there. I know, therefore, what it's like to be away from home.'

In 1997 she returned to Enschede. 'I was 25 then and felt the need to settle.' That worked: she has been at the International Education Office for three years now, two months ago she got married and in four weeks she will be going on maternity leave.


Lidwien Mulder

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