We spent our first days in Enschede just walking around, discovering the cultural diversity of Dutch society and wondering about how our life was going to be in this new country.
We had come to the Netherlands to study. Gabriel is doing a PhD in Computer Science and I'm doing a Master in Journalism but, of course, we are also living here and, actually, in a very special place. In 'the street of the future', in the building we live, there are a lot of international students and sometimes it seems to be a branch of the United Nations, although the topics we discuss are much more simple: how to use the washing machine (the instructions are written in Dutch), where to find those 'nee/ja' transfers to stick on the post box, whether to kiss a person is correct or not, why we should learn Dutch or, to give another example, if it would be possible for us to get used to drinking milk while having lunch.
In this kind of discussion there is small chance that we ever come to an agreement but that doesn't really matter. The important thing here is just the company and we look for it with different excuses. I go to Magdalena's apartment, a Greek girl, to use her printer, Juanjo (who is from Spain) comes to our home to play computer games with Gabriel and, when we organize a dinner, Marta (who is also from Spain) brings her plates and chairs to our place.
Sometimes, we just get together to play cards, watch a movie or have a cup of coffee (all the invitations are welcome...).
One distinct characteristic of the building is that each apartment provides evidence about the nationality of the person who lives in it. Gabriel's and mine, for instance, proudly exhibits different landscapes of Argentina and, if someone passes nearby, there is a strong possibility that he/she will listen to some tango music or smell some Argentinian meat (we found it here!) being cooked over a low heat.
Something similar happens in the corridors of the building. Sometimes, I get home and realize that on the way, just going upstairs, I had said hello to a Bulgarian man, an English woman, an Asian lady and a Rumanian boy and I hope to be able to meet them all because now as a foreigner I have become really aware that everyone is so much more than the stereotypical characteristics the eye meets. That's why it is so interesting to have the opportunity we all have living in this building: the opportunity of meeting each other 'in the future'.
