Fabiana Brando
After an inspiring design class at school, Fabiana joined the school’s robotics team, where she developed a passion for programming. With a year of software engineering studies in Ecuador under her belt, Fabiana began to realise that studying abroad could open doors to a degree better aligned with her ambitions. Her search led her to NHL Stenden, where she found the Computer Science programme and a unique opportunity to quench her thirst for knowledge.
“I initially applied for the Information Technology programme but switched to Computer Science for its balance of software and hardware assignments. The programme’s description caught my attention, though the idea of it being offered to international students for the first time made me feel a bit uncertain. Despite some improvising, everything has been well-organised from the start. The programme is split into two main classes: computer science and embedded systems. Mornings are for lectures and classes, while afternoons focus on Design-Based Education ‘ateliers’ (a word I didn’t even know before!), which are for project work, but lecturers are available if needed. We also have mini-projects every week, covering programming and Arduino, which keep things interesting. Learning Dutch as part of our studies is also a nice bonus.”
C the difference with Python
“What I’m now really looking forward to is programming in Python. So far, we’ve been using C, but I find it has too many unnecessary steps and random symbols you need to use and remember. Python just feels more straightforward and logical to me. Another exciting aspect is the battle bot project we’ll do at the end of the unit. During our first week, we programmed a line-following Cutebot, and we’ve been told the final project will involve creating a bot capable of navigating a much more difficult track. Of course, not every aspect has been running without glitches. Setting up VS Code or adding new extensions, for example, can be frustrating because I tend to get lost. But it’s all part of the learning process.”
Learning to (re)programme
“Our class sizes are quite small with about 30 international and Dutch students. It’s amazing to see people from so many backgrounds and hear so many languages in one place. Despite our differences, we can relate to each other on so many levels, which means we always have lots to talk about. I’ve never felt alone because I’m surrounded by other international students who are all in same position as me – away from their families and in a new country. We’ve bonded easily and we support each other, which gives me a comforting sense of belonging. I do feel like I had a head start as I lived by myself before moving to the Netherlands, so the transition to living independently in a totally different continent didn't scare me. Even though studying abroad has its challenges, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat! The supportive environment at NHL Stenden has been amazing – it’s turbocharged my passion for programming and set me on the right track for an exciting and successful career.”
Find out more about Computer Science on the programme’s website.