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“It’s a coincidence really, that I ended up at NHL Stenden. It is one of the schools that offers eligible students a Holland Scholarship, which I really needed as a Non-EU student, because of the tuition fees. My agent in Vietnam gave me a couple of options in the Netherlands and I did my own research. In the end, I chose to study at NHL Stenden.”
Marketing Management experiences
“The course builds up from basic marketing and then works towards the practical side of things. Especially in the second year we do a lot of things that may be expected of you when you are in the workplace. One of the most interesting things was when we got to work together with NHL Stenden’s marketing department. We researched how we could increase the number of students that applies for the course. We got to be creative and think of ways to solve this problem. One of the things we did, was to show potential students what the first year of Marketing Management looks like. They would certainly be excited about the programme if they knew more about this. I really liked coming up with a strategy.”
Life in the Netherlands
“I really like it in the Netherlands, and Emmen too. Though it is a bit more difficult here, because fewer people speak English than in the bigger cities. But all in all, it wasn’t that difficult for me to move from Ho Chi Minh to Emmen, because I’m a pretty adaptive person. Besides, my brother is also studying here. We are actually in the same student house, so my parents are a little less worried. I expected the Netherlands to be different and I was really excited about that. For instance, I enjoy biking around. I do have a bike back home, but I never used it. In the Netherlands, it’s essential! The only thing I sometimes struggles with, is the weather. When it’s cold, it’s too cold and when it’s windy, it’s too windy. I wasn’t really prepared for that, but most other new things are fun.
Outside of your comfort zone
“I’ve grown a lot since I came here. Back home, you’re quite dependant on what you know. So, leaving the country has forced me outside of my comfort zone, in a good way. You have to step forward and be communicative, even if you’re introverted. I’m learning a lot about intercultural communication, because all of my classmates are from different countries. Now I have friends from all over the world.”
“You have to step forward and be communicative”
Getting the most out of studying abroad
“I don’t really plan for the future, I just go. However, I would like to have a marketing internship or job in Europe to see how things work here. Because it’s totally different in Vietnam. All I know about business life, I’ve learnt from my mom, so now it’s time for me to challenge myself. And I want to get the most out of my time here. I’m young and I have the opportunity to do something exciting. I want to be able to look back on this time and have no regrets. So even though my parents and friends back home are asking me when I’m coming back, I know it will just be a bit longer before I do.”
To find out more about this programme, visit the programme’s website Marketing Management.