Before I begin the long process of writing the blog posts I need in order to properly describe Nijmegen, I should probably start by introducing you all to my room. It’s pretty simple, all the furniture is from Ikea and I’m almost certain it’s relatively new.

I live in a student housing complex near the university. I was one of the lucky ones to get such a prime location – most exchange students live in an apartment-style building about 30 minutes from campus in a town called Lent. There are obviously positives and negatives to each living situation but I have so far been happy with mine.

I am lucky enough to be on one of the smaller floors, so I share bathroom and kitchen facilities with three Dutch students and one student from the Caribbean island, Curacao (who is not an exchange student). One of the things that is different about student housing here is that the buildings are owned and managed by an outside company, not the university itself, and there are a number of different buildings in all directions and distances from the university and city center. Also, the students are not required to move out during the summer and winter breaks. These rooms are basically like apartments for them, they pay rent every month and furnish their rooms themselves.

I live five to ten minutes from the university (by bike) and about 15 minutes from the City Center. I have a little grocery store and a pub that hosts an international student night every Tuesday right across from my building, so I truly have prime real estate.

The View from my Window