Hometown: Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
Favorite food: New York pizza
Favorite musical group: Mos Def
Favorite author: Philip Roth
Favorite film: Traffic
Favorite place to be: a small patch of beach in Hawaii
Favorite place in NL: Melkweg in Amsterdam
Best part about living in NL: 'being able to hang out with so many international people'
Worst part about living in NL: 'missing friends and family.'
Last May Student Mobility In Twente (SMIT) invited International Masters' student Mike Smith to join the board in a new position created for an international student. He was an ideal candidate in part because he had learned a fair amount of Dutch after a year at the UT. The George Washington University alumnus accepted the offer because he wanted to be involved in an organization that serves a purpose he believes in: welcoming foreign students and helping them make the most of their tenure at the UT.
Founded in 1991, SMIT dedicates its efforts to smoothing international students' integration into the UT community. Among the myriad services provided by SMIT is orientation in August for foreign students. SMIT volunteers help new arrivals open bank accounts, buy bikes, tour Enschede. The orientation also features a Dutch food tasting and a bar crawl followed by a wooden shoe race. Strangely enough, eating drop and stomping around in klompen delight international students. SMIT also organizes tourist excursions, to Het Loo for example, and sports outings, like the upcoming ski trip to Germany. Some events are aimed at Erasmus students, others at Masters' students. Tuesday nights after 23:00 at the Bastille's Vestingbar, for example, is generally an Erasmus gathering. The Friday afternoon social hour from 15:30-17:00 in the Vrijhof Theatercafe is geared more to Masters' students as a forum where international students can voice concerns over UT issues or ask general questions regarding the Netherlands. SMIT also keeps foreign students informed of UT happenings with its website and weekly newsletters. There is no membership charge; the UT picks up the tab. However, certain excursions may require a nominal fee.
Mike finds SMIT to be 'a Dutch thing' in that it offers 'organized fun.' It is a chance to 'make the most of your time and have as much fun doing things as you can'. Like many international students, Mike is an active participant in SMIT social events. Through the group, he has made lasting friendships, explored Scandinavia, and has drunk a lot of beer. He had been involved in similar organization as an undergraduate and was looking for comparable activities. 'This is my home for two years,' he reasons. More importantly, Mike adds that being an active member of SMIT 'makes me feel like I belong'. Incidentally, as a former Physics/English double-major Mike helps SMIT with its English publications, but he claims that it is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Attending board meetings conducted in Dutch obliges him to hone his freshly acquired Dutch skills.
While performing their designated duties, SMIT inadvertently promotes the UT. Another International Masters student, Mustafa Acar, suggests that being involved with SMIT 'helps to suppress feelings of being alone'. He feared that it might be hard moving to another country, but SMIT made it simple to adjust to Dutch living. When Mustafa goes home to Turkey, he recommends UT highly in part because of the support offered to foreign students by SMIT.
Mike is most impressed by the way SMIT creates a sense of community for international students. 'It's obvious that they really care about helping foreign students have a good time during their stay at the UT,' he adds. They offer the feeling that this is 'something you want to belong to'.
Mike's concluding message to international students: 'If you want to do something, do it. Don't let the fact that you're a foreign student prevent you.' In fact there are many UT extra-curricular activities that do not require extensive knowledge of Dutch. For more information about social activities, excursions, and SMIT, check out their website: www.student.utwente.nl/~smit or write to them at [email protected]
Kristin Zimmerman
Mike Smith, member of the SMIT-board
