A commercial was recently aired on Dutch television, in which two Brazilian maids arrive at the backdoor of a luxurious Dutch home, enter and find, to their dismay, that it’s a complete mess inside.
The maids start cleaning the house, all the while complaining about the children, who probably threw a party without their parents’ knowledge. While sweeping the floor, they eventually open the front door and find that the house is surrounded by the police and has been sealed off; it was the scene of a crime, and now the maids have washed away all the evidence!
This commercial was a hit. But what does it actually convey? First, perhaps the Dutch polder society is no longer so egalitarian. Here’s a super-rich Dutch household employing not one but two uneducated, low-wage maids. Second, the maids aren’t Dutch; they’re foreigners, or ‘allochtonen’ (non-ethnic-Dutch), a word that is seemingly applied only to non-Western, working-class foreigners originally from Third World countries, while students, tourists, foreign professionals and all Westerners living here are labeled with the somewhat more respectful word, ‘buitenlander’ (foreigner). Anyway, much of the TV commercial’s humor was implied in the contrast between the uneducated, goofy foreign maids and the neat, efficient Dutch police who are guarding the crime scene.
Recently, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) website stated somewhat alarmingly that allochtonen numbers here are growing fast. For instance, more allochtone babies are being born than (white) Dutch babies; and in some cities, like Rotterdam, allochtonen account for almost 50% of the total residents. Yes, allochtonen can be funny, warm and exotic. But they’re also – like the TV maids – seen as goofy, unpractical and disturbing of Dutch clockwork organization. Allochtonen are also associated with the rise of urban violence, unemployment and religious radicalism.
This perception of allochtonen and foreigners in general has a disturbing and unforeseen consequence on university matters. While the number of international students rises, Dutch students are apparently becoming increasingly more condescending and less interested in their foreign colleagues. They’re not curious about their fellow students’ ways of living and culture. In short, Dutch students lack curiosity about their foreign colleagues. This attitude has a very negative impact on academic life, because it makes it a “one-way” learning experience.
The unsurprising result of this is that socialization and integration on the TU campus is sadly lacking. A recent Delftsch Overleg (2003) survey found that 86.7% of the TU’s new international students are enrolled in the MSc program and almost 50% of them are Chinese. The survey also found that “most international students meet people in class, and around the faculty. They indicate, however, that they would like to share their social life with many different kinds of students”. That’s to say, foreign students want to meet Dutch students. Yet, the people international students meet “around the faculty” are mainly international students. The level of integration with Dutch students is very low. The question is: do Dutch students want to meet international students? Yes, they do. Unfortunately, it seems a short-circuit appears to happen in the middle of the way, because, apparently, Dutch students don’t often interact with international students. How much of it is related to the general perception of foreigners?
An international atmosphere is desirable at a university. In fact, throughout history, universities have traditionally been the place where different cultures meet. Universities are the places for the exchange of ideas par excellence. Indifference towards other people’s culture and ways is extremely disturbing and, frankly, boring.
International students have a lot to learn from Dutch society, but they also bring an amazing amount of experience, history and culture. Ignoring this makes academic life poorer. The university, and society as a whole, can only profit from diversity and multi-culturalism. In short, there is a lot to learn from foreigners. Creating a welcoming atmosphere for international students will enhance the university international competitively. Creating understanding and human bonds between people from different cultures will enhance society as a whole.
Recently, initiatives taken by the European Union indicate that it wants to welcome more foreign students. The EU wants to become the most attractive place for overseas students and researchers, attracting brains and knowledge from distant places. Is Delft ready for it?
Roberto Rocco is a TU PhD student from Brazil.
A commercial was recently aired on Dutch television, in which two Brazilian maids arrive at the backdoor of a luxurious Dutch home, enter and find, to their dismay, that it’s a complete mess inside. The maids start cleaning the house, all the while complaining about the children, who probably threw a party without their parents’ knowledge. While sweeping the floor, they eventually open the front door and find that the house is surrounded by the police and has been sealed off; it was the scene of a crime, and now the maids have washed away all the evidence!
This commercial was a hit. But what does it actually convey? First, perhaps the Dutch polder society is no longer so egalitarian. Here’s a super-rich Dutch household employing not one but two uneducated, low-wage maids. Second, the maids aren’t Dutch; they’re foreigners, or ‘allochtonen’ (non-ethnic-Dutch), a word that is seemingly applied only to non-Western, working-class foreigners originally from Third World countries, while students, tourists, foreign professionals and all Westerners living here are labeled with the somewhat more respectful word, ‘buitenlander’ (foreigner). Anyway, much of the TV commercial’s humor was implied in the contrast between the uneducated, goofy foreign maids and the neat, efficient Dutch police who are guarding the crime scene.
Recently, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) website stated somewhat alarmingly that allochtonen numbers here are growing fast. For instance, more allochtone babies are being born than (white) Dutch babies; and in some cities, like Rotterdam, allochtonen account for almost 50% of the total residents. Yes, allochtonen can be funny, warm and exotic. But they’re also – like the TV maids – seen as goofy, unpractical and disturbing of Dutch clockwork organization. Allochtonen are also associated with the rise of urban violence, unemployment and religious radicalism.
This perception of allochtonen and foreigners in general has a disturbing and unforeseen consequence on university matters. While the number of international students rises, Dutch students are apparently becoming increasingly more condescending and less interested in their foreign colleagues. They’re not curious about their fellow students’ ways of living and culture. In short, Dutch students lack curiosity about their foreign colleagues. This attitude has a very negative impact on academic life, because it makes it a “one-way” learning experience.
The unsurprising result of this is that socialization and integration on the TU campus is sadly lacking. A recent Delftsch Overleg (2003) survey found that 86.7% of the TU’s new international students are enrolled in the MSc program and almost 50% of them are Chinese. The survey also found that “most international students meet people in class, and around the faculty. They indicate, however, that they would like to share their social life with many different kinds of students”. That’s to say, foreign students want to meet Dutch students. Yet, the people international students meet “around the faculty” are mainly international students. The level of integration with Dutch students is very low. The question is: do Dutch students want to meet international students? Yes, they do. Unfortunately, it seems a short-circuit appears to happen in the middle of the way, because, apparently, Dutch students don’t often interact with international students. How much of it is related to the general perception of foreigners?
An international atmosphere is desirable at a university. In fact, throughout history, universities have traditionally been the place where different cultures meet. Universities are the places for the exchange of ideas par excellence. Indifference towards other people’s culture and ways is extremely disturbing and, frankly, boring.
International students have a lot to learn from Dutch society, but they also bring an amazing amount of experience, history and culture. Ignoring this makes academic life poorer. The university, and society as a whole, can only profit from diversity and multi-culturalism. In short, there is a lot to learn from foreigners. Creating a welcoming atmosphere for international students will enhance the university international competitively. Creating understanding and human bonds between people from different cultures will enhance society as a whole.
Recently, initiatives taken by the European Union indicate that it wants to welcome more foreign students. The EU wants to become the most attractive place for overseas students and researchers, attracting brains and knowledge from distant places. Is Delft ready for it?
Roberto Rocco is a TU PhD student from Brazil.
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