Having flatmates is common in the Netherlands, especially due to the housing crisis. But how is it to live in a multicultural household? Cecilia from Spain and Justin from the Netherlands share their view on living in a flat with people with different nationalities.
challenges
When it comes to living together with different cultures and even strangers you might face some challenges – especially in the beginning. Everybody has different experiences and routines, which might be nice to adjust to one another. A simple example is dinner time. While Dutchies mostly have their dinner around 6pm students like Cecilia prepare meals around 10:30pm.
Responsibilities
Living together comes with shared responsibilities. Therefore, it is good to sit together when moving in together to agree on basic rules like making a cleaning schedule. But also discuss whether you want to inform your hallmates when you are having someone over.
unforgettable memories
Doing karaoke with a Spanish mom to Lady Gaga using a cucumber as a microphone? Justin shared this unforgettable moment with Cecilia’s mom. Living together with internationals and becoming friends was the foundation to great experiences like that. Listen to the podcast to hear more of their fun stories
Tips
Try to make an effort to learn about each others cultures. As an international you can learn basic Dutch words, for example. Another great tip is talking about expectations to avoid conflict. Do you want to be left alone when you are angry? Or do you prefer getting approached by your hallmates? Discussing points like that will make everyone feel more comfortable and connect better.
We have a great announcement: Brewing Student Cultures is on Spotify. So, you can listen to our episodes on the go or still watch them on YouTube.
