Chinese Clustering – Follow-up

I usually don’t write follow-ups, but this is too good not to be written. Yesterday late at night I published the post on how clustering occurs in groups with the example of the Chinese clustering in the courses that I take at ERIM.
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Today one Chinese colleague, let’s call him G, changed his usual behavior (I believe reading the post had something to do with it) and in the amphitheater changed his usual place. He was first to come into the class room and I was the third so I was able to observe. As I love experiments, well I just sat back and watched how the colleagues take their places in the room. I had about 15 minutes of observation.
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The first thing I noticed is that the first Chinese colleague that came into the classroom went directly to G and talked a little, afterword taking a sit in the row in front of him. Next the PhD students came and they all kept their usual places forming the PhD sector on the right side of the amphitheater (G was on the left side and I was in the middle). Next another Chinese colleague came in and was a little disorientated that her usual entourage wasn’t where they used to be. She decided to sit on the left side of the room two rows in front of G and one row in front of the other Asian colleague that came before her. Next one Dutch colleague that usually sits on the left side (I told you that people are coherent with their previous behavior) is confused for a second to see the Chinese there, but he takes a sit next to one of our Chinese colleagues. The Chinese PhD student was also coherent with his previous behavior and sat on the right side in the PhD sector. One Chinese student was absent.
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Up to now all of our Asian friends were coherent with their previous behavior – the PhD student was in his previous group and the master students from China kept clustering even if they changed the sector of clustering. Then the professor came into the classroom and next another Chinese colleague came in. Now let’s see what happened: she looked at the center side (where the Chinese sat before this week), then looked after them and saw them on the left side, but… she broke the cluster and sat in the center. Two minutes after the course started another Chinese colleague came. Being late she took the first seat next to the door (ironically the person next to her was the Chinese PhD student).
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Most interesting is that none of the two colleagues that were late didn’t change her place during the brake to join the cluster. Another interesting thing is that other European colleagues that sat on the left side of the room were also coherent with the previous behavior and, thus, they mixed with the Chinese cluster.

Chinese clustering

Why do people hang out together? Why do they sit next to each-other?
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The Chinese might give us the answer. In the master program that I am in we are quite few students and about a quarter are Chinese. In most courses there are only the six Chinese colleagues from the master program and in one course there is another Chinese student which is a PhD student I guess.
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I realized that the Chinese always manage to cluster and sit next to each-other in class or, in really bad scenarios they form two groups. In the brakes the same thing occurs. The Chinese stay together in one group and the other students… well mingle around, usually without entering the Chinese circle.
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This might sound like a racist conspiracy or some really impolite remarks from someone that is not very sociable. Well, it’s neither of the two. What’s happening is a normal psychological phenomenon.
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One well known fact is that we tend to prefer things that we’ve already know, that are familiar to us. Another fact is that we tend to like the people that are similar to us. Obviously we tend to do things that we like, like sitting next to a person that we like rather than one that we don’t like. We prefer to talk to people that are similar to us because the hallow effect gives us the impression that we share more than just looks. We think that we share common interests and values. It is not always so, but at least till we realize that it is not so. Another criterion that relationships form is common interests or habits. Have you ever realized that smokers tend to hang out together?
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It’s obvious that race is a very salient characteristic, so it’s no wonder why the Chinese tend to hang around together. But as I said before, in one course there is another Chinese colleague that is a PhD student. He is not hanging around with the other Chinese and doesn’t sit with the Chinese group. Why? A first answer is that the group from the master was already formed when the course started. But this raises another question: why doesn’t he join the group now if it is a Chinese group and he is also Chinese? Well, because it’s not necessarily a Chinese group (although it is formed only of Chinese).
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Now let’s talk about something else called random coherence. It sounds like an oxymoron, but it means that we are coherent in our behavior to some thing that was at first more or less random. Let’s say that on the introduction day there were two separate groups – the research master group and the PhD students group and in each group the people get somehow acquainted. The two groups collide in a course that takes place one week after the introduction day. What do you think it’s going to happened? What has happened is that in the classroom PhD students stood on one side and master students stood on the other side. The next week the same arrangement is in place. Same goes on for the next week. What happens in these weeks is that ties are formed between the members of each of the two groups. Friendships begin inside the groups, but very little contact is made between the groups. All of this is mostly due to a random thing – on which introduction day each was on. People believe that their behavior is coherent to something important, but in fact it’s coherent with something random.
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Coming back to the seventh Chinese (the PhD student) we can say that he’s totally coherent. He sticks with the phd students group and keeps the relationships with the people who he already knows even if they are not Chinese and there are other Chinese in the room that he doesn’t know priory.
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This is a brief explanation of the clustering process with a case study on Chinese.
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Now who gains and who loses? The answer for both questions is everybody. The Chinese (in our case) gain because they get the psychological comfort of being part of a group that is homogenous in many aspects. The other students gain because they get a similar comfort in other clusters. Now everybody loses because one of the main advantages of being in an international environment is the opportunity of interacting with people from other cultures. In our case the Chinese lose the most because the other students get to interact with each other and they are heterogeneous, while the Chinese interact most among themselves.

Just passing an exam – differences between the Dutch and Romanian approach

In Romania in order to pass an exam, a student should get a minimum grade of 5 (out of 10). In The Netherlands a student should get a minimum grade of 5.5 (out of 10).

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From the point of view of the minimum grade needed to pass an exam, the two systems are similar.

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The big difference comes from what a minimum grade (5 or 5.5) means. In Romania in most cases (not all, but most) if a student gets a 5 it means that s/he is not totally stupid and incompetent. In The Netherlands if a student gets a 5.5 it means that s/he has the minimum knowledge and skills related to the subject of the exam.

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On the other hand getting a grade of 9 or 10 in the Romanian system is not very difficult (not a piece of cake, but it doesn’t require hundreds of hours of work). In The Netherlands, getting a grade of 9 or 10 is very difficult (10 is extremely rare) and requires a lot of work.

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Well, these are minor differences between two education systems. Yet these differences have enormous consequences in what is the result of education and I don’t mean only the knowledge and skills, but rather social implications.

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In Romania a child or a teenager is taught that in order to just get by (pass an exam) there is no need for hard work. Also s/he learns that being very good or perfect (9 or 10) is rather easy and all that is required is a few extra hours of work. Also, by easily giving high grades the teachers tell students that they should strive for the maximum grade possible and that being normal (getting a grade of 7) is wrong.

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In The Netherlands children and teenagers learn that in order to even get by (pass an exam) they need to work quite hard (not very hard, but hard enough). They also learn that in order to reach high standards (grades of 8, 9 and 10) one must study and work very hard. Also they know that getting an average grade (6 or 7) is not bad, it’s normal and they should not be ashamed of it.

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Now, you judge which system better prepares children for the life in a civilized and reasonable society.

After a lot of team work...

After a lot of team work we finished our assignment for Consumer Behavior. The assignment was to make a brand map (using BCM method) and coming up with an idea for a creative communication campaign to change that brand map.

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We had to choose from 6 brands and due to the fact that we are a very international group we chose Coca Cola Zero. No one from the team liked CCZ, but it was the only one that we could all relate to.
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It was nice work, but it felt kind of weird to work for a brand that I don’t like. At the end of the assignment we had to come up with an idea for creative communication in order to change the brand map.
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As we predicted CCZ is perceived as “healthy” and “helps to stay fit”. Well we didn’t agree. Here’s what we came up with…
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One interesting difference between the Dutch education system and the Romanian one

In Romania after a student finishes his or her bachelor or master program he or she has to support his or her bachelor or master thesis. (in romaneste a sustine lucrarea de diploma sau de dizertatie).
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In the Netherlands when a student finishes his or her studies he or she must defend the thesis…
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A small difference, but I believe it’s more than just semantics.

Why do the Dutch bike so much

The Netherlands (aka Holland) is the biking heaven of Europe. Here you can bike anywhere in or out of the city. There even are bicycle lanes close to the motorways.
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But why do the Dutch bike so much?
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One answer could be that the Dutch are really civilized people, that they care about the environment, that they want to keep themselves healthy etc. Well, all of these are good reasons why the Dutch bike so much.
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But, in my opinion, these are not the only and even the main reasons. Here is what I think is the explanation.
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First. There are a lot of bicycle lanes (at least in Rotterdam, but I’m sure it’s the same in other places). This creates the (infrastructure) premises for developing a behavior.
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Second. Related to the richness in bicycle lanes, where there aren’t bicycle lanes the drivers Respect the bikers. No one is blowing the horn or does anything aggressive towards the people that bike.
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Third. If you want to go by car you have some problems: a liter of gas is 1.45 – 1.55 Euros; parking in the center of Rotterdam is 3 euros per hour and in other areas it decreases to 1.5 Euros per hour.
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Fourth. Going by public transportation could be quite expensive- at least one euro or up to 5-7 euros.
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Fifth. Going by car o by tram (in Rotterdam) takes longer than biking on the same way.
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Sixth. (Thanks Dad for reminding me) The Netherlands is a flat country. There is only one hill. So going by bike doesent requier a lot of effort.

So the care for the environment and for one’s own health could be good reasons to bike, but I believe that they are not the main ones.

Cum e la facultate in Olanda

Dupa prima saptamana de cursuri m-am hotarat sa povestesc putin despre cum e la facultate aici in Olanda.

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Noi aveam asteptari mari, chiar foarte mari in cazul meu. Totusi ceea ce am gasit aici nu a corespuns vagii noastre imagini despre facultatea in Olanda.

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Ceea ce ne-a surprins pe amandoi este nivelul studentilor in general. Eu unul ma asteptam la mai mult. Acum nu vorbesc strict de ceilalti 14 colegi de la masterul de cercetare, ci mai degraba la cei 200+ de colegi de la Master of science in marketing management alaturi de care am cateva cursuri.

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Acum comparativ cu atitudinea studentilor romani de la ASE din anii 2001 - 2005 cand am facut eu facultatea, cei din Olanda par a fi mai seriosi, dar nu cu mult mai mult.

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Aici nu se chiuleste... sau nu masiv. La cursurile pe care le am cu cei de la MSc sunt sali pline si se sta inclusiv pe trepte sau chiar direct pe jos pentru ca sunt foarte multi studenti si vin la cursuri.

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Profesorii... cei de aici au tot un singur cap ca si cei din Romania... Pana acum nu am cunoscut foarte multi, dar cei pe care i-am intalnit imi par foarte profesionisti si seriosi. Aici la Universitatea Erasmus se pare ca totul este bazat pe seriozitate si lucrurile par a fi asezate. Nimeni nu face exceptii, nimeni nu judeca dupa toana in care se afla si pe scurt regula e regula.

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Am fost intrebat de o amica a mea - studenta in Romania - daca si aici se copiaza "la greu". Sa spunem ca din prima zi la toate masterele s-a comunicat clar: Plagiere (si nu copiere la examen) = exmatriculare. La unele programe s-a spus de mai multe ori in ziua introductiva, la mine ni s-a spus o singura data.

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Calitatea cursurilor. Din cele 3 cursuri pe care le-am avut pana acum cel mai mult imi place "Consumer Behavior" aka comportamentul consumatorului unde profesorul este un super orator. Face un adevarat show la curs si parca iti intra in cap 3 sferturi din informatie direct de la curs. Daca cursurile domnului Nicolae Teodorescu ar fi avut macar un sfert din "savoarea" celui de aici poate as fi priceput si eu mai multe in anul III...

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Pe scurt singura mare diferenta dintre experientele cu facultatea din Romania si cea din Olanda este SERIOZITATEA. Atat.... nimic in plus nimic in minus.

Cultural Shocks with my Chinese Colleagues

In the Mphill program we are about 15 students out of which about half are Asians and half Europeans. Asia is represented by students from Iran, China (mainland), Hong-Kong, Taiwan and Indonesia.
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Yesterday I had my first two cultural shocks with two of my Chinese colleagues. I have to mention that both of them have just arrived from China and they are for the first time in Europe.
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The first shock was that I had to explain what a blog is… kind of funny considering that back home in Romania, blogging is almost a second nature for many of the young people.
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The second shock was with another Chinese colleague. The story is a little longer, but it’s worth reading it. I noticed that he was quite shy and afraid not to say something wrong or disrespectful. Since we are both on the marketing track at Mphil and we are doing some assignments together, I felt like explaining a few basic things about European social norms and communication. I don’t know too many things about Chinese culture and social norms, but I know that some of them are almost the opposite of the European ones. So I told him that here in Europe it’s not disrespectful to ask questions during class, and the social gaps between people are not as big as in China, that it’s ok to speak his mind and say things strait and not to infer, that it’s ok to just ask for help if he needs etc.
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My dear colleague was listening carefully and was trying to understand the local social norms. He told me that he understands, but still it will take him some time to adapt to this totally new culture.
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After about an hour we meet at the computer room. He got a coca cola and drank some of it… immediately after he finished drinking he burped loudly, but naturally – not a forced burp. I immediately told him that is not polite to do in Europe. He said that he was sorry and asked me what to do to avoid making these natural sounds.
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Apparently in China it is ok to burp in public, because it is a natural reaction of your body.
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Well… these are my first two cultural shocks with the Chinese students at Mphil at ERIM. I think that in a few months they will better understand our European culture and will do just fine in the program and in the international community in Rotterdam.

Mesterul olandez sau "Nea"-ul local

Am promis ca voi scrie despre transportul in comun din Rotterdam in urmatorul post, dar voi amana cel putin pentru moment. Acum voi impartasi prima experienta cu un mester / meserias olandez. Generic i se spune "handy man", dar in cazul nostru a fost mai mult un unhandyman.

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Povestea incepe sapt trecuta vineri cand plita electrica pe care o avem pe post de aragaz s-a stricat. Luni am sunat proprietara apartamentului sa ii semnalam aceasta problema. Ne-a spus ca o sa sune la handy man si ca daca e stricata va cumpara alta.

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Luni dupamiaza vine handy-man sa il numim generic "Nea" pentru ca nu stim cum il cheama si pentru ca se incadreaza perfect la tipicul romanesc de Nea sau chiar mai rau ... de Dorel :)

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Vine Nea la noi constata ca plita nu merge si zice ca va veni a doua zi la 8 sa o schimbe. Nea nu vorbeste engleza, dar pricepe ideile esentiale, iar el se exprima in olandeza pe care nu o pricepem cat de putin... noroc cu limbajul nonverbal.

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Azi - marti - vine Nea la 8 jumate (punctualitatea pare a nu fi punctul forte al olandezilor). Aduce plita cea noua si da sa o instaleze. Noi ne gandeam ca in maxim o ora termina. Ei bine... Nea incearca sa scoata plita veche.... nu prea ii iese... problema era cablul de alimentare. Ma intreaba in olandeza daca nu am un patent... eu ma prind din limbajul trupului si ii aduc patentul pe care il am de la tata din Romania.

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Nu e bun... nu taie cablul de 1.5 cm grosime.

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Nea zice ca revine cu un cablu nou.

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Dupa o ora revine Nea cu un cablu nou si cu o scula de taiat. Taie cablul, se chinuie 20 de min sa puna stecherul (e un stecher mai smecher, dar tot un stecher e). Apoi se chinuie sa lege cablul la plita .... mai dureaza 20 de minute.

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Da sa faca proba... din 4 ochiuri merg 2. Nea da sa desfaca cablurile din plita... ii aduc aminte sa scoata mai intai stecherul din priza si imi multumeste lovindu-se cu mana in cap in semn ca nu s-a gandit la asta ...

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Apoi se mai uita o data pe schema de asamblare.... nu pricepe... mai leaga 2 fire si da sa faca din nou proba.... nu merg decat aceleasi 2 ochiuri.

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Apoi suna la firma, horcaie cateva cuvinte in olandeza si zice ca o sa vina un electrician joi.

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Bun... apoi da sa monteze plita in blatul de bucatarie.... surpriza... plita e mai mare. Pune Nea mana pe "soricel" - cutter electric pentru lemn si placaj - si ne face in bucatarie o mizerie de rumegus si praf de a fost nevoie sa spalam toate sertarele de sub plita si tot ce era in sertare plus tot ce era pe blatul de bucatarie. In bucatarie si in sufragerie (bucataria e deschisa) era plin de rumegus si praf.... daca nu aveam in plan sa dam cu aspiratorul azi am fi dat in mod exceptional, dar macar aveam in plan sa aspiram in sufragerie.

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Desigur ca plita nu a intrat din prima si a tot taiat la blat... intre timp la una din incercari reuseste sa sparga o parte din placa ceramica de deasupra plitei... din fericire doar un colt... Apoi lasa plita asa acum a asezat-o.... ii spun ca exista niste suruburi in care trebuie sa o prinda... zice (tot horcaind in limba lui) ca o sa vina electricianul sa o monteze.... cert e ca acum plita sta sprijinita de partea ceramica, care dupa mintea mea nu e gandita sa sustina greutatea, dar ma rog...

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Dam sa punem sertarele la loc... nu putem pentru ca Nea a tras cablul aiurea si acum sertarul de sus nu mai intra pana in capat din cauza cablului de alimentare...

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Intr-un final pleaca Nea lasandu-ne o mizerie crunta si o plita ciobita la care nu merg decat 2 ochiuri din 4.

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Daca cineva la fel de naiv ca si mine isi imagina ca mesterii vestici - olandezi - sunt mai breji decat "Nea" ai nostri.... ei bine nu. Cel putin pe Nea al nostru il pot asimila oricarui mester roman care vine, face mizerie, cere scule ca el nu are si apoi pleaca fara sa faca curatenie spunand ca nu stie cum sa rezolve treaba.

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Deja parca nu mai imi e asa dor de casa :P

Birocratia din Rotterdam si Agentia imobiliara

Ei bine, Apartamentul pe care il avem l-am inchiriat printr-o agentie imobiliara - Wonen MVM - unde am dat peste un agent - Jordi pe numele sau ... povestea e mai lunga, dar pe scurt sa nu credeti ca olandezii nu au prostii si nestiutorii lor care iau sume considerabile pe post de onorariu... Agentii imobiliari din Rotterdam nu sunt cu mult mai breji decat cei din Bucuresti.

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Proprietareasa apartamentului.... e o poveste mai lunga, dar pe scurt Jordi - de la agentie - ne-a spus ca de acum orice problema avem sa sunam proprietarul.... si asa am si facut, doar ca doamna proprietareasa ne-a spus foarte ofuscata ca ea lucreaza si ca nu vrea sa aiba de a face cu noi si ca daca avem ceva probleme sa vorbim cu agentia.... vi se pare cunoscut ???

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Inregistrarea la primarie. Ca cetateni mandri ai UE putem locui in Olanda fara permis de sedere, dar trebuie sa ne inregistram la primarie sa ne ia in evidenta, ceea ce de altfel este foarte normal. Mergem noi la un fel de primarie de sector de unde o domnisoara care era la receptie ne spune politicos ca daca ne inregistram pentru prima oara in Olanda trebuie sa mergem la primaria mare - Primaria intregului oras Rotterdam.

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Mergem noi la primarie de unde primim niste formulare de completat.... unul dintre ele trebuia completat de catre proprietar - de unde si plimbarea de la proprietar la agentie :).... revenim joi la primaria mare cu formularele completate si platim corect parcarea - 0.5 E pe 10 minute cu gandul ca mai mult de 40 de minute nu ne ia.... ei bine, joia primaria mare inchide la 13:30 si noi ajunseseram pe la 3 PM.... bun.... revenim vineri fara masina pe la ora 11:45. Luam bon de ordine pe la ora 12:00 dupa ce o domnisoara de la receptie ne-a ajutat sa ne dam seama ce fel de bon de ordine ne trebuie...

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Asteptam.... si asteptam... si asteptam.... si tot asa pana pe la ora 2 si jumatate.... apoi glorios mergem la ghiseu unde aflam ca ne trebuie certificatele de nastere in traducere legalizata.... care sunt in Romania.... din fericire procedura poate incepe si fara aceste acte pe care trebuie sa le prezentam in max 3 luni.... la ghiseu stam cam 45 de minute.... in total am stat in primaria mare am 3 ore si jumatate sa depunem 3 formulare :).... va suna cunoscut? Ei bine conditiile de asteptare au fost rezonabile, mai putin temperatura de aprox 15 grade din primarie, dar se pare ca aici oamenii sunt obisnuiti cu frigul.

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De la ghiseu ni se spune ca procedura dureza 3-4 saptamani.... suna cunoscut??? ... da... ce sa facem... totusi noi avem nevoie sa luam un permis de parcare de resedinta pentru care sa platim doar 110 E pe an in loc de 15 E pe zi asa cum ar fi tariful standard... Doamna de la ghiseu ne spune ca tot ce poate sa ne dea este o copie a formularelor pe care le depunem cu semnatura si stampila de primire....

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Plecam noi pe la 3 jumatate de la primaria mare spre primaria de sector.... intram cu speranta ca vom rezolva cu parcarea... ei bine daca la primaria mare joia e zi scurta (pana la 13:30) si vinerea zi lunga pana la 20:00, la primaria de sector e invers: joia e pana la 20:00 si vinerea pana la 15:00.

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Pe scurt am stat cam 3 ore si ceva la primaria mare ca sa rezolvam o chestie la primaria de sector, chestie pe care nu am rezolvat-o pentru ca asa e programul...

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Daca vi se pare cunoscuta situatia, nu e nevoie sa calatoriti 3000 km ca sa o intalniti :)

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Revenim cu detalii despre vreme si transportul in comun.... daca cuiva i se pare scump transportul in Bucuresti, il invit sa mearga cu tramvaiul prin Rotterdam.... e mult mai fain, dar pretul e cam de 10 ori mai mare :D.

Primele impresii despre Rotterdam si Olanda

In postul precedent am scris despre drumul pana la Rotterdam. Acum voi impartasi cateva impresii la prima vedere despre Rotterdam si Olanda.

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Inainte de a veni aici ne-am documentat cat am putut de bine despre ce ne asteapta. In plus am avut mare noroc cu Ruben care ne-a ajutat cu sfaturi despre unde si ce sa cautam de cazare.

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Asa am ajuns sa locuim in cartierul Noord (sau vechiul nord) care este o zona decenta din toate punctele de vedere. Mare parte din constructii sunt din caramida rosie si au cam 3-5 etaje. Stradutele sunt inguste si cu sensuri unice, iar parcarea costa de te usuca. Ceea ce m-a mirat la acest cartier este ca o buna parte din strazile mici sunt din caramida rosie si nu din piatra cubica sau din asfalt.

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Strada pe care stam este una secundara, deci foarte linistita, dar in acelasi timp este foarte aproape de strada principala.

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Vecinii... ei bine in acest cartieri olandezii "originali" adica albi sunt minoritari... cam 40% dintre locuitori sunt albi, restul sunt turci - foarte foarte multi turci, chiar am senzatia ca sunt in Istanbul, doar ca e mai curat si strazile sunt mai largi - marocani si negri mai ales surinamezi (Suriname este fosta Guyana Oladeza - America de sud, o fosta colonie).

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Am mai vazut prin oras multi asiatici, dar nu atat de multi precum turci si negri.

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Ca atmosfera cartierul noord este pasnic, oameni civilizati si draguti. Din cand in cand mai trece cate un BMW cu muzica data la maxim... imi aduce aminte de casa :), dar altfel pare a fi un cartier pasnic si ok din multe puncte de vedere.

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Distanta fata de centru de unde stam noi poate fi parcursa in 20 de minute de mers pe jos, deci nu suntem chiar la capatul orasului :).

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Supermarketul si o strada comerciala sunt aproape de noi la 10 min de mers pe jos sau 5 minute de mers cu bicicleta.

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Preturile sunt similare cu cele din Romania, doar ca inmultite cu 2 :) ... dar daca esti un cumparator istet si informat (ceea ce noi inca nu suntem - informati) poti obtine niste preturi ok pentru unele produse.

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Vremea... Ei bine daca ar fi sa vorbim despre vreme, chiar am avea ce sa vorbim. Aici vremea este mereu schimbatoare. Adica daca acum e insorit si pe cer vezi cativa nori pufosi, nu inseamna ca va fi la fel si peste jumatate de ora... Noua ni s-a intamplat sa plecam echipati de ploaie si pe ploaie si dupa o ora sa ajungem sa ne fie cald pentru ca intre timp a iesit soarele, iar vantul a slabit din intensitate.... reciproca este valabila... Cert este ca in Olanda si mai ales aici aproape de mare te poti astepta oricand sa ploua... oricum ... e si un avantaj. Nu trebuie sa uzi florile si ierburile din ghivece :).

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Temperatura... sa zicem ca daca in august in Bucuresti e ok sa fie 30-34 de grade aici e ok sa fie jumatate. La noi in apartament deja merg caloriferele.

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In episodul urmator poate vorbim despre interactiunea cu autoritatile olandeze :)

Aventuri prin Europa + Prime impresii despre Rotterdam

Iata ca nu am disparut si nici nu mi-am abandonat blogul meu drag :).

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Pe 7 august am plecat din Bucuresti, tinta fiind Rotterdam orasul meu adoptiv pentru urmatorii 2 ani. Si dupa cum ma stiti probabil, nu am ales sa merg direct, ci pe ocolite... mai intai am mers la Timisoara unde m-au insotit si parintii mei. Am vrut sa le arat si lor orasul, sa il revad si eu inca o data inainte de data exilului voluntar si sa il vad pe al meu prieten Bogdan si sa imi iau ramas bun si de la el.

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Timisoara este in continuare un oras minunat si deosebit de primitor.

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Dupa 2 zile am pornit spre Oradea unde am fost sa il vizitam pe prienul meu Sandor si pe sotia sa Otilia. Ca de obicei amandoi au fost extrem de draguti si de primitori, iar Oradea si Baile Felix ne-au primit cu toata caldura.

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Dupa inca 2 zile - pe 11 august - am pornit la drumul cel mare. Am strabatut 4 tari intr-o singura zi :) - Romania, Ungaria, Austria si am innoptat in Germania. In acea zi am avut primul meu soc de sofer. Pe autostrazile austriece din preajma Vienei mi s-a parut un adevarat infern, mai ales ca am prins si o ploaie torentiala care ne-a lasat cu o vizibilitate minima. Am supravietuit, iar masina Corneliei - Citroen C3 aka buburuza - m-a imresionat intr-un mod foarte placut.

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In Germania trebuia sa ne oprim la Kirkdorf, iar "susnumitul" Kirk se pare ca are mai multe sate (dorf) asa ca vedem noi un indicator catre Kirkdorf... o luam pe acel drum... GPS-ul se tot reconfigura si ne indica traseul... de fapt noi inca nu ajunseseram in Germania si am nimerit pe niste drumuri satesti - comunale de prin Austria - tot respectul pentru cum arata drumurile dintre catunele Austriei de nord.

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Intr-un final nimerim noi la Kirkdorf care e cam cum intri in Germania la dreapta autostrazii. Daca nu ati inteles unde e, stati linistiti :) e un fel de catun mai maare unde am gasit noi ceva de cazare mai ieftin pe langa traseu.

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In Germania drumurile sunt impresionante. Centura Munhenului e SF... norocul meu ca a condus Cornelia si eu am fost doar navigator....

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Am ajuns si in Franta. Daca cineva are impresia ca cele mai faine autostrazi din Europa sunt in Germania, ei bine, ele sunt in Franta. Ceea ce au Francezii ca sistem rutier cred ca depaseste orice tara din Europa. Ce e drept platesti destul de mult pentru autostrazile lor, dar nu se compara cu cele austrice sau cele germane. Cred ca fiecare euro dat pentru autostrada a meritat.

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In Franta am innoptatla Chateau Chineaux.... cam prin centrul Frantei. Pe drum ne-am luat vin din regiunea Burgundia (nu stiu cum se scrie exact in franceza). Foarte bun vinul.... dar.... sec de nu mai imi simteam obrajii.

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In ziua urmatoare pe 13 august mai aveam doar cam 400 de km pana la destinatia noastra - la Cristiana si Gerard - verisoara mea si sotul ei, asa ca am decis sa nu mai mergem pe autostrazi decat cat avem neeaparata nevoie si pentru economie, dar si pentru a mai vedea si altceva decat masini si asfalt. Ei bine... "the country side" din Franta este minunata, satuce medievale sau din secolul 18 - 19, strazi inguste, dar perfecte mici bistrouri multe bulangerii... tot tacamul. GPS-ul ne-a bagat pe niste drumuri care nu apareau pe harta noastra (Harta rutiera a Europei), cred ca un fel de drumuri comunale, dar cu un asfalt minunat si cu un trafic foarte scazut.

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Am ajuns la Cristiana si Gerard si Clara (fiica) in Insula Oleron care e practic o insula statiune. Ei stateau acolo la casa unor prieteni.

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Cristiana si Gerard si Clara au fost minunati. Ne-au plimbat, ne-au hranit :), au fost super... asa cum ii stiam.

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Din insula Oleron se poate ajunge foarte usor la Fort Boayard (daca mai tineti minte emisiunea). Nu... fortul in sine nu se viziteaza, dar plimbarea pe Ocean a fost deosebit de placuta.

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Dupa cateva zile in insula Oleron am pornit spre LaRochelle unde locuiesc gazdele noastre si am mai petrecut si pe acolo inca 3-4 zile... Am fost la acvariul din La Rochelle care e cu adevarat minunat. Am fost si intr-o plimbare in insula Re, care e tot o insula statiune.

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Daca i se pare cuiva ca e fun sa faci baie in Atlantic in luna august la latitudinea aceea, ei bine.... e RECE...

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Dupa aceasta mica vacanta ultra low cost (cred ca ne-am incadrat in 200 E fara benzina) din Franta, am pornit spre Olanda. Pe 19 august am plecat din La Rochelle si am mers pana la Gent in Belgia. In Franta totul bine si frumos... in Belgia din secunda in care intri in tara primesti un bun venit vibrant... adica de odata asfaltul bun si drept al francezilor dispaare si vine cel belgian care ofera conditii optime pentru vibromasaj si din cand in cand cate o groapa. Drumurile belgiene seamana cu cele de acasa si in multe cazuri sunt mai rele decat cele din Romania.

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La Gent am dormit tot asa la un hotel low cost pe marginea autostrazii, iar a doua zi trebuia sa ajungem in Rotterdam la pranz... asa ca ne-am dus la Carrefour-ul din Gent. Da... pentru cei care au vazut masina... da ... am mai putut baga niste lucruri in ea :)... e SF cat am putut baga intr-un C3. Cred ca pot sa dau lectii de comprimare si impachetare eficienta.

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Pe 20 august ajungem in Olanda... la Rotterdam orasul nostru de destinatie.

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Nu am sa intru prea mult in detalii despre ce si cum au fost primele zile pe aici.

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Cert este ca Ruben si sotia lui au fost niste ingeri. Ne-au super ajutat si cred ca fara ei ne-ar fi fost super greu.

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Aici avem un mic apartament de mansarda cu 2 camere si o baie (bucataria e integrata in sufragerie) care arata decent, dar e cam scumpisor... 750 E pe luna inclusiv consumul de utiliati. Apartamentul era nemobilat, asa ca a trebuit sa ne descurcam sa il mobilam. Initial noi ne gandiseram la Ikea (care e la 5 km de unde stam noi), dar acolo nu ne-am putut apropia de prea multe lucruri. Ruben ne-a dus la un magazin de mobila la mana a 2-a de unde ne-am luat majoritatea lucrurilor. Mobila la mana a 2-a de acolo e in mare proportie mobila veche de lemn masiv la preturi simbolice. E o poveste mai lunga.

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Acum o sa pun pauza si voi reveni cu noi detalii.