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.

What I have accomplished in the 28th year of my life

Today is the last day of my 28^th year. These are the last hours when I’ll ever be 27.

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Well, I can say that 27 (3 at the 3^rd power) was a good age, a year of grate change. A little before turning 27 I’ve decided to make a big change in my life – going back to school at a world class university and preparing for an academic career. At the beginning I had only a blind faith and a lot of desperation, but that actually helped. Soon after I turned 27 I took the TOEFL. It was a success (111 out of 120). Then came the GMAT… that was a lot harder than I expected, but after a lot of hard work and banging my head on the walls (literally) it was a success …

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Well after that I restarted my (small) business. It was a short revival, but still it worked for some months.

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In the same time I applied for different study programs at foreign universities. A lot of paper (or digital paper) work. Well, again it was a success considering that I got admitted at my second option program at my first option university.

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After this luck struck! I met the most wonderful woman (for me of course). To make a long story short, we moved together to The Netherlands and we have a wonderful relationship.

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After that again a lot of paperwork for my application to the “Opened Horizons” scholarship. It also was a success.

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Now I am in The Netherlands for almost a month. Things are not super glamorous, but they are all right.

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I can say that 27 was a good age for me.

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For this I also have to thank some important people. First I have to thank my parents and my close family for supporting me in this radical journey. Then I have to thank C. (my former girlfriend) for standing by me and supporting me through a very difficult period of my life (26 and half of 27). I also have to thank all of my (true) friends that in one way or the other had trust in me and helped me each in his or her own way.

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Last, but not least, I have to thank Cornelia (my girfriend) for all that she is.

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I hope that 28 will be at least as good as 27 and I wish you all to be healthy, lucky and hard working.

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.

Transportul in comun din Rotterdam

Aici transportul in comun se bazeaza pe tramvaie si metrou. Din experientele noastre, atat tramvaiele cat si metroul vin destul de repede si conexiunile sunt bune. Nici metroul si nici tramvaiele cu care am mers noi nu au fost aglomerate, ce e drept nu am fost cu ele la ore de varf.

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Ceea ce este socant este pretul pentru transportul in comun. Cu tramvaiul am fost cred ca in total cam 8 statii schimband 2 tramvaie. Pretul unei calatorii cu tramvaiul timp de o ora - in care poti schimba cate tramvaie doresti - este de 2,5 euro... Cu metroul am mers 5 statii dus si 6 intors pentru care am platit 4,9 euro de persoana...

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Ne-am gandit la varianta unui abonament lunar, iar pretul pentru zona centrala a Rotterdamului este de 42,5 euro pentru un abonament. Spun zona centrala pentru ca aici metroul conecteaza si doua dintre orasele lipide de Rotterdam la est si respectiv la vest. Cred ca si cu tramvaiele e similar.

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Varianta masinii personale are o logica intr-o oarecare masura... daca nu trebuie sa parchezi. La noi in cartier parcarea costa 0,5 euro pentru 20 de minute. In zonele mai centrale costa 0,5 euro pentru 13 sau chiar 10 minute (in zona comerciala din centru).

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Exista si permise de parcare de resedinta. Pentru cartierul in care stam noi ar fi 110 euro pe an, dar nu ne putem lua pentru ca masina este cu numere de Romania si nu o putem tine fara numere olandeze decat maxim 6 luni.

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Parcarea gratuita este doar in zonele de periferie.

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