To “go Dutch” is to split the bill, often for a meal. Going Dutch is then an equal exchange. Here’s a Dutch exchange student splitting himself equally in 2 continents.
IT DOES not always take one to know one. Immersing oneself in a foreign land and understanding its circumstances may seem challenging to many, but that is not the case for Dutch exchange student Kasper Hof. A public administration student from Leiden University in the Netherlands, Hof is currently studying economics at the Ateneo de Manila University for a semester. He has lived in the Philippines for roughly three months, but it is not the first Asian country he has visited—he has been to Cambodia and Japan as well.
At 6 feet and 7 inches tall, Kasper stands out in the crowd whose average height ranges from 4’11” to 5’4”. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old blends in with the Filipino spirit as he enjoys playing basketball and video games, too. Something that he’s been getting used to while living here? Rice. “I try to eat rice in the morning, even though at one point I couldn’t stand it anymore,” Hof says. His attempts seem to have paid off as he now likes Filipino dishes such as tapsilog, sisig, and adobo.
Class in session
The Netherlands reverted to in-person classes in 2021, so Hof didn’t face difficulty in adjusting to Ateneo’s onsite modality. Like a true Atenean, though, Hof struggled with enlistment and load revision as the system initially did not recognize the courses he took at his home university.
Hof appreciates how efficient online classes were in the Netherlands, but he no longer has the same focus he had for online classes with in-person lectures now. Regardless, he thinks online education is the future, as long as students turn their cameras on.
Experiencing in-person classes prior has helped Hof befriend his classmates more easily. Further, Hof also appreciates that the Atenean community is more connected in spite and because of their diversity, as compared to his home university, where Dutch and international students have diverged into their own groups. However, he hopes that local Ateneans reach out to him first, as he’s always willing to talk to anyone.
The politics of empathy
A key cultural difference Hof has observed between the Netherlands and the Philippines was the level of directness from the people. He shares that Filipino people seemed less judgmental and more empathetic compared to his Dutch peers. This friendliness or Filipino hospitality helped Hof befriend Filipino students. Hof highlights student organizations, like the Ateneo Student Exchange Council (ASEC), an organization providing Atenean “buddies” to help exchange students during their stay at the university, especially with the start of in-person classes.
As a public administration student, a favorite conversation topic of Hof’s is the country’s politics—a talking point some native Filipinos avoid. He mentions that many people are unhappy, but many reasons cause these frustrations—from the prevalence of nepotism in prestigious careers to the mishandling of the peso decline.
The country’s corruption both intrigues and saddens Hof. He says that he has grown to want to make a change himself and hopes that Ateneans feel the same way. “The Philippines is a democracy, but at the same time, there are a lot of undemocratic things happening behind the scenes,” he shares.
Hof’s interest in Philippine politics helps him empathize more with Filipinos. He mentions that he had to get used to wearing masks again as the Netherlands no longer had mask mandates. For Hof, this was a worthy challenge to keep the most vulnerable safe.
Home away from home
While Hof integrates Filipino values and practices, he sticks to his roots. The 20-year-old regularly follows Dutch news and checks up on his family and friends. Because of this, he does not feel homesick.
Hof has roughly a month left in the Philippines before he returns to the Netherlands. As he thinks of home, he hopes that Dutch society at large becomes more grateful for and aware of their privilege like his fellow Ateneans. His most significant insight drawn from his stay here revolves around the less fortunate.“The only thing [that less fortunate people] have on their mind is survival. You cannot blame [them] for [seemingly] not bringing more out of their lives,” he shares.
With his love for travel and cultural exploration, Hof has shown a willingness to fully submerge his entire 6’7” self without forgetting any version of home he’s made for himself. “[Every one of my friends] feels at home [in the Philippines], so it’s not a strange temporary place anymore,” he says.
