Voll is Voll hoor!
Dutch student union, the ASVA, is asking international students not to move to Amsterdam. According to them, the city is full! Well blow me down with wind from the flares of a Dutch girl! I’m shocked!
Now, some people might wonder why the warning has been left until the last minute. It’s July! They’re warning there’s a shortage of 10,000 rooms in Amsterdam. The fear is that international students could become exploited or homeless if they move to Amsterdam.
International Students have always had it tough in the Netherlands
As if finding accommodation in the Netherlands for international students has suddenly become an issue. In the past, I’ve written about the lekker casual xenophobia of Dutch students and the “sorry no internationals” problem when it comes to finding accommodation. Or better said, the “eigen volk eerst” mentality when choosing roommates.
Perhaps someone should teach the leadership of the UVA maths
According to the ASVA, 4720 students have applied for University of Amsterdam accommodation while only 2416 rooms are available. Which does make me wonder why the UVA has accepted so many international students in the first place.
The answer, of course, is simple.
The UVA wants to make it rain with the cash of international students. Lekker makkelijk! God forbid someone at the UVA would keep track of the number of students registering compared to housing availability. Nee! That’s too much hard work and involves displaying a little thing known as empathy and concern for the well-being of their students. Just take the cash and let the student union whine about the number of courses at the UVA taught in English.
The student union believes that if there were fewer English language degree courses, the kut internationals would rot op somewhere else. Gezellig!
Here’s a shocking suggestion for the UVA
Obviously, I lack the intellectual prowess of the leadership team of the UVA. Indeed, the last movie I watched involved a deeply disturbed chap killing everyone and everything that even slightly irritated him. An art-house movie called John Wick. My suggestion to the UVA would be this. Instead of ringing a bell every time an international student transfers cash to your bank account. Why not ensure that enough accommodation is available? Take some responsibility as well as their cash. Is that not a great suggestion?
No academics were hurt during the writing of this post.
