University of Miami – United States
Like a dream came true!
Actually I am not that convinced about my title, because actually my experiences in Miami were even better than I ever dreamed..
Miami is Miami. Miami is a lifestyle, a certain way of live which you can’t find anywhere else on earth. The charms of the beautiful beaches, the palm trees, the great university, great malls, best clubs and hotels I’ve ever seen, the most expensive mansions, cars and yachts, the famous people en finally the fact that Miami is so international. In Miami I met people from all around the world. Yeah, something like Miami you can’t find anywhere else.
Where to start in explaining what a lovely time I have had and how wonderful it is in Miami. Let’s start with the Americans. We, Dutch people like it a lot to make jokes about the Americans, and here I have to admit that I was the one who liked it most. Now, there are a lot of points/habits what I really appreciate about Americans though. Americans are so polite.
I remember the first class I had, where I sneezed and from all corners of the classroom, students and even the teacher ‘blessed me’. But as well when American people have to stand in line, (what is more common in the USA than in the NL) they are so patient. Beside that full respect for the American students, because even I thought school over here was really easy, the American students study the whole day. There are a lot of things I didn’t like in the beginning, what I appreciate a lot right now, like unlimited food, unlimited drinks (refill!!), and don’t forget of course the pancakes, donuts and the lovely hamburgers for breakfast. Before I came over to Miami, I was convinced the USA was not a country where I could live, however nowadays my opinion about that changed.
Although I have to admit that Miami is different from the rest of the United States. Miami is Miami as written before. However Americans are different than the rest of the people in the world. It’s hard to describe why but I really experienced it like that. The Europeans I met in Miami were hanging with other Europeans, people from Australia and South America but not really with Americans. I am not able to give an explanation why, perhaps because Americans could be really proud and overwhelming, but actually I have no idea.
I think I am able to say totally convinced that I got the most out of my experience in Miami. My campus life was amazing, eating together, pregaming together, sporting together, the swimming pool or just hanging around the volleyball field talking for hours with other international students. I loved it! Because you are living so close to everyone, doing a lot together, you get close really easily.
Beside my campus life I had my luxury life in South Beach. How I arranged it, I still don’t know, but one thing is sure: I loved it! I have been in the most expensive houses, met the richest people of Miami and even some of the USA, famous people, ability to go partying two times a week by limousine, several yacht trips on the nicest yachts included Jacuzzis etc, the nicest clubs with the best tables, and on the end (you get to used to everything) it even became that bad, that I was only drinking champagne. Miami is all about money and performance. . It’s bizarre/ridiculous how much money is available in Miami.
Beside what I have learned of Miami and the United States, I learned how people think about the Netherlands. Actually we could be a little bit proud, and for sure we are not allowed to complain (I know Dutch people love to complain about everything) how amazing we are doing as such a small country. Even nowadays in times of crisis, Holland remains stable especially compared to other European countries. Really, take a quick look at our social system, our public transport, our houses and education system, our infrastructure, our service sectors and beside that our part in the European Union. We are such a small country, so overpopulated, but so developed.
In my course Multinational Management I realised what an influence the Netherlands had on the development of the EU, and how many multinational companies came from the Netherlands. Several business cases I had to analyse, and several were from Dutch companies like Phillips, Shell, KLM and Unilever. I remember after one week in the USA, I was tiered of the story Holland, smoke weed the whole day. But actually I am happy how the rules are in the Netherlands, because I’ve never been so much confronted with drugs than in Miami. Beside that we could be proud on our DJ’s (actually quit funny that the song “this is Miami” is from Sander Kleinenberg), and don’t forget our soccer players of course. The million euro worth transfers came from the Netherlands (recently Huntelaar for 27 million Euros). Oh yeah, I really enjoyed how foreigners pronounced the Dutch names varvart or van der vaart 
haha. A few weeks ago, someone asked me why my name doesn’t start with ‘van de’ because according to him all Dutch names started with ‘van de’. I never thought that much about it, but actually he was right, there are so many people in the Netherlands with names like “van de….”
Beside that I am proud to be Dutch, we can be proud to be European too. I never realised that much to be European, but sometimes in Miami it felt like a pro. Some people really look up to Europe. For example people I met from Russia or Ukraine, they would love to be part of the EU. As well the European Monetary Union, look how strong the Euro is, compared to other currencies like the pound or the dollar. A lot of Americans say that they would love to come to Europe, for vacation, study or maybe even more. Although, it’s crazy expensive right now for them. Beside Americans, Europeans loved Miami etc a lot but finally want to live in Europe for sure.
To be honest, in Miami I found everything what I expected, but I never expected to get such a wonderful close friend as Lena.
Beside all those lovely experiences, I developed myself as well. And here I don’t only focus in terms of education and knowledge, but more social and global. Global in the form of different cultures and some developments. I had a lot of time to think a lot, to talk a lot, to analyse and when you take a look how the world changed those last 20 years, it’s amazing. Including the most recent development that I experienced live here in the USA: the first black president of the USA Obama. As well several cultures that often really differ, but sometimes could be really similar as well. I learned that Spanish people are always too late, Bulgarian people shake there head to say yes in stead of visa versa and in several Eastern European countries the names of men and wife differ when they marry. (e.g. Mr Nikolovo and Ms Nikolova). My opinion about South-America changed, my idea was a lot of crime, poor areas etc, but in Miami I met the most lovely and often as well the richest people from Brazil and Argentine. Oh yeah, finally more fluency in English, lovely! To conclude this paragraph I would like to give some attention about the most important thing I learned from being abroad for 6 months, what is my family. I realised the people I love most, and missed most. Mom, Dad and Ry love you so much!
Obviously, all stories that you hear about Miami are true. Yeah Miami is Miami I really can’t explain. You have to experience yourself. It’s crazy how I going to miss my life in Miami. This was the best decision I’ve ever made: studying at the UM! Some of people in Miami told me, that I was always smiling, whatever happened, and actually they were right, because I was/am so happy with everything. Beside you all think I am emigrating to Miami/USA, I am really happy to go home and see everyone again.
Lots of love for the final time from Miami
Anouk Rachel Veldman
Filed Under: United States
