Discovering Dutch Campus Life
Gabriel's Exchange Journey at Nyenrode
Gabriel Moreau, a 22-year-old from Rouen, France, shares his enriching experiences as an exchange student at Nyenrode.
Studying abroad for the first time, Gabriel chose the Netherlands for its unique blend of European familiarity and Dutch cultural charm.
From making new friends and exploring Dutch culture to enjoying small, interactive classes, Gabriel’s journey has been full of unique memories and valuable learning moments.
Could you please introduce yourself briefly?
Hello, my name is Gabriel Moreau, I’m 22 and I’m from Rouen, France. My school is called Neoma Business School.
What attracts you to the Netherlands?
First of all, as a first semester abroad alone, I wanted to stay in Europe while discovering a brand new culture. Netherlands was a good choice because it has some similarities with other European countries such as France but with having also some particularities that make it an unique country and this Erasmus an unique occasion to discover it.
Moreover, Dutch people are very good English speakers, which is also a good point not to feel lost in a new country. Finally, from a personal perspective, my father once worked in the Netherlands when he was young, and so he gave me very good tips and feedbacks about the country, which helped me making my choice to come to the Netherlands.
"I have indeed made new friends, both from exchange students and Dutch students at Nyenrode. I think that some of those friendships will even stay after the exchange because by spending a lot of time together we reinforce our own trust between each other and so our sense of community.
For the others, they will always stay as a very good memory in the Netherlands, even a long time after the exchange."
Gabriel Moreau, BScBA Exchange Student
How would you describe your experience in the classrooms and on the campus at Nyenrode Breukelen?
So far, my experiences both in and outside of the class were very good. From the class part first, the little class groups allows a better understanding of the subject by allowing us to have a more personal follow-up by the teachers. It allows us to make more group works without working in a too noisy room.
Now, from outside of the classrooms, the life in the Breukelen campus is very active, with a lot of events to do and to share with other students, from gym sessions in the sportshall to preparing the exams together in the library, passing by of course the parties in the campus bars.
Do you believe having international students is valuable at a Dutch university?
From my perspective, having international students is valuable for every university. In the case of Nyenrode, having international students shows a real commitment to open mindedness and culture acceptation and mix. Having international students allows their own students to work on their English while working on their ability to embrace new cultures and try to deal with cultural differences and issues to try to gather everyone.
From the students perspective, it allows us to work on our English too and also to discover a brand new country without being completely lost. Dutch students and Nyenrode members help a lot in accommodating to this brand new culture and country.
What are your goals or plans for the future?
Right after the exchange, I have an internship to make in France. I’m looking for one in business development or in supply/buying management. After this, I want to make my last year at school in a work-study program, in business development too.
After this, my career plan are first to start working in a normal company, in an industrial one if it’s possible, and after I really want to start my own company thanks to the experience I already have and the one I will gain through my next career steps. I don’t know yet in what sector do I want to start it but being an entrepreneur is something that interest me a lot, especially the freedom of organizing your agenda as you want and the fact that you’re your own boss.