“My first semester was hell, but I really enjoyed it”. The genuine authenticity of Surinamese student Krishan Harkhoe’s road story gave the audience a broad smile. He explained his journey as an international student: Coming to a new university, in a new country, in a new culture, is not easy. After two years of settling though, he talks with humour about those crazy intercultural experiences at the very beginning. He offered the VUB identity conference a refreshing view. The logic by which people perceive their own country may not be that logical in the end.
The Journey
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
(J.R.R. Tolkien)
Krishan started off with this poem of Tolkien, because it reminded him of his own journey, coming from the tropical Suriname to the VUB. This journey turned out to be an exciting and life-changing experience. He explained why he chose VUB in specific, and more relevant, how he managed to stay despite the barriers in the beginning. His journey became a story of making friends and exploring Brussels and the country. Apparently, a bike trip near the Maas is as refreshing as a walk through the tropical forrest. Most of the audience probably had never looked at it that way.
With an innocent touristic group picture with some friends at the Yser towers in Diksmuide, maybe not even fully aware of the multiple, symbolic meanings of this memorial, Krishan made a strong statement on identity. Not everybody experiences a culture, or a university, in the same way. Very important to keep in mind, when thinking about the identity of an international university.
Aalst, Wetteren and Diksmuide
One of Krishan’s early anecdotes from his combined master programme was the day he tried to attend a lab session in Ghent on one of the strike days of the national railway company NMBS. He believed his presence in the session would be crucial to pass the course. And so he went on an endless bus trip via Aalst and Wetteren, just to hear upon arrival, one hour late, that the session for VUB students had been rescheduled. As an international student, he did not realize that it is common for Belgians to take strikes into account. He nevertheless kept on smiling and headed back. In his memory this adventureous bus journey through Vlaanderen ultimately became a nice experience, because of a conversation with an old lady. After staring for quite a time, she finally popped up the question: “Are you from Tanzania?”.
Gratitude
Krishan’s story was eye-opening. And an important one, for a university that wants to make internationalisation one of the key aspects of its identity.
From his initial bumpy road, Krishan ended up being an engaging student in the BRUTUS tutoring project and the International Student Platform. The final statement to his story was as strong as it was modest and beautiful: the gratitude for being part of the VUB community.
In the diversity of opinions of all people present, he clearly touched a universal feeling there.
Read the full speech of Krishan.