From Old Delhi lanes to Amsterdam canals: My life as an MBA student in the Netherlands | Life in a foreign university

My mother took over the small courier business my father left behind, running it with quiet determination. Watching her juggle work, bills, and a house full of dreams taught me resilience long before I knew the word for it.

I went to Delhi government schools all my life — Marwari Senior Secondary in Old Delhi for Class 10, and Bengali Senior Secondary in Civil Lines for Class 12. Scholarships carried me through school; hard work kept me going. I wasn’t the kind of kid with big, world-conquering dreams back then — I just knew I wanted to study, do well, and make life a little easier for my family.

After nearly a decade of corporate work, though, something shifted. I began to feel that itch — the need to grow, to learn in a space that looked beyond numbers and deadlines. I wanted an MBA that would challenge me, but also surround me with peers who, like me, came with years of professional experience.

Why I chose the Netherlands

Indian B-schools didn’t quite offer that mix, so I began looking outward — at programmes in the US, the UK, and Europe.

The US was tempting, but the visa uncertainty and staggering tuition forced me to reconsider. Europe, on the other hand, offered a balance — solid economies, globally respected schools, and immigration systems that welcomed skilled graduates. Among the countries I explored, the Netherlands stood out. There was something about its pragmatism — efficient, progressive, yet deeply human — that resonated with me.

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When I discovered Nyenrode Business University, it felt like the right fit. The “Meet the CEO” course, where students directly engage with global business leaders, sealed the deal.

I applied to three universities — two in the Netherlands and one in Ireland — but Nyenrode’s responsiveness won me over. They replied to every query within a day, often with genuine warmth and detailed explanations. When they waived my IELTS after verifying that my undergraduate degree was in English, I knew I’d found a university that saw students as individuals, not just application numbers.

The admission process moved quickly. I took Nyenrode’s LTP test, an aptitude-based alternative to the GMAT covering reasoning, logic, math, and English. I passed, followed by a personal interview that felt more like a conversation than an evaluation. Within days, I had my offer — along with a scholarship. The rest of my tuition was funded through an education loan firm.

First days in a new country

When I finally landed in the Netherlands, everything felt new — the chill in the air, the silence of the streets, the hum of the trams. My first week was a blur of classes, registrations, insurance forms, and grocery runs.

I didn’t sleep much that week, but beneath the exhaustion was a quiet thrill. After years in the corporate grind, I was a student again — curious, hopeful, and a little terrified.

Life in the Netherlands was a study in adaptation. Grocery shopping meant deciphering Dutch labels and navigating aisles where “paneer” was a distant dream. Setting up insurance, banking, and housing felt like tackling mini bureaucratic quests. But the beauty of being in an international program was realizing you weren’t alone — everyone was figuring it out, one day at a time.

Learning, Dutch style

What struck me most about studying here was the freedom — the shift from India’s structured, exam-oriented education to the Netherlands’ open, discussion-led classrooms. Professors didn’t lecture; they facilitated. Assignments weren’t about memorisation; they were about thought, application, and perspective.

Through Nyenrode’s European Immersion Program, we explored four major European cities, not as tourists but as students of business and leadership. And the “Meet the CEO” course? That was the kind of surreal you dream about — pitching strategies to executives from Microsoft, TCS, and NXP while surviving on coffee, stress, and friendship.

Compared to Delhi University, where I’d studied earlier, Nyenrode was intimate. Small class sizes meant real connections — professors who knew your story, classmates who became family. There was something deeply human about it all.

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Alumni from the 1950s and 70s would show up for events, still proudly wearing the Nyenrode spirit. That sense of belonging — of community — was rare and real.

Life outside class was its own adventure. Mornings began with the city’s pulse — trams, cyclists, and the smell of fresh coffee. Evenings were unpredictable: sometimes quiet dinners at home, sometimes late-night debates about marketing strategy spilling into canal-side strolls. Café Hoppe on Spuistraat became our little refuge — wood-paneled, buzzing, timeless.

Cooking and balancing finances

Cooking started as survival, became a passion, and eventually, my way of building community. I like to say my cooking did more networking than LinkedIn ever could.

Food connected us — across languages, continents, and stories. It reminded me of home, but it also created a new kind of belonging here. Over biryani and paneer tikka, strangers became friends, and friends became family.

Financially, I managed through a mix of savings, my scholarship, and the education loan. I didn’t take up a part-time job; this time, I wanted to live my student life fully — something I’d missed back in India while working full-time during college.

Every euro spent was intentional — thrift-store furniture, home-cooked meals, walks instead of taxis. It wasn’t easy, but it was liberating.

Finding home in Amsterdam

Over time, Amsterdam began to feel like home. The canals became my companions; the city, my classroom. Amsterdam is global in the truest sense — where you hear Dutch, Hindi, Spanish, and Arabic in a single tram ride, and where strangers hold doors open for you just because.

The city doesn’t just welcome you — it absorbs you. From Turkish döner to Surinamese soul food, from Rembrandt to start-ups, it’s a place that feeds your curiosity as much as your appetite.

If I had to sum up my experience in one word, it would be transformative. Studying in the Netherlands wasn’t just about getting an MBA; it was about discovering a new version of myself.

I learned to slow down, to live deliberately, to find stillness amid change. Independence took on new meaning — not just financial, but emotional and intellectual.

Life after Nyenrode

Today, I work in the Benelux market, applying everything I learned at Nyenrode to real-world business. I’m learning Dutch, too — not because I have to, but because I want to connect with people in their own language.

I recently moved into a new apartment and am building a home. It’s a simple life, but one built with intention.

Will I return to India someday? Maybe. India will always be home — the chaos, the warmth, the smell of rain on Delhi’s red brick lanes. But for now, I am here — in this new chapter, in this new city, learning, growing, and living the life I once only dreamed of.

Because somewhere between the narrow lanes of Old Delhi and the wide canals of Amsterdam, I found something I never expected — a version of myself that feels free, grounded, and completely alive.