Urban design architect Carolina Galeano, 24, from Bogotá, Colombia, is a 2003 MSc graduate of TU Delft.%%Before coming to Delft I%d always wanted to travel abroad and see the world.
After graduating from university in Colombia I knew I wanted to get a Master%s degree. So, I thought, why not combine my dream of traveling with studying abroad. My first few days and weeks in Delft were great. I was studying abroad, traveling and meeting people from around the world. But after a few months everything changed and became difficult. Although I was prepared for a possible culture shock, I suddenly felt totally lost. It was because of stupid minor things like the traffic and the scheduled way of life in Holland. And it was especially difficult to cope with the preconceptions of people and their approach towards me. During these difficult days I sensed the great value of all the support I%ve always received from my family. The last few months of my study in Delft where the nicest ones. I%d gotten used to the different life rhythm and Dutch customs. Delft really felt like home.
Currently, I%m working for the architectural firm Citythought in Amsterdam. It%s a stage, or apprenticeship, not a real job. I%ve never in my life worked before, not even as a waitress. I%ve been studying all my life and now I%m putting the theory I have gathered into practice. And although I%ve only worked for a couple months now, I feel that my life, after graduation, has entirely changed. I%m again experiencing the process of getting used to different cultures and customs. This time the working culture and customs in Holland, of working long hours and then trying to find the time and energy to the other enjoyable and necessary things outside of work. The project I%m working on with other colleagues is in Amsterdam and concerns the urban planning of a plot of land. The job is to design a place to live for a specific group of people who have a different way of living than most %ordinary people% have. The goal is to create harmony between these two different kinds of people. In other words, we%re thinking how we can provide these people with a place to live so that they can do their %thing% and still form a part of the community. My job in the team is drawing as well as designing the ideas we work out as a team. Although the job is interesting, it%s still a personal fight to get used to working with schedules, planning everything, and taking orders from superiors. After finishing this three-month internship, I%ll return to Colombia. I%m happy with my job at Citythought, because before going back home I really wanted to gain some working experience, even it only pays 500 euros per month, which is really not much. I feel that it%s time to go home, to see my family and friends again and to work for Colombia, to help my country. And back there I%d of course like to find a nice job and get rich%no, just joking, I above all want to be useful and preferably work in Colombia. Although, if I did get a good offer to work abroad, I%d seriously consider it. But actually I don%t like to plan. I think if life offers me something nice, wherever it is, I should take it. Having plans would mean being like everybody else, wanting a nice place to live, to get married and in my case to have a soccer team of children! No, I%ll just take life as it comes, without making plans.%%
Urban design architect Carolina Galeano, 24, from Bogotá, Colombia, is a 2003 MSc graduate of TU Delft.
%%Before coming to Delft I%d always wanted to travel abroad and see the world. After graduating from university in Colombia I knew I wanted to get a Master%s degree. So, I thought, why not combine my dream of traveling with studying abroad. My first few days and weeks in Delft were great. I was studying abroad, traveling and meeting people from around the world. But after a few months everything changed and became difficult. Although I was prepared for a possible culture shock, I suddenly felt totally lost. It was because of stupid minor things like the traffic and the scheduled way of life in Holland. And it was especially difficult to cope with the preconceptions of people and their approach towards me. During these difficult days I sensed the great value of all the support I%ve always received from my family. The last few months of my study in Delft where the nicest ones. I%d gotten used to the different life rhythm and Dutch customs. Delft really felt like home.
Currently, I%m working for the architectural firm Citythought in Amsterdam. It%s a stage, or apprenticeship, not a real job. I%ve never in my life worked before, not even as a waitress. I%ve been studying all my life and now I%m putting the theory I have gathered into practice. And although I%ve only worked for a couple months now, I feel that my life, after graduation, has entirely changed. I%m again experiencing the process of getting used to different cultures and customs. This time the working culture and customs in Holland, of working long hours and then trying to find the time and energy to the other enjoyable and necessary things outside of work. The project I%m working on with other colleagues is in Amsterdam and concerns the urban planning of a plot of land. The job is to design a place to live for a specific group of people who have a different way of living than most %ordinary people% have. The goal is to create harmony between these two different kinds of people. In other words, we%re thinking how we can provide these people with a place to live so that they can do their %thing% and still form a part of the community. My job in the team is drawing as well as designing the ideas we work out as a team. Although the job is interesting, it%s still a personal fight to get used to working with schedules, planning everything, and taking orders from superiors. After finishing this three-month internship, I%ll return to Colombia. I%m happy with my job at Citythought, because before going back home I really wanted to gain some working experience, even it only pays 500 euros per month, which is really not much. I feel that it%s time to go home, to see my family and friends again and to work for Colombia, to help my country. And back there I%d of course like to find a nice job and get rich%no, just joking, I above all want to be useful and preferably work in Colombia. Although, if I did get a good offer to work abroad, I%d seriously consider it. But actually I don%t like to plan. I think if life offers me something nice, wherever it is, I should take it. Having plans would mean being like everybody else, wanting a nice place to live, to get married and in my case to have a soccer team of children! No, I%ll just take life as it comes, without making plans.%%
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