This week the English Page meets Jorge Peregrin, 24, an MSc student in Industrial Design from Valencia, Spain.
Jorge originally came to TU Delft as a one-year Erasmus exchange student, but he liked it so much here that he found an internship at Fabrique. But that wasn’t enough, so he then decided to pursue another two-year MSc degree.
Why did you choose TU Delft?
“I heard from some students in Spain that TU Delft was a very good university and Delft a nice town. Also, because Holland’s located in heart of Europe, I figured it would allow me to travel a lot to other cities in Germany, Belgium, France and England.”
Are there any notable differences between TU Delft and your home university, in terms of education, research or the general workings of the university?
“There are many big differences, like the way of approaching design, the methodology…. I find it very professional here, but at the same time less spontaneous and less fun.”
If there were one thing about the TU you could change, what would it be?
“I’d try to make people a little bit more spontaneous and the academic program less strict and freer. Here they want you to have too many things at once, and you just don’t have time to digest it all. Things go too fast and the person’s development can be forgotten. But yet this is also what makes this university dynamic and good: the strictness is also part of that advantage.”
At TU Delft, do you feel as if you’re working at an international university?
“Definitely. It’s full of people from everywhere with different ways of approaching projects. It’s a very nice environment if you want this sort of life, which does more to open your mind and make you more tolerant.”
Do you feel that you’re integrated in Dutch university life?
“Well, I’m on my way, step by step. I’m developing friendships with the Dutch people I live with and yesterday I borrowed a Dutch history book for children so that I can learn some of the language and about Dutch history, like why the hell did the Netherlands trade New York for Suriname?!”
How might TU Delft raise its standing in the international ranking of universities?
“I talked with lots of Spanish students who did Erasmus exchanges abroad and TU Delft seemed to be the most interesting place and offer the best conditions for studying abroad.”
Would you advise foreign students to learn Dutch before coming here?
“It would be better to do an intensive course once you arrive here. Knowing the language allows you to understand so much more about the culture.”
In the field of design and technology, who do you particularly admire?
“The inventor of the paperclip, the inventor of post-it notes, and the inventor of the Vespa (Corradino Gascancio). Just really simple, good technology that really helps day to day.”
Why did you decide to become an industrial designer?
“Because I like to solve problems and take the aesthetics into consideration. Basically, this is design: mixing the engineering part (solving problems) with the aesthetic and perceptual parts.”
If you weren’t a designer, which profession would you like to have?
“Musician. There was a time when I wanted to be a farmer, but I changed my mind. I play in a band here called ‘L’chaim’ with some friends. We’ve done some concerts already and are getting bigger in Delft. Our music is a mix of Jewish and Balkan music, but quite original.”
What’s the greatest challenge facing mankind in the 21st century?
“Finding a way to reduce our waste and live sustainably on this planet, otherwise our eco-system will collapse and we’ll have to go live on Mars.”
What feature of Dutch society you like the most?
“I like that the Dutch people are very civilised. They respect each other, and because of that they can behave freely. They know the limits of the people; therefore, the country is organised and clean.”
What do you miss most about living in Spain?
“My friends, the music, the sun, going out on a normal day of the week without any reason, having a beer in the sun in February, going to the beach to relax at night….”
What qualities do you most admire in other people?
“Honesty, reliability, a sense of humour… Normally, I admire people because of special reasons. If they’re kind of gray or dull or ‘like a napkin’, I don’t find them admirable.”
What quality do you like best in a woman?
“Physically, the eyes of a woman tell me a lot. Mentally, I like her to have her own character, her own ideas and motivations. This makes me want to know more.”
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
“I like to live in cities like Valencia or Barcelona, where there’s lots of life. I also like Berlin, but it’s too cold for me.”
Is there one book that has changed your life in some way?
“I became addicted to ‘The never ending story’. Then I read books like ‘La Tregua’, which made me realise that you have to catch the opportunities as they come. ‘The memories of Pablo Neruda’ is also a cool book, because it’s about the life of a very important person written from the point of view of a normal person.”
What natural gift would you most like to have?
“Expressing everything I want with music.”
How would you like to die?
“Satisfied with my life. Having travelled a lot, having done different things in my life, and with a bunch of family around me.”
Jorge Peregrin (Photo: Sam Rentmeester/FMAX)
For this week’s Study Breaks, go to: www.delta.tudelft.nl
Why did you choose TU Delft?
“I heard from some students in Spain that TU Delft was a very good university and Delft a nice town. Also, because Holland’s located in heart of Europe, I figured it would allow me to travel a lot to other cities in Germany, Belgium, France and England.”
Are there any notable differences between TU Delft and your home university, in terms of education, research or the general workings of the university?
“There are many big differences, like the way of approaching design, the methodology…. I find it very professional here, but at the same time less spontaneous and less fun.”
If there were one thing about the TU you could change, what would it be?
“I’d try to make people a little bit more spontaneous and the academic program less strict and freer. Here they want you to have too many things at once, and you just don’t have time to digest it all. Things go too fast and the person’s development can be forgotten. But yet this is also what makes this university dynamic and good: the strictness is also part of that advantage.”
At TU Delft, do you feel as if you’re working at an international university?
“Definitely. It’s full of people from everywhere with different ways of approaching projects. It’s a very nice environment if you want this sort of life, which does more to open your mind and make you more tolerant.”
Do you feel that you’re integrated in Dutch university life?
“Well, I’m on my way, step by step. I’m developing friendships with the Dutch people I live with and yesterday I borrowed a Dutch history book for children so that I can learn some of the language and about Dutch history, like why the hell did the Netherlands trade New York for Suriname?!”
How might TU Delft raise its standing in the international ranking of universities?
“I talked with lots of Spanish students who did Erasmus exchanges abroad and TU Delft seemed to be the most interesting place and offer the best conditions for studying abroad.”
Would you advise foreign students to learn Dutch before coming here?
“It would be better to do an intensive course once you arrive here. Knowing the language allows you to understand so much more about the culture.”
In the field of design and technology, who do you particularly admire?
“The inventor of the paperclip, the inventor of post-it notes, and the inventor of the Vespa (Corradino Gascancio). Just really simple, good technology that really helps day to day.”
Why did you decide to become an industrial designer?
“Because I like to solve problems and take the aesthetics into consideration. Basically, this is design: mixing the engineering part (solving problems) with the aesthetic and perceptual parts.”
If you weren’t a designer, which profession would you like to have?
“Musician. There was a time when I wanted to be a farmer, but I changed my mind. I play in a band here called ‘L’chaim’ with some friends. We’ve done some concerts already and are getting bigger in Delft. Our music is a mix of Jewish and Balkan music, but quite original.”
What’s the greatest challenge facing mankind in the 21st century?
“Finding a way to reduce our waste and live sustainably on this planet, otherwise our eco-system will collapse and we’ll have to go live on Mars.”
What feature of Dutch society you like the most?
“I like that the Dutch people are very civilised. They respect each other, and because of that they can behave freely. They know the limits of the people; therefore, the country is organised and clean.”
What do you miss most about living in Spain?
“My friends, the music, the sun, going out on a normal day of the week without any reason, having a beer in the sun in February, going to the beach to relax at night….”
What qualities do you most admire in other people?
“Honesty, reliability, a sense of humour… Normally, I admire people because of special reasons. If they’re kind of gray or dull or ‘like a napkin’, I don’t find them admirable.”
What quality do you like best in a woman?
“Physically, the eyes of a woman tell me a lot. Mentally, I like her to have her own character, her own ideas and motivations. This makes me want to know more.”
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
“I like to live in cities like Valencia or Barcelona, where there’s lots of life. I also like Berlin, but it’s too cold for me.”
Is there one book that has changed your life in some way?
“I became addicted to ‘The never ending story’. Then I read books like ‘La Tregua’, which made me realise that you have to catch the opportunities as they come. ‘The memories of Pablo Neruda’ is also a cool book, because it’s about the life of a very important person written from the point of view of a normal person.”
What natural gift would you most like to have?
“Expressing everything I want with music.”
How would you like to die?
“Satisfied with my life. Having travelled a lot, having done different things in my life, and with a bunch of family around me.”
Jorge Peregrin (Photo: Sam Rentmeester/FMAX)
For this week’s Study Breaks, go to: www.delta.tudelft.nl
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