My name’s Amanda. I’m a 20 year old Mozambican citizen who grew up in its capital city called Maputo.
After successfully finishing high-school, I decided to continue my studies somewhere around the world. Although I had lived with my parents until then, a part of me had always been independent and eager to explore new opportunities.
Being fascinated about the world of economics led me to Maastricht University’s Economics and Business Economics programme, and the only thing keeping me from being enrolled was my not-so-valid Mozambican high school diploma. This is exactly what led me to the Foundation Programme (FP).
"Studying at the FP opened my horizons in a million ways."
The FP first helped me with all my practical matters: rental contracts, insurance plans and other legal bureaucracies.
As a native Portuguese speaker, I was not used to having English as a lingua franca. The FP was the first place in which I had the chance to constantly improve my English as a way of communicating with my peers and studying the materials. The international aspect of the FP (and city in general) was definitely interesting. I felt lucky to be in a place with different nationalities and cultures because it opened me to new ways of approaching life that I had never been exposed to before.
The FP also introduced me to the Problem Based Learning (PBL) and Dutch grading system, which were totally different from Mozambique. While PBL was challenging at first, the tutors were always very patient and I started to understand the value and advantages of having the system in place.
"I vividly remember biking to many hidden places of Maastricht in Summer 2020, and it positively surprised me how the city has a lot of refreshing nature to offer as well."
What I believe really makes Maastricht unique is how small and cohesive it is. All places are within bike distance, which I was not used to in Mozambique. As it is a student city, there are always events, parties and gatherings from university groups of students or independent people. I have always enjoyed movie nights, playing 8 pool ball, cooking with my friends, enjoying the sunset, exploring the Christmas market or simply going for a walk. I vividly remember biking to many hidden places of Maastricht in Summer 2020, and it positively surprised me how the city has a lot of refreshing nature to offer as well.
Not all Sunshine and Rainbows
While my first days in Maastricht were exciting, they were also definitely challenging.
Setting up a schedule to accomplish all my academic goals while having a social life demanded a lot from me. I also had to learn how to manage myself: properly cook all my meals, clean my house and take care of laundry.
On top of that, I found myself very homesick in various instances of the first months, which led me to calling my parents and two brothers the whole time. I later realized...
...having friends that were also struggling with most of the issues mentioned above really helped me, because not only did they sympathize with my situation, they were kind to offer solutions as well.
I enjoyed the FP and the family I gained through it! I will definitely carry most of these experiences for the rest of my life :)
