photo Anne van der Heijden
Paschos was at university in Greece and decided to go abroad. ‘I wanted to experience life in a country that is not as relaxed as Greece. Here, daily life is more scheduled and planned.’ He liked this about the Netherlands and if he could, Paschos would stay another six months, partly so as to experience the spring and summer. ‘People tell me I’ve only experienced the worst period, so I would like to see the country in the other seasons as well.’ Being in another country for an entire year would also be a challenge. ‘I would like to see how it is to live away from home for a longer time.’
Paschos did not really mind the grey Dutch winter. ‘People warned me about the bad weather but it was not a big problem to me.’ He is surprised that even though there is a lot of rain, people still cycle everywhere. ‘I really like the whole bike thing. It is one of the best things about the Netherlands. It makes your life easier: you can go anywhere!’ He thinks it’s a shame that there is less opportunity for cycling around the cities of Greece. ‘At least we have good weather for cycling in Greece.’
I wanted to experience life in a country less relaxed than Greece
Apart from missing Greek food, Wageningen was a good experience, according to Paschos. ‘It is a small city but there is a lot to do. I have met people from all over the world.’ Paschos often joined ESN events and was also part of an international basketball team. ‘This Saturday will be my last game; it will be a bit emotional. Many of my international friends are staying here, and it feels like I’m the only one who’s leaving. I have invited them to come and visit me in Greece, and I’m planning to come back for a couple of days to see them all again.’