what to take to Twente? and what to do once there?

August 18, 2008 6:41 AM

little brother is going off to Twente, Netherlands for a year. What is there to do there (besides study)? Any tips on living there? What should he bring (=me stuff in his bag ;-))?
posted by mirileh to travel & transportation (9 comments total)

If he likes sports, there's a football club there (FT Twente) that is currently being coached by the former manager of the England national team (Steve McClaren).
posted by proj at 7:11 AM on August 18, 2008

Will he be living on campus or in one of the neighbouring cities Enschede or Hengelo? Enschede is the largest of the two, most students that don't live on campus live there and more of the student life takes place in Enschede. Both are not very large cities. However, there's still a lot to do, the people there are very friendly and the country itself is small enough to visit other cities (Amsterdam is about two hours by (direct) train, for instance).

If he likes sports, there are loads and loads of sports associations he could join. Lots of cultural associations as well. He might like to check out what's possible here (use the menu on the left, the buttons direct you to a Dutch version of the site).

The city and the university are not as internationally orientated as some other Dutch cities and universities are, but he definitely won't be the ony foreign student. There's an international office that is very helpful in providing information.

What he should bring depends on what he wants to do there, and what he absolutely cannot live without. The libary has computers he can use but a laptop will most likely be very practical.
posted by Ms. Next at 7:13 AM on August 18, 2008

He should bring you candies from Tamminga in Veenendaal....sorry I don't know the website.

He should visit the St. Hubertis Lodge in the the Nationaal Park de Hoge Veluwe. It's awesome Art Deco architecture.

The Bridge too Far in Arnhem.

H41 in Wageningen has really good food.

The Heksenketel in Ede has really good ribs.

I've spent about 4 months in that area in the last 18 months so feel free to MeMail for more specific advice. I'm in China right now so answers will be...delayed.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 7:27 AM on August 18, 2008 [1 favorite]

Ede-Wageningen and Twente are not quite the same area, though I absolutely second the suggestion to visit Nationaal Park de Hoge Veluwe as well as a day trip to Arnhem, for instance. But Wageningen-Enschede does not have an easy train connection (with 1-3 transfers, the trip takes up to two hours), even more so if he lives on campus, so those will not be very natural choices for restaurants.
Tamminga in Veenendaal has a website, of sorts, if only to show off their Latin ;-)
posted by Ms. Next at 8:29 AM on August 18, 2008 [1 favorite]

A friend of mine was a professor there for a while. His advice would be AVOID, first and foremost, followed by: "obtain a bicycle, and become a connoisseur of Christoffel." Or, alternately, "live in Amsterdam."
posted by ahhgrr at 8:49 AM on August 18, 2008

The football team is pretty decent and it is managed by former England boss Steve McLaren. But the stadium is being rebuilt and the homes games are being played 20 miles away.

They're playing Aresenal next week (at the Emirates) in a Champions League qualifier.
posted by Zambrano at 9:41 AM on August 18, 2008

That's the 2nd leg. Twente lost the first leg 0 - 2.
posted by Zambrano at 10:00 AM on August 18, 2008

Give him a pile of cash for a bike.
posted by beerbajay at 1:51 PM on August 18, 2008

thanks, everyone!
posted by mirileh at 5:45 AM on August 19, 2008