Have you heard of Double Dutch?

| Michaela Nesvarova

Today is the very first day of the very first edition of CuriousU, summer school in festival style organized at the University of Twente. Participants from all over the world gathered to listen to the first inspirational speaker of the week, had their first lectures and they could also learn about the Netherlands in the ‘Dutch for Dummies’ course.

Photo by: Gijs van Ouwerkerk

The entire UT campus, now also equipped with a special festival area and big tents, will host the CuriousU for a whole week from the 11th until the 18th of August 2015. This international event was officially started by Victor van der Chijs, who welcomed all of its 180 participants: ‘I’m happy to say that there are 28 different nationalities in this tent. Intercultural exchange is a big part of the concept for this summer school.’

Welcome to the Netherlands

The first big intercultural exchange was naturally focused on Dutch culture. After the students had their very first lectures, which include topics such as Smart Cities, Serious Gaming or EntrepreneurialU, they had the chance to take part in a ‘Dutch for Dummies’ course run by Laura Doorneweerd, a Dutch performer specializing in improvisation. She not only taught the foreign participants a few useful Dutch phrases, but also introduced them to the things characteristic for the Netherlands.

‘Have any of you heard of ‘double Dutch’? Does it mean dating two people at the same time or does it refer to using double protection, meaning a condom and a contraceptive pill?’ Doorneweerd asked the audience. If you didn’t already know, the second option is correct.

‘She isn’t that ugly’

According to Doorneweerd, the Dutch people are - apart from cycling - also famous for not being overly enthusiastic when expressing their opinions. The biggest compliment you could give to a very pretty girl would be: ‘She isn’t that ugly.’

And if this (supposedly popular) pick-up line works for you, one day you might need to serve your friends ‘beschuit met muisjes’, special cookies with sugarcoated anise seeds that you eat if a new baby is born. This typical Dutch pastry, along with other usual Dutch sweets, could also be tasted during the ‘Dutch for Dummies’ introduction course.

CuriousU: Dutch for Dummies

A full program

As stated above, CuriousU will last for another week and it will include many interesting lectures, activities and performances, including a show by Victor Mids, a well-known illusionist, and inspirational speeches by Bas Lansdorp from Mars One or Greg Shapiro.

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