“You get to know the city better in the summer”
Thierry Bleijswijk (22), just finished his bachelor’s thesis in European Studies and is spending his summer in Maastricht .
Why are you spending the summer in Maastricht?
“I volunteer with the Red Cross and I’ll be working at the 12 André Rieu concerts at the Vrijthof. I also work as a student assistant in the Department of Marketing and Communications for about 12 hours per week, in summer as well. But my girlfriend and I will also go visit my parents for 10 days or so; they live in Italy.”
Italy! Why not spend six weeks relaxing there?
“After 10 days I get bored of just hanging around. And the summer months are the perfect time to get to know Maastricht and the surrounding area better. You can really take your time without getting stressed out because you’ve got a tutorial in an hour.”
And André Rieu? Aren’t you a little young for that?
“That’s what I like about volunteer work. You get to go to events you might not otherwise have gone to, and I’m often pleasantly surprised. Every event has its own characteristics and atmosphere and a different risk profile.”
Will you see any friends in the city this summer?
“Yes, I got to know a lot of nice people through my job at the university, most of whom are staying here to work. And a friend from Scotland is coming over to visit. I’ll take him to the drielandenpunt, where the borders of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet, to Aachen, to the American cemetery in Margraten. There’s no shortage of things to do here, though of course it’s up to you to make the most of it, by doing volunteer work or getting a job.”
Have you stayed in Maastricht over the summer before?
“Yeah, two years ago I stayed here to work, to earn extra money for my exchange to Macao and Shanghai. I worked 40 hours a week, as did several of my fellow students. If you have a room here anyway, it’s a shame not to use it.”
What’s your plan for after the summer?
“I hope to start a master’s degree here in Maastricht, in Public Policy and Human Development at UNU-Merit.”
Text: Femke Kools
Photos: Thierry Bleijswijk
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