Five things that surprised me as an International Student at UW-Green Bay

By: Elke van der Werff, Senior Political Science major from the Netherlands

My name is Elke van der Werff, and I am an international student from the Netherlands. This is my third semester as an international student at UW-Green Bay, and I will be graduating next semester. My major is political science and my minor is public administration. Prior to studying here, I had only been to the United States once, to Florida and New York. I knew about Wisconsin from “That ‘70s Show,” but did not know exactly what to expect studying here. Here are five things that surprised me about studying here in Green Bay:

1.) The Green Bay Packers and the fans. In Green Bay, everyone goes all out for the Packers. I have realized it’s not just a sports team — It’s an identity. However, immersing in this environment is turning me into a Cheesehead as well. I’ve been to a number of games and tailgating is so much fun!

2.) Speaking of cheese… Cheese Curds! Coming from the Netherlands, a country known for its cheese, I was a little skeptical of “fried cheese.” But after trying them multiple times, I am convinced and will order them wherever I can. My favorite are the ones from the farmers market.

3.) Wal-Mart. For me, this store is an experience itself — The size of the store, the 85 different cereals you can choose from and the fact that you can even get your car repaired there! To this day, I am still amazed by the gems you can find. So I came to the conclusion that if Wal-Mart doesn’t have it, you don’t need it.

4.) This country is HUGE. Every day this is something I tend to forgot because the state of Wisconsin alone is already four times bigger than my country. I also think it is interesting that Wisconsinites count distances in time instead of in miles, and that a two or three hour drive is “not that bad.”

5.) The incredibly beautiful and diverse land. From snow-topped mountains to the countryside, from beaches to vast grasslands and from deserts to lakes and forests. The United States has it all, and my bucket list keeps expanding. For now, I would say that the canyons were pretty “grand.”