I was still in Spain when I heard about inburgering for the first time. A good friend of mine had to take a Dutch language exam before she moved to The Netherlands to live with her boyfriend. She followed a course with a Dutch professor in Colombia for more than two months, she passed the exam and then she was here, waiting to start the inburgering course. Inburgering means becoming a citizen (burger= citizen).
I come from Colombia, and before moving to The Netherlands I lived in Spain for 4 years together with my Dutch husband. Because I am married to a European Union national, I enjoy the freedom of transit within the Schengen territory for at least three months. That I knew. What I came to learn is that it would also change my status when entering the Netherlands. While still national of a third country (Non EU countries), I didn't need to present the exam or to follow a course once here. I did want though. That was my intention when I went to ROC Leiden and asked for a Dutch course. They told me about the different courses they offer, the inburgering process and the possibility that all these courses could be paid for by the municipality. They directed me to the social service office and then I was offered to attend a language course with my good performance as the only consideration.
Because of our previously residence in a European country following the inburgering procedure was not mandatory for me, but since I was interested in learning the language, I could attend the course which would be paid for by the local government. After checking out my academic background, they decided to give me the personal budget, which is no other thing than freedom to choose the school of my preference to follow a course, with the only condition to choose the best one. The language center at the University of Leiden was the best option.
I took Dutch lessons twice a week, three hours a day, plus several hours of homework for the first 4 months, after which I moved on towards a more intense course. After studying up to the higher level of Dutch, I presented the NT II2, which is the Dutch equivalent of IELTS or TOEFL. I passed all 4 parts in one go. I was lucky. I met some girls who were doing it for the second and even third time. One of my classmates in the same position as myself joined me for the intensive course. We were more than pleased with the Government policy of supporting foreigners in learning the language and making it mandatory for all the people living or willing to live here.
I must say, in honor to the truth, that not all the people are as lucky as I am, and not all the municipalities have the same inburgering policy as that of Leiden. I recently met a lovely girl from Russia who had to go through 30 interviews for her inburgering course. Despite she was not happy at all about the way the inburgering course in her school is being or has been developed. She could make herself clear in Dutch. She agrees with the inburgering as a mandatory process for all the immigrants, but she thinks the whole idea must be reviewed. She told me how after only one month of learning the language they started to studying the political, health care and educational systems, amongst other topics. She didn't feel prepared enough to jump out from the "Indefinite article / Present tense" to discuss the political system in The Netherlands. She would like to study instead more vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, so she could really feel confident in the use of the language.
Happily, the shiny star is still upon me. In early 2013, I was granted the Dutch citizenship. I can say, I am 100% ingeburgerd. Although, my heart and my essence remain Colombian.
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By Adriana Salazar
Adriana is an international law professional who loves to write about her life as a Colombian abroad. She is married to Arjan, and became a mother in late 2012. .
Visit her blog: adrianakok.blogspot.nl
Pictures: Filmagen
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