Historic Maastricht draws students from near and far

Historic Maastricht draws students from near and far ----------------------------------------------------------- Cool, quiet Maastricht went down in the annals of history with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1991, an act which led to the formation of the European Union. For its residents, however, especially university students from around the world, the Dutch border city is much more than a historical footnote. The Jakarta Post's Emmy Fitri visited the city, courtesy of The Netherlands Tourism Board and Garuda Indonesia. ---------------------------------------------------------------

Do not start your day before 9 a.m. in the oldest city in the Netherlands.

That's because the cafes, historical buildings, restaurants and museums offering a glimpse into lives of yesteryear have yet to open in Maastricht, about a one-hour drive from The Hague.

Not many of the 125,000 residents leave their old but elegant houses before 9 a.m. The city -- blessed with many historical buildings -- is still quiet.

"From around 10 a.m. through to 4 p.m. people here enjoy the day outside their houses, especially in spring and summer. We just sit in cafes or the city park to talk with friends," a local tourist guide, Barbara, said.

To many people in the Netherlands, Maastricht is known as the city of choice for a tranquil and pleasant life.

"The city is a mix between classical charm and cosmopolitan influence. The elderly lead a leisurely life here as every important corner of the city is within reach, while the youth enjoy the quiet life here for study," Barbara remarked.

It is a university town, with campuses dotted all over the city. It draws students from all over Europe and the world, including Indonesia.

The city is situated in the Maas valley at the foot of the South Limburg hills, a short distance from the borders of Belgium and Germany.

The history of Maastricht goes back to approximately 50 B.C., when the Romans built a settlement by the main road near a ford in the river. The city's name is derived from the Latin Mosae Trajectum, meaning a site where the river Maas could be crossed.

In 1795 occupying French forces made Maastricht the capital of a French province, which explains why many buildings still display features of French architectural style.

The executive director of Universiteit Maastricht's Center for European Studies, Marc H.J.P. Daenen, said many old buildings built in the 17th century and the 18th century had been converted into places for study.

"Our university campuses, for example, were in the old days monasteries, prisons, a provincial building and a chapel," he said.

"Basically, students are not looking at skyscrapers here."

Indonesian Ricardo Hutagalung said he chose to study in Maastricht because it was a place of learning, and also because life was not as hurried as in large Dutch cities.

"What's the difference with studying in Jakarta, then, if I studied in Amsterdam? It's busy and noisy there, too."

Ricardo, 21, who has been in the city for almost seven months, said he and other Indonesian students had to be prudent with their money because of the high cost of living.

The former student at the University of Indonesia's School of Economics is one of 20 Indonesian students taking part in the bridging program for overseas students at Universiteit Maastricht.

"I live with nine other students. We share expenses for daily needs and we share responsibility for household chores," he said.

The most enjoyable thing for Ricardo is that Maastricht is an excellent starting point to travel all over Europe on its comprehensive railway system.

"We travel on the weekends but only once a month at the most. When we have enough money, we travel," he said.

Another student, Kai Fahnenbruck from Belgium, said he came to Maastricht because he was told that one of the local universities had the best school of economics.

"Everything is so expensive here. If we really wanted to live like people do in Maastricht we would have to earn a lot more money," he commented when asked how he liked the city.

Fahnenbruck works part-time as a tourist guide in the caves of Mount St. Petersberg, which are located in the southern part of the city.

Daenen, whose ambition is to establish the city's name as a center of learning, emphasized Maastricht was about "good, good, healthy living", away from the legalized drug use and prostitution which the Netherlands is known for.

There are only five coffee shops -- places where drugs are sold and consumed -- in the city.

"I know that my country has legalized such things but here we feel more comfortable raising our children because there is not much exposure to drugs or prostitution on the streets," he said.

"Personally I am strict about drugs. And if I catch a student of mine spending time at coffee shops, we'll have a serious talk about the fate of his studies at my university."