Jouke van Westrenen

What country are you from?

The Netherlands.

Do you speak more than one language? If so, which ones?

Yes, I do. I speak Dutch, German, and English.

How many years ago did you immigrate here?

About 6 months ago. I moved here over the summer.

What is your current citizenship status?

I’m an L2 visa holder (an L-2 visa is for a dependent spouse or child under 21 of an L-1 visa holder) and a citizen of the Netherlands.

How hard was the immigration process?

Because it was all through my dad’s company, it wasn’t that hard to get a visa. We just needed to fill out all of the paperwork.

Why did your family decide to leave the country?

My dad got a job in Pittsburgh working at an (ethylene) cracker plant near Beaver.

What has your experience in America and at North Allegheny been like?

It’s been great. The teachers here are very caring. It can be difficult socially, especially since I came here as a senior and I have to start everything over again senior year. Making friends has been a challenge for me because this is such a big school and there are so many people. Finding people to go out with and do social activities with is hard.

Have you visited the Netherlands since you moved the US?

Yes, it was during Christmas. It was fun to see all of my friends and family again after half a year. I celebrated with my family and then I played laser tag and went to a movie with my friends. I just had a great time.

Is there anything you miss from the Netherlands?

Biking to school. Everybody bikes to school in the Netherlands since we don’t have school buses. I miss biking with friends in the morning then going places after school.

Is there any change in the way people act or behave here?

People in the Netherlands keep more to themselves, while people here are more open and very friendly towards one another.

What’s the biggest difference in school life?

The whole system is different. In our system, after 6th grade, all the students get divided into three groups and follow a certain path. Here, you can choose your own subjects, which is better and more merit-based compared to just being in the system in the Netherlands. If you are on one of the lower paths, you can get a C and it’s seen as okay.

Do you get to go out more or are there more things to do?

No, but I think it’s different. A lot of students here just go to restaurants together, which I am not used to. We would go to the supermarket and buy some candy or chocolate and then just hang out together. So it is different, but similar in some ways. It’s hard for me to compare.

How is the location different? 

This is more of a land climate and I’m used to the sea climate. The Netherlands is close to the sea and gets a lot of rain the whole year. Here, the climate changes a lot with the seasons and it can get very cold or very hot. I was not very used to the snow and I got to experience it a lot this year.

What’s the greatest opportunity you’ve had at North Allegheny?

That’s a hard question. Maybe the subjects that I was able to choose. I didn’t meet all the requirements because I wasn’t following the same courses at my school. I was technically unqualified for the subjects I choose, but they gave me the opportunity to take all of the AP classes that I’m doing this year.

What is your favorite memory at North Allegheny?

I’ve only been here for half a year, but I would have to say when I went to New York. It was with Mr. Truesdell for the Actors’ Society trip and we visited all around the city. It was definitely a highlight of my year.