For many Europeans, pronouncing a Chinese name is a phonetic exercise – and not many master the subtlety of sounds and precise intonation. Chinese students studying abroad understand that this can be a challenge, and many of them choose to make both their life and that of their colleagues easier by choosing an English name. This practice is not uncommon – especially for those working in an international environment. In fact, even Chinese business books emphasize choosing a “European name” as an essential step in establishing a business relation with the West.

But how does one go about choosing an English name? What criteria should one follow to find a suitable name? We interviewed Chinese students in the Netherlands and came to an interesting conclusion: there are no criteria. Choosing an English name is a creative process that follows no rules. Adopting the name of one’s favourite film star, that of a German Kaiser’s out of the history book or simply inventing a new name, such as Rainbow or Sky – there are no boundaries:

Kheira

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 4

I choose my english name allready in China. My name Kheira is given to me by my friends. It means sunshine and something good. I like it, it sounds good and makes me happy.

Text & images: Nikolas Konstantin

Edit: Anca Gurzu

Are you a passionate and tireless hunter of moments with your photo-camera?
Have you ever made some pictures which may be perfectly a suitable representation of a European country?

Suggestions: Greece

Would you like to exhibit one of these shoots in a special place in the school and have your photos to be hung up subsequently in the school for forever?

Then you are perfect to participate in our “Atmospheres of Europe – Exhibition”.

Next month, The Hague University will host an event completely dedicated to Europe called: ”the Europe Week”.
In that occasion, Locomotive Organization is organizing a photo exhibition, representing all European countries.

We are looking for creative images, which could represent a particular country, a special aspect of it, a typical connotation or whatever picture you may associate with a country that you have visited or lived in.

The competition is addressed to all the students of Hebo, even though everybody in The Hague University, who thinks to have the perfect photo describing one particular country, are more than welcome to participate.

Suggestions: Spain

The exhibition will be presented in the Aula on the 4th of November, starting from 15:00. Later, the exhibition will be moved to other places in the school, to enrich the colors of the school forever.

You can send as many pictures you want, but we will not exhibit more than 3 photos per person.

You can upload your pictures on this link, which will allow you to comment on the photos of the other participants and it will allow you to take your part in the selection of the exhibition that will take place!

Good luck with your selection!!

The Locomotive Group & IDEAS Magazine

Learn more about Locomotive on www.belocomotive.org

Suggestions: The Netherlands

Your Profile: Trampolin to the world

Have you ever been looking for a hotel a hostel – or just a place to crash somewhere in your life? Have you been looking for new friends, local or international ones in your city and you have not met them yet? Then its time for you to read this article, it will open you the eyes for a new way of living! The idea is old, the practice was mostly complicated, but now there is a solution. The non-profit organisation Couchsurfing.org will be your trampoline for the world! Over 1.4 Million wonderful people from every country on the earth joined the idea of sharing – sharing not only your couch but your habits, your house, your culture, your friends, your cuisine, your ideas, your language – your LIFE! On the easy accessible and free Cuchsurfing (CS) Website, every member has a profile where you can find out about your next guest or host. On your CS profile you normally present yourself, your hobbies, what you do, what you think and what kind of languages you speak. But you will also see the persons couch-availability, where you can choice 6 different status from “Definitely”, “Maybe”, “Traveling” or just “Coffe or Drink”. So when you are in exam times, having friends over or just not in the mood of hosting people you can update your profile and make the other couch surfers life easier. Furthermore one can find the room information or apartment situation, e.g. if you have pets or if there are any rules about the stay or whatever else you want to share with other couch surfers. But the most important criteria are the comments that others couch surfers leave on the profile. The comments of CS community embrace the characteristics of the persons, how much they trust the couch surfer, how good and joyful the time was and what else need to be said over this member.

search the world

There was Jazmin, a young Mexican women who was still living with here parents, I wrote here a week before I was coming with two friends to Tijuana, Mexico. She responded quickly and invited us all three to stay at her place. She picked us up from the airport and then we got to know her family and friends. We felt welcome and at home in this pleasant atmosphere which we encountered in this beautiful Mexican family. It was like we would have been friends already for a long time. Jazmin took us with her car to beaches, showed us her city and introduced us to the crazy night-life. In her house we had our own room, we cooked for her and she for us. After four wonderful days which we all enjoyed a lot, she brought us to the airport and we left this vibrating city and could imagined this time without her. It was another of this perfect CS experiencie and we left Jazmin as a friend in our hearts and memories.
Besides wonderful friendships I made in the last years traveling with CS I also learned a lot from our brother and sisters of our mother earth! It is like magic when you receive or give trust for the world, its like a gift you can give to others whenever you invite somebody to sleep at your place. I not only received the key of the couch surfers where I stayed, but I always felt like we are bound in trust hood, brotherhood or some sort of vibration which makes you enjoy the time so much more!

over one million surfers world wide

The CS website is safe, there are several security methods like the “Vouch” which you can only receive from CS-members who got a Vouch from three other members. These “Trust-Signs” come from the founders of Couchsurfing and they went downwards from the pyramid of members. It means basically that somebody who is very trusted by the CS-community puts his hands in the fire for you. Because Couchsurfing is an Organisation that lives from donations of its members, everybody should think about supporting this great site and the thousands of people who are running it, mostly voluntary with small donation. When someone donates with a credit card they also verify your name and your address  – so everybody can see this and it might help you to find more easily a couch.
So there is nothing to fear out there, million of wonderful people awaiting you and is there anything better than to be welcome in a new place, new environment by a friend, a couch surfer?

If you want to see how a profile looks like and who wrote this article check: www.couchsurfing.org/kingoflove
If you just want to explore more of CS or register yourself you can do so for free: www.couchsurfing.org

We are three young world citizens who became friends in The Hague during our international studies here, Benji from France, Nicola from Italy and Raphael from Berlin. After a lot of work with the international students in The Hague and travels all around the globe, we opened our eyes for opportunities and founded our own Organization, Locomotive. Our vision is to connect the world, share with people and find all together new possibilities, new opportunities, new alternatives to make this world a better place for all. Rich from our international experiences and many nice weekend trips we organizer for the Erasmus student in The Hague, we elaborated the Erasmus Last Dance project: a long weekend workshop where we will spend four days together to share our visions and dreams, exchange our feelings and hopes, and question our self on how to respect each other and respect our planet.

The main themes of this workshop are:

I. Discover the world
Use your five senses everyday to get the most out of life
Travel cheap and sustainable with open eyes, open minds and open hearts
Share your travels with the worlds

II. Understand world’s problems and share with other to find solutions
Learn how to solve problems as an international team
think outside of the box to find solutions
Question yourself on how international life has changed our lives
and how diversity means richness
We are part of a system
Sustainability and environment

III. Take actions
Change your way of life in accordance with your ideals
Use art to solve problems
Involve yourself
A perfect day!
Love!

This workshop aim to create think tanks which will help us open our eyes for new ways of thinking -  for new ways of living! We want to exchange ideas with whom we will broaden our horizon of possibilities. We gonna see and enjoy the nature, on a wonderful island, we will appreciate each other, share what we have in our minds, our hearts and enjoy a time with people from different cultural backgrounds. It will be melting pot of diversity which will enrich our visions. In this reunion with over 50 people we will have an inspiring international atmosphere where people live their dreams and harvest their inspiring surrounding to create a better world and to find ones own path!

If you feel like you want to be part of Erasmus Last Dance please contact us and write us your motivation why you want to come. The workshop will run from Thursday till Sunday (20-23 August 2009) on the beautiful Island Ameland in the North of Amsterdam. We will live in a house (www.uuthof.nl/austattung.html)

and all expenses like housing, food, bus, ferry and bike are included. Enjoy the satellite view on the island, click here. The total cost will be 80€ (pay on arrival) you only will have to cover your transportation cost to The Hague or Amsterdam from where a shuttle bus will bring everybody to the port from where we leave to our paradise island! If you want to bring a friend or your brother or sister you are welcome to bring them to!
So we are more than looking forward to your questions, suggestions or whatever to: erasmuslastdance@gmail.com
If you are already sure to come, please click the link to register yourself: REGISTRATION FORM
With love and a big smile your Locomotive team Benji, Nicola and Raphael

CONGRATULATIONS

orestis 1

Audrey 2

Audrey 3

christina 4

orestis 5

orestis 6

orestis 7

BE PART of it!

Just follow the simple 4 steps program:

1. take your hand to your chest

2. form a heart with your hands

3. ask somebody to make a picture of you

4. send it to hebosboard@gmail.com

The best pictures will be printed out laaarge and  distributed in the Hague University