Dear Welcome Center Personeel,

I’m sending this email to thank you for being so friendly and helpful.
I have lived in several countries (USA, Germany, Russia, Egypt) but I have to say that I have had the best experience at the Welcome Center in Groningen.

Thank you again!

Having originally been drawn to the Northern Netherlands by the status of the Zernike Institute, where I studied for my Master’s degree in Nanoscience, I decided to continue researching for my PhD. The Institute, allied to the University of Groningen, is rated as amongst the top ten institutes for research on material science. The IWCN has been helpful throughout, but particularly as a place to get reliable information.

Though I originally came to the Center to pick up a residence permit, I left with quite a lot of printed information (all in English!) that was very helpful when it came to taking the inburgeren (integration) exams for my Dutch residence application. I am currently looking to settle more permanently in the North, I love living in Groningen itself for the bike-friendliness and its young and lively spirit.

I would recommend the IWCN for new Internationals, who would like help finding their feet, but also for those who have been in the Northern Netherlands, as the information on offer is very extensive.

How happy it makes me to learn that the flowers got there and that they brightened up everyone’s day.

This was my goal.

You guys work hard, and I wanted to make sure you guys know that your work is meaningful and very well appreciated in the city.

Dank voor de mail en de afhandeling. Top service.

The idea to have such an office to welcome foreigners is a formidable one and this is a good tangible result.  I wish there had been such an office, and people like you, 13 years ago when we arrived!  It would probably have made our lives so much better especially the first years.  But better late than never, so please tell your other colleagues, or the people of the Gemeente and RUG who thought about it, that this office has an important function and that it delivers immediate results.

Bedankt voor je snelle en duidelijke reactie.

Waar zou het MKB zonder het IWN zijn? Ben zo blij met jullie!