Male Classmates
Dirk van der Linde (18)
Nationality: Dutch (Friesland)
Likes: Computers, building things, gaming
Dislikes: Public speaking, overly sweet foods
Omar Idrissi (17)
Nationality: Moroccan (from Amsterdam)
Likes: Music, basketball, spending time with family
Dislikes: Early mornings, people who take themselves too seriously
Willem de Winnaar (17)
Nationality: Dutch (from Rotterdam)
Likes: Football, cycling, volunteering at animal shelters
Dislikes: Insects, traffic jams
Kadir Demir (18)
Nationality: Turkish (from Rotterdam)
Likes: History, cooking Turkish food, learning about different cultures
Dislikes: Boredom, rudeness
João Gomes (17)
Nationality: Surinamese (born in the Netherlands)
Likes: Dancing, soccer, family gatherings
Dislikes: Stereotypes, loud chewing noises
Lucas Strijder (18)
Nationality: Dutch (from The Hague)
Likes: Photography, adventure novels, exploring new places
Dislikes: Heights, messiness
Aiden de Jong (18)
Nationality: Dutch-Ghanaian (mixed heritage)
Likes: Playing drums, learning about different cultures
Dislikes: Intolerance, being judged based on background
Floris van Rivieren (17)
Nationality: Dutch (from Groningen)
Likes: Nature, hiking, learning about plants and animals
Dislikes: Pollution, crowded spaces
Jan Bouwvakker (18)
Nationality: Dutch (from Limburg)
Likes: Learning languages, traveling, debating current events
Dislikes: Injustice, close-mindedness
Jin Li (18)
Nationality: Chinese (living in the Netherlands since childhood)
Likes: Drawing, graphic design, learning languages
Dislikes: Cold weather, being the center of attention
Female Classmates
One by one, my female classmates introduced themselves.
Emma Heuvels (18)
Nationality: Dutch
Likes: Painting landscapes, playing the guitar, cycling along the canals
Dislikes: Crowded public transport, spicy food, horror movies
Noura al-Mansoori (17)
Nationality: Moroccan
Likes: Writing short stories, attending spoken word poetry events, cooking Moroccan dishes
Dislikes: Discrimination, rainy days, public speaking
Ayşe Demir (18) (twin sister of Kadir)
Nationality: Turkish
Likes: Playing volleyball, reading historical fiction, spending time with family
Dislikes: Unfairness, being late, crowded places
Lara dos Santos (17)
Nationality: Brazilian
Likes: Dancing samba, playing beach volleyball, learning Capoeira
Dislikes: Bullies, cold weather, being indoors for too long
Farida Abdi (18)
Nationality: Somali
Likes: Studying biology, volunteering at a local clinic, playing the piano
Dislikes: Prejudice, noisy environments, being idle
Nadia El-Amin (17)
Nationality: Moroccan
Likes: Painting landscapes, reading mystery novels, volunteering at the local mosque
Dislikes: Stereotypes, rainy days, conflicts
Selma Akhtar (18)
Nationality: Bangladeshi
Likes: Reading poetry, baking traditional desserts
Dislikes: Spiders, injustice
Luna van der Meer (17)
Nationality: Dutch
Likes: Playing the ukulele, gardening, going to music festivals
Dislikes: Loud noises, seafood, waking up early
Amira's Turn
Now, it was Amira's turn to introduce herself.
She stood up confidently, flashing a bright smile. "Hi everyone! My name is Amira Badila! I'm 17 years old, Moroccan—but, of course, I also have Central African roots, since I'm a Badilitess."
The class already seemed to like her, just as I did.
"I love spending time with friends and family, learning more about my roots, and staying connected to them. Oh, and I love making and eating Moroccan food." She smirked before adding, "But I don't like stubborn or antisocial people. So, if you fit into either of those categories—stay away from me!"
The class burst into laughter at her bold remark. She truly was a Badilitess through and through.
Then, all eyes turned to me.
"Aren't you going to introduce yourself, Ashley?" the teacher asked with a knowing smile.