- Terry Ezra
- BA Dutch
- Graduated: 2007
- Cultural entrepreneur, translator, MA student Arts Administration & Cultural Policy
Why did you choose to study Dutch Studies in general and at UCL in specific
UCL was the only place in the UK where I could pursue a university degree entirely dedicated to the language and culture of the Netherlands and Flanders.
What did you like most about your degree programme?
The breadth of approaches to understanding the Netherlands and (Flemish) Belgium - which was also one of the most challenging aspects.
What was it like being a student at the Dutch department?
Staff are friendly and approachable.
How has your degree been of benefit to you since you took your degree?
It was always my intention to emigrate to the Netherlands and I wouldn't have had the courage to do that without the foundation that this degree gave me. In many respects I know more about the Netherlands than a lot of Dutch people. The course also enabled me to reflect on many aspects of British culture which I hadn't done before and I am now engaged with social and political questions which I could not have foreseen. On a more mundane level, the fact that you have studied Dutch to degree level draws attention; I'm sure that I've been offered jobs simply because it was intriguing to have a Dutch-speaking Englishman around. Currently, I'm involved in promoting co-operative projects between Dutch and English theatre practioners, I'm pursuing a masters degree in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy, and my second translation of a Dutch play has also received a professional production, with more translation commissions to follow.
