Veenand Soebhag (20)
First-year student of trade management, focused on Asia

Temple…
“It’s mostly elderly people who go to temple. But I started assisting along with a few other young people. There’s always food after the Sunday service; I help with the cooking and I get groceries. And we bring food to elderly people who are too ill to come to the temple. It makes elderly people happy to see young people pick up these kinds of tasks.”

Religion…
“Hinduism is a way of life; we don’t call it a religion. Someone who lives a good life is also a Hindu. During services, we sing hymns to worship the gods. And under the guidance of the pundit – the priest – we talk about topical subjects. I learn a lot from it, and the service is also a moment of peace for me. We – young people – combine religion with Western culture. We go out, drink alcohol, and are also friends with non-Hindus. When I walk down the street with a Chinese girl, I get lots of weird looks from Hindus. So there are, in fact, clashes between elderly people and young people; we also talk about this in temple. The more you talk with elderly people, the better they understand.”

A flair for languages…
“I speak English, Dutch, Surinamese, Hindi, and Hindustani, which is a dialect of Hindi. I’m also learning Mandarin as part of my study programme, and perhaps I can take Hindi with the sophomores. As of this year, the school stopped offering Hindi, but the subject is still offered in the second year. The reasoning to stop offering it is that English suffices for India. It’s true that nearly everyone speaks English there, but when I go to India, people initially speak Hindi to me. I can read and write, but it could be improved, and it would be nice to earn a certificate.”

China and India…
“I have a lot of Chinese friends, and because I’m learning Mandarin, I have to study at a university in China in my third year. In my fourth year, I can do a placement wherever I want, and I’d love to do it in India. That is, after all, ‘my Asia’ – it’s where my roots are. My ancestors are from there.”

In ten years…
“Something could happen any year… But my aim in ten years is to have a good job and a good income, so that I don’t have to be tight with my money. And I hope I’ll have a stable life in my own home – perhaps with a family by that time. It would be no issue for me if that life were in India or China.”

Text: Jos van Nierop
Photos: Wouter Le Duc