From the 8th until the 10th of June approximately 40 prospective students, who are going to study abroad, attended the VOBESS course on St. Eustatius (VOBESS stands for Preparation BES students). This course, which is organized annually by RCN Studiefinanciering, consists of two parts: the orientation and self-reliance course.
During the orientation course attention was given among other things to social skills, the culture shock of studying abroad, planning and budgeting, drugs and sexual education. There were also two senior students, who shared their experiences of studying abroad with prospective students.
The self-reliance course offers a combination of theory and practice. This time the students got a practical assignment, to go shopping in groups of 10 for a three-course meal, and they had to keep within the given budget. The meals were prepared, under supervision, by the students themselves.
In the week of July the 6th, VOBESS will take place simultaneously on Saba and Bonaire. The prospective students will this year be received and guided in the Netherlands by the new foundation BESST. This foundation originated from a separation from the Foundation S4 (St. Maarten Student Support Services) which until recently supplied the guidance of students from St. Maarten and from the Carribean Netherlands.