Nikki Mennen (Netherlands)

Hi! I’m Nikki. I’m originally from the Netherlands and came all the way to Bournemouth for an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing. Although most people dream of living on a tropical island, I actually adore having four very different seasons in a year. When you live in the UK you never know what the weather might do. Let me tell you about my experiences with the British weather during my studies!

Even the weather app gets confused 

As I’m from the Netherlands, I am very used to changeable weather. If you come from a year-round warm (or cold) country you may find this confusing. Even consulting a weather app doesn’t do you much good. The weather can change every hour, so trust me on this one, always bring an umbrella.

Sunny Bournemouth

“Sunny Bournemouth” got its nickname for a reason. By British standards it’s actually pretty sunny in Bournemouth, mostly during the summer months. They say that Bournemouth has an average of 365 more hours of sun than any other part of England. When I arrived in Bournemouth in September, it was still very warm and we were on the beach almost every day. 

The rain  

Even though Bournemouth has more sun than the average British town, it’s still England and like the Netherlands, it rains a lot. The good thing about Bournemouth is that, as it is a coastal town, the rain usually disappears pretty fast. Although it can remain overcast for most part of the day, you will only get a few hours of rain. For the same reason, it can also be quite windy in Bournemouth sometimes.

Winter vs. Summer

I have been in Bournemouth through the entire winter, which gave us snow and some very cold days this year. Don’t get me wrong! I love snow, but there wasn’t quite enough to actually have a snowball fight or go sledging, unfortunately. However, we did get to see some magical streets. Thi summer has been nice and sunny so far, and I just need to get fit for Bournemouth’s incredible beach!

Nikki Mennen, The Netherlands, MA in Creative Writing and Publishing, 2017/18