In Twente, people make time for one another

Jordi grew up in Enschede and studied Human Resource Management (HRM) at Saxion. Toward the end of his studies, he felt the desire to complete his degree abroad and broaden his horizons. Irene moved from Drenthe to Enschede at a young age, where she grew up in the neighborhood where they now live again. She also studied HRM at Saxion. They were in the same program but met at a bar. Irene completed internships at Vredestein and the University of Twente and then started her first job in Amsterdam.

“That curiosity about what lay beyond the region had been there for a while. Irene had already moved west a year earlier, which made the move easier for me. In the Randstad, the opportunities are much broader,” says Jordi. “That’s why we decided to move in together in Haarlem, and that’s where I completed my graduation project.”

That move paid off. In Haarlem, they built their careers and started their own recruitment firm together:Talent Acquisition Network.

What did you miss when away from Twente?
Irene: “The loyalty. In the west, there’s more turnover. People change jobs and move more often. In Twente, people often stay with the same employer longer and live in the same house longer, too. It’s more peaceful. There’s more nature, and the people are more laid-back. Here, you can sometimes just think, ‘I’m just going to sit in the garden for a bit.’”

“There’s more stability in Twente,” Jordi emphasizes. “You really experience that sense of community here. Everyone knows someone who can and is willing to help. That’s the strength of Twente—an important part of its identity. You shouldn’t lose that.”

More rest and space
Haarlem is beautiful, and they lived in a nice neighborhood there. Everyone looked out for one another. But they hardly ever sat in the garden. “Our garden was literally just a few meters big and faced a busy street,” Jordi explains. Their desire for more peace and space grew. “I want to enjoy my garden, and with about 1,600 buses passing through the street every day, that just wasn’t possible.”

They looked for a place with more peace and space—not just for themselves, but also for their two daughters. At the time, they hadn’t yet decided on Enschede. Deventer was also a possibility, but there they would have had to start from scratch. In Enschede, they already had a support network: family, friends, and a familiar environment.

“Friendships you’ve had since childhood or college are different, after all. We can easily pick those up again now,” says Irene.

Running a Business in Twente
They also see opportunities in Twente for their business. “Personal attention and building relationships are important. That’s what sets us apart in the west. Here, that’s already more ingrained in people. That’s a fundamental difference. Here, people make time for you, and you have to take that time, too. Anything you give your attention to grows.”

“In Twente, you actually go visit people,” says Irene. “An introductory meeting doesn’t last half an hour, but often an hour. That takes more time, but it also pays off more. We did have to get used to it. People from Twente tend to wait and see a bit more often and are of few words. Sometimes you have to read between the lines to understand what’s being said. Going for a walk during a break isn’t ‘just ten minutes,’ but quickly turns into half an hour. In the West, it’s go, go, go.” But that’s precisely where the strength lies. “Once you’re part of the group, the loyalty is strong,” says Jordi. “In the west, you get involved more quickly, but you can just as easily find yourself out of the loop.”

Do you have any tips for other Hunkertukkers?
Irene: “Economically speaking, Twente has much more to offer than you might initially think. There are so many innovative and tech-focused companies here. I love working with startups and scale-ups. There are also so many smaller businesses in Twente. It really is a very diverse range of employers.”

Jordi: “Just be proud of Twente. There’s much more to Twente than people realize. Look beyond the surface and don’t keep comparing it to the west. You have everything you need right here.”

Coming Home
The biggest change is in daily life. “At home, I wake up to the sound of birds,” says Irene with a laugh. For their family, Twente means above all space, peace, and being close to family. “And that you can just be yourself, without any pretense.” “On birthdays, the garden here is full of friends and family,” Jordi says. “That’s a moment of happiness for me. That’s when I really think: this is home. Everyone who matters is close by. That’s when it all feels right.”