Leilani Werleman, an Aruban law student at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (De Haagse Hogeschool), has embarked on an important milestone in her professional career. Werleman, who is currently in her fourth and final year of studying International and European Law, has entered the mandatory practical phase of her education. She has successfully secured a highly prestigious internship at the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer).
The student is now part of the Department of Kingdom Relations (Koninkrijksrelaties), a key area for the political and legal ties between the Netherlands and the Caribbean islands. Werleman expressed that she is “super, super happy” with this opportunity, recognizing the immense value it holds for her future.
According to Werleman, this experience at the heart of Dutch politics is an ideal platform that could open many doors for her. Having lived and studied in the Netherlands for four years, the student explained that her adaptation process was very fast and smooth.
“I adapted very quickly here, so it wasn’t difficult for me. It wasn’t a struggle, and everything is going quite well now,” Werleman stated.
Currently, this internship serves as an environment for her to gain hands-on experience and strategically figure out which exact direction she wants to pursue within the legal field.
Regarding her future plans after graduating, the student admitted that her current focus remains on the Netherlands. While she might change her mind later, Werleman noted that right now, she sees more opportunities for growth in the Dutch labor market.
“I believe that for now, structurally speaking, I see more doors opening for me here in the Netherlands than in Aruba,” she concluded, indicating that this reality also applies to many other Aruban students living and studying in the Netherlands.
