“When I first saw Indre, I trusted her at once. It was during a night out in Eindhoven. We had both just arrived here. I ordered immediately what she ordered, without thinking”, says Maryam. “We soon found out that we have a lot in common. For example, we both find art and music very important, and in addition we also have the same taste. Our playlists are virtually identical!”

Indre: “When I had just arrived in the Netherlands I was going through a difficult patch. I had to find a sideline within a month, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to cope financially. I wrote many hundreds of e-mails, went to all bars, restaurants and hotels in Eindhoven, but got ‘no’ everywhere. I really couldn’t see a positive side on anything anymore. Maryam helped me to stay positive. Now I work at the International Relations Office of TU/e.”

Maryam: “In turn, Indre helps me when things are not going right for me. In December I went to visit her in Lithuania, in order to celebrate Christmas with her parents. During my trip almost everything went wrong. My plane was delayed, I missed my connecting flight and at the airport they would not do anything to help me. Then I phoned Indre and told her, upset as I was, that I wanted to go back to Iran, because everything was going against me. She helped me get back on my feet then.”

Indre and Maryam look like each other a lot. “I think that’s why we understand each other so well. When Indre is angry I see why, I know why she is reacting as she is because I recognize myself in her.” The two girl-friends even like the same boys. Does this pose a problem for their friendship? “No it doesn’t. They don’t come to us because we are together so much.”

Judging by all appearances, it seems as if they do not need anything else than each other. Nevertheless they are also looking for other friendships. Indre: “I think that people don’t approach us so easily, because we are always hanging out together. It may seem as if you are not open to other people.” That is not true, though. The fact that they are having such great fun together does not imply that they do not like to be in the company of other people. They do, but preferably together. (HB)