Living My Best Life in Amsterdam Past Review
By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/21/2017 to 12/21/2017 with
CIEE: Amsterdam - Business + Culture
I want to move back to Amsterdam
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I loved my University of Amsterdam classes but I was poorly advised to do the economics program because MIDDLEBURY STUDENTS ARE NOT PREPARED FOR IT. I had to withdraw from a class, and I am glad I did because everyone who stayed in it (Williams College students) failed. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I hated the student hotel. Terrible location.. let kids find their own housing |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
LOVED Amsterdam |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would choose Amsterdam but I would've chosen the social sciences program and taken more University of Amsterdam classes (not CIEE) |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | don't go shopping |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | I joined a gym that only had classes in Dutch! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | More about the classes |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Dutch Business Culture |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | |
| Comments: | great class |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Economics of Markets and Organization |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Did not have the math background for it. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I withdrew. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Financial Geography |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Vos |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Best course I took abroad. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I don't know if it transfers |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Beginning Dutch |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Dutch |
| Comments: | great class. Enjoyed learning because I became so much more immersed in the culture |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Dutch Social Policy |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Wassing |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | great class |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
