Independence at Last! Past Review

By A student (Film Studies, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/30/2012 to 06/04/2012 with

CIEE: Amsterdam - Social Sciences + Humanities

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

Yes. Living in Europe is a valuable and great thing. There is so much culture and history in a city as international as Amsterdam, and I have never felt so independent and free as I did living abroad. I really grew from it, and learned how to live on my own and take care of myself.

Personal Information

If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here:	University of Amsterdam
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The classes offered through CIEE and the professor Bonny Wassing were fantastic, but the classes offered through the University of Amsterdam were underwhelming.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	The location of my housing on Prins Hendrikkade was great.
* Food:	We had to fend for ourselves. It would have been much better if we could have access to the campus dining halls.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Amsterdam is a complicated place to truly become a native in because the city is so inherently touristy and having traveled with Americans in my program, they were the most easy to become close friends with. However, from a foreigner's perspective I truly explored every museum and cultural activity and opportunity I came across.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	Hard for me to say because I thankfully didn't have issues, but my understanding is that doctors were readily available.
* Safety:	Amsterdam is a fantastic place to live in as a female student, and I felt comfortable and secure in my dorm.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)	Amsterdam is pricey. It just is.
* Was housing included in your program cost?	Yes
* Was food included in your program cost?	No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	A bunch.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Cook for yourself, and never ever take a taxi in Holland.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	I enjoyed my language classes, but ultimately Dutch is impossible to learn in one semester because Dutch people speak impeccable English.
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?	Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	No Dutch language before arrival.
How many hours per day did you use the language?	0

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	International Students
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
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?	The city of Amsterdam The students I was friends with Travelling to other cities, all so accessable because of Amsteradam's location
* What could be improved?	The food situation The classes Extracurricular opportunites offered through CIEE
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Amsterdam is much more expensive, high-end, trendy than I expected. Dutch people are friendly once you break the ice, but that initial barrier can be tough to get through. Don't give up! Introduce yourself to people, be persistent.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Contemporary Dutch Social Policy
Course Department:
Instructor:	Bonny Wassing
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This class was offered through CIEE and was absolutely fantastic.
Credit Transfer Issues: