Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Summer CIEE Groningen - Urban Planning in the Netherlands Past Review

By (International Relations And Global Studies, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 06/08/2012 to 07/04/2012 with

CIEE: Groningen - Summer Urban Planning & Society

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a new way of thinking about space, as America has so much of it and the Netherlands so little.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

A 2,500 word paper plus an accompanying presentation. There was a mixture of short and day-long field trips, along with one weekend trip to Amsterdam.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorm was a bit more run-down than what I was used to, but the kitchens were easy-to-use (though a bit messy). We lived in an international student dorm, which had its advantages (really fun with lots of socializing) and its disadvantages (no integration with local students).

* Food:

I enjoyed all of my meals (both those provided by CIEE and found on my own).

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Did a lot of my own cooking, so it was easy to stay on a budget.

* 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? $75

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved the city of Groningen and the agricultural course work.
* What could be improved?
  • Fewer long bus trips.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Pack as light as possible.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Summer Society, Environment, Transportation, and Space
Course Department: RUG - Spatial Sciences
Instructor: Paul van Steen
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Challenging, but not overly so. Many interesting field trips, incliding bus, bike, and walking tours. We got to see a good deal of the Netherlands on our longer trips. The instructor was wonderful (knowledgable and effectively communicated information). Participation was encouraged, as there were only 12 students.
Credit Transfer Issues: None so far.