A Castle Adventure Past Review

By A student (Emerson College) - abroad from 01/19/2012 to 04/18/2012 with

Emerson College: Kasteel Well: The Netherlands

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

Yes! So worthwhile. I learned a lot about myself, in addition to travelling and Europe. Seeing a different country every weekend opened me up to the world, different cultures, languages, food, ways of living. Truly incredible.

Review Photos

Emerson College: Kasteel Well: The Netherlands Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	There are a mix of European teachers and American teachers. Most are really wonderful.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Singles, Doubles and Triples spread into three sections of the castle. Some bunked beds, mine, however, wasn't. I had plenty of space, a nice big room. Rooms come with desk and chair, lamps, dresser, heater, sink, a bowl and silverware, cork boards, bed, pillow.
* Food:	A fair amount of variety, though it will get repetitive after 90 days. Always yummy though. Cheese pockets and burrito nights were the best! Vegetarian options, always a salad bar, fresh fruit. The kitchen staff is the nicest.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	The town of Well is accustomed to having American students in the Castle most times of the year. Local business know who we are, and they are very kind and welcoming to us. There's a bar down the street where "American Night" is held every Wednesday, when Castle students get control of the playlist and we essentially take over. It's wonderful. The townspeople are super friendly.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I always felt completely safe while at the castle.
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)	I had saved and prepared to spend more money this semester than a semester at home. With travelling every weekend, you WILL spend more money.
* Was housing included in your program cost?	Yes
* Was food included in your program cost?	Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Roughly 200 euro
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Start early. Get an extra job and don't touch any of the money until you're abroad.

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	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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 that we had the freedom to travel anywhere we wanted each weekend, including being able to cut class an alloted amount of times to lengthen our weekend trips. You live in a Castle. A CASTLE. A 14th century Castle with 2 moats. And a black swan. The Castle staff and faculty are truly incredible people that I miss very much. They take care of you.
* What could be improved?	Struggling to think of something... allow more students to experience it!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	It's exhausting travelling so much on top of a full school schedule.. but so entirely worth it.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Acting 4: Ensemble
Course Department:	Theater
Instructor:	Karalmaria de Boeck
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	This class was absolutely wonderful. The professor is fantastic and works to ensure that all members of the class are progressing and understanding. The work was really interesting and helpful, I know I'll be able to use the techniques I learned again in my acting.
Credit Transfer Issues:	The class is designed for Acting majors, so it fits perfectly.

Course Name/Rating:	World Drama II
Course Department:	Performing Arts
Instructor:	Emilie Schra
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Schra's class is structured very differently from it's American counterpart, WD I. The way he teaches it, it is NOT a text-based class focusing on plays and their time period within the theater. He focuses on acting styles, which doesn't translate well for non-performance majors. It moved very quickly and he did not answer questions in a helpful way. Midterm and final exams were extremely challenging, he is a very tough grader.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No issues transferring credits