Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Crossing the Moat Past Review

By (Emerson College) - abroad from 09/13/2012 to 12/11/2012 with

Emerson College: Kasteel Well: The Netherlands

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
An entirely new perspective on myself and others.

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.

Challenging but not too difficult, considering the lack of study time that one has due to travel and other activities.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I was one of the RAs during my semester, and I worked closely with the student affairs office. It's a great group of people, and they run an immersive, exciting, and fun experience at the castle.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It's a castle, it's hard to complain about anything while living there.

* Food:

If there was one complaint at the castle, it's the food. The fare is traditional dutch food, meaning potatoes, boiled vegetables, occasionally unidentifiable meat, and many, many sandwhich spreads.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I can't say enough about how rewarding I feel it was to live in the small town of Well as opposed to a large city. We got to know the culture of the Dutch people, not just the microcosm of a large city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The healthcare at the castle is decent considering that it is at least a half hour drive from the nearest hospital. It's good to plan ahead - if you're starting to feel sick, make a doctors appointment.

* Safety:

This is a rural program within a castle. If two moats don't protect you from the outside world, nothing will.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 300

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* 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?
  • Travel
  • New Friendships
  • New Perspective
* What could be improved?
  • Cost
  • Only 1 Semester
  • It would have been nice to meet more locals
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? You can expect to pay about 300 dollars per weekend of travel. It can be difficult to manage homework and travel, make sure you plan your time well.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.