Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Kasteel My Heart Away Past Review

By (Marketing Communications, Emerson College) - abroad from 01/17/2013 to 04/17/2013 with

Emerson College: Kasteel Well: The Netherlands

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much about myself as a person. Traveling to different countries every weekend and experiencing different cultures was truly amazing and if I could do it all over again I would in a heartbeat!

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 was only one course specific to my major but I really enjoyed the classes I took. The workload can be substantial though with travel, so plan ahead.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

OSA (Office of Student Affairs) is super friendly and helpful.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

You live in a castle, so there's that. The rooms are traditional dorms and while the bathrooms are small, they are cleaned daily and the rooms are very accommodating.

* Food:

The food is not great in terms of choices per night but the dining hall staff is very friendly and there are always alternative options presented.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

While I didn't feel I got to know too many locals, I did see some familiar faces and I feel like I did learn a lot about Dutch culture in my time aboad.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I hurt my ankle on the last night and everyone (OSA and Faculty) was very helpful and accommodating to me.

* Safety:

I always felt very safe in Well and 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Approximately 300 Euros
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Budget per weekend, don't spend a ton on one weekend and not have money for the next.

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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Traveling every weekend.
  • Meeting new people.
  • Experiencing a different culture.
* What could be improved?
  • More food options offered.
  • More classes for marketing majors.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that not many places took visas for credit and debit cards.