Ik Houd van Amsterdam! Past Review
By Maddison Story (University of Washington) - abroad from 01/25/2016 to 05/28/2016 with
IES Abroad: Amsterdam - Law & Criminology
I learned so much about myself from my experience abroad. It was definitely worthwhile and I am so thankful I chose to study abroad in Amsterdam.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Because we studied at the local university, Vrije Universiteit, classes and course expectations were a lot different then that of traditional classes in the United States. After some getting used to the courses were very enjoyable! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living in the campus housing for the university was great! I lived in the international student building and it was great to share a flat with people from all over the world, not just with others from the same country as me. |
| * Food: |
Dutch food is great, but not too extravagant. Expect a lot of potatoes and not a lot of spices. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
IES was awesome with helping students out with healthcare whether it be finding them a doctor or dentist or helping translate medicine at the local pharmacy. |
| * Safety: |
I have never felt safer than when in Amsterdam. Upon arrival we were told there were no off limits areas and that proved to be true! I never felt unsafe in my entire five months I spent there. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I will forever be grateful for the Semester I spent abroad in Amsterdam, and am so thankful I chose to go through IES to do so! The Law & Criminology Amsterdam program through IES was a perfect fit for my study abroad wants and needs. Before going abroad I knew I did not want to do a program through my university as I didn't want to only be with students from my university, yet still wanted to be in an organized program. Living abroad with students from all over the United States was such a cool experience to be able to live and be around people from all different backgrounds, while still having the comfort of being around people from your home country. |
Finances
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* 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) |
Depending on how well you plan and what your plans are while you're there you could easily get by on a minimal budget. Food at the grocery store is pretty cheap and biking everywhere cuts down the cost of public transportation. If you plan on traveling though that will increase your budget as the travel may be cheap, some of the cities you will go to won't be. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try and plan out a budget before you go to avoid having money problems later on in the program. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Our program encouraged us to try and use the language a great deal, though it was hard because the majority of Dutch people speak english and insist on speaking english to you. |
| 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 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | The language class itself was only once a week for three hours so make sure to study as much as possible outside of class. Go to the grocery store and read the labels, listen to people talk on the metro and while you're out in public, choose the menu in Dutch not english, just immerse yourself as much as possible. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would've known to not try to fit everything in and feel like I have to do it all. This becomes your home for all of five months and you'll have plenty of time to do everything you want to. You don't have to go out and do something extravagant every day but remember to always make the most of everyday. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
