Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Amsterdam: Home away from home Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., University of Missouri - Columbia) - abroad from 01/25/2011 to 06/07/2011 with

IES Abroad: Amsterdam - Social Sciences & Humanities

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much, it is hard to pinpoint. Coming from the Midwest and having never been out of the country, it really opened my eyes to so many new experiences.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were very different from my home University. Instead of homework and tests, grades depended on class participation and a large paper at the end of the semester.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The host gave a lot of information in the first two days of being there. It was helpful to have the small tour and show us where stores were.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I would have felt more integrated if we had housing with more Dutch people.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt very safe while I was in Amsterdam.

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)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? No

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

It was optional, some programs make it a requirement.

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? None

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • 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?
  • The city atmosphere
  • The friends I made
  • The class options provided
* What could be improved?
  • Integration into Dutch life
  • Money saving tips
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That time goes by so fast while you are there. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the fact that you are there for six months, but really it seems so much shorter. I would have loved to do a year long study abroad now that I know how great it was.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.