Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My Favorite Semester Past Review

By (Psychology and Anthropology, Johns Hopkins University) - abroad from 01/25/2015 to 05/31/2015 with

IES Abroad: Amsterdam - Social Sciences & Humanities

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This past spring I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Amsterdam with the IES program. It was an experience that I will never forget and one that I am extremely grateful for. Amsterdam was an incredible city, practically a utopia -a word I and my friends/ family who visited me used to describe the city many times. Amsterdam has an incredible peaceful vibe to it with lots to offer. There was always something new to do, always a new street to discover and great people to meet. Being part of the IES abroad program made my experience in Amsterdam even better. Not only did I get to take classes at a local university with dutch and other international students, but I also got to take a class at the IES center, which ended up being by favorite class (with an incredible professor). This research seminar class allowed me to discover more about the city and myself that I ever expected. The professor gave us lots of support to help us figure out what we wanted to research but also lots of freedom to make the research our own and get whatever we wanted out of the work we did. The living situation was also great! Being able to have my own room and bathroom was incredible- something that most programs don’t offer! Being able to share a kitchen and living area allowed me to never feel lonely. Everyone on my floor always had their doors open and we were constantly hopping from one room to the next to hangout with each other. Through this program I got to meet tons of great people, travel around in Netherlands and Europe and take really great classes! I highly recommend the program!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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? I spent about $300 per week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cooking at home helped save a lot of money!

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
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Amsterdam's beauty
  • Dutch people
  • Easy to travel around Europe
* What could be improved?
  • Wish it was longer!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I did not need to pack three suitcases!! That was definitely excessive.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A 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.