Missing My Home Away from Home Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Workload varied among different programs; I took exchange classes, which had a minimum workload. Grading system was pass/fail, where 5/10 was passing; at home I have to earn 8/10 (3.0 GPA) at least to maintain my scholarships. Many of the teachers needed work on their English. There were rarely discussions in class, which was different for me, and instead of having assignments and tests throughout the semester, there would be either one final exam or one final essay.

On-site administration of your program

My fellow students in ISEP went through 4 different program advisors and did not know where to report. Because the head advisor was sick the entire time and still is, we never met her, and encountered many mishaps, i.e., were notified 2 days before Christmas that because they failed to take a portion of our monthly stipend over those 4 months, we would now pay the difference for our rent out of pocket- ended up being about $600 American money. I can't pay that. Also had no help in signing up for the courses I intended to take, so had to enroll in exchange courses that probably won't count toward my major.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Everything was provided other than clothing for me; it was great. Had a beautiful view from my balcony, and all amenities were fine. It was difficult to live without a clothing dryer, but I made due. My only complaint is that the system was out of date, so most of the exchange students would receive eviction notices, even though the home university paid the rent for us.

You have to learn how to cook for yourself; it is impossible to eat out due to costs and transportation. Learn before you go, and learn some Dutch so you can figure out what you're buying at the grocery store. The only affordable "fast food" is Turkish food, like falafel and doner. I loved it. But again, you must learn how to cook for yourself.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

ESN-VUniverse offered some great activities, but were unable to accommodate all of the exchange students involved. Also, communication could've been improved.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

As far as safety, have common sense- don't walk around by yourself at 4 in the morning. One unique safety hazard relates to the bicycle lanes in the Netherlands. Cyclists will run over you; pedestrians are the bottom of the food chain, whereas in The States, we all drive cars and cyclists are the botttom of the food chain. ISEP required us to get their health insurance, which did not work at doctors' offices or especially at the hospital. My friends stacked up insane bills from accidents or having to go to the emergency room for a severe case of pneumonia and possible ovarian cyst or appendicitis. There was no help finding a doctor or working out medical bills, and to get to the doctor or hospital, you had to either ride a bicycle- not always possible, walk, take public transportation which stops at midnight and can be hard to navigate, spend a fortune on a taxi, or rack up a huge bill for an ambulance.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

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• International Students
• Local Students