A "Dam" Fun Fling Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This program features fascinating topics and reading material. There are plenty of PDF readings I hope to return to when I have time in the future. My biggest complaint is the lack of in-depth discussion regarding said material. Many times lecturers came in and either made no direct reference to the assigned reading or they spoke ad nauseum about what was included in the reading. In both cases, discussion lacked which made many classes feel like non-interactive speeches.

On-site administration of your program

The staff were very friendly and constantly open to feedback. I appreciated being able to address issues in a way that focused on resolution as opposed to defensive confrontation. One thing to improve upon is not letting lecturers shorten our free time (lunch/end of the day hours). Students need to respect their schedules but I believe it needs to be mutual -- I should not be unable to set a lunch date or after class appointment because a lecturer could go overtime without my consent.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I really enjoyed my living space in Amsterdam West. Although being closer to the city would have been ideal, my 15 minute bike commute was often enjoyable (except during heavy rain) since it allowed me to listen to music and take in the scenery.

The food was pretty good. It's a very bread/sandwich with cheese friendly society. Sometimes lunches got boring since it's the same selection everyday, but I definitely appreciated the staff purchasing different meats to add to the sandwiches.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

If there were some mingling events with local youth/students suggested to us early on in the program, I think that I would have been able to make more Dutch acquaintances/friends and thus feel more immersed in Amsterdam. I loved hanging with some folks from my program but it also would have been nice to have local Amsterdammers apart of our group as well.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No one informed me about co-pay reimbursements. Also, as a program focused on Sexuality, providing a list of queer friendly clinics that offer free STI testing and other services would be very helpful. Lastly, although I am privileged enough to have not run into these issues, physical accesibility was an issue for multiple students on the trip. This program requires extensive walking, biking and navigating small/slim spaces that frequently do not have ramps and/or elevators. I caution students with significant mobility limitations to ask the staff of the program if proper accomodations can be made.

I generally felt safe, and I'm sure being a tall man of color helps that. I do advise students who listen to music while biking or walking to keep their volume at a reasonable level so that you're aware of your surroundings. Although not pursued/chased, I did have an incident one night while biking home where some rowdy, white Dutch teenagers yelled at me, calling me an "allochtoon" which is basically an ethnic/racial epithet in the Netherlands. So I say be aware, stick to well-lit streets, and stay in groups if you're traveling around the wee hours of the night if possible. Bike home quickly too!

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

It really varies depending on the week and what you're looking to do, but if you have any kind of social life understand that Amsterdam is not a cheap city. Even a good coffee costs a few euros which, albeit delicious, adds up if you study/hang out with your friends daily. The good thing is that breakfast and dinner is provided by your homestay and lunch by the program, so if you budget properly pocket money should not hit your wallet too hard. However, if you drink alcohol note that wine and beer are affordable options; hard liquor prices will frighten you. If you're a cocktail person I suggest that you think again or order them sparingly since they are typically small, weak and around 13 euros (which is probably around $17 or so -- #untakeable). Save up a good amount of money for souvenirs, especially from Morocco. There are so many enticing goods there that you will want to snatch up, especially if you need to get gifts for family and friends back home. I got my Christmas shopping out of the way in Morocco, as well as treated myself :-D.

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

Except for our amazing Dutch instructor, Eduard, there wasn't any real need or push to practice Dutch. The program material is mainly in English, and our ignorance of the language is too great to overcome in that short amount of time so that we could not read non-translated material even if we wanted to.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• Inundation in Queerness
• My Bike
• Social Life Outlets

• Classroom Discussion
• Sharing where to get the cheapest deals (food, clothing, basics and etc.)
• Time Management