Amsterdam is an incredible city to study in January 10, 2023
By A student (Women and Gender Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/24/2022 to 12/04/2022 with
SIT Study Abroad: Netherlands - International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender
It was absolutely worthwhile. I learned so much from being on a program with primarily queer, non-binary, and trans folk, and learned more about myself and my wants from living abroad on my own.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The topics were interesting but the syllabuses were lacking, especially in multi-racial and intersectional content. The classes were very easy and the instructors were underwelming in their teaching quality. |
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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? |
My housing was overal positive and a good experience. Homestays are fairly far away from school but that is advertised (accurately) on the program website. |
| * Food: |
Dutch food is nothing to brag about and got tiring very fast, but a bi-product of Dutch colonialism (sadly) is great Indonesian, Indian, and Surinamese food in Amsterdam. |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Amsterdam was an amazing place to study abroad and made the program worth-while, but SIT's academic program was lacking in its curriculum, syllabus, and educators. The best part of the program was once classes had ended and we had much more freedom to explore the city without the burden of lack-luster classes. |
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) |
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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 |
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| 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 |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 0 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
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? | 0 |
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? | Being on a 20 person program with all American students and centralized in one building is often overwhelming and feels like high school. This doesn't make the program not worth it, but I think if I had come in with the right expectations and knowledge to find my own spaces & tackle this challenge from the beginning, I would have had a better time. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
