Beautiful city, cultural experiences, minimal classroom education Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/01/2019 to 06/06/2019 with

CIEE: Amsterdam - Social Sciences + Humanities

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worthwhile, I loved living in a foreign city. The academics were not particularly valuable but the experience as a whole was unbeatable.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Definitely less rigorous than Middlebury, but had a few interesting classes.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very fun and caring staff

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Not the best location, but great amenities.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I met less Dutch friends than I would have liked, but felt a part of the city.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

No issues

* Safety:

Felt very safe

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I loved Amsterdam as a city, I wouldn't trade living there for anything

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)

More expensive than I anticipated but not terrible

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't become addicted to coffee

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

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? n/a
How many hours per day did you use the language?

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?
  • Friends
  • museums, biking, city activities
  • ability to travel
* What could be improved?
  • more course offerings
  • more interaction with international students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I wouldn't have a freezer or oven

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 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Beginning Dutch

Course Department:
Instructor: Bonny Wassing
Instruction Language:
Comments: Not particularly challenging, but learned some intro Dutch language and learned a lot about the culture.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Dutch Public Health

Course Department:
Instructor: Choolwe Muzyamba
Instruction Language:
Comments: Very interesting teaching style, lots of in class debates, much easier than Middlebury classes but learned a lot
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

screen Cultures

Course Department:
Instructor: Jonathan Key
Instruction Language:
Comments: My favorite course, learned really interesting theory through the lens of horror films. Teacher was extremely knowledgable and the course was rigorous.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Spatial Implications of Environmental Change

Course Department: Geography
Instructor: Dr. Mendel
Instruction Language:
Comments: Would not recommend this course, it was a lot of boring reading that was not followed up in lecture, and the methods of evaluation were very strange
Credit Transfer Issues: