Learning by Living Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time abroad in the Netherlands. I learned a lot about myself and another culture in the process. I give this program a 4.5 out of 5 stars because it was very supportive, but did not have all the bells and whistles associated with some of my other friends' experiences abroad. If you are looking at having a bit of an easier course load, I highly recommend taking classes with IES itself instead of the University.

On-site administration of your program

I would highly recommend this if you are hoping to be in Amsterdam. The IES staff is amazing and helps you throughout the whole process.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

You are basically living in a big apartment building with tiny apartments - which is fine if you are used to living in a dorm room. However, the cleanliness of the building is a problem (but this is true throughout Amsterdam). There were mice in the building and occasionally you would see them scurrying around in your room looking for crumbs. Only advice I have is to keep your room as clean as possible. Location was pretty good - it's just outside the main canal ring in the northeast of the main city land!

Cooking is completely on your own, so it's what you make of it!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Again, this honestly has most to do with how much you are willing to put yourself out there. You can definitely meet Dutch individuals, but you can also seclude yourself in the comfort of other abroad students.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was lucky and did not have any health problems while I was abroad. I went to the doctor only once to see if I could get a prescription filled that I couldn't get a six month supply for before I left, and I had a doctor's appointment within a day. The IES organization has an agreement with a local doctor, so you will get into see someone the next business day at the latest.

Overall, Amsterdam is an incredibly safe place. As someone who is gender non-conforming, I did run into a few problems of harassment and individuals getting in my face. One man put his hands in my face and attempted to light my hair on fire - but that is an anomaly. When entering high traffic areas (especially with tourists, like De Wallen), bring a buddy with you. I rode my bike around y myself at three in the morning and never felt unsafe while whizzing by on my two wheels!

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

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

Dutch is a very hard language to learn. We were not expected to be able to communicate completely in Dutch by the time the program ended. We would learn little words here and there that got incorporated into our daily vocabulary. There is a language/culture class that you can take where you learn more of the language. It was probably my favorite class! Definitely worth the extra time!

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• Apartment

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students
• Other

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Events happening in Amsterdam
• Easy place to travel from
• BIKING (the way to commute in Amsterdam!)

• Communication about the difference in rigor between UvA classes and IES ones

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer