Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Will not be my last tme abroad! Past Review

By (Yale University) - abroad from 06/06/2018 to 07/21/2018 with

IES Abroad: Amsterdam Summer – Society, Culture & Gender

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live and travel on my own, and how to explore new countries! The classes also gave me insights that I can bring back to my home school to help with my own studies.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were challenging and led to great discussions. We learned directly in the field, through trips around Amsterdam!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We were all given health insurance and we assisted if we needed to go to a doctor or get a prescription or anything.

* Safety:

Amsterdam unfortunately has a reputation of being "sketchy" or unsafe, but I always felt safe in the city and anywhere surrounding it, whether day or night time.

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

I had never traveled to a new country on my own before, and IES introduced me to the area and the new environment so well. We were constantly being told of fun local events, restaurants, festivals, etc. to ensure we get the most out of our time! The trips around the Netherlands and to Berlin helped me experience European travel and the classes were perfectly structured to encourage learning and engagement without burning us out.

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)

Amsterdam is not an extremely affordable city; groceries are very cheap but eating out or doing things around the city is not as affordable, so it depends on the person

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Get a monthly public transport card instead of refilling it every week or so!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The Newsletters!
  • Program-sponsored trips
  • Small size
* What could be improved?
  • Adding language study
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how fast time was going to go by, and I would have taken much more advantage of my free 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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!