Study Gender and Sexuality in Amsterdam! June 12, 2022
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/31/2022 to 05/13/2022 with
SIT Study Abroad: Netherlands - International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender
This program was very unique in that the academics were very engaging, the host family situation was wonderful, you are allowed a lot of flexibility in independent study or internship, and can engage in independent European travel.
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. |
I really enjoyed the classes and excursions on this program. Amsterdam is the perfect study to study gender and sexuality in. In addition, the internships and independent research module really allowed me to pursue my own interests! I completed a really interesting internship with a Dutch organization. |
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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? |
The housing for this program was fantastic- we were placed in Dutch households and this really allowed us to integrate ourselves into Dutch culture and learn a lot about the Netherlands! |
| * Food: |
We ate with host families on this program, and had lunch at the SIT center during the week. All of it was great! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt super connected to Dutch culture. Adapting was easy because most Dutch people speak English very well and it is really easy to meet young Dutch people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Amsterdam is an incredibly safe city to live in and I felt very comfortable living here. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This was a great program! Amsterdam is the perfect place to study gender and sexuality. Amsterdam is also such a gorgeous place to study, especially in the Spring with the tulips. You will also be able to travel to other countries in the region, such as France, Germany, and Belgium very easily! |
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) |
Because we were living with host families and had transportation cards, costs were incredibly minimal for essential things like food, housing, and transportation to class. That being said, Amsterdam is a very expensive city and if you want to go out on the weekends, eat out, or travel to other countries in Europe, this will be much more expensive. |
| 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? | What is very expensive is traveling to other countries, so if you want to have minimal expenses, just stay in Amsterdam on the weekends. |
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 |
We took Dutch classes, but it was not necessary to use the language at all outside of the classroom because all Dutch people pretty much speak English fluently. |
| 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? | none |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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? |
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? | The host family experience was such a large portion of this program. You are expected to eat dinner with your host family most nights and will spend a lot of time with them. I really enjoyed this and loved the family I was placed with! In addition, this program uses student visas, so you have to leave Europe as soon as the program is done. If you want to travel before or after, the visa status will be a problem for you. In addition, there is a two-week long excursion in the middle of this program. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
