Spring in Amsterdam September 06, 2022
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 02/04/2022 to 06/03/2022 with
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: Amsterdam - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I learned how to bike! And now have a lifelong skill. I've started biking since coming back to America and love having it as a hobby/activity that I can do. Also, I learned how to be more independent, especially cooking for myself and planning trips. Overall, it was extremely worthwhile!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The program provided basic resources, such as an orientation and a welcome book. However, they did not offer much continuing support throughout the semester. I would have appreciated having a mid-program check in. |
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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? |
I lived in the OurDomain student housing in Diemen. The rooms were very modern and clean, with excellent natural light and kitchen/bathroom. The housing was a bit far from school and the city, though (30 min by bike to each). |
| * Food: |
We cooked for ourselves. |
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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
I struggled a bit at first, with the housing being so far from the city and the very windy and cold weather. Once I got my bike, though, and it started to get warmer, things turned around dramatically. I loved my time in Amsterdam in the spring and took advantage of both city and more country life. However, I thought that the academics were not very good compared to my home college. Class grades were based almost entirely off of the final exams, which meant that learning was very test-oriented and much less curiosity-driven. |
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) |
Amsterdam was expensive, but there were ways to budget: biking instead of taking the metro, using TooGoodtoGo to get cheap groceries, not going out as much. |
| 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? | Plan out trips in advance to get cheap tickets. Use TooGoodtoGo at nearby grocery stores to get cheap food. Get a bike early on to avoid taking the metro. Get a museumkart right away to save money on museums. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | That the housing would be far from everything and that I should do all my museum activities in February and March when it was cold. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
