IES Abroad Amsterdam – Psychology & Sciences

Amsterdam is an incredible city to live in. I lived right outside the city center near Vondelpark, and I felt at home very quickly. Naturally, it took me a little while to adjust, but before I knew it I felt very comfortable going about life in Amsterdam! Dutch culture and life in Amsterdam is very unique and something that is easy to appreciate. Even though I have only been back in the United States for 1.5 months, I am already looking forward to my next visit!

I loved living in Amsterdam, and the IES Abroad staff really added to my experience. During our orientation, they educated us on Dutch culture and customs and took us on various field trips around the Netherlands. Even after orientation, the staff were extremely accessible and made sure to check in with us periodically. I had a great experience with IES Abroad and I would highly recommend spending your time abroad with them!

This is experience was an incredible way to try something new. I really pushed myself to explore things I had never done before. With the support there to catch me when I would fall and stumble, I was given the unique opportunity to do what I wanted without the fear of being on my own if I needed help. I made life-long friends, travelled to places I had never even heard of and tried to make the most of 4 short months in a new environment. I especially liked feeling more and more like a local as the days and weeks went on. Arriving as a total tourist in Amsterdam, I began to learn more about the parts of the city that one does when you have the time to explore. I particularly loved how easy it was to get around in Amsterdam and the rest of Europe. Cycling is a must when living in Amsterdam. You really get to appreciate the gorgeous scenery so much more on a bike. There are cheap flights to all the capitals of Europe that you can visit. The main struggle is trying to appreciate studying in Amsterdam and at the same time, make the most of travelling Europe. As long as you try to push yourself to try new things and get out of your comfort zone, you are guaranteed to have an amazing time abroad.

IES Amsterdam set me up for a great semester at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. While the academics were very different than my home school, I was given resources for a smooth transition. Overall, I enjoyed my classes and was glad I was exposed to a different educational system. Outside of academics, I was given the opportunity to participate in the Erasmus Student Network international orientation weekend, where I made amazing connections with students from both America and other countries from all over Europe. This was a defining factor in my abroad experience and I recommend any student studying abroad in Amsterdam to participate. This orientation weekend was one of many events offered for international students studying in Amsterdam, and there was a constant stream of resources about traveling, night life, culture and music.

"What a time to be alive!" was my go-to expression for the fall semester in Amsterdam. My friends probably got slightly annoyed of my repetitive saying, but they always seemed to nod in agreement because this was often times the only way to describe our circumstances. IES Abroad Amsterdam was the best program I could've asked for. The staff was incredibly helpful and encouraging before, during, and after the program. They made my transition as smooth as it could be, were present during the highest of highs and lowest of lows, and honestly just took care of me. I felt safe. I felt engaged with the culture. I felt comfortable. I felt like I immediately had a new family. All of the basics like course registration, housing, residence permits, etc. were made easy so that I could have the fullest experience possible. I truly could not have asked for anything better.

The emotional outcome of any experience is completely subjective. When it's going abroad, every conceivable emotion occurs and reoccurs throughout your entire stay in a foreign land. It's overwhelming, in both a positive and yes, even negative way. Especially considering that you are not only there to travel, but for your studies as well. Me? I fell in love with Amsterdam. That's not to say I didn't have sad, angry, homesick, or stressed emotions just because I was in one of the most beautiful places in the world. It's perfectly natural to feel all those things, even while in such a magical place. For me, what rose above all the spectrum of human emotions were the moments that gave me pure elation. Elation that I may never have felt had I not gone abroad. It was a human experience I was in much need of, and I recommend it to anyone who is presented the opportunity. I continue to hold Amsterdam, and everything it had to offer, dear to me.

Spending my spring semester in Amsterdam was one the best decisions I've made in college, and I feel so lucky to have been able to live in one of the coolest cities in the world for four months. While it was great to have time off and be able to travel, I still felt like there was always more to explore in Amsterdam every weekend and I didn't feel too much of a need to go see other cities while I was already somewhere that I loved being. There is just so much to see and so much to do, from visiting the many museums they have to offer, to visiting Keukenhof (the tulip festival in the spring), and of course biking around trying to understand the flow of traffic. Not only would I recommend that every college student spend a semester abroad, but also everyone should visit Amsterdam; if you can do those both at the same time, that's perfect! And if you do, make sure to treasure every moment, because you will always look back and reminisce, and you want to make sure you made the most of your time there. It will be a memory you'll treasure forever.

I did not know much about Amsterdam or the Dutch culture prior to making my decision to study there for the next 5 months of my life. When finally arriving on campus, I was in confusion of where I was dropped off by my taxi driver. Amsterdam is known as the city of bikes and canals; however, my first exposure out of Schiphol Airport did not meet my expectations. I was dropped off on campus where I was surrounded by unpleasing aesthetics and construction. I was surprised and almost regretted my decision of selecting Amsterdam. As my first week progressed, I got used to my surroundings, and during the first week, I eventually made my way into the city center (the area of Amsterdam I fell in-love with and the place where I spent most of my time with the amazing group of IES friends I met during my time there). Overall, my decision to study abroad exceeded my expectations from day one and continued to do so each and everyday. This experience is one I will never regret or forget as it gave me the opportunity to grow academically, professionally, and personally.

This program gives you a chance to get immersed in Dutch culture in a way that you may not be able to experience later in life. I was enrolled directly in a Dutch university, and I made lifelong friends with Dutch students. We spent hours talking about differences between our countries and they helped me with my Dutch language homework. I can't speak highly enough of the IES Abroad Amsterdam team for all their support and how smoothly they organized my housing and studying.