I enjoyed my time in the Netherlands. I am so grateful to have gone and I’m grateful to have the finances to do the traveling that I wanted to while being in Europe. The academic and specific program that I was in was not great. I think the school was very unorganized. This was not just an issue as an exchange student but many of the students there also felt the same way the teachers, the staff, and the program directors all lacked the proper skills, which made it very difficult, for example there was like almost no help with registration. It was a complete frenzy and free-for-all. It was not at all digital so everything was on a call basis. They made most students way around all day to get a call to have classes ready everyone had to do it on a piece of paper. There was almost no way of checking timeslots. The whole thing was a complete disaster everyone, including the students who were not exchange, were completely frustrated on top of this other things like the class structure, the curriculum the pacing it was all just very messy to me, and I just heard nonstop criticism from local students as well. But again my experience was still overwhelmingly positive but again that’s because I had the money and resources to travel and make the most of my time there the school was not my final take away, but for someone who is going for the academics I would strongly advise them to pick another program.

Many people will talk about the school, and yes it was great. But the thing that really made this trip incredible were the offerings in The Netherlands. The public transport, ease of access and proximity, bike lanes, culture, you name it. The place opened my eyes to how life should operate. The weather wasn't always the best, but that is a small price to pay for what comes with that. And it is mainly like this in the spring, so a fall semester might serve better. Although, most of the greah events happen between April - September, so either way the summer is the best time to be here!

The Hague is THE best place to study abroad. It is an international hub and you will certainly meet people from all over the world. Plus it is a great location in Western Europe that provides convenience for those looking to travel to other countries. Choose The Hague and enjoy the Dutch culture, the many bike rides, the intriguing coffee shops, and the diverse student body.

The perfect introduction to Europe for me. People are ridiculously friendly and everyone speaks English (along with 2-3 other languages). Most class curriculums were made up of 1-2 group or individual projects due at the end of the semester and a final. Contrary to American universities where there are countless tests, online assignments, and homework assignments. Students are expected to organize their time wisely to meet with group members outside of class. However class was not very demanding and I had a lot of free time to explore. The greatest part about the Netherlands is the bikes. You can ride your bike literally across the country and be on a well maintained bike path separated from traffic. It brought me so much joy to ride from The Hague to Schvienhagan (the beach), a glorious 15 minute ride in which you're surrounded by lush green vegetation. I recommend going in the Spring because their are more breaks, the weather is better, and you can travel once summer comes. The Netherlands is a completely flat country so riding around isn't too strenuous. Being 45 minutes by train from Amsterdam was fantastic. Amsterdam feels so free, like there are no rules there. Countless weekend my friends and I would go there to see concerts, go to clubs, or just walk around enjoying the beauty and uniqueness of this wild city. The Hague is quieter, but during Summer at Schivenhagan there are these massive beach clubs that open up right on the sand. You can rent cabanas during the day, or party at night and enjoy the indoor/outdoor club scene. The Netherlands is a very liberal, open minded, and tolerant country. I really enjoyed how blunt people were, they Dutch will tell you exactly what they think. Lastly I must say that the greatest part of my studying abroad experience was the people I met. Not just the life long friends I made while studying in the Netherlands. But the random people I met along the way while traveling throughout Europe. The cultures and traditions are so vastly different, but in the end you'll find that everyone is human and probably wants the same things out of life that you do. What a wonderful, refreshing, unforgettable, empowering, and eye opening trip I had. Thank you Netherlands for helping me to discover who I want to be.