USAC Netherlands: The Hague

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.