Ik Houd van Amsterdam!

I will forever be grateful for the Semester I spent abroad in Amsterdam, and am so thankful I chose to go through IES to do so! The Law & Criminology Amsterdam program through IES was a perfect fit for my study abroad wants and needs. Before going abroad I knew I did not want to do a program through my university as I didn't want to only be with students from my university, yet still wanted to be in an organized program. Living abroad with students from all over the United States was such a cool experience to be able to live and be around people from all different backgrounds, while still having the comfort of being around people from your home country.
The courses taken in our program were both at the IES center with other students from the program and at the Vrije Universiteit alongside other Dutch and international students. The courses taken from Dutch professors were much different from an American University, but it was such a rewarding experience to be able to take classes with other Dutch students. Because of this it was extremely easy to make friends from all different cultures. Another factor that made meeting people super easy was the living situation. I lived in campus housing in a flat where I shared a living room and kitchen with twelve other people. What I loved most about it was that I lived in the International Student tower and shared a flat from other international students all over the world.
If you are having a hard time deciding where you should go abroad, you should 100% choose Amsterdam. I guarantee you won't regret it! It is such a great central point to travel around Europe and you will never get tired of exploring the endless canals of Amsterdam. It is an extremely welcoming city and truly a great fit for all different kinds of people. You will have no trouble finding your niche in Amsterdam!