IES Abroad 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!

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.

Studying in Amsterdam with IES wasn't just a life changing experience, it was preparation for life after graduation and acceptance of a new life style and culture. Looking back on it, I wouldn’t have chosen another program or location. I met tons of other study abroad students from various countries who said they loved their program, but Amsterdam was their favorite city they had visited. When I asked them questions, some of those students also mentioned how they wouldn’t live in their host country, and some also said they were happy, but would be ready for a change of pace once home. One of my best friends from study abroad is actually a returned study abroad student who came back to live in Amsterdam! Everyone who I studied with in Amsterdam out of my friend group, Erasmus, etc. all wants to come back and live. None of us found a city better than Amsterdam while traveling either. Most people say Amsterdam is the best city in Europe, but study abroad really showed me how incredible The Netherlands really is. So don’t be discouraged because I chose a program as the only student from my home school, so I didn't know anyone on the program when I arrived. And I ended up finding a home away from home.

The orientation week, along with International Student Network's UvA orientation made me feel right at home while just starting out in The Netherlands. The staff were incredible over the whole semester, so I highly recommend IES. When my wallet was stolen, I was able to replace everything within a week with their help! I will say that this program has staff that are more highly involved, so if you are looking for complete independence you may want to be aware that there will be check-in’s, meetings, etc. over the course of your program with IES.

In terms of course work, studying in Amsterdam at UvA isn’t easy, but it isn’t difficult. It’s just like attending school at your home university, which I really appreciated. I felt challenged in the courses I took, and I felt like I was experiencing new ways of learning. I took a course with IES called Studio Art that allowed me to learn about art in Amsterdam, which helped me to understand the artist scene in the city while integrating into Dutch culture. I made connections with programs and professors that I will use in my professional and graduate school career!

UvA has a great social scene as well. It was easy to make Dutch friends through ISN (their Erasmus). Some people say it’s hard to become part of the Dutch culture, but I didn’t find this was the case. If you spend time learning about the culture, language and people, then you will find integration easier since you will be able to think and act like a local (just a tip). ISN gave me a group of friends, events and weekend trips to attend while on study abroad. It was one of the main reasons I had such an incredible experience. The group of around 400+ students who lived all over the city made me feel at home and made the big city seem small. Every week there was a borrel to attend, or some sort of big weekend event. Then on our own, my group would meet up for potluck dinners, and other events on our own! IES also schedules trips around The Netherlands and to various places in Amsterdam, which I highly suggest.

Beyond school, IES and ISN, Study in Amsterdam had the option to live at The Student Hotel. This was THE BEST decision I made. I paid extra each month to live here: https://www.thestudenthotel.com/amsterdam-city/ It was a whole international student dorm in a central location to the city complete with a free bike, gym, study rooms, restaurants, events, etc. It was like a whole new family of international student. I even had my own studio apartment. It’s right by a Check out the website to see why I loved it so much!

The city of Amsterdam itself has everything you could think of … How I explored the city was by visiting 50 different cafés in Amsterdam over the course of 4 months. I even was able to volunteer and work on two different sustainable/entrepreneurial projects in the city because Amsterdam is a hub for innovation. The city is in prime location to visit most other European countries as well. Name something to do, see or experience and you have it. You can look at this blog and their weekly events newsletters to see a bit of the excitement (http://www.yourlittleblackbook.me/).

Amsterdam is the city of dreams, and I am not doing it justice through just a small review! I fell in love with a culture, people and place I will go back to live in one day. Study abroad didn’t just become a life changing experience for me, it helped me find my home.

During the spring semester of 2016, I spent an amazing semester abroad in Amsterdam. I decided to study in a place where I knew no one, but could easily communicate without being fluent in the native language. Amsterdam was the perfect fit for me. Studying government and gender studies, University of Amsterdam provided a welcoming and intellectually challenging atmosphere and classes. While I was initially overwhelmed with living in a new place for four months, Amsterdam's smaller size and amazing public transportation/biking system made the city less daunting. I soon became attached to my bike, which is still my favorite way to get around. When I missed home, I had the other students and staff in the program for support and as the perfect people to explore with and enjoy the city. I had plenty of chances to travel throughout Europe, but I always looked forward to coming home to Amsterdam. I'm grateful for the opportunity to live and study abroad for the semester and to IES for making the entire process as seamless as possible.

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.

Spending a semester in Amsterdam with the IES Study Abroad program was one of the most culturally enriching and impactful experiences I have had in college so far! Amsterdam is a truly incredible city that has something for nearly anyone to fall in love with, whether it's biking along the canals, sipping fresh mint tea in a cozy cafe, spending time in one of the countless museums, or grabbing a beer with friends at a local brewery. One day that particularly stands out to me was near the end of the semester when my Dutch Art History teacher invited the entire class over for tea and appeltaart after taking the final exam. We all climbed on our bikes and followed her to her quaint apartment where we spent a wonderful afternoon chatting, admiring the various pieces of art she had either collected or created herself, but mostly reminiscing on how incredible our abroad experience had been. My time in Amsterdam with IES Abroad was better than I could have ever anticipated, and I absolutely cannot wait until the day I return.

When I arrived in Amsterdam for my semester abroad, that was the first time I had ever been outside of the United States. I did not go into this program with any friends from my home university, so I was pretty nervous and overwhelmed the first couple days. I also was missing the second half of my swimming season back at home, so I knew that would be difficult to come to terms with as well. Within the first week of my time in the Netherlands however, I went to four museums, joined a Dutch swim team, and met students from around the world. Throughout the course of the semester, I learned how to adapt to my new surroundings and made many new friends. I was able to travel to Germany, Belgium, France, and Poland. I am a European History major, so all of that was very exciting for me. I learned to view the world through a different perspective and had many valuable conversations that challenged my previous perceptions. I gained so much from my time abroad and I am very grateful for my experience.

The program I was enrolled in allowed me to take some classes at the University of Amsterdam as well as with professors teaching at the IES centre. (Classes I took: Gender and Sexuality in the Context of Amsterdam, Dutch Language and Culture, Conflict Studies, Global and Local Complexity of Prostitution) The classes were very interesting and diverse, allowing me to understand the culture and surroundings of Amsterdam and Europe better. They were not as challenging as my classes at my home school, and they required a lot less time than I was used to.
The city itself was a wonderful classroom. There is so much to do and see, from museums to galleries to cafes to canals. IES was helpful in getting me settled in to the city. The newsletters they sent out usually recommended different places and events around the city that I probably would not have heard about otherwise. They also had some great field trips that provided opportunities to see new places around the Netherlands. The people I met through this program became my support system through the semester and still are great friends.
Overall, though my time in Amsterdam was short, it was packed full of inspiration and eye opening experiences. I definitely recommend it!