What inspired you to travel abroad?
I had the opportunity presented to me through my home university back in the US. I lineally did not intend to travel abroad in college when I entered my first year. I then saw how amazing the Christopher Newport University partnership course with Maastricht University seemed and I had to give it a try.
I gathered a couple of friends and we all applied to join the group for 2023. After completing my program with Maastricht for the summer, I fell so deeply in love with the city and with the Center for European Studies that I had to make my way back the following year as an intern for the summer of 2024.
Swans from Lucerne Switzerland
Why did you choose Politics, Law, and International Relations in Europe?
This was the program I chose to do as it was the one from my university that stood out to me most. I was most excited to visit the Netherlands and experience a full immersion into Dutch culture. I am also a leadership major and this was the study abroad course that offered a curriculum that surrounded topics that fell into my major back home.
What was your favorite part about Maastricht?
I love how friendly people are here in Maastricht. I also experienced ease when coming here with a sole background in English. This city has so many hidden gems and it was amazing to get to discover them all.
Especially the food places like BAB's burritos and the architecture. I also loved that I was able to meet so many people from around the world. There were opportunities for me to listen to many languages here too.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
The fact that I was able to travel and study at the same time made this experience amazing for me. I was able to maintain a manageable balance between the two. Also, the people I met were so kind and it was such a welcoming experience which I greatly appreciated.
I think the fact that I was able to travel to 5 countries in a span of 3 weeks was very impressive and am thankful that this program allowed that for me. I also think it was most beneficial to learn about cross-cultural leadership from a comparative lens through immersion.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The CES staff enabled all the students to ask as many questions as they needed. They also provided us with the materials we needed to succeed.
We were able to learn about different countries by visiting them and getting to immerse ourselves, which I believe was the best way to learn. The CES staff also was able to provide us with many recommendations for things to see around the city and experiences to enhance our trip further.
Berlin Germany
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I wish I would have spent a bit more time in Maastricht and around the city. The good part is that since I happened to come back to Maastricht University as an intern, I have had a lot of things to do around the city since being here.
I also wish I would have been able to spend more time feeling out what the Dutch university lifestyle is like by spending time in communal workspaces like the library. Other than that, I am happy with the way I progressed through my program.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
I spent some days on field trips to places like Brussels, and Luxemburg. On other days we took longer trips and stayed in hotels in other countries like Switzerland and France. For the days we did day trips, we would see the city via tours, have lunch do a company visit, and head back.
For the longer overnight trips, we were able to have more time to explore on our own and try out other restaurants. Days in Maastricht, I hung out in the SSC building, got a coffeelovers coffee, and worked on school work. I would then typically do an activity around the city like sightseeing, playing games with my friends, or visiting the park, etc.
Alps in Switzerland
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
I liked to travel. We were only given two free weekends due to the compact program structure, but on my first free weekend, I took the train to Valkenburg, rented an electric scooter for a couple of hours, and drove up the countryside with my roommate. With my long free weekend, I took a trip to Cologne and Berlin Germany.
We visited the Chocolate Museum in Cologne and then did tours in Berlin. For days I was in Maastricht just after class, I spent a bit of time completing assignments, got a drink with my friends, or hung out in the park or at a nice restaurant.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
I lived in the UM Guesthouse during my time at Maastricht. the P building was nice for dorm style living. I was able to share my room with my best friend from my home university. I was a student during a heat wave, so our room did get quite hot, but aside from that the normal climate in the Guesthouse is not that bad.
I also had a shared bathroom which was dorm style. It was a stereotypical shared bathroom vibe. Overall, the Guesthouse is an acceptable place to live during your stay. It resembles dormitory style living back in the US.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
It is compact. You will be exhausted at the end. The course load was manageable, yet it was rigorous. So come and be ready to work hard at your academics, but at the same time have such a memorable experience.
I loved every second, including the academic side. Also, I found it helpful to document parts of your trip so you would remember your experiences even more. How you were feeling, what you saw, what you did etc. I kept a journal and picked up postcards from our trips which I love to reflect on now.
Looking forward to all the adventures ahead!
Would you recommend Politics, Law, and International Relations in Europe to others? Why?
YES YES and YES. I loved every bit of it. The CES team is so sweet, the program allowed me to see and learn so much more than I would have if I came solo, and there were so many opportunities to make every moment your own.
I am so thankful I took this opportunity and embarked on this adventure. I would most definitely recommend this to any students looking for a fast-paced culturally immersive experience.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
Getting to learn from locals. You can ask them questions and build up your own idea of cultural differences which I found cool. I also loved meeting people from other countries.
There were so many good things that this program led me to do. It also was a great way to leave the US for the first time. It gave me structure and allowed me to learn about how to travel.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
I have such a higher willingness to try new things than before. I have broadened my horizons and am willing to step out of my comfort zone much more.
I even took the leap of faith to come back and intern and I love it. Since being home I took a trip to Puerto Rico too and traveled more domestically as well. I have built my confidence up to a higher level.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
It is the memories I made on this program that will stick with me forever. The stories I get to share with others that I love so much. I am so excited to continue to travel more, step out of my comfort zone more, and keep doing what I love.
I think that travel is more than just where you are and what you are seeing. It is also how you use your time. I spent my time learning from others and taking their recommendations to do what the locals do.
