IES Abroad Amsterdam – Social Sciences & Humanities

My most memorable experience was getting to interview a transsexual male for my Gender Studies class. This experience taught me so much about what life is, what it means to be a human and to be happy in the life we are given. I never in a million years would have had this opportunity in the States. I originally went into the interview as a requirement for an assignment, but left the interview with another friend. I chose the Study Amsterdam program for a couple of different reasons. 1) I wanted to go where no one else at my school had gone before; I wanted to go to one of the less popular and less traveled places. Everyone from my school goes to Spain or London; I wanted to go somewhere different. 2) I didn't want to deal with an extreme language barrier and I knew that almost everyone in the Netherlands spoke English, and I was right. Even the people at gas stations speak English....not knowing Dutch wasn't an issue at all. 3) I wanted to test myself. I'm from a conservative part of the US where everyone believes in God and gay people are still looked down on. I wanted to test my beliefs and establish values and ideas for my own self...so I went to one of the most liberal places in the world and I couldn't have been happier with my results. Everyone in the program lived in the same building, which was really nice, along with other international students as well, from different programs, different countries, etc. I shared one room and one bathroom with another girl, as well as one kitchen type area. The rooms are a little cold and bare, but we spiced it up as much as we could, and when you are in the room as little as we were, it didn't really matter.

All of the great friends I made shaped all of my memories. I cannot pick one memory in particular that was the greatest. All of my travels outside the Netherlands were particularly memorable and outstanding. Being able to ride a bike everywhere was great and its something I now miss in the States. And of course relaxing with friends overlooking canal houses while eating dutch french fries was always enjoyable as well! I chose IES Abroad Amsterdam Pre-Law Certificate Program because I was particularly interested in studying law. Since I was contemplating law school it was a great choice to get a feel for the subject by taking some intro to law classes. Amsterdam was also a city that I had heard all marvelous reviews about! I liked the location and the fact that there was no real language barrier. We were set up in small apartments about 10 minutes out of the city center. They were safe and in a good location. All accommodations were nice enough. It was particularly great that our whole program was in the same apartment complex.

Studying Abroad was the best decision I have ever made. Amsterdam almost instantly felt like home to me, and the IES staff was incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the entire experience. There is so much to do in Amsterdam, but the city never felt overwhelming. There are amazing bookstores, cafes, shops, and nightlife, no matter where you are in the city, as well as so much culture and history throughout. The city itself is absolutely fantastic, and the IES program gives you plenty of opportunities to enjoy the city and explore new areas. They give you a lot of freedom, but still organize activities to help you get acclimated to living abroad and give you opportunities to get to know the people in your program