IES Abroad Amsterdam – Social Sciences & Humanities

When I was first looking into studying abroad, Amsterdam was not on my radar. Originally, I wanted to go to a bigger city like London or Paris. I was very confident I was going to go to one of those locations. After doing more research, I realized that Amsterdam aligned with what I wanted in a city. It was small enough for me to know where everything was, but almost everyday I was able to learn/explore something new. Whether it was walking by the canals or exploring a new museum, I was never bored. It sounds cliché, but Amsterdam will forever hold a special place in my heart. When I would travel on the weekends to other places, I would be excited to be back in my home country. I felt so safe and so at peace with where I was at. Also, I took classes at the University of Amsterdam. Unlike Penn State (My home university), the University of Amsterdam classes were spread across the city. I had to plan out my day to get to class, which was very different compared to what I am used to where I would just walk a couple minutes over to my class.

IES Abroad Amsterdam is a great hybrid between a direct enrollment option and an American study abroad parent program. I was fortunate enough to take classes at the University of Amsterdam and with guest professors at the IES Center. The IES liaisons to the university were very helpful and accessible, but as a whole I wish I'd spent more time at the university itself, and some people on my program didn't have any classes there at all. The IES workers planned free social gatherings in the city for us, as well as mental health breaks like yoga classes and paid field trips, like to see the Dutch National Football Team and spending a weekend in Belgium, to help us get to know the area. They were always available in case of emergency and helped those who needed medical support. Amsterdam is a great place to go for a semester abroad because it's very easy to travel around Europe from the city by bus, train, or plane, and the Netherlands is a wonderful country to explore. Amsterdam itself is huge, but IES made sure to place me in an apartment close to my university and was willing to help me acquire a bike to travel the city, which is by far the most-used means of transportation. Dutch adults are usually fluent in English, so even if you don't take a Dutch course, you'll be able to get around fine – though I strongly suggest trying to pick up some Dutch, which will require a lot of effort because of the prevalence of English. Grading in the Netherlands is very harsh, and students don't have GPAs at the universities, so be prepared for a very different academic sphere. Many classes base the overwhelming majority of their final grades on a single final exam or project, which is very intimidating. I enjoyed all of my classes and professors, both in and out of the university. Amsterdam is an expensive city, especially near the center. Groceries are a good price, but going out to eat or grab a cup of coffee can be costly. Bring your own cold medicine and pain medications, because you will have trouble finding those things in the Netherlands. I wish more advice like that was given to me pre-departure, but after the first couple weeks I figured everything out. IES makes sure to send a newsletter with events around the city every two weeks so we have plenty to explore. Overall, a very well-organized, well-run, kind program.

Studying abroad at IES was the best experience of my life. In fact, I had such a good time that it feels like a dream when I remember it, as if it did not even happen to me. Of course this would not be possible without IES. The IES staff within Amsterdam were some of the most friendly people I've ever met. Additionally, I experienced the same kindness from the professors who gave lectures through IES.

There is a reason Amsterdam has a reputation for being a great city. From nightlife to museums to shopping to a combination of modern technology and historic architecture, Amsterdam has it all. Since I grew up in a suburb and go to school in a college town in the United States, I wanted to experience the thrill of a big city, and Amsterdam did just that for me. There is always something to do in Amsterdam, and I wish I had more time to live there and experience everything I missed out on. Housing should be in the city center, to allow for easier access (there would be less need for Uber, public transport stops around 1230am) to attractions, nightlife, and better culture immersion. This could also allow for more interaction with students from other Study Abroad programs. I also would have benefitted from a mandatory foreign language requirement to make daily life more interesting, even though most everyone speaks almost fluent English. Also would have enjoyed taking more IES Abroad classes and less at the University of Amsterdam, and more organized/mandatory trips out of the country.

I had an incredible time on IES Amsterdam - Study in Amsterdam. The support from the IES staff as well as at the University of Amsterdam was more than helpful. I felt safe and comfortable during my time abroad. Housing, although sometimes complicated, was also very good. Location wise and the condition of the apartment was great. The only negative was courses. While I enjoyed the classes I ended up taking, it was difficult (near impossible) to take courses I needed. We didn't know what our schedule would be until days after arriving, which can be a negative for certain students. In the end, Amsterdam was the best city to spend four months in and I appreciated all that IES did for us, including organized field trips and tours.

Spending the spring semester of my junior year in Amsterdam was the best decision I've made thus far. The city is vibrant, the culture is rich, and there's always something new to do. I stayed in an apartment with a roommate about 15 minutes outside of the city center, and only a 6 minute bike ride to the IES center. It was nice living in an apartment with students from around the world. My classes gave me insight into Dutch culture and offered me global insight. IES also offered us trips to other cities in the Netherlands, such as Maastricht and Utrecht. It was so wonderful to be able to explore Amsterdam, as well as the whole country of the Netherlands! I wouldn't trade my experience for anything, and if I could go back, I would in a heartbeat!

The Dutch system is pretty different from the US system. There's more focus on individual effort, even in group projects. However, the bulk of what I learned abroad had nothing to do with academics at all. I learned more about myself and other people. I became more independent and sufficient.

The IES Abroad staff was always ready and willing to help, or chat, or just grab a cup of tea. The program itself was life changing - there was quite a lot of opportunity to get out in the community (and outside of the community) in a group, as well as a lot of encouragement to travel on your own. I would recommend the program and provider to anyone!

I spent my fall semester studying abroad in Amsterdam, Netherlands with IES. Prior to this experience, I had traveled several times with my family, but never alone. I was terrified of being somewhere completely new, not knowing anyone and having the worst navigational skills imaginable. Regardless, I went into the experience with an open mind and about seven GPS apps on my phone. It took me a little while to get adjusted, but my program ensured that we were as prepared as possible. The moment I got my bike, I felt completely in control. I could go wherever I wanted, and I was able to explore the city in the most unique and optimal way. Everyone I met in Amsterdam was absolutely incredible, and I’m still in contact with so many of the friends I made at IES. Getting pushed out of your comfort zone is truly the only way to grow and develop. There were times when I felt uncertain and hesitant, but these were the moments in which I learned the most about myself. I valued every single aspect of my abroad experience, and I could not recommend it more to anyone curious about exploring the world and themselves. Amsterdam is my second home, and I miss it every day. Sure, the touristy components were great, but nothing replaces the feeling of finding an obscure little cafe in the nook of a canal road. Biking around the city and listening to my favorite songs is a feeling that I couldn’t describe, even if I tried. My time abroad was liberating, eye-opening, and indispensable.

Spending my spring semester in Amsterdam was one the best decisions I've made 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 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 out of it with no regrets.

I did not know much about Amsterdam or the Dutch culture prior to making my decision to study there. 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 for the next 5 months of my life. 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. In the end, I grew appreciation for Dutch culture and society.

As I waited to board the plane in January (2016) to spend my spring semester in Amsterdam through the IES program, I called my good friend from Ithaca College and I told her I was nervous, but I didn’t know why exactly. She told me, “Of course you are nervous. You are about to go on the biggest adventure of your life.” She was right. It’s funny how it took me to move to another country to feel so much more like myself. I was forced to become very independent, comfortable with the uncomfortable, and more than willing to experience new things. Being alone was my only option. I knew not a soul in this foreign country; all my decisions had to be made through my own mind. By doing this I was able to learn a new city through my own eyes rather than through those of other people.

I was abroad in Amsterdam during the Spring of 2016 through IES Abroad's Study in Amsterdam program. I had an amazing semester between exploring Amsterdam's numerous museums, biking through the canals and traveling throughout Europe. Through IES, I stayed in an international students' dorm only ten minutes away from the city center and the University of Amsterdam. I took classes through the University of Amsterdam and studied Dutch with an IES instructor, which introduced me to Dutch culture and a new perspective on political and social issues. While it was challenging to be away from home and my friends for a semester, spending a semester in Amsterdam was a truly rewarding and gratifying experience. With the support from the program staff and my fellow students, I had an unforgettable four months in one of the most beautiful and interesting places in Europe.

Amsterdam in the spring is anything but spring. The constant wind, the aggressive rain. Coming from sunny California, I wasn’t prepared to be in a constant state of... damp. We all have a picture perfect vision of our destinations. For me it was riding a cherry red bike through the entrance to the Rijksmuseum, hair flowing through the wind. First off, my bike was blue. “VU University” printed on one side with a big pink crate attached to the front. The wind wasn’t so much flowing through my hair as it was blowing it into a messy nest. Secondly, I biked so many more places than the Rijksmuseum. I rode though the very scary and populated Central Station, over canals and through small neighborhoods, along long stretches of farms, through the rain, into the night and away. Study abroad, so I’ve heard, is rarely what we expect it to be. I have come to find my experience was vastly different than what I expected, and I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world.

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. Even though I didn't know anyone upon arrival, the IES program provided many opportunities to meet and bond with other students from the US and by the end of the term I had come to know most of them on a personal level, as well as make some lifelong friends. With excellent academics, cultural immersion, and personalized support, I highly recommend choosing the IES Study in Amsterdam program for anyone who is looking for both an intellectually stimulating and adventure-filled semester abroad.

When I arrived in Amsterdam for my semester abroad, it 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. I found a great group of people to spend time with and with the museum card provided by IES, I went to countless museums. Throughout the course of the semester, I learned how to adapt to my new surroundings and made many new friends. I visited many cities throughout the Netherlands: Haarlem, Utrecht, Rotterdam, the Hague, Delft, and Maastricht. I was also 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.

My time in Amsterdam, while short, was packed full of learning both in and out of the classroom. I took all my classes at the University of Amsterdam, though I had the option to include IES courses as well. The classes I took during my semester abroad were International Development, Youth Cultures, and Mindfulness. These classes required a lot less time and attention than my classes at my home university, but were engaging and allowed me to interact with students from all over the world. I felt like my studies did not take up the majority of my time in Amsterdam, leaving me with full days of biking around the city, discovering new cafes, picnicking (on sunny days) in parks, and getting to know other students. I took advantage of several IES field trip opportunities, which were nice ways to adventure to new places with a group of people I felt comfortable around. My time abroad taught me about independence, as the IES administration members were not overbearing, and provided sufficient information regarding fun things to do around the city without overloading my inbox. I'm really happy with the way my IES abroad experience turned out, and know that I have learned things and met people in Amsterdam that I will remember forever.

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. Overall, though my time in Amsterdam was short, it was packed full of inspiration and eye opening experiences. I definitely recommend it!

IES Abroad Amsterdam facilitates a semester of studying and living in Amsterdam. You are given the chance to enroll directly into a Dutch university with a wide variety of courses available to you. I was able to keep up with my Neuroscience major at my home university, as well as explore some topics that weren't offered at my home school. IES itself does fantastic work organizing experiences for students to experience Dutch culture in ways that we wouldn't necessarily discover ourselves. We took field trips to Rotterdam, Kinderdijk, Alkmaar, and the Texel mudflats to name just a few. Without their help I may not have visited many cities outside of Amsterdam, and getting an impression of the country as a whole was important for my experience. As cheesy and overplayed as it is, studying abroad in Amsterdam has changed my frame of reference for everything from academics to international relations.

IES Abroad Study in Amsterdam provided an opportunity to engage with the city of Amsterdam while also meeting Dutch and fellow international students through the enrollment option at the University of Amsterdam. The program encouraged cultural engagement via trips outside of Amsterdam and worked hard to give students the know-how to really enjoy their time abroad. That being said, this program provided a lot of independence which allowed for individual exploration but sometimes allowed participants (myself included) to not explore and learn as much as we could have. The living situation of studio apartments allowed for interactions with program members while also meeting new people from a variety of different backgrounds. Amsterdam is a very international city and IES Abroad definitely encouraged participants to engage with the city and the Netherlands as much as possible. Biking in the city was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to meet people from a variety of backgrounds while also having the opportunity to travel both within the Netherlands and to other countries as well. As far as abroad experiences go, I think this one was fantastic.