International Student Exchange Program (ISEP)
Meet the Students
Alexandria A. is a Communications major at WCSU who spent the Spring of 2012 in Amsterdam. When she returned, she became an ISEP Ambassador to promote Study Abroad at WCSU.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Universiteit van Amsterdam:
Alexandria A. attended Universiteit van Amsterdam in the Spring of 2012.
What were your favorite and least favorite
foods?
Alexandria: The Netherlands is not necessarily known for its
dishes and cuisine. However, they are well known for their Dairy
products, especially Cheeses. Stroopwaffles and Poffertjes are two
very delicious sweets/treats. In Amsterdam, French Fries are also
eaten regularly with Mayonnaise. Finally, being a multicultural
city, you can find Moroccan, Turkish, Thai, Italian, Argentine, and
so many other different types of food.
Did you travel a lot?
Alexandria: Yes, I traveled to all the major cities in The
Netherlands (Deflt, Rotterdam, Leiden, Utrecht, The Hague). I also
traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark; Berlin, Germany; Prague, Czech
Republic; Hungary, Budapest; and Brussels, Belgium.
What did you do during your free time?
Alexandria: Other than traveling and schoolwork, I attended a
number of events that were put on by the Internal Student Network.
The ISN was an organization at UvA, and had weekly-biweekly
activities for international students. Amsterdam also has dozens of
museums and sites to visit that I would visit during down time. With
the core group of friends I made, we also had group dinners and
nights out on the town.
What were your favorite and least favorite
things to do while abroad?
Alexandria: My favorite thing was the traveling and learning of
different cultures. The only downside was the amount of paperwork
and procedures that came with being an international student at UvA.
Was communicating easy?
Alexandria: In Amsterdam, communicating was very easy. I was
fortunate enough to live in a city and country where many people
spoke English. The locals also were always helpful and willing to
help you if you were having trouble.
What difference did you find with regards to
academics?
Alexandria: I found that there was a much greater demand from
the professors. Although my courses only met once a week, a great
deal of independent work and reading was required outside of the
classroom. The semester at UvA was divided into three different
blocks, so students normally only took one to three courses per
block. Finally, all of my classes had very little graded work, and
final grades were often based on a few long written assignments and
a presentation.
What advice would you give to other students
traveling abroad?
Alexandria: Get out and completely immerse yourself in the whole
country (not just your home town/city) and culture. Six months goes
by so quickly-you do not want to look back and regret not doing
everything you had hoped. If
you are in a university with a large number of International
students, try and meet others who aren’t just other American
students. Also research your home university and country before
traveling - it is great to know basic phrases, greetings, and
customary behavior.
