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I spent a recent Saturday biking through millions of tulips in the Dutch countryside. Alongside my new friends, we cycled past windmills, canals, and countless vibrantly colored tulips before we stopped next to some fields for a picnic. As I was biking, I reflected on how out of my comfort zone I felt when I first moved to Amsterdam and how much I had learned – about myself and the world – over the past semester.  
 
This winter and spring, I participated in the IES Abroad Amsterdam - Social Sciences and Humanities program, one of scores of approved programs available to ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students through its Office of Off-Campus Study and Exchanges. I chose Amsterdam because I felt up for the challenge of living independently in a European city. I wanted to experience studying at a European university and was drawn to the charm of the Netherlands’ scenic canals and bike culture.  
 
I knew I would be well supported in my decision by ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø because more than half of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students study abroad at some point during their college experience. As a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student, you can choose from 120 programs in 45 countries, which include ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø-run programs in England, France, New Zealand, and Spain, as well as shorter, faculty-led travel seminars. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø even has a First-Year Experience in London. 
 
That being said, moving to another country by yourself is still scary! As I carried my suitcase into my new apartment, it hit me that I was all alone in a foreign country without the support system I had built for myself at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.  
 
My first few weeks were filled with lots of new things: making new friends, learning a complicated public transit system, navigating the language barrier, and exploring the city. While I was used to going to ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s dining hall for tasty and healthy meals, I was now responsible for all of my grocery shopping and cooking. Suddenly, I was taking classes at the University of Amsterdam, a major research university with over 40,000 students in the center of Amsterdam. This was a very different experience to ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s tight knit community, small classes, and picturesque campus in Saratoga Springs.

 

Within just two months of being in the Netherlands, I made friends, found routines, and had experiences that made me love studying there. My favorite class was Highlights of Dutch Art History. Our professor was a Dutch art curator who took us on weekly field trips to museums and architectural sites, where we learned about the Netherlands’ rich art history and culture. Through this class we were granted a private tour of the Van Gogh Museum by the museum’s main curator, who educated us on Van Gogh’s life and work, as well as the many decisions behind curating such an important collection of art.  
 
On a different trip with IES in my second month, I met cows, made traditional gouda cheese, and learned about clog making at Clara Maria, a farm right outside of Amsterdam. In my free time, I regularly went to Amsterdam’s numerous bustling street markets, where I would eat two of my favorite Dutch desserts: stroopwafels and poffertjes (tiny pancakes covered in powdered sugar and butter). By the third month, I dressed up in orange to attend a spirited Netherlands verus Scotland football game, like a true fan.   

 
When I’m on campus at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, one of my favorite ways to spend my time is playing for the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Wombats, our ultimate frisbee team. It’s a spirited, dedicated and fun community that I knew I would miss dearly while abroad. Because of how much I love playing frisbee at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, I joined a student ultimate frisbee team in Amsterdam called NUTS Ultimate. It turned out to be an incredibly fun way for me to find routine and community in Europe. I attended weekly practices and bonded with the very international team, making friends with individuals from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, and Singapore. I got to know my teammates through regular social outings, such as ice skating and boat rides on Amsterdam’s canals.  
 
After this semester, I have learned so much about other cultures and ways of life. I am more independent, confident in my ability to navigate a foreign country on my own, and I have faced countless real-world challenges that have taught me skills I will use for the rest of my life.