SEMESTER ABROAD:
UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT
I spent the Spring 2022 Semester studying abroad in the Netherlands. I lived in a city called Utrecht, 30 minutes south (by train) from Amsterdam. It was such a beautiful city to live in. I would definitely recommend that anyone visiting the Netherlands should spend more time in smaller Dutch cities like Utrecht, Hoorn, Geithoorn, Zaanse Schans, Rotterdam, and more instead of the overly touristic Amsterdam. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see a collage of images from my time abroad!
After wanting to study abroad for 2 years in which the coronavirus inhibited me from traveling, I was unsure where to go for my exchange semester. I had been debating graduating early, but I knew I would regret not taking this time to explore the world. I chose the Netherlands partially because I was not able to qualify for the Spain exchange programs, but boy am I glad that I chose that beautiful country. I have some Dutch heritage so I thought it could be interesting to explore the country, but I also love cows and beautiful landscapes, both present in Holland. Despite the fact that Holland is not all windmills, clogs, cows, and canals, I still went to some older Dutch cities to learn about old traditions and history of the nation. I made these trips with many of my international friends from all over the world. It was amazing to get to see their perspectives on things compared to mine. Here we are pictured trying to fit in a giant clog at Zaanse Schans. I was so thankful for the efficiency and ease of the Dutch, and European, public transportation systems. Growing up in the States, you think you need to take a car everywhere, but public transport really made it so easy to explore the Netherlands and beyond. That is something I definitely miss about Europe.
Zaanse Schans, the stereotypical Dutch City!
Coasting through the narrow canals of Geithoorn!
The Dutch Train System has my heart!
I did not want to be one of those students that studies abroad and is traveling every weekend, but never takes in the environment around them, the culture of the country they are actually living in. I kept an open mindset and tried to expand my adaptability. One of the first weeks in Utrecht, my friend and I took the wrong train and ended up in the small fishing town of Hoorn. We decided to stay and make the most of it. It was actually one of my favorite Dutch cities, but I would have never known that if I did not take the risk and go with the flow. I am a big planner and things cannot and will not always go to plan. I was met with other challenges while traveling through Germany on a holiday. The German train system always has issues and they only made the announcements in German. I had to get out of my shell and communicate with my train neighbors to understand what was going on. This led to me befriending a Dutch man, a German man, and an Austrian woman. We had riveting conversations, and it ended up being one of the most fun tarin rides I had been on, despite it also being one of the longest. This taught me to stay positive and never make assumptions about anyone or anything. Germans are not mean as some stereotypes had told me. Meeting new people from different places always allows you to see a different perspective!
Over my time in the Netherlands, I got to have many different experiences. First, I was paired with a Dutch student who was my "buddy" during the exchange semester. He showed me Dutch culture and I answered questions for him regarding the States, given he was studying abroad in Texas the next semester. I also was a part of an international student organization, and the majority of my friends were also international students. There was such a community and family of people that formed throughout the exchange. I enjoyed meeting people from all over and exchanging facts about our nations. Most people know a lot about the States from TV shows and social media, but I did not know as much about each individual country of my peers. I found it fascinating that many of the stereotypes I had in my head about certain countries were not true. This shows that you cannot really judge something or someone without immersing yourself in the subject or educating yourself extensively. I did not take any coursework relating to my home university major of animal sciences, but I was able to learn about differences in veterinary medicine between the States and Holland by speaking with a professor at the veterinary school in Utrecht. I also was able to visit many small family farms with goats, sheep, and cows. Nevertheless, I enjoyed stepping outside of my usual animal sciences realm with my coursework and experiences. I think it made me a more well-rounded individual.
Sailing through the canals of Amsterdam!
After the King's Day Boat Parade!
