My time abroad has been an amazing, exciting, and enriching experience thus far! I cannot believe that it is already nearly halfway over, so it is bittersweet to be writing this. My first piece of advice for students studying abroad is to try to make the most of every moment because it will go by in a flash. This may be a bit cliché, but it's definitely something to keep in mind.
Amsterdam has been incredible. The people here are very warm and welcoming, and everyone I've encountered speaks great English, so there's no need to learn Dutch (although if you would like to learn it, there are certainly a lot of benefits). The city feels a bit smaller than I expected, but I think this is a good thing as it gets quite comfortable and familiar after a short time. Still, it is very beautiful, and there is no shortage of things to do.
Everything is quite accessible via the metro, but I personally would also recommend getting a bike; the city is built for biking, and sometimes you'd have to walk quite far to get places. I have gotten a monthly bike rental called Swapfiets, which is quite affordable and has many options. There's lots of amazing music, nightlife, museums, sightseeing, etc. If you're a fan of house or techno music, there is plenty of great clubs and venues to go to. The weather has been quite cold and rainy so far, but I honestly haven't minded it too much. However, I hear that the city gets much more lively in the spring as it warms up, so I'm certainly looking forward to that.
The Netherlands is not necessarily known for its food, but I've certainly enjoyed it thus far. Dutch dishes consist of a lot of fried food, meats, and cheeses, as well as some great sweets like pancakes, waffles, and other pastries and candies. One of my favorite dutch snacks is called 'bitterballen', which are deep-fried balls of meat ragout. The Dutch are also known for their licorice, but most non-Dutch people (including myself) do not like it; it's quite a strong and bitter flavor.
Another thing I've loved about Amsterdam is how central it is; it is quite easy to travel to other places in Europe. This is my first time overseas, so I want to travel as much as possible. So far, I went to Paris for a weekend, which was amazing, and I have plans to go to Belgium, London, Berlin, and the French Alps, which are all just a few hours away by train or bus (although the Alps and Berlin are quite a bit further than the other places I mentioned). As part of the program, I also went on a weekend trip to Delft, a historical Dutch village not far outside of Amsterdam. It was very quaint and beautiful. There were lots of great museums, markets, and historical sites.
As for school, I have very much enjoyed studying at Vrije University (or, as most people call it, 'the VU'). The academics are quite a bit different; the grading system is from 1-10, but students very rarely receive a grade above an eight and almost never above a 9. I've found that it is much more independent: fewer assignments but more readings and independent work, so it's important to hold yourself accountable. Also, instead of a typical semester system, the school operates on a "period" system, with three periods per semester (although the third one is optional), so each course is two months long; you will only have a few courses per period, but they are faster paced than you may be used to. It has certainly taken some getting used to, and it has been a bit challenging but definitely not too difficult to handle.
Overall, my semester has been amazing so far! I could not recommend Amsterdam enough, and I am excited to see what's in store for me for the rest of my time here!
Gavin Gammon
GW Exchange - Vrije University Amsterdam
Spring 2023
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
Political Science Major