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STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM - STUDENT EXPERIENCES
Catherine Sanders How did you select your Study/Intern Abroad location? I knew that I wanted to go someplace where I could speak English, because unfortunately I didn't have the time to dedicate to learning another language. Europe has always been at the top of my list for places to go, but I had to rule out the UK , the obvious English-speaking area, since it's so expensive. After doing some research I found that 75% of the people in The Netherlands speak English well (and trust me – it's true!), so that fact and its great location in the middle of Europe helped me to decide to head off to Leiden in The Netherlands. Another important aspect was that the program at Webster University is affiliated with King's, so all of my grades transferred, not just the credits. Why did you want to study or intern abroad? I've always been interested in the cultures of other countries, so I knew when I started at King's that I definitely wanted to look into studying abroad. I took classes in every foreign language my high school offered, but in the end I wound up becoming a science major which doesn't leave much room for electives. Of course, I couldn't get rid of my love for foreign cultures, so I figured that studying abroad would be a great experience to add to my college career. What was the highlight of the experience? It's hard to pinpoint one specific moment that was the best out of my time in The Netherlands, but I think that celebrating their April 30 th holiday, Koninginnedag (Queen's Day), was one of my most favorite times there. Celebrating Queen's Day made a little part of me feel like I was Dutch as I wore the royal family's color with the rest of them to turn the country into a sea of orange. Not only do they show their pride by wearing orange, but the whole country turns into one giant outdoor party with concerts, carnivals and huge tax-free street markets in every town and city. Being American, it was definitely an odd experience to see how much goes into the celebration of their country's monarch, as well as the fact that it was perfectly acceptable for my friend and I to walk down the streets of Amsterdam with huge orange feather boas on as we hopped from one concert to the next! Actually, I think that visiting Amsterdam on Queen's Day would probably give you the perfect one-day crash course in Dutch culture. What surprised you the most? I thought I was prepared for any major differences that would trigger culture shock, but then it's always the little things that get to you. The Dutch ride bicycles everywhere, anytime and in any weather condition. Here, bike riding is seen more as a sport or a form of exercise – there, every family member owns one and uses it for transportation. I think the major reason is the size of the roads there (mostly all of them are still cobblestone) so cars aren't the most convenient way to get around. There are even special laws for bicyclists there (you need to have working lights installed, stay on special paths on the side of the roads, and follow the special bike traffic lights), and like people here who won't let a little snow keep them from driving their car to work, neither will the Dutch let it keep them from riding their bikes. I've witnessed multiple wipe-outs by the Dutch while riding their bicycles while it was snowing, as well as humorous attempts to ride through the crazy high-powered winds that usually accompanied rain storms. After a few months of living in The Netherlands, you finally get used to looking out for bikes instead of cars as you try to cross the street. How has (or how might) this experience affect your major and future career? My future goals include becoming a doctor, and I think that my experience abroad has helped me realize a lot about a wide range of different cultures, not just The Netherlands since the school I went to there was extremely diverse. I met a broad variety of people through Webster which ranged from, for example, working on projects with Dutch students to becoming good friends with my Ethiopian housemate. What would you tell students considering studying or interning abroad? I would tell them to definitely go, it's such a wonderful experience that I think everyone should study abroad! You'll not only have a lot of fun meeting new friends and exploring new places, you'll also learn a lot about yourself, another culture and consequently things about American culture that you may have taken for granted or never realized were unique. |
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