{"id":10137,"date":"2026-04-10T15:34:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T14:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/?p=10137"},"modified":"2026-04-10T15:34:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T14:34:09","slug":"my-study-abroad-experience-in-amsterdam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/2026\/04\/10\/my-study-abroad-experience-in-amsterdam\/","title":{"rendered":"My Study Abroad Experience in Amsterdam"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Going on a year abroad was always something I aspired to do as part of my\u00a0degree\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0never expected it to have as prominent\u00a0an\u00a0impact as it did.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0currently in the final year of my Criminology degree\u00a0in Manchester after spending the\u00a0previous\u00a0academic year studying at Vrije Universiteit\u00a0(VU)\u00a0in Amsterdam.\u00a0My year abroad is something I will never stop talking about.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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At VU, I studied within the social\u00a0sciences but\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0limited to criminology. I loved\u00a0the freedom to explore modules outside of criminology. I took classes in international politics and psycholinguistics, which really broadened my perspectives and introduced me to new topics.\u00a0This has also steered my future career prospects in a new direction,\u00a0establishing\u00a0a strong interest in international politics and security. The teaching approach here was a bit different\u00a0to my experience at\u00a0Manchester, with many group projects that gave me the wonderful opportunity to connect with a variety of students and learn about different perspectives from around the world. One key learning experience was a Negotiation Simulation of the African Union. It was such a unique experience and really helped build my confidence in\u00a0communicating ideas to other students.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I chose Amsterdam partly because I had never been before, and\u00a0it was\u00a0a great opportunity\u00a0to explore somewhere new. It is also\u00a0a great location\u00a0in central Europe for easy travel, especially with a citizen card.\u00a0During my year, I went on various trips\u00a0to cities\u00a0in and around the Netherlands, including\u00a0The\u00a0Hague, where I visited the International Criminal Court, which was especially interesting given my degree.\u00a0With the friends I had met\u00a0abroad, we\u00a0spent a lovely weekend together in a cozy cabin in the Dutch countryside and had an exciting long weekend exploring Barcelona.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Living in Amsterdam itself was amazing, cycling everywhere, and becoming familiar with the city, it was a gorgeous lifestyle.\u00a0My friends and I\u00a0quickly\u00a0settled in, starting weekly rituals of visiting new food spots and a coffee-and-stroll\u00a0through\u00a0Vondel Park.\u00a0We made the most of our time in the city, always eager to try\u00a0new places\u00a0and explore new areas.\u00a0Yet\u00a0we also cherished our familiar favourites, and I could happily\u00a0write\u00a0a whole book about some of my favourite spots and the wonderful memories\u00a0we’ve\u00a0created there.\u00a0Some of my favourite moments were the simplest ones, spending time with newfound\u00a0friends, going\u00a0to the beach, swimming in lakes,\u00a0going on boat tours, and\u00a0just taking in the city.\u00a0However,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not sure anything could beat\u00a0celebrating King\u2019s Day, where the entire city\u00a0turns orange and everyone parties in the streets. I\u00a0am now determined\u00a0to go back every year to celebrate.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More than anything,\u00a0my year abroad helped me\u00a0grow as a person. I was pushed out of my comfort zone and became confident in\u00a0who I am because of it.\u00a0I have made friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. I cannot recommend a year abroad enough; it was genuinely the best year of my life!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Written by Francessca Shakeshaft, a 3rd Year BA Criminology student.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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