Study abroad report by Martzen Willemsma • Your study program
I studied at the Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, for four months, which is one semester. I had a wide array of choices in courses, since the only requirement (apart from the level) for a study-abroad period in American Studies is that the courses are in some way related to the U.S. So, having an interest in the Constitution and the criminal justice system of the U.S., among others, I easily chose a couple of courses and enlisted for them. For some of my preferred courses I was put on a waitlist, but I
eventually (last month or so) got enrolled in five courses I really wanted. That is one above the required amount, because I simply wished to take an online course that sparked my interest. Anyway, most of my courses turned out to be very interesting, while one of them was a lot of work without much benefit. I noticed that the U.S. still has an educational system of vast amounts of literature, many exams/essays, and a lot of homework that counts towards your grade. However, the material we discussed in class and read for our homework was far easier to understand than the complex material I had gotten used to in the Netherlands. The strict grading and examination I was used to was also not present. It was very interesting to experience this different education system and to learn more about the topics I was interested in and for which the possibilities at the RUG were already exhausted.
• Language
Before my exchange I did not expect any problems with a language barrier or
something, but I have to say that it does take a little time to get used to only speaking English to others. When I got back, I was so glad to speak Dutch at the supermarket again! Also, even though I usually do not have many problems expressing myself in English, I started to notice that I could still improve my vocabulary, since some topics are simply rarely discussed in English at home, but you might still wish discuss them abroad. • Finance and other conditions
Living in Flagstaff was more expensive than I had thought! Living expenses were extremely high, food was always more expensive than you thought, and you always spend more than you wanted on the whole experience, because of trips, souvenirs, etc. It was also very annoying to only find out the total price of things at the register,
because they exclude tax on the prices in stores.
• Preparation and contacts with the faculty before, during and after your stay
Most of the contact with the university before my exchange went fine. I could find a lot of information on their website and if I had questions, the staff was helpful. The
university also sent out an incredible amount of reminders and information via mail, so there was little chance of missing anything. The teachers were a little slower with their information, since we only got syllabi and book requirements a week before class started or even in the first week. Other preparations, like a visa, was a lot of work and took a lot of time, but in the end, all was clear and it all worked out. During the exchange, the staff was intent on informing and helping any internationals with anything and after my exchange I still get emails about what I still have to do to
complete my stay. One little issue I encountered was that the international coordinator for courses takes a lot of time off, so sometimes you would have to wait longer for replies to urgent questions.
• Housing
The university had several on-campus housing options, but I found out later that
exchange students rarely get placed in any other building than the I-House or one other building. Sadly, the private rooms in all on-campus buildings were already taken (even when I applied extremely quick), so I chose to stay off-campus. Flagstaff also has a lot of apartment buildings for students around campus, so most of them were within walking distance. I arranged my stay through a facebook-group where students try to find someone to take over their lease. I ended up in a 3 bedroom apartment at The Grove. I had a private bedroom and bathroom and shared the living room with two American girls and a dog. From there I could walk to campus in 10 minutes and take the university shuttles to anywhere on campus (which you need). I also enjoyed not being a part of the international community, because I wanted to be immersed in the American culture, instead of flocking to the other Dutch people in campus. By the way, housing in one of these apartment buildings was only a little bit more expensive than the university dorm-room housing.
• Culture
One the one hand, U.S. culture is a western culture and therefore similar to the Netherlands, but on the other hand, you can notice so many differences. Day-to-day differences include the mode of transport (cars), education methods, greeting, etc. And other differences are embedded in the history and ideology of people. I noticed that even though Flagstaff is quite liberal, the thinking there and in other places I visited is still quite conservative. The cultural traditions in the U.S., like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Tequila Sunrise, were a lot of fun to experience, though.
• Free time
Sadly, during my exchange I did not have a lot of free time. I spent a lot of time on homework and assignments, so next to daily chores and such, you have to make time to relax and some time for fun! While I was in Flagstaff, I visited the Grand Canyon and Sedona, both beautiful places! My other free time I spent hanging out with my roommate (and her dog) or with some friends I made in a student club. • Travelling
Like I said, I did not have a lot of time for travelling while I had to study, but when the semester was over, I packed up my stuff and set out for a trip of three weeks. I had planned my flight ticket back to the Netherlands to leave from Washington, D.C., so somehow I had to end up there at the return date. First, I wished to explore the west coast and took a train to Los Angeles, where I got to experience some of the most amazing places, like Universal Studios at New Years’ Eve. Then I took a bus to San Francisco and saw the Golden Gate Bridge. Finally I flew to Washington for the governmental buildings and monuments. Even though the travelling cost a lot, it was worth every cent, because it made my stay abroad complete!
• Other
Studying abroad is extremely important for everyone who wants to broaden their horizon. You get to know yourself better, because it is not always easy, but you get through it. You learn to see things from a different perspective and sometimes get to know what really matters to you. And most of all, you can come back a changed person.
