My Study Report Marijn Covers
I, Marijn Covers, went on a study programme to the Northern Arizona University in the fall semester of 2017. The reason I chose this particular place, in the United States, is because I wanted to follow courses in Applied Indigenous Studies. I am very interested in the Native American culture and history, therefore, this University was an excellent place to learn about Native American society. In fact, the programme provided me with knowledge and tools to contribute to the sustainability of Indigenous communities in the 21th century. The course prepared me to apply Native ways of knowing for the benefit of Indigenous communities within the United States and abroad. In addition, I followed Archaeology courses in order to prepare for my Master programme beginning February 2018. The master is part of the Faculty of Archaeology. However, my major American Studies did not touch upon the study of Archaeology, therefore, this exchange helped me to prepare for the submission process.
During my exchange, I increased my English speaking and writing skills. In my courses, I interacted with American students which helped me to develop different
perspectives and the cross cultural understanding helped me further in my education about Native American communities. Each course was filled with many short assignments which enabled me to improve my English daily
The costs of living were expensive in Flagstaff, however, I was prepared for this before my arrival. I did not have a meal plan and therefore I could control my own food supply. This enabled me to manage my expenses on a daily basis. Also the outdoor trip to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and many National parks were not always cheap. However, all these experiences were very rewarding.
The preparation and contact with the faculty before went very smoothly. The exchange coordinator replied quickly and if I had concerns or questions, they always helped me out.
However, it was a lot of preparation. Especially the visa application was a long process.
During my exchange, I never had any problems or issues regarding my courses or stay at the Campus. After my stay, they were still offering help in regard to official documents or result transcripts.
My housing was nice. First they placed me in South Village campus which was far away in regard to other campuses. I asked if it was possible to move to the International Campus Height. After my first three weeks, they informed me I could move to the
International apartments. This was very pleasant since I was closer to downtown Flagstaff
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and closer to my new friends. I stayed with two roommates, one American and one Spanish.
This was very nice since I was surrounded with International people that did not speak my language. This enabled me to improve my English on a daily basis and to get to know
different cultures. The apartment itself was a pleasant place. The big kitchen and living space was enjoyable. The bedrooms were small and I shared it with one roommate which was nice but there was little privacy.
I very much enjoyed the American culture. Flagstaff is a very pleasant environment with a relax atmosphere. Students are open-minded which felt very heartwarming for me. I enjoyed to meet a lot of Americans and I realized that I definitely want to go back to the United States. There is a lot of space which gave me a sense of freedom which I do not experience in the Netherlands. In addition, the student town was very nice to visit. Many cozy bars and enjoyable cafes to hang out. I often went shopping during the day or biked around the town. During my free time, I went to a lot of outdoor places in Arizona. The environment is breathtaking. It often felt like I was living in a movie script. The mountains and landscape is very Western and it sometimes felt as if I was 150 years back in time. In addition, I met a lot of new people who I went out with on Thursday’s and Friday’s. There was one particular bar I always went to, to hang out with my friends.
I did a lot of traveling by car since this was cheap and you could go with a big group. It is very easy to rent a car in Flagstaff. Many people did this because it was simple to arrange. I also visited some friends in Detroit, which was a 5-hour flight, however, since you are already in the United Stated, fighting is very easy as well.
Overall, I very much enjoyed my exchange. It was a once in a lifetime experience which I will never forget. I met new people, experienced new cultures and actually lived in the United States instead of only visiting it. My courses on Native culture were very special.
One night, I was invited with my fellow classmates to my Native teachers’ house to have diner. It was very unique to be surrounded by Native people only. They gave me a lot of insights about their culture. These communities still face a lot discrimination, racism and oppression. Therefore, this exchange made me realize that the Native American community needs a voice in today’s American society. At last, I am thankful for this overall exchange experience.
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