Amsterdam. Come at me
The preparation process for exchange is longer then the exchange itself. Your initial applications need to be submitted almost a year before your potential exchange. The wait to find out whether or not you have made the cut was excruciating and left me with a bittersweet response. I had been accepted, but not to my first choice university. At that point no other option seems to satisfy you. In the long run however, I ended up in the right place for me and couldn’t have asked for a better experience in Amsterdam.
With acceptance behind me, the real admin begins. Finding the courses in foreign universities which might overlap with those at UCT was interesting as they aren’t too keen to give their course material away. Eventually, we decided that the courses, my interest in hockey and British passport made Amsterdam the most effective choice. Getting the heads of department to sign off the courses to confirm that credits would cover is never easy, and the sinking feeling you get when they say its not close enough was devastating. It forced me to take courses I might not have taken otherwise and take an economics course through Unisa even. These courses are then all signed off by the dean and you become one step closer.
The housing process was made very simple for UVA as you just requested a spot through an external company and provided the price bracket you wished to be in. They then randomly allocate you to student housing around the city and guide you through the process of registering with the Dutch council.
We arrived in Amsterdam mid August, straight off an overnight train from Prague. Pouring rain. We were shoveled into a tent, which very efficiently moved us through all the necessary admin of being in Amsterdam and joining the university.
My accommodation was, lets say, simple. Some converted shipping containers which they had been trying to demolish for three years, or so the rumors said. It didn’t help that it was raining and muddy when we arrived. I shared an apartment with an American guy named Dan. There are no words to describe the weird and wonderful man with all his quirks and blunt conversation. We quickly got used to cooking for ourselves and the rooms were very irrelevant as we had made a good group of friends which trump the need for brick walls.
The Orientation, or ISN week, started the following day. We plunged into tours of the city and organized events to meet people. There were talks on the marking system, study requirements and a couple tips on looking like local. Going out every night and meeting people from all over the world was fascinating and daunting. Before we knew it, ISN week was finished and we were wandering around the city trying to find university buildings and classrooms while trying to stay alive on our newly acquired bicycles. The week had exposed us to most of the city, helped us gain our bearings and meet people - the basis for exchange survival.
The first two weeks went by in a flash as we enjoyed exploring our new home with new people and more excited energy then I have had ever before. I couldn’t wait to see what more Amsterdam and Europe had to offer.
Not like home
The academic set up could not have been more different. The semesters are split into two 8 week blocks and one 3 week block. We were only required to take the first two blocks with a minimum of three courses overall.
The first block I took advanced corporate finance and human resource management. The human resource management wasn’t tough but was quite time consuming. The finance really pushed me though as I hadn’t done the preceding course to this one. The very short structure meant that we had 6 weeks of lectures (consisting of 1 lecture and 1 workgroup per week) and then we wrote our exam. UCT provides you with many more lectures and many more weeks before you are expected to know the content. It all happened so fast and before I knew it, I was cramming away, trying to get through.
The second block was very relaxed. I was taking one course which meant I had one lecture and one workgroup per week. This allowed me to commit to as much travelling as possible. The classes were all in English and the majority of students were international. It was surprisingly hard to meet Dutch people.
South Africa has a very conservative culture and a big car culture. The lack of extensive public transport in South Africa means that cars dominate transport. In Amsterdam however, there are buses, trams and trains which allow you to get anywhere. That being said, very few locals use public transport as the country is so flat and geared for cyclists that the bike is the cheapest and most practical way to get around the city.
I was stuck in a habit of converting to Rands which revealed how expensive everything was, but for other exchange students this was normal and even cheaper, in some cases, than their home countries. You do quickly adapt to the price levels and know where to shop for the best value.
It was tough living with people from all over the world as what each of us consider normal is different. I struggled to get along with some people as they would do things which I irritated me but they couldn’t see what they had done wrong as to them it was acceptable. I have to learn to become more aware of cultural differences and be more tolerant of them.
Homeward Bound
Although emotional, the departure process was very simple. Exams all passed, all that was left to do was pack up my things and hand in my keys.
It sounds easy but saying goodbye to friends you have shared such a memorable experience with, and a city which has helped you grow and grow to love, is anything but easy. It is a bitter sweet final party during which all events are relived and memories shared, before you leave without any idea of when you will see these amazing people again. There is definitely some serious admin which goes into making an exchange possible but it is worth every minute.
I have learned to see the world with open eyes, aware of the possibilities and opportunities available. Some stereotypes are enforced while other are destroyed. I will feel more comfortable going into new environments and putting myself out there. A skill I have lacked for the greater part of my life which has immeasurable value to me. I know that my way of life works but it is not the only one that does, and you cannot judge anybody’s methods until you understand them and why they are there. Most importantly I have learnt that there are good people all over the world, excited to meet you and share experiences with you.
I missed South Africa on a couple occasions. By the time I came home I hadn’t seen proper sun in months and I couldn’t wait to be in a swimming pool. Its hard losing so much of the independence gain on exchange - your own transport around cities, countries and Europe as a whole without permission needed. It is difficult readjusting to South African life, but I’m excited for what has to come, knowing I have this amazing experience behind me and the world in front of me.