Living with native speakers seemed the best choice: it was not only great fun seeing the city and country through the eyes of Dutch students, but instantly removed any hint of a culture shock.
Charlie
University of Sydney
"Studying at Erasmus University Rotterdam on exchange was the best thing I have ever done in my life. Having studied three and half years for my degree already and having travelled around Europe before, I didn’t think I would come across altogether new experiences at Erasmus.
With exchange in Rotterdam however, I found myself caught up in some of the most exciting trips I have ever been on, learning from some of the best teachers I have ever had and experiencing the greatest opportunities to further my personal growth. Living away from home for the first time, I was apprehensive about finding a house and meeting roommates. Asking around other international and Dutch students, I was able to find a house relatively easily, and ended up living with three Dutch guys. Looking at my fellow exchange co-eds, living with native speakers seemed the best choice: it was not only great fun seeing the city and country through the eyes of Dutch students, but instantly removed any hint of a culture shock. Getting to know Rotterdam was great, and if I could give any advice I would implore any potential students to get a bike as soon as possible. If you don’t ride, you will have to learn. Rotterdam is a fantastic city to ride around, especially if you come from a city without much opportunity to ride. Coming from another harbour city, I found the unique architecture running along the banks of the Maas beautiful, especially from the perspective of the bridge-run, which links the three main bridges together in a 5km track. Studying at Erasmus will also give you a chance to visit other parts of the Netherlands, and indeed other parts of Europe. Travelling is cheap and easy and the places you can go inexhaustible. What you get out of exchange will be exactly what you put in. If you move out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself, you will come away from this period with the most memorable experiences of your life and some of the best friends you have ever made. I could not recommend this opportunity enough."