A little more than one month since I landed in Amsterdam has passed and I discovered that life here happens on wheels. Yes, I know, this is no news for anyone. But what we don’t really hear about is how it feels like to be on wheels here. When you are riding through Amsterdam you are faced with beautiful views no matter where you. Literally, no exceptions. Either on your way to the university or to have dinner at your friend’s house or even to do your groceries at the closest supermarket, the impressions you get from your bike are never disappointing. And, yes, as I already knew the rains are unpredictable and can catch you on your way when you are least expecting them; however, they also catch you on a sunshine day and, if you have a raincoat (top priority here), you won’t be bothered. In fact, you will testify quick rising rainbows that will astonish you with the beguiling contrast of rain and sun.
My first period of the Marketing Masters at VU Amsterdam is almost over and a one-word definition for it would be intense. I was surprised by the big amount of readings we have to do for each class and the effortful workgroup assignments we have to prepare for the tutorials. But it all pays off when you know you are actually learning a lot and gaining the most from the topic you decided to study, marketing in my case. The dynamics of the course is perfect, a good mix between theoretical knowledge and practical cases we need to solve with our group teammates.
I will leave the entertaining part of my first days in Amsterdam to be told by the video below. As you will see, your bike will be your new best friend here. And your other new best friends will also appear in no time, as you will meet dozens of international students in your first weeks.
Hope you enjoyed reading and that one day you can also experience the exhilarating student life in Amsterdam. Enjoy the video!
José