ERASMUS STUDIES 2012/2013

Student`s info:

Name: Kristaps

Last name:Meiers

Age: 21

Gender: Male

Home Institution: Rīgas Juridiskā augstskola (LV RIGA34)

Country of Home Institution: Latvia

Host Institution: Vrije University of Amsterdam

Subject Area: Law

Length of Study Period: One semester

Student`s story and pictures:

I had a wonderful chance to live and study abroad for one semester in the

Netherlands, Amsterdam. There are a lot of reasons why I decided to apply for this

exchange program but the core in a broader sense to my decision making was firstly

international experience and secondly the life on the “other side of the curtain”. One

thing that was most appealing about my destination was the Erasmus support group

by which I mean there was a student organization and a great program set out for

incoming international students which helped to start their journeys. During my stay

they organized a lot of events that helped in the first parts of communication and

getting to know each other. Just as an example I could mention one of the trips to

classical Dutch village that I had pleasure to join.

Trip to Volendam

In short the organizational skills of receiving university were amazing together with

locals who were very welcoming and supportive.

Having so many possibilities and so much support gives you a bigger control over

your experience. The study process was great. It was all balanced out and although

you had to study hard it never felt like too much in combination with your personal

activities outside of university. Professors were always well prepared and delivered at

their top performance. At least if felt like that.

Having this very well organized study process added even more to your control over

your experience. Managing your free time becomes even easier. What helped even

more was the location of study campus where I lived. Firstly it was a great place to

live in with around 4000 students around you and secondly it was not too far from

university and a bike ride from city center although a tram or a metro is also a good

way to travel. I want to point out that this is another interesting topic to mention

which is unique in Netherlands. Traveling by bike in your daily life is a whole new

experience. The point that I want to make here is that overall there are a lot of these

small things and details that add to your experience. When taking this trip I did not

make many expectations but the ones I had in the back of my mind were not even

close to what I experience. This is definitely a life changing experience. Some may

even call it an eye opening experience which definitely depends on the individual. All

in all it is a challenging trip. I am not afraid to say that it was a life changing

experience for me. This is not a challenge only for you, this is challenge for your

family, friends and everyone else that is together with you on this trip both at home

and next to you in your student dorms or university.

Queens Day – historical event that happened during my stay because of crowning of

the new king, next year it will be Kings Day