studentsineurope

As I continue planning my backpacking, figuring out how to get from a lot of random A’s to a bunch of unusual B’s, I’m running across quite a few helpful websites. My most recent favorite is a Dutch site, lowcostairlines.nl. Be warned, the site is actually in Dutch with no way to switch it to [...]

It’s no Rio de Janeiro, but Carnival in Maastricht is still a big deal.
Maastricht is a small, picturesque town in the Southeast corner of the Netherlands and is known as Holland’s capital of Vasteloavend, or Carnival.  Modeling its Fat Tuesday celebration off the famous gala in Venice, Carnival in Maastricht promises three days full of parades, dancing, [...]

Thinking of studying abroad but not sure where to go?  Consider the Netherlands for a unique educational experience in a fantastic central location.
As the first non-English-speaking country to offer courses taught in English, Holland now has nearly 1,500 international programs taught entirely in English (meaning there is no pressure to learn Dutch, an extremely difficult [...]

A stuffed blonde monkey with his paw up in warning, a pair of slingback heels mounted on a tire, a porcelain vase… topped with a head.
Ah yes, another art fair has begun.
This time it’s in Rotterdam – the new Amsterdam alternative (think Chicago to New York or Berlin to, well, everywhere). Cheaper, tougher and not yet laden [...]

Let’s face it: even when traveling or living in a new culture, surrounded by people who speak a different language or just do things differently than us, most of us still try to seek out something familiar in our surroundings instead of completely embracing our new lifestyle.
In my case, I will sadly admit that even [...]

I’ve never been a huge fan of gin.  If I’m craving a cocktail, I would much rather have a mojito or a whiskey and 7up than a gin and tonic.  But when I found out that gin, or rather, jenever, is a Dutch specialty, I figured I should give it a try.
Jenever (also known as [...]

The sunny, cold winter days in Amsterdam make me never want to leave the city again.
To fully enjoy the Dutch winters, take a walk, rent a bike, or even hop on a canal cruise and take in all the beauty that the city has to offer.  You won’t be disappointed.

Forbes Magazine recently ranked the top five smartest cities in the world, and not many cities in the advanced industrial world made the cut.  In fact, Amsterdam was the only city in Western Europe to meet its stringent standards.  The city of tulips and canals was ranked fifth after Singapore, Hong Kong, Curitiba, Brazil, and [...]

It may still be 50 degrees and raining outside in Amsterdam, but that doesn’t mean the Dutch haven’t started to lace up their skates for the start of this winter’s ice skating season.
Winters in Amsterdam used to get frosty and frigid, and Hollanders would flock to the canals by the hundreds to take advantage of [...]

A little history behind the celebration of Saint Nicholas.