'I decided to apply to the exchange programme at the University of Amsterdam and, although it was a little scary at first, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. From the city, that is beautiful, to the great academic environment and the friends I made for life, everything contributed to this wonderful experience, that I will forever carry in my heart.

I made the decision to study abroad because I wanted to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone, while also studying what I love, and the University of Amsterdam seemed like the perfect choice for that. Not only it provided a variety of courses to choose from (the majority in English), but also the liberty to choose what I actually liked and needed for my academic career. The city in itself played an important role in my decision as well, since it is so culturally rich and beautiful in a very unique way.

I could talk for hours about how great this experience was, but the truth is that it didn’t come without its challenges. A big change such as leaving your home and everything you know to go to a completely new and estranged place is very hard, specially if you are an introverted person, like me. I must admit that, in the first few weeks, I had difficulties in adjusting to the change, while also trying to deal with loneliness and homesickness. However, I eventually fell in love with my life here, thanks to the University, that was always available to offer support in any way, to the great friends I made and to a big change of mindset that involved me taking this opportunity to also know myself better and appreciate my own company more. So, from my personal experience, a welcoming University and a balance between moments with friends and moments alone are the main keys to the success of the exchange programme.

In hindsight, I loved this experience and I encourage everyone to do it. Not only it enriched my academic journey, by exposing me to teaching methods and points of view that were different from the ones I was used to, but it also contributed a lot to my personal growth. Thanks to this experience, I feel like my social skills and my sense of independence improved a lot and, most importantly, I learned a lot about myself, which probably would not have happened if it wasn’t for this opportunity.'