Studying Abroad: Suggestions?

[slycedbred]

Attention: Sorry guys, please move this to General Chat...Thanks

Hey there guys, I know many of you are well traveled and I'd love for some guidance...

Well, next fall I'm studying abroad in Maastricht, in the Netherlands (not Holland, as I've learned). I'm going with two other friends (who happen to be ladies if this is important in any way) that I know and there's going to be a total of about 50 people going. The studies are going to be entirely pre-med based (16 hours). This may sound intense, but I have a feeling that it's going to be a blowoff compared to what I'm doing now... Anyways, I'm not worried about the classes, but I'm very curious about the culture and I'd like to ask suggestions on where I should travel.

The website for my study abroad program is here:

http://www.baylor.edu/maastricht/

But I'll give a brief outline

Length: late august to late november 2008

Provided with: room and board (two meals, I heard they're nasty, so I'd like suggestions on where to eat as well)

3 month eurail pass

group trips to: amsterdam, berlin, padua, paris, and vienna

free bike rental

classes are scheduled through late october, with 4 weeks free for individual travel throughout western europe before returning to the US

To top it off, the cost of this trip is actually cheaper than that of Baylor's tuition (which is sky-high, totally not worth it, unless you have good scholarships)

Now for the questions:

Dress: I typically wear blazers, trousers, dress shirts, and dress shoes as a foundation. Naturally, I'm out of place even in my own country, where most wear shorts in the middle of the winter and flip flops while try to go jogging (wtf). The question is, would I be seen as overly pretentious if I arrived in Maastricht (and all other destinations) wearing such clothes? Also, it's going to be cold so I've been looking at overcoats too...Keep in mind that I'm 18 years old, half palestinian and half filipino. I look mostly palestinian, but I am dark-skinned (think aladdin's skin color). I generally wear a light bit of scruff, but keep it manicured. By that I mean that the lines are clean and I dont have hair where I don't want it to be.

So the overall question: Would what I wear be appropriate if I don't want to be immediately shut out from society? Is it the norm to wear clothes like that in Maastricht? If it isn't the norm, would it still be ok, because it's not the norm here and I'm doing just fine. Would I be seen as a foreigner because of my clothes, or simply a little eccentric? I realize my skin color alone will probably say I'm a foreigner, but will I come off as "stereotypically american"? If I am making a huge mistake, what should I wear? I do have other clothes, but tend to shun them. A quick note on my personality: I'm prefer to be around people, but also like my time alone. To put it more accurately, I like to know that I'm more than welcome should I choose to be around other people. When I need to be, I'm very amiable, but mostly to women...I guess I could be to guys too if I really wanted to be...In other words, I feel that the way I dress complements my personality.

Also, I'm wondering about coming off as having something worth stealing...Is this an issue?

Food: Where to eat? Not just in Maastricht but in all the locations that I'm going.

People: I've done my research and I believe that Maastricht is very liberal. Is this true? What about the other places that I'm traveling to? Will I encounter racism due to my skin color/last name (very arab)? How should I react to this? Also, would I be safe keeping my wallet and phone on the inside pockets of my blazers if I keep them buttoned up?

Is there going to be a language barrier? I should I try to learn their language? I believe Maastricht has its own dialect, how would I try to learn that? Or what language comes closest to it? I've read that maastricht has more belgian roots than dutch roots...

What to bring: I have no clue...camera (digital and disposable), cash (how much?), lap top, clothes?, should i bring my own food?

Local life: How should I go about blending in with the crowd? Where should I go? What should I do?

Travel: I GET A MONTH OF FREE TRAVEL!!!!!!!! But where should I go? what should I do?

Shopping: I love clothes. I like stores and I like thrift stores/vintage stores...Any suggestions?

Any other suggestions? Comments? Questions? I appreciate any advice given!

 

[Britalian]

Originally Posted by slycedbred

group trips to: amsterdam, berlin, padua, paris, and vienna



??? because??? Some medical reason???


Wear what you want and feel comfortable in. You're a student, not a diplomat.

 

[slycedbred]

Originally Posted by Britalian

??? because??? Some medical reason???


Wear what you want and feel comfortable in. You're a student, not a diplomat.

In my opinion, it's all a load under the guise of education(that's how I feel about almost all forms of education), but hey they may have something educational in store for me...If you really want to know what their reason is you can read the website. We're going to have an informational meeting where they'll provide us with more details so I only know the broad picture so far.

About wearing what I want...There are plenty ways of wearing what I want, but I want to wear what I want while not being the target of derision and inside jokes...Btw, do you also believe that the hawaiian shirt wearing, flip flop donning fanny pack wielding tourist should wear what he/she feels comfortable in?

I want to make friends, be part of the culture, and get everything I can out of this experience...I don't want something trivial to give me an unnecessarily hard time during my stay...

 

[Britalian]

If you want to fit in and not be derided I'd leave the Hawaiian shirt and flip flops at home (northern Europe in October and November might be a bit cold for this getup, too) and rely on the staple US student/young tourist garb of jeans/chinos, hoodies, Ts, Nikes, baseball cap and whatever else the young people of today wear. If you go the blazer, tie, slacks, laceups route you'll probably get some jibes (unless you can pull it off very well with an extreme air or sprezzatura). Some of the women/girls you want to impress might give you a second glance if you're a bit different, however.
I can't be arsed to visit the website; I just assumed that you would have an idea of the places you are visiting and why? Padua seems the odd one out in the list of Euro capitals you list. It's very nice, all the same.

 

[Garage/Surf Rock]

Believe me, this may sound trivial or whatever, but do NOT have a long distance relationship with someone back home while you're there. And the longer the duration of your program, the more this advice is true. Take it from me, someone who has personal experience in this respect, don't do the long distance thing with someone back home, unless you're married or very very seriously engaged.

As for the Arab part, I say learn about the recent history of the areas you're going to. Western Europeans can be surprisingly conservative and xenophobic, though that label is mostly reserved for certain regions of the good ol' US of A in many people's minds.

 

[slycedbred]

Britalian, I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I do not know particular reasons for WHY we're going to where we're going...In my defense, however, I'm in it for the ride, not the educational value...School is school, no matter where I go...It's just an inconvenience that I make the best of...Life outside of studies is where it's at. That's not to say that I take my studies lightly, because I'm aiming at a 4.0 GPA, I simply do not hold undergrad "education" on a high pedestal. Because of this I care only that I get to go to these amazing places, and I'm not really interested in why because, in my opinion, the reason is most likely a load of poo.

At the risk of sounding cocky, I can be a very charasmatic guy when I want/need to...That's why I feel that they way I dress is probably OK...I was more wondering along the lines of strict cultural no-no's that I may have been unaware of...

Garage/Surf Rock, that's very sound advice and I will not be pursuing a long distance relationship =)