After making the choice to do his exchange in Europe, Daniel debated on whether to go to London or Amsterdam. He chose Tio because it is located in the heart of Amsterdam and was recommended by one of the student counsellors at his home university Fairleigh Dickinson. This is his first time in Europe and since his arrival, he has visited Antwerp, Brussels, Paris and London. “The usual stuff you would expect an American to go see while in Europe” Daniel says.
Best of both worlds
Daniel grew up in Jersey in a town called Morristown. He has basically lived there all his life and visited New York city almost every weekend. Something most of us can only dream of. Daniel however puts this in prospective by saying: “It’s just like Dutch people telling an American that they frequently visit Amsterdam.” For his Dutch language and culture class he is preparing a presentation on the cultural differences between the Dutch and the Americans in which he plans to point out the funny misconceptions between the two cultures. Having lived in both worlds will give him a better cultural understanding.
Travelling throughout Europe
Growing up in Jersey Daniel tried out several sports, but the one Daniel stuck with for 7 years was taekwondo. Unfortunately since he started college, he hasn’t really had time to train. He also enjoys traveling and has travelled all over the United States. Since he has been here, he has discovered the low-cost carriers like Jet Air and Ryanair which have given him even more possibilities to travel. History is another one of his hobbies. While over here, he has visited several museums among which the Anne Frank house and the Rijksmuseum. During a field trip organised by Tio to the museum in Zaanse Schans, he also got to see windmills and lots of other Dutch traditions.
International kitchen
Amsterdam is much more picturesque than he expected. He thought Amsterdam would be a really modern city, but, much to his delight, there are still many traditional buildings left and a lot of culture. Daniel really likes his student housing. “This is my first time on my own. Before I came here, I only knew how to make a grilled cheese sandwich, but since I’ve been here, I’ve learned to cook for myself and sometimes for the other exchange students as well.” The other exchange students live in the same building or close by so they often cook for one another. A great way to get introduced to the international kitchen.
Hospitality
Daniel dreams of owning his own hotel one day in either Las Vegas or New York. “I’m really learning a lot from the hospitality lectures and classes at Tio. Especially the subject Rooms Division has given me some great skills and tools which I’m sure I can utilize in the future.” He would definitely recommend Tio to students at his home university and especially to the ones interested in hospitality.
Interested in doing an exchange? Whether you are a Tio student looking to go abroad or an international student looking to come to Tio as an exchange student, the International Office will be more than happy to answer your questions.
Follow Daniel on LinkedIn.