Duncan Weij, student at Tio: "This year I started my international exchange related to the Minor Programme at Tio. I have studied the past two years at Tio following the Hotel and Event Management English course at Tio Amsterdam. The exchange programme is an amazing period that allows you to study abroad and experience the different city, culture and the opportunity of meeting so many people from all over the world that study other bachelor programmes."
"The Universities that the exchange programme offers allows you to study in another country and experience this different way of live. My first choice went immediately for Paris and the University ISG. The University is a business education aimed at finance, business commerce and marketing. Because I am studying Hotel and Event management I also wanted to gain more in depth knowledge in the financial aspects related to Hotels and Events. I believe that financial knowledge is very important and this particular University offered great courses with great professors from all over the world.
The city Paris and the University of ISG is different related to the way in which The Netherlands are arranging facilities such as housing, education and transportation. Think of the bureaucratic system of using paper documents instead of sending emails towards your professors or landlords. You have to get used to this but after 1 month the system is very easy. One particular addition to this is the language French. In the beginning of the exchange programme my French was not very developed and this was sometimes hard when buying groceries or arranging bank and insurance issues. After three months this problem was completely gone and my French knowledge of the culture and language is now at a point in which I can communicate easily with the Parisian’s.
This culture and language has to interest you and therefore you really have to work and not only study your courses but also studying an additional language.
I would recommend studying at this University and especially living in one of the most developed cities in the world related to the business aspect of the city. Think of brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Cartier and many more that come from Paris. Another great aspect of the city is the quality of life. Think for example of the products (Wine, Cheese, French Cuisine) and the particular way in which daily life is lived by the Parisian’s. The city Paris is one big mix of different cultures as well as the history that the city has. I lived next to the Eiffel tower and I experienced the city to the fullest using my bicycle every day, this in particular made my stay in Paris amazing. On top of that the Football EURO 2016 events and matches that were being held in France created more . Watching football matches with friends and having this event in the city made my stay unforgettable."
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