A highlight of studying Dutch at Calvin
Dutch Interim Abroad
Students can experience Dutch culture and everyday life by spending an interim in the Netherlands. This course features numerous contacts with the Dutch as well as museum visits, excursions, concerts, church services, and sightseeing. Depending on language background of participating students, some may also receive several days of formal language instruction from a local Dutch language teacher. Lodging includes several home stays with Dutch hosts. Local and intercity travel is done primarily via the efficient bus and rail systems. Extended stays include the major cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Middelburg, with numerous excursions to cities including Gouda, Haarlem, The Hague, as well as to the province of Friesland and to cities in Belgium. The course concludes with free days for independent travel. Course goals are that students demonstrate gains in Dutch language skills and that understanding of various religious, political, and broadly cultural facets of the Low Countries is increased. Students demonstrate achievement of these goals in journal writing, field assignments, and in a concluding writing project. Students with skills in the Dutch language are given priority.
