THE VIENNESE FALL
Alexandra (Ali) Thompson, 2011: Vienna is a mix of history, culture, public services and natural features. It has a fantastic public transit system which provides access to urban amenities and the natural areas surrounding the city. My favorite memories of Vienna (besides all the delicious coffee and cakes) are my weekend walks along the designated Stadtwanderwege (city hiking paths) in the hills around the city. The city’s website (http://www.wien.gv.at/) provides an impressive amount of information about resources and events in the city (including the hiking paths), and there is always something going on in town.
Conducting research in Vienna was a great experience. The faculty and staff at the host institution (RUW at WU) were fantastic. Additionally, with Vienna’s wealth of resources and friendly and approachable people, getting access to information and receiving assistance with my project was easier than I expected.
My housing situation ended up being a headache. I signed up for international student housing through OeAD. Although they have decent housing facilities, the OeAD office is very difficult to work with, and some of their housing locations are better than others. After my third move in two months, I finally ended up in an OeAD flat I really liked.
THE DUTCH ADVENTURE
Garret Wanjala, 2012: Sleep-deprived and meandering down a narrow, brick-paved street, lined with Medieval-looking row houses. That’s where I found myself just a few hours after arriving in Groningen. I was looking for this big public square called the “Grote Markt” where I would be meeting several other NEURUS fellows. The Grote Markt, as you will discover, is in the heart of Groningen, both literally and figuratively. When I finally found it, I was surprised to discover that the entire square had been converted into a mini amusement park. It was part of a celebration for the municipal holiday, the “Liberation of Groningen.” You will most likely arrive in Groningen during this celebration. I highly recommend the Mousetrap roller coaster.
I do not, however, recommend waiting until you arrive in Groningen to write the ICURD papers. Trust me, you don’t want those hanging over your head when you’re learning to pole dance during ESN Introduction Week – this may seem really undergrad-y, but I am so happy I signed up for it – or when you’re buying North African goodies at Le Souk. Waiting to write the papers will also prevent you from starting to do the research you are so eager to do. Speaking of which, be prepared to change your topic. I’ve only been here for three weeks, and I’ve already significantly altered my proposal. The program coordinator, Paul van Steen, expects this and will provide resources for you no matter which direction you choose to go in. Both Paul and Professor Ashworth, a well-known scholar of heritage planning, have been extremely helpful as I’ve refined my research topic, and just experiencing the city has altered the course of my research in surprising and exciting ways. Groningen is a fantastic place to do research, but the NEURUS experience is also about so much more than that. Enjoy the ride, Mousetrap roller coaster and otherwise.
Elizabeth Corrado, 2012: Groningen and NEURUS have been, from my experiences thus far, excellent partners. The city has a great deal to offer those interested in urban planning—everything from a semi-permanent Occupy camp to historically compact development and a necessary mastery of water management. I’ve loved the manageable size of the city and University, while still stumbling upon new areas on every meandering bike ride. Integration into city and student life has been less challenging than expected, aided in part by enrolling in the mandatory Dutch course for the 3 week intensive period prior to the start of the school year and by participation in activities for international students run by the Erasmus Student Network.
I would recommend, to the extent possible, preparing the Distance Learning Course papers prior to your arrival in Europe. I chose to live in a private residence with my own bedroom and a shared kitchen and bathroom. My experience with the housing office has been a bit disappointing and expensive- I would recommend exploring alternatives, including the possibility of dorms, or as they’re called here, ‘student houses.’ Finally, as I have discovered, it is much less complicated to sort out the NEURUS fellowship, financial aid, and capstone projects while you are in Champaign-Urbana, so ensure that all your ‘ducks are in a row’ prior to leaving for a city that you will fall for- guaranteed.
THE BERLIN EXPERIENCE
Alexandra (Ali) Thompson, 2011: Vienna is a mix of history, culture, public services and natural features. It has a fantastic public transit system which provides access to urban amenities and the natural areas surrounding the city. My favorite memories of Vienna (besides all the delicious coffee and cakes) are my weekend walks along the designated Stadtwanderwege (city hiking paths) in the hills around the city. The city’s website (http://www.wien.gv.at/) provides an impressive amount of information about resources and events in the city (including the hiking paths), and there is always something going on in town.
Conducting research in Vienna was a great experience. The faculty and staff at the host institution (RUW at WU) were fantastic. Additionally, with Vienna’s wealth of resources and friendly and approachable people, getting access to information and receiving assistance with my project was easier than I expected.
My housing situation ended up being a headache. I signed up for international student housing through OeAD. Although they have decent housing facilities, the OeAD office is very difficult to work with, and some of their housing locations are better than others. After my third move in two months, I finally ended up in an OeAD flat I really liked.
THE DUTCH ADVENTURE
Garret Wanjala, 2012: Sleep-deprived and meandering down a narrow, brick-paved street, lined with Medieval-looking row houses. That’s where I found myself just a few hours after arriving in Groningen. I was looking for this big public square called the “Grote Markt” where I would be meeting several other NEURUS fellows. The Grote Markt, as you will discover, is in the heart of Groningen, both literally and figuratively. When I finally found it, I was surprised to discover that the entire square had been converted into a mini amusement park. It was part of a celebration for the municipal holiday, the “Liberation of Groningen.” You will most likely arrive in Groningen during this celebration. I highly recommend the Mousetrap roller coaster.
I do not, however, recommend waiting until you arrive in Groningen to write the ICURD papers. Trust me, you don’t want those hanging over your head when you’re learning to pole dance during ESN Introduction Week – this may seem really undergrad-y, but I am so happy I signed up for it – or when you’re buying North African goodies at Le Souk. Waiting to write the papers will also prevent you from starting to do the research you are so eager to do. Speaking of which, be prepared to change your topic. I’ve only been here for three weeks, and I’ve already significantly altered my proposal. The program coordinator, Paul van Steen, expects this and will provide resources for you no matter which direction you choose to go in. Both Paul and Professor Ashworth, a well-known scholar of heritage planning, have been extremely helpful as I’ve refined my research topic, and just experiencing the city has altered the course of my research in surprising and exciting ways. Groningen is a fantastic place to do research, but the NEURUS experience is also about so much more than that. Enjoy the ride, Mousetrap roller coaster and otherwise.
Elizabeth Corrado, 2012: Groningen and NEURUS have been, from my experiences thus far, excellent partners. The city has a great deal to offer those interested in urban planning—everything from a semi-permanent Occupy camp to historically compact development and a necessary mastery of water management. I’ve loved the manageable size of the city and University, while still stumbling upon new areas on every meandering bike ride. Integration into city and student life has been less challenging than expected, aided in part by enrolling in the mandatory Dutch course for the 3 week intensive period prior to the start of the school year and by participation in activities for international students run by the Erasmus Student Network.
I would recommend, to the extent possible, preparing the Distance Learning Course papers prior to your arrival in Europe. I chose to live in a private residence with my own bedroom and a shared kitchen and bathroom. My experience with the housing office has been a bit disappointing and expensive- I would recommend exploring alternatives, including the possibility of dorms, or as they’re called here, ‘student houses.’ Finally, as I have discovered, it is much less complicated to sort out the NEURUS fellowship, financial aid, and capstone projects while you are in Champaign-Urbana, so ensure that all your ‘ducks are in a row’ prior to leaving for a city that you will fall for- guaranteed.
THE BERLIN EXPERIENCE