Meet Saanvi Bhambhani, 22, a 4th-year UBC student pursuing a major in Political Science and a minor in International Relations in the Faculty of Arts. She is from New Delhi, India.
UBC student Saanvi Bhambhani frolicking through the tulips during a day trip biking through Lisse & Voorhout (photo: Saanvi Bhambhani)
Before you go
Why did you pick the University of Amsterdam (UvA) for your exchange? How did you hear about it?
Ever since I was a child, I have absolutely loved the Netherlands. I have several fond memories in the country: biking through the forests with my family and walking along the canals in Amsterdam. When I went to university, I already knew I wanted to explore the possibility of going on exchange, having heard so many amazing stories about it. The fact that the Netherlands is a major hub for international relations was another huge positive, with institutions such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) located there. While on exchange, I was fortunate enough to visit both, and even watch court proceedings in the ICC, which allowed me to further understand the realm of international law. It was a given that the Netherlands would be a great option for me.
Aside from this, I found that UvA had a very strong political science program, with courses and field trips to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and around the city itself to learn more about policy pressures in public spaces. This hands-on approach was particularly appealing, allowing me to engage with professionals and experience a new political landscape.
What was the application process like? Any tips?
The application process was fairly straightforward. I had to select my top three choices for university and fill out a personal reflection. Go Global lays out the process very simply and is always available to help if needed.
For the personal reflection, my main tip is to be yourself: be authentic! Reflect on why you want to go on exchange and why those three specific universities would provide you with that experience you want. Visualize your time abroad: what parts of it make you the most excited? The more "from-your-heart" the personal reflection is, the more Go Global and the universities can understand what you’re looking for and give you advice that’ll allow you to have the experience you imagine.
University of Amsterdam’s campus near Weesperplein reflecting the charm of the city’s canals (photo: Saanvi Bhambhani)
How did you prepare? Anything to be aware of? (travel, cultural differences, classes, etc.)
I’ve always been the kind of person who overthinks everything; preparing for exchange was no exception. To keep myself in check, I made sure the technical aspects of settling in and travelling (e.g., registering with the municipality, organizing insurance, etc.) were organized in a way I could understand. I combed through the documents sent over by UvA and Go Global, and created a checklist for things I had to do before leaving and as soon as I arrived in Amsterdam.
Because of this, it was relatively easy for me to settle in. Almost everyone in Amsterdam speaks English, which made navigating the city easy. On top of that, my building was filled with exchange students going through the similar processes, so they were a huge help, making sure I didn’t miss anything important.
Koningsdag (King’s Day) celebrations in the heart of the city, an essential Dutch experience, says UBC student Saanvi Bhambhani, where the city comes out to celebrate the King’s birthday, all dressed in orange. This was one of her fondest memories from her time abroad (photo: Fergus Wilkinson)
What worries did you have beforehand? How did you overcome the anxiety?
One of the main concerns I had was that my exchange experience would not live up to the hype. Everyone shared how incredible their exchange experiences were, and how they look back at their experiences so fondly. I thought, what if it isn’t as memorable or fun for me as it was for everyone else? What if I can’t explore as much as I want to? I began to put so much pressure on myself to “make the most of it.”
To overcome this mental block, I had to remind myself that everyone’s exchange experiences are different. As long as I was open to new opportunities and stepping out of my comfort zone every now and then, I would create my own meaningful memories and be just fine. Looking back, as much as I miss the travel and the excitement of the nightlife, I also treasure and truly miss the monotony of the everyday life in Amsterdam: going on the metro to classes or biking to the grocery store, sitting at my dining table with a bowl full of a new recipe I had just tried and watching the same season of “Modern Family” for the 50th time.
Another concern I had was managing the logistics of settling into a new country. There are so many tasks to complete—getting a visa, collecting a residence card, registering with the municipality in Amsterdam, preparing my SIM card and finances—while simultaneously moving into the dorms, getting familiar with my courses and participating in the orientation events. How would I get it all done before school started?
I learned to trust myself. If things got overwhelming, I learned to break them down into simpler steps. There are several other exchange students going through the same experience and everyone is there to support you—Go Global, your host university, the friends you make—at every turn. There may be a lot to do, but most of the time, the questions or doubts you have and the issues you face have been faced by other exchange students in the past. These offices are experienced in helping students navigate such situations. Trust that you will settle in eventually, and your exchange experience is truly worth every moment of the journey.
A traditional Dutch windmill in Leiden, the Netherlands, during a solo day trip in May 2024 (photo: Saanvi Bhambhani)
During the experience
How was the overall experience? What did you learn?
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and I miss it so much! This was my second opportunity to be an international student, and I learned so much about myself. I learned how to adapt to a new environment, put myself out there and meet new people. I learned how to be an adult—planning trips on my own and exploring—Portugal, Spain, Germany, Belgium and more than 15 cities within the Netherlands with friends. I also learned how to manage my finances. Exchange can be extremely expensive, and there are so many things to see and do. It’s very difficult to pick what you want or can do within that limited timeframe. Overall, the experience was so enriching and I would definitely do it again.
“Trust that you will settle in eventually, and your exchange experience is truly worth every moment of the journey!”
If you could change something or do it differently, what would you change or do?
Looking back, I don’t think I would change a thing. I kept reminding myself during the experience to step out of my comfort zone, and how much growth takes place when you embrace the unfamiliar. When I think of exchange now—I am so grateful for how much I challenged myself—it created some of my fondest memories.
I also reminded myself to treasure every single moment, positive or negative. The ups and downs are what make the experience so meaningful, and I knew that when I looked back, I would miss the quiet, homesick nights as much as the fun nights out. The balance of those highs and lows makes the journey what it is. You learn so much about yourself and how you cope with things, and you learn to navigate so many unfamiliar situations. Every part of exchange is valuable in its own way.
How were the academics?
The academic life at UvA was incredibly dynamic. I found it quite easy to adjust, with the format of courses being similar to that at UBC. The course load was also very manageable—readings were easy to follow and, with the semester being divided into blocks of one to two months each, it was much easier for me to focus on engaging well with the content of the courses. The courses were extremely interesting as well. I chose ones that were focused on specific countries—for example, South Asia and the European Union. I also had the opportunity, with my CityLab course, to go on a field trip to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.
A visit to the International Court of Justice in the Hague: as an International Relations student, this visit was a highlight for UBC student Saanvi Bhambani's exchange (photo: Saanvi Bhambhani)
How was the social aspect?
The social aspect of my exchange is what made it so special. I am so grateful to have interacted with so many incredible people from all over the world. While it could be intimidating at first to meet new people, and could even be challenging to connect with people on a deeper level, it’s important to remind yourself that making friends takes time. If you don’t make friends within the first week, that’s OK. You have time.
I would highly recommend attending as many orientation events as possible. One of my friendships started when I struck up a conversation with someone on the bus and we both realized we were headed to the same ESN orientation event. From casual dinners in the dorm to staying out until 5 am, from attending school events to biking from town to town together, pushing myself to go to out and meet people allowed me to make memories that I will treasure forever.
After the experience
Would you recommend this experience to others? What can they look forward to?
Absolutely! There are so many great memories—it is very difficult to pick just one. One of the most memorable moments I had was my trip to Portugal with my friend whom I met through the ESN Orientation program. When walking around Lisbon, she mentioned she missed home and had been sending postcards to all her friends and family. I had never sent a postcard before, but had recently started a collection (which she inspired me to do) and was unfamiliar with how to go about mailing a postcard. She walked me through it and we sat down at a cute café and wrote several postcards. We then went on a hunt around Lisbon for a red mailbox, which we fortunately came across on our way to our hostel just as we were about to give up. Getting messages from my friends and family, talking about how they loved the postcard they received reminded me of how much I missed them. I was able to bridge a physical distance of more than 5,000 km with a simple postcard.
A few other significant memories included visiting the ICJ and watching a case at the ICC; biking around looking at tulips at sunset; my trip to Barcelona with my boyfriend; King’s Day (a lively event where the country comes out onto the streets dressed in orange to celebrate with each other—highly recommend!); going to football games and concerts (tickets were much cheaper for concerts I was interested in, such as Olivia Rodrigo & Niall Horan 👀).
The contrast of vibrant colours along the iconic Pink Street in Lisbon, Portugal (photo: Saanvi Bhambhani)
A sunset near Barri Gòtic in Barcelona (photo: Saanvi Bhambhani)
What was the impact on your academic and personal development?
I learned so much about myself on exchange. Living abroad pushed me to be more independent and confident. I learned how I cope with situations, how to navigate unfamiliar environments, and how to truly connect with people in a shorter period of time. Academically, I gained a much broader perspective of the world. I found that at UvA, they use academic articles that focus much more on Dutch experiences, so learned more about the place I was living in. I also primarily took seminars at UvA, allowing me to connect on a much deeper level with the students there.
Read more Go Global student stories.