Alumni Interview with August Eberl

Here's what it's like to go on a CES Maastricht program!

August Eberl
August EberlParticipated in 2019Study Abroad | Netherlands

August Eberl grew up in Indianapolis and is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California. She is double majoring in Global Health and Biology. So far, she has been to around 21 countries and hopes to visit every continent before she’s 30.

What inspired you to travel abroad? 

From a young age, my parents instilled in me a love for travel. I knew that I wanted to spend a full semester of my undergraduate education abroad, and hearing the experiences of my peers who had already done so, only helped to solidify this desire. Everyone said that studying abroad would make you a more independent, open-minded, and overall culturally aware person. Considering these are all qualities that I deeply value, going abroad seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to branch out from my established college routine. 

Why did you choose CES Maastricht?

I knew that I wanted to go to Europe, in particular, because of the ease of travel across the continent. I would be able to use my semester abroad as an opportunity to experience as many new countries and cultures as possible, while also working to establish a connection with my host city/country. In addition, I needed a program that would fulfill all the international relations requirements for my undergraduate degree in global health. CES Maastricht was able to accommodate all of these qualities that I wished for in a program. 
River in Maastricht

Maastricht, Netherlands

What was your favorite part about Maastricht? 

The quaint, authentic European feel of Maastricht was an ideal environment to return to after tiring weekends traveling to more hectic and touristy cities. It also helped me feel more integrated with the Dutch locals, at least compared to the experiences of my peers who studied in cities full of international tourists, such as London or Paris. Maastricht has a very rich history being the oldest city in the Netherlands (well, unless you ask someone from Nijmegen) and is situated right near both the borders of Belgium and Germany! 

What made your experience abroad extraordinary? 

I was fortunate enough to travel to 12 different countries while studying abroad, which was incredible and far exceeded my expectations for what all I thought I would be able to see and accomplish. In addition, I made lifelong friends in the process, and it came at a perfect time because I was struggling to retain some friendships at my home university. I will always be grateful for the five months I was able to spend abroad in Maastricht, and I cannot wait to help convince younger students to attend CES Maastricht in future years. 

How did the CES Maastricht staff support you throughout your program? 

The CES staff was always readily available to meet in their offices if you had any questions or concerns. In addition, the CES staff organized a lot of social events for everyone in our program, helping us all to get to know each other more quickly. They consistently went above and beyond in ensuring that everyone was confident about their coursework and comfortable throughout the abroad experience. 
Friends at the Eiffel Tower

Paris, France

What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad? 

I do wish that I had spent more weekends in Maastricht instead of traveling nearly every single weekend. While I do still feel a strong tie to the region as a result of my study abroad experience, I certainly could have done more to strengthen that bond with the city of Maastricht. 

Describe what a typical day in Maastricht looked like. 

During the weekdays I would usually have about 4 hours of class a day, and in between, I would meet up with my friends at cafes. We would drink coffee and do our coursework together. On weekends, my friends and I typically traveled, but when we weren't traveling, we would take the time to explore Maastricht by going shopping, eating at as many restaurants as possible, etc. 

What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad? 

While in Maastricht, my friends and I would typically just walk around and explore the city during the daytime, and in the evenings we would have movie nights together. On weekends, we would travel all around Europe and explore the cultures of many other countries. 

What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it? 

We were housed in a building called the Maastricht University Guesthouse, which is where all short-term international students stay while attending the university. It was very much like a traditional dorm set-up, with a bunch of individual bedrooms that all branch off of a large hallway. One of my favorite things about the accommodation was that most of the rooms were single rooms, so most students were not necessarily required to have a roommate. Each of the halls had communal bathrooms, shower rooms, and a communal kitchen. 
August Eberl

Keukenhof Tulip Garden (Lisse, Netherlands)

What is one thing every future participant should know about CES Maastricht before beginning the program? 

One aspect about Maastricht, that is both a pro and a con, is that because it is a relatively small city, flights tend to be expensive out of the Maastricht airport. Usually, you have to travel out of a different city. The positive aspect of this is that you can compare a multitude of nearby airports and book with whichever has the cheapest price (Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Brussels, Charleroi, Cologne, and Dusseldorf). However, this means that your travel day is usually extended by two to three hours, which can be very tiring. 

Would you recommend CES Maastricht to others? Why? 

I would most certainly recommend the CES Maastricht program to anyone who wishes to study abroad in Europe. As mentioned previously, Maastricht was the perfect quaint and low-stress city to come home to after countless weekends of hectic international travel. In addition, I really appreciated how the classes were designed. Maastricht University emphasizes the importance of discussion-based, peer-led learning classes (called Problem-Based Learning), as opposed to always just sitting in a giant class with hundreds of students being lectured by a professor. I responded well to this classroom set-up, and I noticed that it truly helped me to retain far more information. 

What do you feel is the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is? 

The biggest benefit of traveling abroad is the opportunity to change your surroundings, whether that just be your physical environment, or beyond, by allowing yourself to open up to new cultures and friendships. It is important to take time once in a while to push yourself out of your comfort zone and be adaptable. 
Friends at the Colosseum
Rome, Italy

Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life? 

My time abroad was the perfect reset from the stressful routine I have at my home university. Not to say it was always easy, but I most certainly felt a weight off of my shoulders. I helped me expand my focus beyond short-term academic goals, to big-picture ambitions. 

What does meaningful travel mean to you? 

In my mind, the most meaningful way to travel is to make an effort to immerse yourself in local activities, as opposed to just checking off a list of the main tourist attractions. When I'm in a city, I always try and maintain the mindset that I'll one day come back, (a philosophy that my parents instilled in me). That way, I do not put any pressure on myself to just rush through every tourist site in the city. 

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