Studying abroad - Antwerp, Berlin or others

xoixo

I have the option to study abroad next year and one of the destinations that caught my eye was Antwerp.

I've never been and never knew a thing about it until researching over the past few days and it seems like quite a nice, compact city. Anyone who's been there, would love to hear your thoughts! Is it student-y, decent atmosphere, nightlife etc?

My other options include Berlin - which I have been to twice and fecking adored it there but I'm thinking going back would be a cop out and maybe I should broaden my horizons a little more. Plus it's so huge, and since I'm going by myself somewhere smaller would be less daunting and probably easier to integrate.

Other choices are: Liege, Rotterdam, Maestricht, Nijmegan, Arnhem
... if anyone has anything to say about them!

HerrScheisse

Antwerp is a beautiful city and the centre is quite compact and not comparable to Berlin in that sense. But you have a more "centralised" feel and there is a very active nightlife. There are many students, and a lot of tourists. But you should not neglect wider Antwerp as there is plenty more to see outside the city centre and further afield.

Berlin is much bigger but if its a different experience you are after?

HerrScheisse

PS Over your other options I would definitely choose for Antwerp over Liege.

judas101

I'm not a big fan of Antwerp. Dirty, lots of segregation between the many ethnic communities.

Berlin is a fantastic city, I'd move there in a heartbeat.

Also, German is far more useful to have than Flemmish.

I'd also steer clear of Rotterdam. There's loads of slums around it.
Mastricht is beautiful however.

HerrScheisse

The 'segregation' issues you mention exist in many European cities. Recently Merkel even stated that 'MultiKul' has failed utterly so Berlin cannot be excluded from that issue. Antwerp is easy enough to fit into if you put in some very basic efforts and I believe the poster wanted a new experience.

Language wise - if it is a temporary assignment, then some rudimentary basics are sufficient.

xoixo

Hey, thanks for the responses so far!

Language-wise, all my lectures will be in English and the universities offer crash courses in the country's language on arrival but that's for basics day-to-day so German versus Dutch isn't swaying my decision at all.

I had got that impression of Antwerp that HerrScheisse said, it does seem really beautiful. People in college have been telling me that their experience with the Dutch are quite tame, aren't into big nights out. Can the same be said for Flemish, if that stereotype is at all true in the first place? I love a good nightlife, part of the reason I loved Berlin so much so that would be an important part of the decision for me.

Though I think no matter where you are, it's more the people you're with that make the experience of fun nights out. Berlin having the choice of 200+ places to go on a Saturday night isn't really an advantage thinking about it.

HerrScheisse

They are less bingey than in Ireland but tame? That will really depend on who your friends are and what you get up to. There is a large cafe scene and compared to Ireland there are no bouncers on the doors. You will only see them on nightclubs of which there are quite a few. A popular one is Carre but that is not in the city centre. Like I mentioned there are places further afield worth checking out.

But you cannot compare it to Berlin - that is a megacity compared to Antwerp. Like comparing Dublin / London nightlife.