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Anne Spencer's Story

Anne Spencer participated in the Future of Health Summer School in The Netherlands in 2024
Leaving the Netherlands came with mixed emotions. was happy to be getting back home to family, friends and my routine after 3 weeks abroad but also sad to leave all the new friends I made and all the beautiful things about the Netherlands.
There is so much to say about the learning experience in Netherlands.
The healthy culture of active transportation. Bikes were everywhere and is the main mode of transportation in the Netherlands. It is so heavily encouraged that most employers will provide financial aid to purchase a bike and most people have multiple bikes.
Some of the highlights of this program were the field trips to the ambulance service, a major hospital, a mental health facility, a rehabilitation facility and a health farm. The healthcare system is very advance which was evident in all the facilities we visited. The work-life balance is important to the Dutch, evident in 8-hour shifts in healthcare and providing clean uniforms to employees daily.
Opportunity for cultural experiences and education was such an amazing aspect of this program. Not only did our group from NSCC have cultural diversity but the program itself had students from Singapore, Hong Kong, United States, Finland and other parts of Canada.
The University of Hanze was beautiful, the lectures were interesting and delivered by exceptional staff
To say this was a once in a lifetime experience is an understatement. I encourage everyone to seize this opportunity, the "education" is endless.
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