The Go Abroad fund gave me the opportunity to go to Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in order to take part in a course named “Brain Imaging Genetics: Genetics for Imagers”. During the course, I had the chance to improve my skills and knowledge in both genetics and neuroimaging, the two main fields I am currently specialising in for my PhD. Apart from learning novel and important techniques, we also took part in a number of social activities, making us feel welcome by the students and staff at Radboud University.

First day arriving in Amsterdam and overlooking the canals

A typical Amsterdam photo in August

Radboud University Campus

Registration day – the staff welcoming us

Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour – brains on the window!

Wet lab experience – we had the chance to work in a laboratory with our own data

One of the social events – going on a pancake boat tour! We had the opportunity to eat as many pancakes as we want during a 2-hour boat tour

A beautiful sunset while on the boat tour

A second social event – our class all cooked together on the next-to-last day of the course. It was a wonderful bonding experience after a few days of intense classes.

A second beautiful sunset, overlooking railway tracks in Nijmegen

Downtown Nijmegen on a Friday evening – a very social city!

A park in downtown Nijmegen – the city is very green and environmentally-friendly

The course certificate ceremony, during which we were given our certificates

An inspiring message on one of the windows in the centre of Nijmegen: “Travel. It leaves you speechless, then turns you in a storyteller.”