My month in Amsterdam has come to an end! Although I am sad to leave, I feel that I experienced so much of the city during my trip, and so I'm very happy with everything I got to see.
During my time in Amsterdam, I visited a number of museums, stores, and flea markets, and made a few excursions outside of the city itself, like visits to the Keukenhof tulip garden and nearby beaches! It was so wonderful to be able to learn the character of the city on a deeper level through exploring so many places. My favorite places to visit were flea markets because I got to talk to artists and vendors who are passionate about their work/wares and pick up some neat items in the process! I also got to connect with a handful of local residents, most of which moved into Amsterdam from places around the world. It was so interesting to hear perspectives of people who lived in so many different places. In addition to the connections I made with locals, I also got to know my fellow students really well, which was really fun because my group had such a large variety of majors. I probably wouldn't have ever met any of them outside of this trip, and I'm so glad Amsterdam brought us all together.
Academically, this trip was very rewarding. Through organized tours and site visits with our program, I got to learn about so many innovative projects being operated in Amsterdam that aim to make the city both for people and the environment. It was inspiring to see the emphasis that Amsterdam and its citizens put on centering city design and improvement around human needs and doing it in ways that promotes ecological health. I hope to see this mindset in more places around the world, particularly the US, as time goes on, and maybe I can be part of that change!
Personally, I feel that visiting Amsterdam helped me to grow in my independence as a young adult. Although I had my group members to support me, there were many instances in which I navigated on my own and embarked on adventures around Amsterdam by myself. It was wonderful to have the freedom to do what I wanted to do in a city that has so much to offer, and I learned to be more comfortable doing things alone.
My biggest takeaway from this trip is that nothing is perfect. Amsterdam has extensive public transportation options, clean air and water, liberal and accepting culture, and beautiful scenery. Compared to the US, this sometimes can feel like a utopia. However, it's important to recognize Amsterdam also struggles with affordability for permanent residents and overtourism. The city isn't perfect, even though it may seem to be. The good parts of something can be acknowledged in tandem with the bad, and cities should always strive to do better for their people. An emphasis on constant striving for improvement is something I hope to take into my future career, which ideally will be in sustainability.
Overall, I had a fantastic experience on my trip to Amsterdam! I learned so much and I hope I am able to go back to visit one day!
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