We ended our study abroad in the city of Amsterdam. This was one of my favorite cities to visit because of the beautiful waterways and canals that spread all over the town. The thing that was most different was trying to avoid getting hit by bikers, as we learned they get the right of way over pedestrians. Having to constantly look over your shoulder to see a group of at least 15 bikers coming your way is not something you are used to. I loved getting to try Dutch pancakes, which I had with Nutella and strawberries, as well as Amsterdam’s famous Stroop waffle, which was delicious by the way. I think the most impactful part of Amsterdam was getting to see the history as we did a boat tour throughout the canals. We saw Anne Franks house, the Rijksmuseum, and learned about how most of the houses slightly slant to make it easier for goods and furniture to bypass hitting the walls. I found it interesting that with the houses as well, you pay only for the property of the width of the house, not for the height, so most houses were at least 3 or so stories high, but very narrow in width. Lastly, I went and toured the Moco Museum, as the Van Gogh Museum was sold out. The Moco Museum had tons of art that was amazing to see. There was paintings as well as abstract art and physical pieces to look at. Overall Amsterdam was a great city to visit and learn about the culture, and was very easy to navigate with their public transportation.
