The weeks leading up to the midterms were particularly stressful, and not just because of studying; I had a very important decision to make: Croatia or Amsterdam. The last midterms ended in the middle of the week giving me a 5 day weekend. Before coming to Europe, there were only two places that I 100% wanted to visit. I knew that I would have two long breaks also; the first one would fall after German intensive and the second would fall during spring break. However, I didn’t think to plan my big trips properly and went to Italy during the intensive break (not that I’m disappointed about it). When the midterm break came up, it was the perfect solution to my Amsterdam/Croatia dilemma; seeing as how I couldn’t do either in a weekend. I had decided that I’d go to Croatia during that break, but after a last minute decision I chose to go to Amsterdam instead. Enough about my dilemmas though, let’s talk about the Dutch.

If I had to choose two adjectives to describe Amsterdam, they would have to be easy-going and rowdy. I know that sounds odd because it seems like those would be opposite words, but that isn’t exactly true. This is why: The citizens of Amsterdam are easy going. They are friendly and willing to help if you ask. BUT the center of Amsterdam attracts many different characters. Specifically though, loud groups of British and Irish 20 something guys (surprising I know *sarcasm*). That being said, I didn’t mind either trait. It made the city feel alive and welcoming.

I loved Amsterdam. I think a lot of it had to do with the similarities I drew between the city and my hometown. Amsterdam many canals were shadowed by tall, thin buildings that were characteristically Dutch. There weren’t too many buildings that looked even remotely modern. The houses had huge windows with beautiful shutters; the canals were lined with all kinds of boat houses. The small shops were built into the Dutch style rather than the buildings accommodating the stores. Then, in the main tourist strips, it still didn’t feel like it was consuming the city.

I took a bus on Thursday and arrived Friday morning (longest ride of my life) and left on Sunday afternoon. I stayed at The Flying Pig Uptown for one night, and The Bulldog for the last two nights. Both are very well known hostels, but they were clean, comfy, and friendly. I covered all the basic landmarks and more. The Rijksmuseum was huge and I spent a solid 4 hours there. I ended up being more interested in the special exhibits though. They had this maritime display that had over a hundred different sized models of warships. I visited the Anne Frank house with a couple other people from my program on the last day. The space that the family hid in was actually larger than I imagined. That isn’t to say that it was a comfortable living space for 8 people. I walked around Jordaan and the Albert Cuyp Market and the Red Light District. I also visited The Hermitage (which is based off the one in Russia), which had an awesome exhibit about the Silk Road. Also, the Dutch know how to do pancakes and fries (not together). They are delicious and perfect and crispy and awesome.

All in all, the trip was fantastic. There wasn’t too much to tell about where I went, because I only visited a few museums. I spent a lot of the time walking around the different neighborhoods, and taking pictures of graffiti and bridges. Regardless, I loved Amsterdam and it made me feel like I was back at home again.

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands