It has only been six days and I am already in love with Amsterdam! Since being here, I have learned to love bread and cheese. What kinds? ALL KINDS. I feel like I’m in heaven! The first four days, I stayed in a hostel castle built in the 13th century. It was so interesting to learn about the history of the castle and how it was still up and beautiful. Could this get any better? The answer is probably yes and boy am I excited. The last two days, I stayed in another hostel and finally moved into my homestay! I absolutely love my host mom and she is so sweet and fun! She’s helped me adjust to the Dutch culture and use more Dutch in the house while I help her learn more English. It’s a win-win situation.
Being in Amsterdam, I’ve learned that it takes a lot of quick thinking and literal quick feet to get around. The buildings are phenomenal and everyone is kind and welcoming to tourists. I’ve taken time to realize that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy all of these things without the scholarships I’ve received. None of this would be happening and I will be forever grateful for those who’ve helped me experience this amazing journey. I want to thank the donors, SIT, my family, and my friends for helping one of my dreams come true.
In the Dutch culture, everyone is SO direct. It keeps an open-mind to understand that people in Netherlands are not rude, but more straight to the point. This was one thing that I’ve struggled with as I overthink a lot (oops), but telling myself that this is how people communicate helped me understand and learn more about them. There are so many customs in America that the Dutch don’t follow. Tipping at restaurants is a given, but tipping at a bar? They don’t want it! Never walk in the bike lane or you will either get hit or yelled at. I’ve also learned that if you get hit by a tram, you’ll most likely be fine 🙂 Try not to jaywalk or… you will be hit. Try to speak Dutch first, fail, and then speak in English!
There are so many attractions to visit that I’m scared I won’t be able to see all of them! We went to the Museum Van Loon which is still occupied by the family and learned the history of the Van Loon family. After reading some information about this family, I learned more about than just the history of this family, but how this family impacted many other aspects of history. Being in Amsterdam for only 4 days now, I have learned so much, but I know there’s so much more and I’m so excited! I’ve already learned some survival Dutch terms and have been using them non-stop.
Come back next week for another update and more information thrown at you! :))
Doie Doie! Bedankt!
Yuri's AmsterDAM Adventures :) 