Around the World with WU: Study Abroad Postcard from Amsterdam

After visiting two of Europe’s largest cities, London and Paris, traveling to Amsterdam almost felt like journeying into the countryside. The picturesque farms and villages, complete with windmills, made the area around Amsterdam seem homier than the other cities. Even in the city center, the cozy restaurants and shops seemed to welcome us in from the gloomy showers outside.

The weather was much colder and rainier than anyone had expected, so I was glad that our first activity in Amsterdam was a bus tour. From the comfort of our seats, fully protected from the elements, we saw Dam Square, the Portuguese Synagogue, the NEMO Science Museum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum and, of course, the herds of bicycles and miles of canals that come to mind when we think of the Netherlands.

We traveled outside the city to a farm that specializes in making Gouda cheese and traditional wooden clogs. We were given demonstrations on each process and were allowed to sample the varieties of cheese. It was amazing to taste such natural cheese, and it made returning to supermarket deli items seem pointless once I traveled home.

In the evening, we enjoyed a dinner of traditional Dutch foods inside an imposing, castle-like restaurant. Bitterballen — beef ragout deep-fried into crispy bites and dipped in mustard — became a new favorite appetizer of mine.

The next morning, we bundled up to walk through the streets of Amsterdam on our way to the Anne Frank House. The home that served as a hiding place for Anne and her family has been turned into a museum that tells her tragic story. It was moving to walk through the home and see the hidden rooms where the Frank family was confined for nearly two years. We also saw Anne’s original diary and learned more about what that era felt like for Jewish schoolchildren.

We then toured the Rijksmuseum, which was my favorite museum on the trip. It held many artifacts and masterpieces, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch, Johannes Vermeer's The Milkmaid and Vincent van Gogh's Self-Portrait.

During my allotted free time, an Irish pub and restaurant served as the location for lunch and a friendly game of eight-ball with some locals. When the rain subsided, I went on a canal cruise. From the boat, I admired the detailed storefronts and bridges along the route. The streets were filled with countless bicycles belonging to Amsterdam residents, racing past the boat as if it was standing still.

We hopped off the boat, cheerful but completely frozen, and decided to warm up with another traditional Dutch meal and extra orders of bitterballen. For dessert, I visited Amsterdam’s oldest bakery, which has been making fresh, warm stroopwafels for customers since 1898.

The kind confectioners showed us the process of making the delicious and famous dessert, and after taking the first bite of my stroopwafel, I knew I had to buy a few extras to take home. Enjoying this part of Dutch culture was the perfect way to end the last day of our European travels.

Looking back on everything I experienced during my travels in London, Paris and Amsterdam, I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to see the cities that had previously only been dreams of mine. It is impossible to describe the beauty of these places in words. The only way to truly understand their significance is to experience them yourself.

Because of this, I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunities to travel with Waynesburg University. Everything — the landmarks, the people, the food and even the unexpected bumps in the road — left a lasting impact on my life.

I am grateful to have journeyed with such an amazing group of people, and I know I will look back on these memories again and again. However, in the immediate future, I will be attempting to make stroopwafels that are nearly as delicious as Amsterdam’s.