It is officially my last week in Amsterdam.
I’m filled with mixed emotions, mostly sadness about leaving and stress over finals. I have been slowly completing my pre-departure checklist while balancing studying and continuing to go out with friends. I have started to reflect on my time here and know I am coming back a different person. This was my first time living completely alone and my longest period away from family. Throughout the semester I was able to lean on friends for support and I know I have made lasting connections. I gained confidence in being independent and trust that I can get by on my own. I believe I will have more culture shock going back then when I arrived. I have adapted to the minimalist lifestyle that is found in Europe. There is a big emphasis on work-life balance which does not exist in the States. The biggest culture shock may be the level of safety I feel here versus the States. Not only with gun violence but going out on weekends my friends and I felt very safe.
2 finals left then I am concentrating on packing up until I leave! I am upset to be headed back and my friends and I have mentioned how uncertain we expect to feel once we try to adjust back to our schools. We have gotten used to spontaneous traveling and experiencing new cultures so it will be hard to be staying in one place. Dutch people are very direct and open so it will be interesting to go back to people being passive, ingenuine, or sugar-coating. Having almost everyone speak English or not have different accents/ backgrounds/ perspectives will be another adjustment. My immigration courses were very impactful because my peers had personal stories and were able to apply the concepts to their own lives.
The semester has gone by incredibly fast and although I traveled every other weekend, and became more outgoing than ever, I still feel as though I didn’t meet enough people or go to as many places as I should have. I am so thankful for the education I received at VU, the professors I had were very involved and passionate in their work and I thrived in a large class environment which I would not have known. Having less support from teachers caused me to adapt my learning style to one that was more efficient and effective. I am happy to say I feel confident in studying for exams now.
Amsterdam was an incredibly welcoming city, with young, liberal, hip people. I felt zero discrimination based on my race throughout my semester. There is a balance of old colorful buildings in Centraal, and innovative, modern buildings throughout the city. I am so thankful I decided to spend my semester here and meet the friends I did. I will be bringing back new perspectives, knowledge, and behaviors that will lead to a more positive lifestyle.