It has been a little over a week since landing in The Netherlands, and I have had an amazing time. Our schedule consists of a lot of cultural and professional site visits. So far, we have visited companies such as Cacao and Spice, Nouryon, Floraholland, and Henri Willig. Cultural visits have included canal cruises, the Anne Frank museum, the Zuiderzeemuseum, and InHolland University. Aside from our structured time, we took independent trips to different museums, restaurants, and neighborhoods to familiarize ourselves with the cities. This was crucial for us to do, especially since we only spent a week in Amsterdam and this week we are in Rotterdam.
As a business student, I really valued the different site visits to all of the companies throughout the country. I have noticed that when asked about competitors, every person we spoke with explained that competition was not a driving force for them or their products. Rather, they would prefer to help each other to reach a common goal, which is usually sustainability. I also have learned a lot about how international business works, and what it takes to create a large network. I really benefited from a networking event we had with Pitt Alumni, and talking to them about how they ended up in Amsterdam.
In comparison to Pittsburgh, Amsterdam and Rotterdam are much busier. Everywhere we go there are bikers, trams, busses, and cars who do not yield to pedestrians, which we learned very fast after almost getting hit multiple times. In Pittsburgh, specifically in Oakland, it is so common to j-walk except in front of the PAT Busses, that this came as a culture shock.
Amsterdam is very tourist centered, with lots of shops, restaurants that say “Number 1 in the World,” constant tour guides, and boats. In a sense, it reminds me of the Strip District and Downtown, with terrible towels everywhere, street food, and the boats along the Allegheny. Rotterdam has a similar pace to Philledaphia. When we asked our guide about the city, she said there are barely any tourists, and you will really get a feel for how locals live.
Aside from the two cities we have stayed in, we take day-trips to different towns around The Netherlands, and they are all completely different from the states, and even Amsterdam and Rotterdam. They do cater to tourists, but the architecture, attire, and storefronts look like they are straight out of a story book. I have noticed that in a majority of the places we have visited prefer Dutch over English. Because Amsterdam is heavily trafficked by tourists, it is almost a given that most of the will speak English, but, in Rotterdam especially, it has been a little more difficult to communicate. I also found it interesting how the other cities will not take credit cards, and will only take Euros or dutch cards.
Our day-to-day schedule is drastically different than how it is in Pittsburgh. We spend a lot of time traveling from place to place, and exploring said locations. The night life, however, is more similar. We have had great weather so far, and everyone sitting outside for dinner reminds me of Pittsburgh summers! I do sometimes feel like I am back in my dorm at Pitt because I hear the bikes, trams, and busses outside of our hostel at night. In a way, it is kind of comforting. The part of Rotterdam where we are staying does not have canals and boats going under the bridges, which is something I was shocked to see, but definitely something I miss, especially coming from Amsterdam and when I head back to Pittsburgh.
Between the two cities, I defineately like Amsterdam better. I think there is a balance between tourist and niche areas that I wish I had more time to explore! Overall, both cities are absolutely beautiful, and the day trips to smaller towns makes me feel like I have seen the whole country, which is such a unique experience and something I am very thankful for.