It’s been about 2 weeks since my return from Amsterdam, and I will admit, it’s been rough going from cycling alongside elegant rowhouses and scenic canals to being confined to carpooling through the American suburbs. Although I had to say goodbye to my temporary home of Amsterdam Noord and (begrudgingly) return my rental bike, my time in Amsterdam has left me with many lessons, friendships, and memories that will last far longer than a month. 

As an Urban Planning major obsessed with learning about each city’s unique history and culture, I am proud to say that I feel I gained a holistic understanding of Amsterdam. I learned that the city was not always the bike capital of the world – in the 1960s, cars were viewed as the most modern and dominant form of transportation. There were even plans to fill the iconic canals with concrete and turn them into expressways! However, a protest movement called “Stop de Kindermoord” (which centered arguments against cars around child safety) successfully advocated for a walkable, bikeable built environment. 

Along with its sustainable and human-centric transportation networks, the city’s scenic beauty, culture of social tolerance, and history of wealth and opportunity have made Amsterdam a very attractive place to live. This has resulted in a housing crisis; prices are extremely high, and there is physically not enough housing to accommodate growing demands. The city has responded to the latter concern by constructing artificial islands, densifying the city center, and developing “new” neighborhoods, such as Amsterdam Noord, my temporary home. Amsterdam Noord was a former shipyard area that experienced abandonment and decay when the industry (and communities) left in the late 20th century. In recent decades, the neighborhood has experienced revitalization through artists, as evidenced by community art spaces such as the NDSM art sit-in, developed out of an old warehouse. Now, as quirky hotels and luxury apartments move in, the area is being gentrified. It was fascinating living in Noord and witnessing the signs of urban change in the built environment around me. The new developments in the neighborhood address the city center’s housing crisis, but the city must ensure that a fair portion of new housing is affordable, upholding Amsterdam’s image as a tolerant and inclusive city for all. Before my travels, I had a utopian notion of Amsterdam, and this has definitely been challenged; the city is not exempt from the inequities that are inherent to capitalist cities. However, Amsterdam has been able to respond more effectively to citizen’s concerns regarding urban design and development due to the city’s strong social democratic foundation – something I will continue to research in my final paper! 

Learning about urban changes in Amsterdam not only affirmed my interest in urban planning, but specifically bolstered my interest in place-based inequities. In many of our class discussions about transportation and sustainability, I felt that equity was often missing from the conversation. This experience affirmed that I want to fight for transit justice, environmental justice, housing justice, and overall improvements to accessibility in the built environment. 

Additionally, while I realized my academic niche, I also broadened my conception of potential careers by interacting with a variety of professionals in the Urban Planning field. One of the more memorable site visits was at Morning Star Analytics, where I met financial analysts focused on corporations’ social responsibility, juxtaposing grassroots changemaking efforts I had witnessed when meeting the entrepreneurs and artists who are working to revitalize neighborhoods like Amsterdam Noord. I was exposed to the academic sector of planning by thought leadership organizations such as Parkhuis Dezwijger and through guest lectures from professors like Federico Savini and Meredith Glaser. Lastly, I learned about facilitation and network-building through the Amsterdam Economic Board, which bridges knowledge institutions, governments, corporations, and citizens to work towards smart urban development. 

Personally, I left Amsterdam feeling an increased sense of empowerment and a strengthened relationship with myself. I am a huge extrovert, always making plans with friends and often neglecting the importance of solitude and reflection. In Amsterdam, I was able to practice meaningful solitude by going on “solo adventures” through the city, my favorite being my visit to a photography museum called Foam, where I was thrilled to take my time to study the themes in each room without pressure to move on to the next! I also gained independence in a practical sense, learning to live on my own, cook for myself, budget, and navigate the city. And of course, I made countless memories and genuine friendships that will last a lifetime. My cohort of 10 people was academically diverse and tight-knit, and I loved getting to know each member individually as well as watching the group dynamic grow. Overall, I am so grateful for each moment of my time in Amsterdam, and I cannot wait to continue exploring the themes I have learned and reunite with my cohort in the fall!