While boarding my flight home from Amsterdam, I felt like I was leaving the Netherlands as a different person. I felt confident, inspired, and proud of myself. I had successfully completed my first trip overseas, and I did it by myself. I was eager to see my friends and family, but I was incredibly sad to be leaving new friends and a city I had fallen in love with.
As an Urban Studies student, my coursework challenged everything I knew about how cities can work. The Dutch approach to housing and public space was something that I had read about in articles and textbooks, but living it and experiencing it was truly incredible. Public space in Amsterdam is truly public and belongs to everyone. The city is filled with green spaces, plazas, and places to spend time by the water, all of which I spent plenty of time in. The spaces are essential in the livelihood of the city. They connect neighborhoods and bring residents together. Dutch housing has a focus on collective responsibility, something rarely seen in American policy. These experiences and observations have deepened my knowledge of what equitable planning can do for a city, and I am returning to Pitt with an understanding of what I want to advocate for here in the United States.
Outside of the classroom, Amsterdam taught me just as much. I arrived not knowing a single person on my program, and that was terrifying. But the friendships I built became the backbone of my experience. We explored neighborhoods together, got lost together, and talked for hours over dinner about what we were observing and feeling. Those conversations pushed my thinking in ways a classroom alone never could have. I am so grateful for the people who made this city feel like home. I am looking forward to reuniting with them back at Pitt!
My biggest piece of advice for anyone considering a study abroad program would be to embrace being alone and uncomfortable. I was very anxious upon arriving in Amsterdam. I did not know anyone, I took the wrong trams, I felt uncomfortable sitting alone in a cafe, and so much more. But these experiences made me stronger and more confident in my abilities. Amsterdam gave me a new lens through which to see cities, people, and myself. I am leaving with a deeper confidence in my ability to navigate the unfamiliar. I cannot wait to carry these lessons forward!