kylecrowe
Amsterdam
I went to Amsterdam last weekend and have been thinking how I can write about it. There are definitely some things I cannot write about on the internet, but the 3.5 day trip was not a non-stop party.
I finally got to travel with my good friend Catherine. We hang out in Rome often, but given our opposite school schedules traveling together on weekends has proved difficult. We left Thursday afternoon and had one of the easiest, stress-free travel days ever. Everything was on time, lines were short, no one got lost. We got to our hostel in Amsterdam and met one of my oldest friends, Alex Roth and his buddy Matt. After checking in more of my friends from Rome arrived shortly. After a long day of school and traveling we took it easy that night and prepared for the rest of the weekend.
On Friday more friends arrived in Amsterdam, many from Elmhurst. All weekend long I couldn’t believe that 6 kids from some small Chicago suburb were partying together in Amsterdam:
Friday we saw Anne Frank’s old house, and a sex museum, typical combination. Both were interesting in their own way, I’m glad I did both, I wouldn’t do either again.
Saturday we saw the Van Gogh museum and the Heineken factory. I loved both of these exhibits and would do both again.
On Sunday we battled the brutal weather and did a 3 hour walking tour. Amsterdam actually is a really pretty city, it reminded me of a mix between Venice and Prague, with the hundreds of canals but also fairytale-eske buildings:
The weekend was definitely a learning experience. However I did more learning at my Thursday night dinner than any museum could teach me. While waiting for our other friends Thursday night Catherine and I went out for dinner. We spotted a Mexican restaurant and immediately decided to go there. The lack of Mexican food in Rome is probably what I miss most about home. While enjoying my first jalapenos in 6 weeks a group of people next to us started talking to us. One woman, two men, all probably mid 20’s, started making pleasant small talk. After explaining our situation, how we were from Chicago, studying in Rome, and in Amsterdam just for the weekend the woman looked at us in disbelief and said “If I lived in the United States I would never, ever leave.” At the time I just laughed and nodded.
Looking back her comment is really interesting. My entire life I couldn’t wait to leave the United States. Maybe it’s because I’m just bored of suburban Chicago/central Illinois. Maybe it’s because I love traveling and just want to see the world. Either way I know I’m doing the right thing spending a semester in Europe.
What I find more interesting is why this woman thinks she would never leave the US. Maybe she’s pessimistic and just thinks the grass is greener on the other side. Maybe she knows something I don’t. I love Chicago and will never live anywhere else the rest of my life, but that’s because it’s home. From what I’ve seen in Europe so far, no country is better or worse than the other. Maybe I’ll better understand this woman’s comment in the next 8 weeks of my semester.
I won’t go back to Amsterdam in my lifetime, but am very happy I went. The Red Light District and constant stench of cannabis were a little overwhelming. The laid back personalities of the locals and sights of the city outweighed the negatives though, it was a great weekend.
