Spreek jij Nederlands?

My first weekend trip was to Amsterdam. I'd like to think this was one of the best decisions I have ever made, quite a life changing experience. Holland is beautiful and the Dutch are very nice people from my experience. Before I left for this study abroad program, I had countless people telling me the do's and don'ts of traveling and living in another country. A couple of people told me horror stories of traveling, most of which ended with tragic outcomes. Occasionally I was reminded of the movie Taken. Not sure why. I'm not a 16 year old girl bro? On the other hand, some of that information was helpful and its important to stay alert in any situation. I would like to thank the people who informed me about traveling abroad and living in another country. I think I actually retained some of that information and its made this experience much smoother. When traveling to foreign places you always feel like you must keep your guard up. While meandering around Amsterdam I noticed that I was so worried about everything else, I forgot to enjoy what was going on around me. At this point, I began to notice what truly made Amsterdam great. It wasn't the red light district or the coffee shops. It was the beautiful canal system. It was the street performers that loved to show off their talents in front of a big crowd. It was the fear of getting hit by a bicycle rather than a car! It was the motto "I AMsterdam". I met people from all walks of life and all of them were very nice human beings. The citizens of Amsterdam seemed more sociable and connected with each other than the average neighborhood in America. In our fast paced society we appreciate moments after they have happened and forget to live in the present. If I met someone today that was about to travel abroad, my tip to them would be to live in the moment. Too often do we forget that. Too often do we build a barrier to protect ourselves from the monsters. The truth is, the monsters are few and far between. People do truly care about other people. People are truly interested in getting to know each other. Not everyone is out to get you. Live it up!

You are probably wondering, what about Amsterdam? Tell me more about Amsterdam!!!
I can't articulate just how amazing the place is. I could tell you all about it but you won't understand until you go.