Today was a very eventful day in Amsterdam. I felt like I could see the city and get a tourist experience. First, we had a speaker named Karel Bockstael. He spoke on the effects of flying. As a business student who doesn’t know much about engineering, I found it interesting to see the behind-the-scenes of a company such as KLM and its system of airlines as a whole. I will start to consider the effects of flights and alternatives I can take to improve the environment. Next on the agenda was the Fault and Our Stars scavenger hunt, which I loved! As someone who has seen the movie, it was so exciting to see some places they filmed. The park near the museum was one of my favorite areas. The flowers were so beautiful. For lunch, we found a little cafe with the best sandwiches and coffee as we went to the Anne Frank house. The Anne Frank house was definitely something I was looking forward to on this trip, and it lived up to my expectations. The little recorder to hear the entire story was helpful and informational. My favorite of the museum was the steps up to the attic. It was so surreal to be there. I felt like I got the full vision of the Anne Frank house when we walked out outside the gift shop, and they had a Birdseye view. Even though I have read parts of the book, I have not read the whole thing, so I was excited to buy it.

In comparison to the US, I have seen how the Netherlands is very focused on sustainability and is incredibly willing to do things even if it is more expensive and time-consuming whereas the US can become only take the easy and cheap route. I started to feel a lot more comfortable in the environment of Amsterdam as well, and I am definitely getting the hang of the bike path; we even rode the tram. Can’t wait for another great day tomorrow!