Today was a lot different than most of our days here in the Netherlands. The sun was shining, the vintage market was open, and we got to network with alumni from Pitt who live here in the Netherlands.

We started our day by taking a fairy to the largest vintage market in Europe. It was insane, to say the least. You couldn’t see where the shops stopped. At the market, there were tourists and native people; it was for everyone! We took about an hour and a half just walking down the rows of stands to see what we could find. They had everything from clothes, jewelry, furniture, and some random scary stuffed animals. I decided to purchase a vintage Louis Vuitton bag at the first stand; it was only twenty euros. Then we walked a bit more to find a cute jewelry stand with handmade jewelry. I got a pearl bracelet for my mom, sister, and me, some earrings, and a gold ring. I was very happy with my purchases.

Next, we took a tram and a fairy to meet with the Pitt alumni and network at the restaurant. Not only was this a really cool experience to hear about their lives and what brought them to the Netherlands it was an excellent opportunity to make these connections for the future. I found it very interesting how they all ended up in the Netherlands, and I enjoyed speaking to them all. One of my favorite questions is about the differences they notice compared to the US and here. Many said the speed of the society, and one person even spoke on how their company chooses not to work with Dutch companies as much because Americans tend to want to move faster than many European countries. One person in particular also was really informative about the culture. We spoke on the bultness of the Dutch and how they don’t like or adapt to change as well as Americans can tend to do. I also found it interesting how they all lived in “touristy” areas near the Anne Frank house and downtown area. I also enjoyed many Dutch appetizers at the event. There is a lot of fried food in the Dutch culture with mayonnaise. I had fries, fried cheese, and a fried ball that tasted like mashed potatoes. Overall, today was a fantastic day, and I am so glad we got to see the market and meet some really insightful and interesting alumni.