Our morning began in the usual way with a tram and train ride across the city to our first destination of the day. Dasha passed the baton to Sophia as we joined her in Utrecht, her hometown of the past three years. Following the switch, yet another myriad of transportation finally delivered us to the site of our company visit with Aurea Imaging. Immediately upon entering the building I was eager to see what the young minds housed inside would have to say. The entire office had a distinct modern look, with bright colored furniture and funky abstract art pieces adorning every room. There were numerous areas set up for teaming, and I could tell that collaboration lies at the forefront of this work space’s values before the official presentation even began. Our presenter and employee at Aurea Imaging explained that the building serves as a hub for several startups including their own. He compared its setup to that of a university campus, with dining, gym, and social events available for all those who work there. 

To no surprise, the impressiveness of the space itself matched that of the company and their projects also. Aurea works in the field of precision farming. This method involves using drones and accompanying program technology to monitor crop quality and perform pruning or spraying to optimize yield for both breeders and farmers. Our presenter admitted that the technology is currently expensive and widely unavailable to small farmers, but the hope is that more widespread adaptation will allow prices to decrease, ultimately improving farming practices for all. 

We enjoyed a buffet lunch of sandwiches and salads at Aurea’s offices before departing for a little tour around Utrecht. Sophia had the opportunity to show us parts of her hometown, including a beautiful church and street art filled underpass. She pointed out that the town recently celebrated its 900th birthday, so I found it interesting how modern art and design have still made their way inside such a historical place. This may have been my favorite city we have visited so far, due in part to the aforementioned mix of historical roots and modern adaptations. The pedestrian dominated streets lined with shops and restaurants were reminiscent of Killarney, my favorite town I have visited in Ireland. A group of us decided to stay behind a bit longer in Utrecht as others broke off and headed elsewhere. We wandered in and out of shops before we settled down a bit to sit outside at a restaurant and enjoy the beautiful weather today had to offer. Olivia invited me to an impromptu dance party in the (non-vehicle) street and I quickly accepted because why not dance in another country (or anywhere, really) when you have the opportunity?

As I write this reflection, I am sitting on a train traveling between two Dutch cities, watching the fields and buildings roll by outside the window to my right. I’m seated beside four friends, none of whom knew much about each other or this country just two weeks prior to now. As the end of this study abroad experience becomes increasingly near, I want to express my appreciation for all we have experienced so far and the hope that the remainder is equally as valuable with countless more memories in store for us all.