On the first day in the Netherlands, I learned a lot about their culture and sustainability. Today, we visited the House of Deman and learned how they manufacture jeans sustainably. One of the most interesting things I learned was about how they wash the jeans. They used to use punice rocks that were very rough and gave jeans certain patterns after the wash, but the problem with them was that they would eventually become smooth and no longer be usable, becoming waste. To solve this, they now use these plastic balls made from recycled water plastic. These new rocks maintain their shape and dont need to be replaced.

Culturally, I learned how different Admanstidan is compared to Pennsylvania. One example is the food scene; there is so much food here, but none of it is Dutch. I was told that no one eats out and that if anyone wants Dutch food, they make it at home, so there is lots of different cuisine from all around the world, which is really different from where I am from, as there are a lot of “American” restaurants near me. This trip so far has been very informative to  me, and I still have lots to learn.