Today was our group’s first full day in the Netherlands. While we are all still adjusting to the time difference, we are also learning how to adjust to one another as a group. We began the day exploring the city of Amsterdam through a scavenger hunt, which gave us the chance to experience the city firsthand and immerse ourselves in Dutch culture.
Later in the day, we visited The House of Denim, a fashionable denim store in Amsterdam dedicated to producing high-quality jeans through sustainable practices. The visit gave us valuable insight into how sustainability can be incorporated into the fashion industry without sacrificing quality or style.
The culture shock I have experienced so far has been very noticeable. From paying to use public bathrooms to seeing young students openly smoking cigarettes on street corners, life here feels very different from life back home at Pitt. However, the biggest difference to me is the Dutch appreciation for living in the moment. Far fewer people seem consumed by their phones or social media. Instead, people genuinely enjoy spending time with one another and being present in their surroundings. Even the nightlife culture, often centered around late evenings and social drinking, seems rooted in a deeper appreciation for connection and community. It is a beautiful way of life, and something I hope to bring back home with me.
Our visit to The House of Denim also taught us a great deal about sustainability in the Netherlands. The company has challenged many traditional norms of denim production and developed methods that significantly reduce environmental harm during manufacturing. The owner walked us through the intricate process of creating sustainable jeans, highlighting a system that is slower and more methodical, yet far more environmentally conscious. Their mission represents an important shift in the fashion industry and encourages consumers to value sustainability over fast fashion.
