Today was a bittersweet day as it marked our last day in the Netherlands and the end of our program. We took a train ride from Rotterdam to visit the neighboring city, The Hague, the capital city of South Holland. While Amsterdam is the official capitol, The Hague is The Netherlands governmental and administrative capital. It is also home to the Dutch royal family and has a rich history being home to centuries of Dutch politics. At the beginning of the day, our tour guide, Enno, was able to give us a window into the Dutch political landscape. I learned that unlike the US’s bipartisan government, there are a number of smaller political parties that govern through a combined effort. It is fairly achievable for smaller parties to win seats in parliament. Currently, the leading parties are centered around either right-wing conservatism, left wing progressiveness, or moderate reformism. Something I thought was interesting was learning about the current prime mister, Rob Jetten, who is both the youngest and first openly gay prime minister. This speaks to the progressive nature of the Dutch government. It was interesting hearing about the political climate from Enno’s perspective and what motivates his choices as a young voter.

After learning about politics, we visited a traditional Indonesian restaurant. Over the course of the trip I have learned how Indonesian food is almost just as much of a staple as Dutch food as a result of past colonialism. I have really enjoyed getting to experience it as it is always delicious, fresh, and not something I would commonly find in the states. One highlight of the past two weeks has definitely been exploring culture through experiencing new foods. After lunch, we took a stroll to the Peace Palace, a beautiful building that housed the UN’s International Court of Justice. This court plays an important role in European and worldwide peace, as it settles international disputes between countries. 

We had a lot of fun exploring The Hague, from its rich historic sites, to its quaint stores and dutch staple foods. Throughout this time, we also made sure to make notes of sustainable themes and concepts we saw in action. I learned that the city aims to become Climate-neutral by 2030. As a result, there are many programs and initiatives focusing on renewable energy, insulation, and reduced CO2 emissions. Like most of the Netherlands, there is also an emphasis on cycling and public transport.