Today, we took a tour around the city of Enschede to learn how the city incorporates sustainability into its city and everyday life. We learned that the city used to have a heavy textile industry, which required lots of water, but they soon shifted away from it and were left with a surplus of water….
Day 11: Pittsburgh reference???????
Today is our final full day in the Netherlands, and we toured The Hague. The Hague is similar to Washington D.C. in the US, as it is where all the governing takes place. We learned about how the Netherlands turned from a monarchy to having a constitutional monarchy. The Monarchs were doing a poor job…
Day 10: The stories behind the flood
Today we took a trip to the Rotterdam city central. Our guide showed us some of the tricks they employ here in Rotterdam to prevent flooding. Similar to Enchede, they use lowered portions in the ground to be used as water reservoirs. They use playgrounds, parks, greenery, and almost anything you can think of as…
Day 9: Preventing floods
Today we toured one of the most important sites of engineering in the Netherlands, The Deltaworks. The Deltaworks are a dam that can be opened and closed when water is needed. The project was started because of a massive flood in the 1950s that killed thousands of Dutch people. The Deltaworks took 30 years to…
Day 8: Cheese from Boats
Today was our first full day in Rotterdam, and we spent the morning visiting the world’s first floating farm. This farm is entirely on the water, and only has 2 removable bridges that connect it to land. They had cows, crops in the basement, and a cheese making area. They supply local markets with the…
Day 7: Releasing the Munster
Yesterday was our last day at the University of Twente, and we took a bus this morning to the city of Munster. This city is very historically important, as it is the place where the Treaty of Westphalia was signed. This treaty ended the 30 years war, one of the most important wars in the…
Final Lessons from The Hague
Somehow, today was already the last day of our trip. Time really does fly when you’re having fun. Even though our time in the Netherlands was coming to an end, we still made the most of the day as we traveled to The Hague, the political capital of the Netherlands, for one final day of…
Day 6: Jumping puddles
Today we toured the City of Enchede. Our tour was mainly focused on the work by the city to prevent flooding. Since the city is at a higher elevation than most of the Netherlands, when the city floods, the lower parts of the Netherlands also flood. To try and prevent flooding, the city installed many…
Dutch D.C.
Day 13 May 14th During our visit to Den Haag (The Hague), we explored the political center of the Netherlands and learned about its government and international importance. One photo I took was of the Peace Palace, a well-known building where many important international agreements and legal discussions have taken place. It stood out because…
History lesson From survivors
Day 12 May 13th During this day, we visited Dakakker and the Watersnoodmuseum, which both focused on how the Netherlands deals with water and flooding. One photo I took at the museum showed a long list of names of people who died during the 1953 flood, along with short descriptions of their lives. Seeing all…
Day 5: Feeling the Breeze
We started our day today with a lecture about wind power, and how wind turbines are designed. We learned the physics behind turbines, and how they are optimized to have the most energy collected while minimizing strain on the blades. This was a very interesting lecture, especially since right afterwards we went to a wind…
Final Day: The Trip of a Lifetime
This trip created great memories and I learned new lessons along the way. On our final day we all listened to each other’s group presentations. My group was the public sector and I discussed the economic challenges of their system like inflation. It was a great way to wrap up the trip and see what…
Protection against nature
Day 11 May 12th During our visit to the Delta Works, I got to see one of the most advanced flood protection systems in the world. One photo I took was of a model of the Delta Works, which made it easier to understand how all the different barriers and gates work together. Seeing the…
labs by the shore
Day 10 May 11th During this part of the trip, we visited a floating farm and the RDM campus, both of which focused heavily on innovation and sustainability. One photo I took shows the student side of RDM, where many STEM labs are located. The area had a modern, industrial feel and demonstrated how education…
German culture
Day 9 May 10th During my visit to Münster, Germany, I explored the city’s rich religious and historical background. One photo I took captured an important church, reflecting the strong role religion has played in shaping the city’s identity. The architecture was detailed and impressive, showing how much importance was placed on faith and community…
At the Airport :(
This trip has been great and incredibly informative. I want to open up my own coffee shop one day, so I went to Costa Rican hoping to learn about how coffee is farmed and how companies make the production process as sustainable as posible. I do not want to roast my own coffee, but I…
Day 11: Dam Good Deltawerken
Today was entirely dedicated to learning about to complex Deltaworks, or Deltawerken system, protecting the southwestern region of the Netherlands from flooding. After we arrived to the mueseum and had some very delicious cinnamon rolls, we were taken through a short film and tour explaining how the Deltaworks were built. After the catastrophic flood that…
More Than a Motto: Pura Vida
Coming into this trip, I thought sustainability mostly meant things like recycling and renewable energy. After spending time in Costa Rica though, I realized sustainability is way more connected to business, tourism, agriculture, culture, and everyday life than I originally thought. My project theme focused on multinational corporations and sustainability, and throughout the trip I…
Adiós Costa Rica
I cannot believe that this trip is already coming to an end. Sitting in this airport right now feels impossible, as it feel like yesterday we were standing in the hour long immigration line and meeting Pino for the first time. Over the past two weeks, I have learned so much about sustainability, business, Costa…
May 22
Before this trip to Costa Rica, I viewed sustainability mostly as an environmental problem that was more towards on protecting forests, minimizing pollution, and using and producing renewable energy. But, learning and going to these other countries Kyndryl, Café Britt, Café Monteverde, and Sibö Chocolate, I realized sustainability is much more connected to business strategy than…