With a mix of sadness and relief we have finally arrived at the end of our short stay here in the Netherlands. Writing from my gate at Schiphol airport and very thankful for the extension on this final blog post, our last day in Rotterdam saw us visit the Floating Farm in the old harbor…

Returning to InHolland at their Rotterdam campus our day began with a short tour and lecture about equity and urban planning south of the river. Afterwards we met back on campus to get to know the ins and outs of the Business, Finance, and Law department at the university. Since the bombing of Rotterdam in…

The Delta Works is a massive public works project and monument to Dutch hydraulic engineering that spans the various rivers, inlets, and waterways that snake through the southwest of the country. On the Oostersheldekering stretch of the storm surge barrier system lies a museum that charts the history preceding and construction process behind the immense…

Travelling to Delft by train, this morning we visited the local campus of the Dutch university InHolland. There, we had the chance to talk with the faculty of their Aeronautical Engineering department, the only one hosted at the Delft campus, and discuss the university’s program, the history of flight and aviation, and the mechanics that…

Moving more staunchly into our second week here in the Netherlands we were graced with a later start than usual allowing many of us to sleep in and rest. After a quick breakfast around the corner from our lodgings with some of the group, the whole of us assembled back at the hostel to board…

Beyond its seat to the south of Amsterdam, Rotterdam holds a unique character in comparison to the old capital. Bombed extensively in WWII, Rotterdam’s city center was completely destroyed, and in the rebuilding process the city began to take on a modern flare, opposed to Amsterdam’s sometimes centuries-old architecture. After our visit to the Zuiderzee…

Leaving Amsterdam midmorning by bus, we travelled north for a day to tour Zaanse Schans and Zaandijk before a short drive to South Holland and the city of Rotterdam. Among the waterlogged fields, colorful windmills, and period accurate houses we visited the local storefront for the cheesemaker Henri Willig for a brief overview and cheese…

With our time in Amsterdam coming to a close we had to make the most out of our last day in the city. As the bulk of the country was on holiday celebrating the Ascension of Christ we were left to finish up a handful of cultural visits before we pack up for our move…

Over halfway to the Dutch border with Germany lay Deventer, a small city situated on the banks of the IJssel river and home to the multinational specialty chemical manufacturer, Nouryon. After the one and a half hour drive east from our home-away-from-home here in Amsterdam, we met with Christina Pampena, a Pitt alum and Vice…

Venturing beyond the confines of Amsterdam proper, we started the day early with a drive out to the sprawling green countryside of North Holland. Our first stop for the day was at Royal FloraHolland, a cooperative and flower auction serving local and international floriculturists alike. After a brief tour of their main warehouse we hit…

With our minds and bodies freshly replenished we started off our second day in Amsterdam from a whole new perspective. Touring the city via a vast network of canals we were treated to a sweeping introduction to many of the important buildings, architectural features, and history of the city. After a brief pause for lunch…

After 11 hours and 3887 miles of travel, we arrived smoothly at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport early this morning. Groggy and sore from hours of sitting and haphazard attempts at sleep we hit the ground running with a scavenger hunt around the city center. Starting at the Amsterdam Centraal Train Station, we made our way down…