Een Tweede Huis!

 Week Three in Amsterdam

By: Diana Rodriguez

I feel like I've been living here forever at this point. I'm glad to say that I am much more comfortable traveling within the city, and I even know my way around without having to look at a map for guidance! I still don't know much Dutch, though, but it's okay since most people living here speak English, anyway.

This week, my class took a trip to the Het Schip Museum, which is a museum where you can learn about the history of social housing here in Amsterdam. It was really interesting to learn about how Amsterdam managed its housing affordability to ensure that people of low income are able to have a place to live. I also found the architecture fascinating, as its architect, Michel Klerk, designed it so that it is expressive with symbolic motifs found throughout the building. The window designs were amazing, as well!

The following day, we took a trip to Deltares, a Dutch hydraulic research institute found in Delft. We participated in a class discussion about the history of water management and sustainable planning in the Netherlands and took a tour of the area. The most interesting part of the tour was the flume where climate-adaptive planning aspects were tested through a simulation to withstand water.

Afterwards, we had free time in the city of Delft, so we got to explore a nearby flea market, walk through one of the most beautiful parks that I have seen in my life, visit a windmill cafe, and visit a couple of shops nearby peaceful residential areas.

This weekend, my friend and I took a trip to Luxembourg and stayed there for two nights! In short, the country was very beautiful, small, hilly, clean, and family-friendly. Everywhere I looked, there were families walking around. During our stay there, we also travelled to Vianden, where we got to explore the Vianden castle, climb a nearby mountain, and take a ski lift down to the surrounding town. Overall, I loved Luxembourg!

I cannot wait to start week four!

Sincerely,

Diana Rodriguez