Day 16, Thursday May 25, 2016

Julia Johnson

Overview

• Tour of Amsterdam
• Free time in Amsterdam

Today is our final day in the Netherlands!  While we have all had an amazing trip, we all agree that we are ready to get back to the familiarity of home.

For our final day, we left Bant to finally be your typical tourists in Amsterdam.  After we got off the bus, we went on a small tour with our guide, Hans.  Our tour started at the old port where we took a ferry acorss to the train station.  The ferry connects north and south Amsterdam.  Hans told us that while the city is over 500 years old, it is on of the newest cities in The Netherlands.  Most of the architecture in the area is renaissance style, and there are very few of the gothic style buildings we were used to seeing in some of the other cities we went to.  About halfway through the tour, Hans pointed out a smaller, simple building and told us it was a Catholic church.  This church was drastically different from the grand churches we have seen on the trip.  The reason for this, Hans said, is that when the city was built, Catholics were allowed to practice as long as they didn’t publicly show that they were Catholic.  We finished the tour with a quick walk through the Red Light District, and then headed back to the hostel where we were released for free time!  During our free time, the group divided up and explored the city.  Some went to the Anne Frank house, others did some souvenir shopping, and most of us took photos in front of the “I Amsterdam” sign.

Tomorrow, we head back to the states.  It is bitter sweet, as we all are excited to see family and friends but will miss our new friends and the amazing adventures we had together.  For me, and most likely for a few others, this trip will be unforgettable.  I have learned more than I will probably be able to remember, and I could not be more thankful for the professors, tour leaders, and new friends who have made this trip a once in a lifetime experience!

Key Takeaways

• The world is a big place full of hidden treasures, life lessons, and memories just waiting to be made, so take every opportunity to open up and explore!