Today was super busy, yet super fun as well. Though, it does feel strange when you see a building and realizing it’s older then your country.
Delft
Delft was such a picturesque city, and remarkably quiet considering how close it is to Rotterdam and the Hauge. We got there early in the day, so that might be it. Anyway, having our tour guide show us around Delft and seeing everything was such a great experience because at the time we were used to seeing the Netherlands as more modern due to Rotterdam. Walking through Delft was like walking through the past in a way, with many of the buildings being older than the inception of the United States. The market square was also a sight to behold, as it held many different vendors selling everything from fresh fruit to fabric. Learning about it’s history shed light on the history of the Netherlands itself, which many, if not all, of us did not know. It was once the home of the House of Orange, accredited with founding the Netherlands and the current ruling family. Needless to say, I would love to go back again.
Kinderdijk
This place has the landscape you see on a postcard from the Netherlands. Even though it was sparsely populated with buildings, with the only buildings of note being the windmills, it was still a fantastic place to relax and take pictures of a place in the Netherlands that hasn’t been completely developed. These windmills are highly recognizable, and pop up constantly when you search up the Netherlands. Even though all we did was walk around and take pictures, it was still a great place to visit and to take in the sights of Holland.
Erasmus University and Group Dinner
Seeing Erasmus University, I was blown away by its architecture. It’s a gorgeous campus, and although we didn’t get to see much of it, it really made an impression. I would say it’s almost the exact opposite in terms of Purdue University in terms of looks. As for our event there, we got into groups with other students of Erasmus University and brainstormed ideas about supply chain risks and their solutions. I personally felt like I didn’t know enough about the topic, even after reading the packet, but it certainly helps your understanding when you have an entire group to work with. Working with a group helps you to see points that you maybe wouldn’t have noticed by yourself, and this is why I love working with others and watch/contribute to the ideas bouncing around. Afterwards, we headed to the SS Rotterdam to have a meal together, which was very good. The part about the dinner I liked the most was talking to the Erasmus University students and just learning about their lives and talking about random topics that might pop up. I definitely felt a little intimidated at first, but they were friendly and I had a good time.