The Adventure Begins!
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Our Amsterdam adventure is underway!
The 14 students of Queer Life and Activism session II arrived in Amsterdam after long flights and sleepless nights. After a brief orientation and a walk around the nearby Oosterpark, we all sank into our hostel bunk beds for a good night’s sleep. Our first full day began on Monday with breakfast in the hostel before diving into a seminar on intercultural communication. With our instructor Annabelle we focused on breaking down how we view, describe and interpret aspects of a new culture. We now know how to fit in by properly complaining about the Dutch weather, even though so far we've been treated to nothing but sunshine and pleasant temperatures in the high 60s!
We fueled up with delicious sandwiches before setting out to finally see the city! The group was greeted by our tour guide for the day Jonathan and we tackled our first of many tram rides. Before long we’ll be experts at navigating the public transit here in Amsterdam whether taking the tram to class in the morning or the bus, metro or train during free time. Our walking tour focused on seeing Amsterdam through a Queer historical lens. We spent time at a public park, the site of the first Pride parade in 1970 (which is one of the canals!), and the Homomonument. Built in 1987, it was the first public monument to honor the members of the LGBTQ+ community persecuted by the Nazis.
After a long day of walking, the group returned to the hostel for dinner and evening free time. Our hostel is located in the eastern neighborhood of Amsterdam-Oost, a quiet and residential area. Students have been walking a few streets away to enjoy the fantastic ice cream and vintage stores or using the hostel common area to relax and play a game of foosball. We have a jam packed week ahead of us filled with a cooking class, museum tours and Dutch lessons, but the QLA group is up to the task!