Amsterdamse Bos: What a treat!

One would think that on a program that is focused on queer life and activism you would only talk about politics and social life, right? Well, think again! 

One of today's highlights was visiting the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam's Forest) after our first class with the program teacher, Katie. We kicked off our day in class where we learned more about the history of liberal politics in Amsterdam and in general we talked about concepts such as gender identity, sexual orientation, sexuality, and many others. With great food for thought and the great food from lunchtime, we made our way to the Amsterdamse Bos. For many of us, this was the first time we made use of Amsterdam's different public transport systems such as the trams, buses, and metros. Having hopped from the tram to the metro and then one short bus ride, we made our way to the forest where the different form of transport did not stop! When we arrived, we all got to choose a bicycle to ride with through the forest's bicycle paths. On a side note: did you know that Amsterdam has more than 800 000 bicycles? After a very relaxing bike ride through the green forest, we reached a large body of water called the Grote Vijver where we were paired up with a buddy and got to choose a canoe. For some of us, this was our first time and for others, this was something that was already second nature. It did not matter however since we were are really excited about this activity that is way different from what we expected to do on the program. This is something that has stood out so much thus far and surely not a day many of us will forget! 

Here is to more nature trips and redefining how we spend time in the city, while we talk about important issues such as gender and sexuality...