Tag: Europe

The Art of Saying “Yes”

Published on by hadleywayLeave a comment
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hadleyway

This past weekend, I was able to travel to Amsterdam to explore and experience what the buzz was all about. I was there for a full day alone, and it was such a rewarding and unique experience.

“Solo” Travel

I decided to travel to Amsterdam and spend a few days alone. I thought I would really enjoy it and it would get me out of my comfort zone. I was very right. I arrived afternoon on Thursday, and my boyfriend wasn’t arriving until very very late on Friday.

I am someone who needs to plan everything to the second, but this trip I decided to just “go with the flow.” This made it especially difficult on Thursday as I had no one to explore the city with and no plans. I thought it would give me the freedom to do what I wanted, but it is a lot harder to do so in a brand-new city. I was very homesick, and very lonely, that I just decided to go to bed early and hope for a better tomorrow. Luckily, it was a better tomorrow.

A girl who was staying at my hostel reached out to me to rent bikes together and explore the city. I was very hesitant at first. I would say that I’m social, but only to a certain extent. I thought this was going to be a terrible idea and I would be very awkward and uncomfortable. For those reasons, I said, “omg yes of course I would love nothing more!” We met in the lobby, and right away I knew I was going to have a great day. Kayla – from Australia – was so welcoming, and we hit it off. After a quick coffee chat (where are you from, where are you going type of questions) we set off for our adventure. It was so special learning about what makes her the person she is, and it was funny explaining what college life in USA is like.

This experience was so special and made being “solo” in a big city much more enjoyable. We exchanged contact information, and I am lucky to say that I have a new friend, and I hope she sees me as the same.

Adopted in Amsterdam

Once my boyfriend arrived, I thought our adventure was going to be a lot more structured. I was very mistaken. We didn’t have much planned, except for our boat tour at 12 and brewery tour at 5. On our boat tour, we were the second party on board and sat in the back of the boat with a different family. The parents (around 70s) were visiting their son (40s) who moved from England to Amsterdam. We got several recommendations from the son and after the tour, we were even invited to explore a little bit with them. After being hesitant, we gave in. We followed them around the city, and we ended up at a market that we wouldn’t have come across being alone. We had oysters, bitterballen, and a classic Amsterdam IPA. After a few hours, we finally parted ways.

It was such a special experience, and so much more authentic than we could’ve experienced being just us two. I am not the type of person to go with the flow when traveling, but after this weekend, I can feel myself changing a bit. If we had the entire day booked, we would’ve never tried Poffertjes at the local market. It is funny how saying one simple word can lead to such an adventure.

Next time I feel hesitant to be spontaneous, I will remember these stories – these are what make abroad seem a little less daunting. We all just want friends in a new city 🙂

Arrivederci,

Hadley

How to get out of quicksand, quick!

Published on by Abigail HopperLeave a comment

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to take a study break to visit the Mont St. Michel. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect – once I heard it was the castle from Tangled I was already excited. I honestly originally was a bit hesitant to go – it was a school organized trip and I was quite exhausted from a busy week. But, despite the 6:30 am departure, I made it to the bus in time and we made our way!!

When we arrived, it was POURING down rain – which while it was somewhat of an aesthetic on its own, the mosquitos were not so welcoming. Our trip from the bus to MSM was full of a lot of haphazard swatting and fighting our umbrellas. However, eventually we made it to the front of the fortress and though I’m not generally an awe-stricken person, it was impossible not to stop in your tracks. I found it silly that my american-ized mind could only think to compare it to the infamous Disney Castle (which, fun fact, the “Tangled” castle concept did indeed come from the Mont St Michel). But it truly was incredible to see. As we walked up, the rain seemed to slow just in time for us to start meandering around the area. Naturally, we followed our noses to a crêpe restaurant – and while I was kind of expecting a tourist trap, that nutella crepe may have been the best I’ve had so far since being in France.

Bellies full and with a few more hours to spare, we headed up a series of staircases and went into the Abbey and the highest point of the fortress. We made our way through chapel halls and the views all the way around were incredible. Because of the unique tide patterns, all the eyes could see was miles and miles (or kilometers??) of sand and shallow waters – glorified by the thick fog and dense overcast.

After our excursion at the abbey, everyone gathered back together for a picnic and we split into two groups to take a “Quicksand Tour.” As we were given no further detail to the name and a suggestion of capri pants, I was unsure what to expect. But you could imagine it’s exactly as it sounds. We started our trek into what felt like very wet slippery clay, and were prompted with an explanation for the tides and then a, dare I say, quick explanation for how to avoid getting enveloped by the quicksand we would soon be knee deep in. Somehow the tour guide’s overwhelming confidence in us eliminated any worry I might have had regarding an impending Scooby Doo style death, and we started our trek. This IMO is where things really started to get fun. We spent the next two hours going through varying levels of quicksand and a few bits of just water – where we were able to run around and “accidentally” get our legs stuck. There were a few bits in particular that moved with the consistency of a thick slime and somehow in the moment that was the best bit. All of this we got to explore while getting a 360 view of the Mont St Michel and surrounding islands. It really was one of the coolest things I’ve experienced since arriving, and I would highly recommend the quick sand tour to anyone who has the chance to visit!

Post quick sand, we spent upwards of an hour trying to clean up and get the built up clay off our feet and clothes, but eventually got more crepes (naturally) and headed back to Rennes. The day ended up being a perfect combination of exploring as well as some quiet and peaceful moments, and it is a trip I cannot recommend enough to anyone else studying abroad!

Thanks for reading!! X