Hi there! What have you been up to? I think it’s about time that I shared another Lately post for a little update. My life is definitely a bit different compared to when I posted the last update. Yep, it’s been pretty weird to go back to the student life in Amsterdam. I enjoyed the final days of summer in Holland, visited Brussels for the first time, went on a short trip to South Tyrol, and had a super short autumn break in South Limburg. All while I was starting my new academic adventure at the University of Amsterdam.
Indian Summer in Amsterdam
Although we are now well into the autumn season, the end of the summer doesn’t actually feel as far away. To my surprise, the start of the new season was uncannily warm and summery in the Netherlands. Dare I say it, we might have even experienced an actual Indian Summer in Amsterdam. I still smile when I think about the amount of uninterrupted sunshiny days in September and early October. Summer didn’t seem to want to leave! It really helped with getting a little more settled in my new situation as a returning student. I went on plenty of outdoor excursions and met up with my friends.
Artistic Brussels with Thalys
Brussels: the capital of Europe, city of comics, and home to the most famous peeing statue in the world. I recently took the Thalys train and visited the city for the first time, not exactly knowing what to expect. All I can say is: what a city! If those heavenly Belgian fries, waffles, and chocolate weren’t enough to lure you to this lovely city, the amazing artistic character definitely will. The murals in the streets and art museums are on a whole other level. I can’t wait to spend more time in Brussels. I wrote a blog post about Brussels with 5 tips for art lovers, so go check it out if you haven’t already.
Weekend in South Tyrol
Another first for me was visiting the province of South Tyrol in Italy. South Tyrol is the northernmost province of Italy and can be found near the Alps and Austrian border. The region has a unique European cuisine and is known for its adorable villages. The first thing I noticed is the incredible fusion of different European architectural styles and cultural elements. All of it seems familiar, but still unique in its own way. You hear people speaking German, but also Italian. The facade of the Cathedral of Brexin (Bressanone) looks nothing like a typical church you would find in southern half of the country, yet the interior has an equally grand Italian flair. Still, South Tyrol is not just a mix, it is its own culture.
One Day Autumn Break in South Limburg
After coming back from my short trip to South Tyrol, I spent most of my time writing blog articles and going to university. It wasn’t all bad, but I was spending too much inside the house. Autumn break was coming up, but I still had classes and couldn’t really go abroad. Instead, I decided to go on a mini railway trip in my own country.
I got up super early, spent 3 hours on several trains, and finally arrived in Valkenburg, South Limburg! The province of Limburg is one of the few regions in the Netherlands where the landscape isn’t completely flat, so it was nice to see a change of scenery. I visited the only castle in the Netherlands that was built on a hill and spent some time hiking in the hills. Limburg, you look like a painting!
Back to the Student Life in Amsterdam
Although I’ve been lucky enough to go on a few trips here and there, most of my time lately has been spent studying and writing. It’s a challenge to balance academic life with my passion for photography, travel, and blogging. I’m not going to lie, it’s been quite hard to get used to being a full-time student again. I’m still 100% certain that I want to continue my academic career, but it’s trickier than I thought.
It’s an exciting and enriching experience, but my masters programme isn’t exactly what I expected it to be. The course material isn’t excessively difficult, but it’s not quite what I was looking for either. Fortunately, I’ve been in touch with fellow students and a few teachers to arrange additional sessions on our preferred topics. I’ve decided to stick it out and put in a little bit more energy to make it work. I’ll keep you updated! In the meantime, you can check my real-time updates via Instagram.
