In March I did a lot of things for the first time: I rode a train for the first time, I went climbing for the first time, I went on a canal tour for the first time, I visited a farm for the first... and it was all fun. What's even bigger, I went to Europe for the first time. I saw The Netherlands for the first time… the windmills, the farmlands, the flat landscape, the train station built underneath the airport… man… I have seen the beautiful city center of Amersfoort; I have seen the old city gate and wall houses that were built on what used to be the city walls. I have seen the narrow streets and centuries old warehouses turned into residential buildings with large wooden windows covered with bright colored paints along the famous canals of Amsterdam. I have seen the imperial crown of Westertoren and I have seen the tourist packed streets with transparent glass windows displaying red and blue lights… I have seen The Netherlands!

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Amidst all of this, I saw a nation of people bold enough to be themselves and kind enough to let others be the same. Proof of this is the reputation they have built for themselves as being progressive and liberal. I learned two main things during my visit to The Netherlands:

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There is always a solution 

Before my visit to The Netherlands, I had learned the Dutch had drained swamplands and reclaimed land from the sea for agricultural purposes. At the time, this was just information to me, but after my arrival, as I visited more parts of the country and received more insights about the dikes and canal systems, I thought: "how brilliant!" My thoughts were first triggered by the ditches– a simple solution for what was once a major problem. The Dutch are problem solvers, and this is a trait that I admire and am working to master.

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Sustainability is a lifestyle 

I found it quite amazing how much the Dutch love their bicycle; they ride it everywhere - to work, to school, to dinner dates, to the club... everywhere. Bicycles are a big part of Dutch culture. What I found even more amazing is the fact that what is now a cultural norm started as a sustainable decision to move away from cars to a safer and environmentally friendly alternative. Now, there are more bicycles in The Netherlands than there are people. Another thing I found interesting is the Dutch love for dopper– a reusable water bottle developed for the reduction of plastic waste and the promotion of drinking tap water. It is safe to say that every Dutch person has at least one dopper. The Dutch have taught me that sustainability is not just a topic we discuss or a goal we want to achieve, but rather a lifestyle.

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Today, I am doing everything I can to live a sustainable lifestyle and I urge you to do the same. Whether it's having a backyard garden, or reducing our consumption of meat, or practicing minimalism, or swapping all single-use items in our homes for reusable items, sustainability is a lifestyle we can all adopt.

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