It’s the last day or programming, and I’m feeling… pensive? We did so much on this trip and because I will still be here for another week, I’m interested to see what different types of perspectives I will get when I spend my time with different hosts.
This trip has meant a lot to me simply because it was a study abroad experience that I was afraid that I would not be able to get because of issues with my academic scheduling. I’ve been able to gain a new appreciation for the resources Oberlin has given me, as well as for the ability to think critically that has been honed in me. However, Oberlin truly is a special place, different from most places in the U.S., and general American tourists to Amsterdam are not from Oberlin. They are from parts of the U.S. in which Amsterdam and the Netherlands in general is simply a product meant to be consumed, or an escape from the perceived repressive culture of the U.S. What I mean by that is that people come here because they think that they can smoke weed and have lots of sex without being shamed, and they only care about that because they would be shamed for doing so back in the U.S. However, viewing any place as some commodity to consume to make you feel better only trivializes the complicated history of that place, and erases legacies of people who live in those places but cannot get the same sort of benefits that many Americans can. As someone who constantly romanticizes places and things, I had to be very aware of those tendencies while being here, even though in many ways I honestly did feel healthier and safer here than back home. But in the bigger picture, how will I use those feelings and experiences when I go back home? I don’t have to have the answer right away, but I know what I can do to get closer to finding it; taking time to write and reflect and have deep discussions with others about our experiences.
-Tony
