One of my more notable experiences of study abroad was finding myself trapped in another country. This story is mostly a cautionary tale but I did have some really enlightening moments along the way. My friend and I had planned to go to Amsterdam right from class on a Friday. However, that morning I had forgot to pack my passport when I left. This didn't come back to bite me until I tried to leave Amsterdam that Sunday. The man at the bus station would not let me on the bus back to Paris and I was truly stuck in Amsterdam. I told my friend to go back without me because I didn't know when I would have to stay until. This was a good idea. I ended up being trapped for 5 days in Amsterdam and I have to say it was some of my best days of study abroad.

During my time Amsterdam I stayed at the "WOW! Amsterdam" hostel just outside the center of the city. I ended up learning all the different forms of transportation from the metro to the tram and even tried biking! At the hostel and around town I met extremely interesting people as well. I met people from Italy, Ireland, Albania, Mexico, and Holland and had quite a few enlightening conversations. The people I met traveling in Amsterdam didn't all know exactly why they were there but everyone knew that they wanted to know and learn more. Whether it was trading study habits, cooking recipes, athletic habits, or just words from each other's languages I found myself learning something new with every interaction I had. While I was abroad even the smallest conversations turned into life lessons. I will never forget the time I was trapped in Amsterdam and all of the amazing memories I made there. Also remember never to forget your passport!