John Rodgers Ireland Finale

As the trip ends, I reflect on all the good times in Dublin. It is hard to believe that the trip is over in three days, and I’ll be back in New York. For our last weekend, many of us took a trip to Amsterdam. Amsterdam has always been on my bucket list, and I’ve heard great things about it. Let’s say it lived up to my expectations and some more. The beautiful architecture, accompanied by the passageway of canals, made it a very relaxing place to visit. I was not ready for the scorching heat, which is uncommon in Amsterdam.

One of our excursions was a canal tour through the city with a bunch of us from Bucknell. It was a great way to hang out and view the city. We also learned about the history of Amsterdam from our tour guide, Frank. We also visited the Heineken Museum, a staple destination in Amsterdam. It was an immersive experience, and there was a portion of the tour where we experienced what it’s like to be brewed into beer. A fun fact that I learned on the tour was that British soldiers invented the India Pale Ale (IPA) by adding more hops so they could last the trip to India. This caused the beer to taste bitter and became popular in Britain.

Ariana, Cat, and I went to Zaanse Schans, right outside Amsterdam on Monday. Cat and Ariana told me about the windmills and tulips in the town, so I decided to tag along. Unfortunately, we found out that the tulips were out of season, but they still ended up being beautiful. There was a cheese museum that had free samples of cheese, including sheep cheese. I also tried some stroop waffles, which are a Dutch delicacy.

As I write this final blog, I am very grateful for my time in Dublin with this fantastic group of people. It is incredible how close we all got on this trip, and I look forward to reconnecting back at Bucknell. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I want to experience it again for the first time. I want to thank Sam for convincing me to go on this trip because it was one of the best times of my life.