An international city of charm, destination Amsterdam !

As part of my studies, I had to do a 5-month internship abroad.

In accordance with what I wanted, I chose Amsterdam,

Before the departure : choosing a place to live. What to do when you don't know anything about the country and the functioning of the city? I opted for living with a family to be better immersed in the culture of the country. My workplace being exactly Amstelveen, in the south of Amsterdam, my host family was situated in the south of Amstelveen. In other words, I had public transport close by to go to Amsterdam and to work and just a stone's throw away, I had the countryside to take in the air and to do my cross-country in peace and quiet with a magnificent landscape. Why not go to the city centre? Well, as tradition would have it and for cultural and financial reasons, houses in Amsterdam are very narrow. Besides, the city centre is old and there are rats, not to mention the exorbitant prices implemented. My landlady told me that the outskirts are much more modern are pleasant to live in. So no regrets.

On the spot : I was greeted at the airport, despite the late hour and my family was very warm. Proof of the diversity, this family has Austrian, Swiss, German, French and Israeli origins as well as speaking all these languages with Dutch and English. I had a bedroom on the first floor of 11m², simple and luxurious. I had asked to eat with the family in the evening for an extra fee. But the final rent was reasonable. It was a family of 4 people including two boys, one of whom was a student and only came back for the weekend. The next day, they had accompanied me to get a phone subscription (with sim card) and my rechargeable transport card. They even brought me to my workplace the first day so that I didn't get lost and arrive late. Honestly, I thank them from the bottom of my heart, without them I think I would've panicked.

Places to visit :

• The city centre is unavoidable, notably the Chinese district and the Red light district (attention, prohibited for -18).
• The city's history museum is essential to really understand the city and the country.
• Even if you're not a believer, you can unearth a church in the city centre. This isn't like back home. Religion was forbidden at one point. Churches are therefore, from the outside, simple buildings. You have to go inside to discover the splendid architecture and resonating African choirs.
• The Eye Museum, the museum about filmography is very interesting and it's possible to do activities such as being an actor of their own short film and receiving the video by e-mail as a memory.
• Lastly, the botanical gardens of Amsterdam is a pure marvel of diversity. The butterfly room was magnificent, I had never seen so many butterflies in the same place.



• Good planning : coming to Amsterdam for the national holiday, a lot more lively and festive from first thing in the morning than at home. Orange on every street and the music.
• Porcelain/earthenware shop in Delft. Even a simple piece of jewellery is magnificent and not very expensive. But also for the pleasure of the eyes, quite simply.
• The barge tour with invaluable information about the architecture of the city.
• The shoe shops, especially if you walk a lot, they are resistant and comfortable. After three seasons, mine are still top.
• Go to a wine bar, many have a good cellar and quality foreign wines. I came across a Spanish wine that is very good value for money.
• Going to a Japanese or Chinese restaurant, with real dishes or a restaurant with Mexican cuisine. A particularity of Amsterdam is that the foreign food is not altered, it's authentic. A 100% change of scene.

Note : over 177 nationalities coexist in Amsterdam.

Conclusion : these 5 months passed very quickly. I had some great encounters. Amsterdam is a city on a human scale that is pleasant to live in. You must pay attention to bicycles, they are prioritised over everything. And never ride a bike there. It's dangerous and bike robbery is the national sport. English is well spoken by everyone, no problems with being understood. I will return with pleasure! Love Amsterdam and Amstelveen