Travel Journal: European Exchange
Exchange student Leon Rebello made the most of his time in the Netherlands, riding a bicycle to classes at Utrecht University, and travelling to many other parts of Europe.
I left Australia in December 2015 and celebrated Christmas and New Year with family in Goa, India. It was a fantastic experience to be immersed in such a unique and rich culture.
I travelled on to Belgrade and spent five days there, sitting in coffee shops and constantly dusting the snow off my shoes. I visited the Serbian Parliament, ate traditional burek with yoghurt, walked along the Danube and absorbed the atmosphere of a peaceful yet vivacious city.
Saying goodbye to new friends, a change in my travel plans led me to deciding to spontaneously book a trip to Sarajevo, Bosnia. What a city that was! The view through the Serbian and Bosnian mountains was picturesque, clearly aided by the presence of snow.
Before I knew it I was on a train bound for the most beautiful Christmas city in Europe – Zagreb, Croatia. I visited most of the major tourist attractions but also ventured to the Museum of Illusions and the Museum of Broken Relationships (which is based on an exceptionally clever concept – I would highly recommend this!).
Travelling around Europe
Indeed, as clichéd as it may sound, each day was extremely different.
Then on to Budapest where I went on a walking tour of the city, crossed the Chain Bridge at least 10 times, visited the impressive Hungarian Parliament, strolled the corridors of the Buda Castle and eventually found myself in one of the capital’s traditional thermal baths.
Austria was next. I spent about five days in Vienna and managed to fit in a day trip to Bratislava in Slovakia as well. I caught up with a great friend who was on exchange at the University of Vienna and unexpectedly ran into work colleagues while at the Austrian Parliament.
After Austria, I headed further north to the Czech Republic, staying in Prague for several days, before continuing to Krakow in Poland. There I met up with some friends I’d made in Vienna and the three of us went on a day tour to Auschwitz. This was undoubtedly the most moving and the most difficult experience to date. It single-handedly grounded me to the harsh realities of human history and enabled me to recognise and remember the victims of the Second World War.
After living in Utrecht for several months, I can certainly confirm that I experienced no ‘typical’ days. Indeed, as clichéd as it may sound, each day was extremely different.
Cycling was the glue in my day as it held everything together. One of the first things I did after arriving in the Netherlands was to buy a bike. Riding through the greenery of Wilhelmina Park on the way to law classes while listening to music is a feeling that cannot be described in words. We cycled everywhere in Utrecht – to and from class, the shops, the railway station, the gym and even the clubs!
In the early days of the exchange, I became friends with a group of around 15 fellow exchange students from different countries who happened to live together in student housing on a street called ‘Kanaalstraat’. They hosted numerous parties (at least once a week) and that household became legendary in the eyes of exchange students.
It was a great way to meet new people, practise foreign languages – due to the diversity of the crowd attending – and relax in between busy weeks of study and travel. Indeed, after exchange began, I also travelled through France, Belgium, the UK, Italy, Germany, Estonia and Scandinavia. I enjoyed the challenge of cooking for myself although I was not as fond of cleaning up afterwards. I tended to do my grocery shopping after classes as it meant classmates often tagged along. We cycled from our classes in the city to the big supermarkets: Jumbo, ALDI and the famous Albert Heijn. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays there was also a fresh food market that was set up in the city centre and many of us would cycle there to buy fresh seafood or stroopwafels – a Dutch specialty!
Such interesting classes!
However in reality it is a day where the nation comes together to display Dutch pride
The classes I studied were amongst the most interesting I’ve ever taken. For instance, in my course The Role of the Supreme Court in American Law, we engaged in regular class debates on topical issues in American and international politics – everything from gun control to the death penalty, same-sex marriage and Donald Trump.
In April, the Netherlands celebrated Koningsdag or ‘King’s Day’. Technically, this day commemorates the birth of the King of the Netherlands, however in reality it is a day where the nation comes together to display Dutch pride. There was a party on every street corner and stages with performances throughout the city. The canals were lined with orange and music penetrated every alley. It was fantastic to see the whole nation out and about being proud of their country, their way of life and all that they have achieved. While Australia is always in my heart, it was clear the Netherlands was on my mind that day more than ever.
