Nijmegen, Netherlands Day 1.

Today my class departed for our European Environmental Sustainability study tour. At 9:30am we left the chateau and started our journey to Nijmegen, Netherlands. Each of us began the drive with a continuation of sleep from the prior night and upon our awakening we arrived in a quaint town called Maastricht, located in the Netherlands. Although I could have spent the entire day in this adorable town, it was simply just a pit stop on the way to our final destination. In Europe bus drivers are required to take a 45 minute break from driving for every 4 continuous hours they drive. This being said we had only 45 minutes to explore the city.

Myself and five other girls B-lined to the nearest food shop we could find, a waffle shop. We each ordered a waffle covered in melted chocolate. Within the first bite I knew I could never I would never be able to consume another american processed waffle again. Especially on a day as cold as this the warm waffle and creamy chocolate we're pure bliss.

Following our chocolate enlightenment we wandered into a small cathedral. Beautiful candelabras were lit in the entrance way but due to a service in progress, we could not walk much further inside the church. Following this, we had 20 minutes left to explore the plethora of small boutiques and flower shops lining the Maastricht streets. In under an hour Maastricht managed to take my heart. I look forward to the day I may return!

We boarded the bus once again and before we knew it we arrived at hotel in-credible in Nijmegen. We were prompted to check in briskly before we departed to an ecological community called Iewan. I was blown away by the initiatives of this community:

Around 50 people live in the sustainable complex. The housing and common areas are constructed with wood, straw and clay loam. Each material is in its most natural state available. The buildings are heated with wood pellets leftover from wood mills that otherwise would have been disposed of in the landfill. There is also a community garden where the community members can pick any fresh fruits and veggies they may need.

I found this complex to be very inspiring. After visiting it I feel a strong urge to make a sustainable complex of my own in the United States. My dream would be to build it in California within the next few months so that it may be completed and inhabitable by the time I graduate college in 2.5 years. 3 of my classmates have already pledged their interest in renting from me lol.

After our tours conclusion we were excused from university-lead activities for the duration of the evening. A group of 5 friends and I freshened up quickly at the hotel then headed out for dinner followed by fun exploring the European college town. I cannot wait to see what tomorrow holds.

#Travel