Submitted by Kristina Demou on the 2017 spring semester program in Rome, Italy…
Over my spring break, I traveled to Amsterdam. I got to see and do so many amazing things during my three days there, but the one experience that stands out to me the most by far is the Anne Frank House. I remember reading all about Anne Frank’s experience when I was in middle school, but it was so powerful to actually walk through the house she and her family hid in and learn more about her story. We got audio guides with the visit, and hearing sections of her diary being read, as well as hearing testimonies from her father, who survived, as well as people like Miep Gies who helped hide the Frank family, was extremely moving.
This visit to the Anne Frank House was so different than anything I’ve done on any of my trips before. Usually, we either do fun excursions or walk around museums, but none have had such a strong impact on me. It definitely struck an emotional chord and also put so many things into perspective for me. It made me even more grateful for the life that I’m lucky to have, that I can live freely without fear of being treated or even killed simply for who I am and what I believe. Even having read about Anne’s experience in school when I was younger, nothing can compare to the feeling of actually experiencing the Anne Frank House in person. I am so grateful for my semester abroad for giving me so many life changing experiences like this one, and I will never forget that day and how I felt there.