Submitted by Evan Ciecko on the 2024 Winter ENGL program in Netherlands …
My second week in Arnhem was an amazing experience! I traveled to two national parks and learned about the impacts of climate change on their livestock and native plants. I was greatly impressed by the resources that are being utilized in The Netherlands to research and restore native species. One of the biggest differences in culture that I became aware of was the way that the Dutch tour guides emphasized a “hands-off” approach to maintaining the park. For example, livestock such as Highland Cattle that they house in a section of the park are left outdoor all winter to roam and are not fed or cared for as intently as they would be in American parks. The park guides acknowledged that sometimes cattle will not make it through the cold winter, but that this is exactly how it would have been in nature and they do not want to intervene. It was very interesting to learn about this new perspective on wildlife preservation.
The changes in culture that I experienced did not only exist in Arnhem. I am so excited that I got a free weekend to travel to Germany and experience the beautiful cities of Dusseldorf and Cologne. I was able to tour the Lindt Chocolate factory and learn about the ethics behind cacao farming and chocolate production.
I am so glad Arnhem is a city that is located so close to other countries and has allowed me the opportunity to travel to places I had never even thought about going when I joined this trip! I got to a whole new country faster than I could have driven to the beach at home. Excited for my last week here with three group excursions planned. (Submitted on January 22, 2024)