Painting The Hague
by Allison Taylor ’26

This is an image of a man painting in the middle of the busiest area of The Hague, which is one of the largest cities in the Netherlands. Although the area was incredibly busy, he was not bothered as he was focused on painting and capturing the beauty of the architecture and people in this area.

Alongside him were multiple paintings he had previously painted which were available for sale. After talking with him about his work, he told us his hopes with the art are to remind viewers about the peacefulness that can still be discovered even in busy times of life. One of the largest takeaways I had from this experience was how in European culture they do not rush, and convenience is not an option. They live life moment by moment and enjoy their time in the present, which is exactly what this artist was doing.

Fields of Joy
by Lauren Funk ’26

In the Netherlands they plant and harvest just like we do here but for very different crops. Their main crop is tulips, and they sell the tulip bulbs from the ground for profit. During our time abroad, we were able to watch them cut the heads off of all these beautiful tulips to harvest the bulbs.

While harvesting the bulbs they pull up netting from the ground which has secured the bulbs for the entire season. They don’t plant the flowers just for their beauty: it’s an added prize of the crops they farm. They sell the tulips internationally and in local markets for profit.

Mirador de Ujarras – Cartago
by Karen Olvera Garcia

This was a field trip for my anthropology class. Our professor had taken us to different churches around Cartago, Costa Rica. This was a random stop we made, and we stood on a massive hill. I really enjoyed this place because I felt a lot of peace. There was so much nature surrounding me. All of my worries disappeared when all I could hear were the birds chirping and the wind blowing in my direction.

Looking back at this picture, I feel very nostalgic. My time in Costa Rica was very different compared to my busy life in the United States. I had a hard time adjusting to the relaxed atmosphere of the Costa Rican countryside. However, part of studying abroad is to immerse yourself in the culture. Once I was able to adjust, my study abroad experience felt so much like what I felt in this instance. Someday, I hope to return to that same place and experience that peaceful feeling.