After being sort of unsatisfied with Amsterdam, I decided to pick up and go somewhere else in Holland. Without much reason, I ended up in Utrecht, about a 40min train ride from Amsterdam, and I found there everything I was missing in Amsterdam! I went to an open mic night in a little hobbit hole-like pub with a bunch of people from my hostel. I was craving good conversation and I couldn’t have found better people to satisfy that want. Over several beers, we discussed the nature and existence of purity (can anything truly be pure/is purity always or ever good/etc), travel vs tourism, finding oneself on the road… It also surprised me that this little college town hostel had several longer-term residents staying for a full week or two.
I would’ve stayed longer in Utrecht, but the hostel kicked everyone out to make room for a huge school group that was renting out the whole hostel. I could’ve gone to the other hostel in town, but I figured if I had to move my bed, I might as well move to another city/country. So that’s how I ended up in Antwerp, Belgium about four hours after deciding to move on from Holland.
The hostel I’m in is specifically designated for backpackers, has a bit of a younger (19-24ish) crowd, and is plastered with travel quotes on all the walls. It’s built in an old chocolate factory from the 1800s and has a beautiful garden and lots of character. I got nine hours of sleep, and it was glorious. Off to explore the city today with some new fellow backpacker friends! 
Kate T. Snyder, Ph.D. 