Upon arriving in Amsterdam, I was told about the word “Gezelligheid.” It is a difficult word to translate into English because there really is no translation. The closest words would probably be “warming”, “welcoming”, or “cozy.” I definitely felt all three of these when I was able to venture out into the city and talk to people. It was very intimidating at first. I am in a city where I don’t know anyone, no one knows me and I don’t speak their language. I didn’t feel like I was an outsider. Everyone I talked to spoke very highly of America and wanted to know more about my culture! (I had to tell everyone I was from DC, because trying to explain Lexington, Virginia to them would have been impossible.) The fact that I am also studying Dutch Art History appealed to a lot of people as well. The Dutch are…