I'd like to write about my memories from last September when I took a month off to travel to the Netherlands, France, and Italy.

The theme of the trip was "Traveling like a local." I wanted to understand the values of the people living in those places, so instead of staying in hotels, I used Airbnb for all accommodations and stayed in homes where hosts reside.

The first destination was Amsterdam, Netherlands. It had been 15 years since I visited there for the first time on a solo trip when I was 19 years old.

Bianca, who lives with cats, had a very cozy space where natural light and her chosen interior décor matched perfectly. It was impressive to see flowers arranged and Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" placed there. I wondered how it was possible to create such a relaxing home atmosphere in the city, while living surrounded by the hustle and bustle. Also, it was nice that the lighting wasn't as bright as in Tokyo's homes. Even in the small wooden apartment I used to live in Shimokitazawa, the lights were so bright that they dazzled the room, but I couldn't help but wonder if the adrenaline I released at work continued even after I got home.

On the first day, when my smartphone charger stopped working, I searched for the Samsung Service Center and bought a new charger in the NOORD district with considerable anxiety about the dying battery.

In Amsterdam, most of my days were spent visiting art museums.

I used Google Maps for navigation, got tips from Dutch friends, and sometimes just wandered into places I stumbled upon while exploring the city.

From the bustling Van Gogh Museum, crowded with tourists, to exhibitions gathering Dutch artists, I experienced a wide range of traditional paintings and modern art that filled me with the richness of the Dutch spirit, full of wit. It was a stimulating experience that left me with plenty of inspiration.

She is Astrid, a sculptor. Her lovely demeanor prompted me to strike up a conversation, and she graciously agreed to take a photo together. Despite being a tourist meeting her for the first time, she openly shared her personality with me, for which I was truly grateful. Despite differences in nationality, race, language, and culture, we ultimately connect on a human level.

On the final night in Amsterdam, I visited a museum called Fabrique des Lumières, which utilized projection mapping.

Beyond the beauty of Gustav Klimt's eroticism, what surprised me more was seeing people of my generation coming to the museum on a weekday evening after work. I couldn't help but wonder how they had both the physical and mental energy for this.

In Tokyo, after work, I often feel too exhausted to go anywhere... and there's hardly any interaction with people of my generation.

Moreover, many art museums in Japan close around 6 pm. This museum, however, remained open until 9 pm on weekdays. I heard that in the Netherlands, people finish work around 5 pm, quickly return home, and value spending time with family, partners, and friends.

I was astonished by how different the societal structures are.

Repeating this routine of daily life while growing up feels like living entirely different lives.

This experience was one of the inspirations for me to become a freelancer later on.