Reaching the halfway mark of my time in Amsterdam feels like a good moment to stop and look back on how things have gone so far. When I first got here from Kraków, I was mostly wondering how my design skills would work in a real agency. Preparing for this move was one thing, but applying what I knew to real projects in a new place with a new team felt like a big step.
So far, the exchange has been very practical. I am learning something new every single day just by being in this environment and working with the team. Lately, I have been focusing on learning Webflow. Designing static screens in Figma back in school was a good start, but actually trying to build responsive web pages has made me think much more about how layout and structure work on a real website.
Webflow has definitely been hard for me, and I am taking it step by step. I am not at a point where I can build entire sites by myself, but I am trying my best every day to understand the tool better, ask questions, and help out with the team’s daily work. I spend a lot of time testing different layouts, looking at how the team builds pages, and trying to recreate those structures on my own. Working alongside my host gives me a clear and realistic view of how the business is actually runs from day to day, from managing project time to seeing how client communication works.
Overall, I feel that the goals of the program are being met. The exchange is giving me the real practice I needed to connect what I studied in school with everyday work. I am getting used to working in an office environment, following daily schedules, and adapting to how a real team operates.
For the second half of my stay, my plan is simple: keep working hard to learn Webflow, listen to feedback, and get better at my daily work. I want to become more helpful to the team and get faster at solving basic design problems. I am also getting ready to go to the Coliving Conference in London this October. Going to an event like that feels like a big step out of my comfort zone, but I am looking forward to meeting people who work in the industry, learning new things, and bringing those ideas back to our team.
The fear and doubt I felt during my first week are gone. I still have a lot to learn, but I am trying my best every day, feeling more sure of myself, and looking forward to the rest of my time here in Amsterdam.