I had friends I loved dearly, friends that felt like home. That wasn't it. It was everyone else outside of our bubble. The people of Eindhoven and how they interacted with each other.

I just came back to the city, not a student living on or near the campus anymore. A young adult now living in the city centre. And ever since it feels like I’ve come to know a completely different Eindhoven. An Eindhoven where I recognize faces, recognize the same pets that go on their daily walks at the same time, families, kids, friends.

This all really materialised last Sunday as I was watching the ASML Marathon from the window of my room. The finish line was just a bit off of my window so I got to watch people finish off their runs and cool down right outside my window pane. That’s where I saw their families, kids, dogs, grandparents, wives, waiting on them with flowers, drinks, and unfiltered excitement and admiration. I recognized them. I saw them and saw myself be a part of it all.

The people on the side lines cheering on runners they don’t even know. The bands playing to show their support and to keep the morale up. The people on their bikes catching up to runners. The volunteers.

Somehow this yearly event suddenly meant more than what it had always been, just the ASML Marathon. It was a completely different experience. It was knowing that these runners went through the entire city, achieving their own goals, and through it all, they had a network of people, be it people they knew or people they didn't know, all happy to be a part of their goal, all wanting to push them forward.

I look forward to experiencing more of this Eindhoven.