Winter in Utrecht

The flight from Mombasa to Amsterdam felt like traveling between worlds. Amani watched through the window as the aircraft descended through thick cloud cover, revealing a landscape transformed by winter.

Where Kenya had been warm sunshine and vibrant colors, the Netherlands presented a monochrome canvas of gray skies and bare trees, occasionally punctuated by the warm glow of holiday lights.

"Welcome to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Local time is 7:15 AM. Current temperature is minus two degrees Celsius."

Amani smiled at the announcement. After two weeks in Mombasa's thirty-degree heat and working on Bandari FC, the Dutch winter would require some readjustment. He pulled his FC Utrecht jacket closer as he navigated through the airport, the club's driver waiting to take him back to Utrecht.

"Good holiday, Amani?" asked Jan, the club's longtime driver who had been assigned to collect him.