It is hard to believe that its already the end of November, winter has officially arrived here in the Netherlands, the days of warm are now a thing of the past...so all of you in California, enjoy those 70 degree days and sunshine for me!
Sinterklaas(the Dutch version of Santa) arrived in the Netherlands last week. It was quite a spectacle with the cutest little kids all lined up to watch as he and his 'Zwarte piets" came to town on a steam ship. This is major celebration here in the Netherlands, so Amelie and I went to see what it was all about, below are a few photos to give you an idea. It was an exceptionally nice day, without a cloud insight. It was great fun, and definitely a cultural experience
Right after the Sinterklaas festivities, Micheal arrived in Amsterdam. He was my first visitor from home. We spent two days playing in the city and had a great time! We got along really well and both agreed that the time passed to quickly. I was sad to see him go, but excited for him and even a tad envious of the other places he is traveling to. There are a few photos below, but we were having such fun that I forgot to take photos!
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| Micheal in Amsterdam |
At first glance it may seem that my life here is a party, but as most of you know, its quite the opposite really. It is true, I have a lot of fun, but I work hard too. After all, all work and no play would make me a dull girl...but, for those of you who know me well, you know that my idea of a good time consists of good food, good company and long conversations. Truth be told, life is life no matter where you are and while there have been a few lifestyle adjustments such as riding a bike rather than driving a car, cooking on a hot plate atop a mini fridge(the joys of student
housing!) rather than a gas stove, shopping in for food that is all written in Dutch, stores being closed on Sunday, paying with euro everywhere and best of all, doing laundry by hand in order to save time! Its really been quite smooth and comfortable.
I am a bit of a homebody, perfectly content to stay in. One of the things I enjoy most is cooking dinner with Patricia, or relaxing at the end of the day with a cup of tea or occasionally, a glass of red wine and usually a good book:).I think that in protest to the amount of reading I have been assigned, that I have begun reading for fun. Thanks to Diana's generous contributions to my personal library and the amazing public library here, I was going through a book a week for a while. Amelie and I, find ourselves at the library or one of the many museums at least once a week; its a fun way to get together and to make the most of the city at the same time. I make an effort to hear live music as often as possible, I especially love the Alto jazz bar...if you find yourself in the city on a Wednesday, definitely check it out!
I got in my first bicycle accident last week. I was riding along, heading to class, when suddenly a van stopped in front of me...I tried to stop, but when my bike ceased to slow, I looked down and realized that my brake line had snapped! I swerved and slid into the back of the van...then slid across the sidewalk and landed right by a semi:). I fell like a champ, and with the exception of a bruised knee, didn't even get hurt! It could have been much worse, luckily it was not rush our! Anyone who has witnessed rush hour in Amsterdam can attest to that:) The driver was pretty nice, and another bicyclist saw it happen and stopped to make sure I was okay, which I was...So, I locked my bike and walked 20 minutes in the rain to class, laughing most of the way, people must have thought I was a bit crazy, but what else was there to do? I took it to the shop where they fixed for free, so now I am back on the road. Hopefully this will be my one and only crash:)
My courses are really interesting, and quite demanding. I was spending an average of 3 to 5 hours a day reading, and working on assignments but that is winding down now as the end of the semester draws near. I am currently working on 2 research papers related to Turkey's accession to the European Union. Each have to be 12 to 14 pages! So, needless to say, I still have my work cut out for me.
I have been taking a course about East Asia(China, Taiwan, Japan, and the Korea's). The lecturers will bring a considerable amount of knowledge and experience to the discussions which I really enjoy. The book and articles are well written, and I find myself looking forward to the assigned readings(I point this out only because there has been a considerable amount of crap assigned over the course of the semester).
My communication class is entertaining, there is rarely a dull or controversy free lecture. I can't say that it is very enlightening or that I have learned a tremendous amount, but it has been interesting to see how stereotypes have been institutionalized under the cloak of formal education.
My human geography class, though completely Eurocentric, has been awesome. I have learned a tremendous amount and have a much better understanding of the history and modern workings of the European countries. I find myself being able to offer an informed opinion and hold my own in conversations related to the EU and to international politics...its fun to surprise my European counter parts and challenge their impression of the stupid American. As it turns out, there are stupid, or rather, uninformed people everywhere, and in my opinion anyone willing to type cast and or write someone off based solely on their country of origin simply displays their arrogance, ignorance and intolerance, often the very qualities that they are so offended by!
Okay, I could carry on at length on the subject of hypocrisy, however I will step down from my soap box and move on.
I must return to my research papers, but, I will try to write again soon and to get some more photos up too!
I hope that you are all doing well, and that you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday. This whole experience has helped to confirm and solidify my values and lifestyle choices such as the importance of good food, quality relationships, trust, faith, strength of spirit, integrity, passion and moral conviction to name but a few. It has made me appreciate the abundance of wonderful people in my life and the experiences I have had with each of you. The love and support of my family and friends has inspired and sustained me; for that I am most grateful. I look forward to sharing good food and conversation with you when we find ourselves in the same place again. Until then, take care and keep me posted. Love and respect,
Laura
"Nature never repeats herself, and the possibilities of one human soul will never be found in another,"
-Elizabeth Cady Stanton"