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Published: February 3rd 2007
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Pancake shop
Seriously. Look at these. This pancake place is right next door. Sorry this entry is getting out so late. After a manhunt to get an Ethernet cable for my room, I found out that there was a problem with the wall jack in my room. It’s really loose (hopefully by the time I post this it will have been really loose) and there’s no network connection. My computer works in other rooms, just not mine. We don’t have wireless in this building, and I’m freakishly far from the school computer lab, so I’m hoping it gets fixed soon. Anyways, the last two days have been a whirlwind so I probably wouldn’t have been able to write much anyways. (UPDATE: my super amazing…bathroom mate? Just gave me a cord that works)
Thursday was the first official day of orientation. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what we did other than get our rooms, go on a canal cruise, and spend an entire day wandering aimlessly. The CIEE program is not the most organized thing in the world and we spent a lot of time wandering around the city looking for things that didn’t exist. No matter…it was a great way to explore more of the city and get to know people in the
Skating
Where we went skating today. program. So far I like everyone. I guess Amsterdam attracts a certain type of person, and the people in the program are mostly laid back and open. On Friday we had our second day of orientation which consisted mostly of a scavenger hunt which was largely unsuccessful. The purpose of the scavenger hunt was to explore the area around your housing assignment with other people from your dorm. Well, my housing assignment is a good 30-40 minute walk from the ISHSS building (where the orientation was). By the time we walked all the way to our dorm we had to walk back. Later that day we all ate dinner at NamTin and had a ton of dim-sum style food. Then we went to a bar called Casablanca for a bit. Sorry there are no stories of crazy wild partying. I’ve been too jet lagged and tired these last few days to do much more than just what was required. Today’s been a good day so far. Some of us from CIEE hooked up with the ISN (International students network) for some ice skating (where there were chickens at the rink) and pancakes. And now I just got back from the
Canal cruise
We had to duck under the bridges. open air vegetable market down the street. Uck…looking back on what I just wrote, my days seem really dry and boring. I SWEAR I am having an amazing time here. The scenery alone is enough to make even just sitting on a bench super exciting.
The city is ridiculously gorgeous. I love it and can begin to explain how cool it is. There’s a great dichotomy of old and new, the stores are cute, the restaurants are even cuter, and the little Dutch kids even cuter than that. It’s a really diverse place with a huge range of ages and races represented. I love walking here. I don’t even mind that class is so far since it so fun to walk around. The air is always crisp and refreshing and the various monuments, old buildings, and canals keep any walk interesting. No wonder there are absolutely no fat people here despite a diet that consists mostly of cheese and bread.
So the place I live is incredible. It’s further away from the other dorms and the school, but its in a really happening part of the city. Its right near Dam square and all the shopping and clubs.
Purtiful
Old European church + snazzy sky = *drool* I’m literally right down the street from the Anne Frank house and about three canals over from the city center. I live on the Prinsengracht canal in a modernish building. Unfortunately I don’t overlook the canal, but it’s the first thing I see when I step out the front door. My room itself is really trippy. Its rather long and narrow with crazy high ceilings and a bright yellow wall. There’s a kitchen built into our room and I share a bathroom with another girl. My bathroom mate’s name is Marina and she’s basically the most trendy European chic person ever. She’s from Spain and is all sorts of wordly…..and very sweet. I think we’ll get along great. I can’t get over how awesome my housing location is. I am literally steps away from multiple canals, a pancake house, national monuments, an open air market, and an apple pie place that warrants guide book attention.
By the way, Dutch people make me happy.
I also need to start making a list of the places I go and the places I want to go. There are so many little shops that I walk by and think “I need to
Chuck Norris
A sign we passed on our scavenger hunt check this out later” but I know I’ll never find them again because they are on an alley off of another alley off of another alley.
Oh...a pigeon flew into my head during the scavenger hunt.
Creepiest thing heard to date: "The junkies know where you live."
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Mom
non-member comment
Love the pics, especially the pancakes, but where's the swan? Did you get a cell phone yet?