Blogs from Netherlands, Europe - page 341

I was on my bike for most of the day yesterday. I normally don't have to wake up early on Thursdays since my class starts at 1:45, but yesterday I had a meeting at 10am with a man named Huub who helped me set up my online student account and assign me the classes I'm taking. It was a little painful waking up at 8:30- I think I'm a bit spoiled here with my late classes. =) After the meeting, I rode into town (about 20 min) and went to the bank so they could open my online account since I got all the dandy paperwork. I also got some information about the discount train card. It's 55euros and for a whole year you get 40% every train ticket you buy. So that got me thinking...if ... read more

So I started my Dutch course today. It's really great. My teacher is named Janny "Yanni" and she's in her 60s and told us that the only way for us to learn Dutch is if she speaks only Dutch to us. She is definitely right - I just didn't understand a lot of what she said today, haha. My class is 11 people: me, a chinese girl, 3 french guys, 2 spanish girls, 1 portugese girl, 2 german girls and 1 polish girl. It's a good mix and everybody is just as clueless as I am. We have a workbook and a cd, so I'll hopefully be much better at Dutch. yay! I haven't blogged in one or two days just because the excitement is dying down. I mean, I'm still enjoying every moment, but I'm ... read more

OK, I said in the last blog that I'd be typing this one from the UK. Make that home in Australia. I did type up a blog in the UK, but the computer I was on farted and I lost it all. I spat it and refused to retype it, so here are the last few blogs typed comfortably at home with a refreshing beer. Now, the train ride to Amsterdam. Claire and I, as I mentioned decided to wander around Berlin revisiting a few places to take photos. We were a bit too casual and had to rush back to the station to catch the train to Amsterdam. After rushing our bums off, we made it to the platform to be told the train had been delayed by about 10 minutes or so. Since we ... read more

Things are moving along. Amsterdam is a great city. I have run to into a few people from home and I have met some new friends too.... read more

I've realized the reality. As this is the first time I'm in a different country by myself, without my family, without anybody I know, and without the ability to speak the national language, I was initially gung-ho and didn't know what to expect. I'm still "gung-ho" (thats such a weird word...) but last night really put it all into perspective: I'm not a native, I will never be a native, and not everything here will be as easy as it is in Seattle. It's not something I mind, but now I'm prepared. Last night there was this welcome party for the International students at some building in the centrum called Asterion. Nobody in my house had ever heard of it, but no worries, we looked it up. Should be easy to find. Janne, Anouk and Chiel ... read more