The First Steps

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The first days here in Davenport are already behind me and so far it has been a great experience. Let me take you through my experiences here so far.

When I stepped foot outside of the airport the difference in weather was obvious. I felt the need to put on a jacket to harm me against the cold breeze and the light drizzle. The taxi driver, taking me to the hotel told me that it took him a couple of months to adjust to the weather when he arrived. I feel for him, being a South-African in a place where the winters are amongst one of the coldest of the entire States. The drive to the hotel was a lot longer than I anticipated. A herald for what I was about to find out. The distances are a lot bigger. I was expecting it, but not this much bigger.

When we pulled up in front of the hotel I took some time to take it all in. Looking around reminded me of where I am from. People who know me, know that I’m from a city called Haarlem. This village-like city in the Netherlands is filled with restaurants, cafes and shops. However, on the outskirts one might stumble upon an industrious little area called the Waarderpolder. This is one of the places where web shops and companies have their warehouses and where small factories can be found. I will now try to take you through a vivid journey through the outskirts of Grand Rapids.

Imagine this industrious area but now with buildings three times the size, 50-100 meters further apart, warehouses being replaced by fast-food chains, sports bars and enormous grocery stores. Now you have that image in your head, think of what it would look like when the municipality decided to widen the roads to double their size and a tax on fuel-efficient cars has been passed. To top it all off, somebody in this imaginary part of town, decided to turn everything in a giant golf court without removing the buildings. That’s about how this area looks. It goes without saying that for me this felt like quite the interesting experience.

After enjoying another delicious, juicy burger at one of the many sports bars I headed back to the hotel. Still I was amazed by the size of all the servings. The moment I arrived at the bar, I figured to order a coke first and take a beer during my meal. When my coke arrived I knew that my drink was going to outlast my dinner by a long shot.. I was already preparing myself mentally for my unlimited meal-plan in college.



Next morning I was being picked up by a blonde girl with a big smile on her face, Rachel. After a short drive I and the other international students we picked up during the trip were shown around the campus. It is hard to describe what it looks like but one thing is for sure, it is a lot bigger than the school I’m used to. Especially the sports facilities are incredible. The way athletes are treated here is something which scared me a bit at first. Everything is aimed at the athletes. Davenport offers a wide variety in sports teams. Right next to my dorm is a large sports complex with a Football field, indoor basketball court, volleyball courts and gym. All of which is free to use as a Davenport student. I must really get involved in sports and become more active..<a name="_GoBack"></a>

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