One month what???

Exactly one month ago, I was boarding the plane at Newark Airport to begin my studies in Europe. Things that have changed since I have been away? My butt is really sore from biking, I sport Euros in my wallet, I am a tourist everywhere I go, and I grew 4 inches from being around all the tall Dutch people. Things that have not changed? I still speak and learn in English, I still have brown hair, and I am still tattooless. OH and… I just did laundry today for the first time since I left. It sounds gross but the laundry place in the building doesn’t open until Monday so we found a place down the street to finally get it done! It’s nice to have some fresh smelling clothes. The nice lady who did my laundry folded it all for me and she didn’t lose ANY of my socks. (I’m not lazy, it’s not really an option here to do your own laundry do I didn’t really have a choice).

Classes started. We have to take the metro to get there which isn’t the most convenient thing in the world, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon enough. It’s strange, because as I am walking to the metro after about 3 minutes of my walk I can’t help but think ‘I’d already be in Knott Hall by now sitting in my class.’ Needless to say, I have to leave about 45 minutes to get to class rather than leaving 10 minutes after class starts (LIZ). It’s also not that easy to text my teachers or bosses and tell them that I’ll be in a little late in the morning because I had too many meatballs last night (CHRISTINE). In two of my classes, we had to change classrooms in the middle of class because apparently the school really can’t get their shi* together. So far, classes don’t seem too bad. Although I am the first Communication major ever to travel to Amsterdam to study in the BUSINESS school (why did I decide that? I don’t know)… I think the classes will be quite interesting.

Friday afternoon we took a crazy adventure and took a bike trip to the windmills up north. It was amazing! All we had was our bikes, a back pack, and a map. After taking a 2 minute free ferry ride from central station, we started following signs toward “Zaanstaad” and made our way to the windmills a few hours later after some stops along the way. My little boy bike narrow seat did not do the finest number on my butt, however it was numb enough by mile 15 that I tried not to think about it. We biked along highways, on main streets, on side streets, over canals, and then finally we made it the beautiful sight of the windmills! Here are some pictures of the beautiful journey:









Today Jaclyn, Kristina, and I walked around the market in Waterloopin and it was lovely. There is are so many little stands to stop at - you could get lost in one of those markets for hours. Kristina managed to find the movie Sweet Home Alabama for 3 Euro, so now we have something to watch on those rainy days...