Yesterday I moved into my new apartment, or flat, or dormitory, in the morning. It is very nice, although the bathroom is a bit grungy. My roommate arrived later in the afternoon and we went to buy cleaning supplies together at the local spar, which is like a grocery store. I never realized that stores often don't have the function in the name, but are instead a brand. But this is difficult when you move to a new country! I learned today that Hema is Target like. Albert Heijn is Stop and Shop like. Lots to remember!
We met up with the forty American CIEE students and had a canal cruise with a pizza dinner. They gave us anchovy pizza, but sorry Grammy, no herring yet! The coffee is, though, incredibly good. Except that it often comes out of a vending machine and is therefore inaccessible to me because I can't read the options on the machine, so I'm not sure where the cup comes from. I can't tell whether I'm supposed to provide the cup. I must watch someone else do this! I also got my bike!! Any ideas for names? I have two bike locks, one for the front and back, and a light! It is illegal to ride at night without one.
Last night my flat mate and I (she is lovely by the way, her name is Kristen) took much needed showers and went out with some friends to a bar. We also went into a club for a bit where we had our first real exposure to house music. Dutch dancing is really amazing. There is a lot of fist pumping and arm motions and then a general pulse as well. I will have to practice.
This morning we went with the international students (900 of us!) to register with the university, get our mobile phones working, and have our welcome from the staff (in the church where Rembrant was buried!). Then they walked us literally across the whole city to a club in an old factory, where we danced more! To more house! There are students from every country. It's incredible. And my friend from Portugal showed me how a Spanish sentence sounds in Portuguese, and now I am determined to learn Portuguese. And German so I can read Dutch SO I CAN BUY COFFEE.
So sleeeeepy. Good night everyone! Love love love Julie
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Skyline with Rain Clouds
Dock Near My Flat at Dusk
Albert Cuyp Markt After Closing
Bloemenmarkt Floating Flower Market
A Short Nap for Dad at Prinsengracht
Heineken Brewery Barley!
Esther and Joe in De Pijp
Susanne and Rachel here! we miss you! but you sound happy (despite your struggles with dutch and coffee machines).
ReplyDeletewe think you should name your bike paprika, like the blue's clues character. Also, it is a popular spice in eastern europe, which you like. also, pappy is a good nick name.
This is so much fun to read, Julie! Keep 'em coming--and I can so identify with your standing in front of the coffee machine, trying to figure it out! Well, my suggestion for a bike name would be that you find your new favorite Dutch word or name...maybe uitgang
ReplyDelete--my only Dutch vocab word, which means "exit...or maybe VG, after the wonderful painter...or hmmmm...I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas! OR maybe una palabra en español, just to keep your summer-Spanish alive!
xooxox