The Adventure continues...

I mildly despise wholy chronological recaps, thus I shall highlight the most outstanding moments.

Saturday morning was the commencement of the ISN (International Student Network) adventure. We began with another canal tour, which was pretty sweet, then moved on to ice skating. We decided that the program must think that total and utter humiliation is the best way to bond.

Traversing Alexanderplein, I see that the crocuses are already in bloom. The irony brings me joy. This joy only increases when I discover that the ice skating rink is outside. With the sun shining and grass thriving in the center of the circular rink. Despite the hockey skates (I've never used them) and the amazingly good Dutch speed skaters (and all the six year olds) we all manage to survive with our dignity intact.

Later on, after dinner at a Mediterrenian place, we meet at Dam Square for the big party. Of course, no one shows up til 11 and we are standing in this cold as hell, hole in the wall, trashy club the whole time. Eventually a ton of people end up there. Leaving around 130 (to walk home alone) I realize what I know for sure is the worse part of Europe.



Smoking.


Inside.


My clothes, which I had been wearing for all of 3 hours now, reek of smoke, as does my hair. And my airways are like, "oh no, we are closing up to-NIGHT." It's nice to know I have large amounts of advair stashed away.

Sunday was spent shopping and then we went out to dinner with Kristen's friend who was visiting from Ireland. Indonesian food and pastries contributed to the night, but the drunk - obviously American - half-dressed frat boys completed it. As I took pictures of Megan and Dalma with these gentlemen, they decided it was a good idea to pick Dalma up. Literally. Photo evidence to follow.

Just in the case that we weren't all totally overwhelmed yet by the vast amount of information shoved down our throats in the past 5 days, today we began classes. It's a 1.5 mile walk from here to the ISHSS (International School of Humanities and Social Sciences) and several us gathered for moral support.

In between classes, we get lunch and do some shopping. I now have a tapestry that will function as a bed sheet until I learn the Dutch words for "sheet" and "duvet cover" and can thus differeniate. I also bought some of my books for class.

This evening was one of the surreal, European incidents. After chilling for a bit, Lauren and I went to a reknown apple pie locale and had us some huge pieces of Dutch Apple pie. The fact that we are lucky enough to live here - not to mention lucky enough to live in the best dorm, in the best neighborhood - has still not totally sunk in. In celebration of being in Amsterdam, we strolled the Red Light District for a bit (almost gaining a stalker on the way over) and spent sometime chilling on a bridge, pretending we weren't watching men approach the girls. After a half hour or so, we returned to our lovely Prinsengracht.

I have no classes tomorrow, and still have a bit of shopping to do. I may join some folks for an ikea trip, but I also need to buy books, setup my cell phone, find a bike (and locks) and maybe do some homework. Or, wander Jordaan with my camera.