Week One

It's been a whole week since I arrived in Amsterdam! I can't believe it, it feels like it's been two or three weeks. I've met so many new people from so many different places, and heard so many languages. I'm trying to learn a few phrases in Spanish, French, and of course Dutch.

My roommate is Jen from Sydney, Australia. We have a cute place right on Prinsengracht, a short walk from Anne Frank's house. We each have our own bedroom with a teeny tiny kitchen, and we share a shower and toilet. I know it's going to be really cold this winter because there's a heater in the shower!

Last week was crazy busy with orientation, so here's a few pictures to sum up my experiences:

Clockwise from left: David from South Africa, me, Xuso from Spain, Kang Tse from Taiwan, Eduardo from Spain, Evelien, and Peter from Germany.

Patates frites (fries with mayo)

Artis Zoo in Amsterdam.

Peter's birthday party

I still have yet to buy a bike. I've walked all over the city and have blisters on my feet to prove it. Apparently tomorrow at the flea market, there will be plenty of cheap bikes for students to purchase.

Speaking of markets, the city is swimming in them. On Saturday, Evelien and I went down to a small market nearby to buy some groceries. It was incredible, it was small and packed with people. The vendors sold flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, breads, meats, fish, and pannekoek (Dutch pancakes). I bought some fresh arugula, cherry tomatoes, and Greek yogurt. I forgot that the vendors choose the produce for you, but fortunately I did not pick anything up before realizing I wasn't supposed to touch the fruits.

Hopefully Evelien, Sara (her roommate), and I will travel to Delft this week. It's a town about an hour southwest of Amsterdam, where Evelien's cousin lives. I can't wait to get my class schedule, so I can plan more trips around Europe!