Murphy's Law Gone Right

Heart of Glass

I am back in my second home, the Netherlands, where I will reside for the rest of the summer. My boss picked me up at the airport and dropped me off at my new home in Wassenaar.  2 days later, I retrieved my bike in Amsterdam, and I am now back in the swing of things.  It's like I never left.  Of course, I went through a few days of Amsterdam withdrawal (I'm so close, yet so far away) but I have now become accustomed to suburban life.  

Besides the wonderful Embassy family I'm living with, food I'm eating, and beautiful golden  retriever I get to pet and feed scraps from the dinner table (it's true, I try to buy her love), the best part of my new life in The Hague is my job.  I thought I would never find something to rival the pure joy I feel when discussing domestic politics, but I guess I was wrong.  I love life in the foreign service, or at the very least, being an intern abroad.  Everyone has been so nice to me and I am clearly lucky with my post.  I have been invited to dinner with different families on multiple occasions, attended 

parties, and met with the Charge d'Affairs. He said, "I know we don't pay you, but what we can do is pay you in access."  By this, he means that if we want to go to a meeting, we should speak up.  I don't even need to do that because I've been included in so many meetings my schedule is ridiculous.  It's a good thing I'm using an outlook calender, I would never remember where I was suppose to be at each and every hour.   I attend meetings, take notes, and then write up cables---basically a press release that goes to the department of state.  Every day, I am more convinced that I should try and join the foreign service.  Former blogger, Esther, is so lucky!  The idea of moving every 2 years to various places throughout the world sounds thrilling. Two of my colleagues' last post was in Pakistan and they said that there time working in Islamabad was very rewarding. They explained that you would be working seven days a week but everything you do would be of high priority.  Our work in the Netherlands, of course ,is a bit different.  Rather than try and build and investigate we are maintaining a relationship.  

I have had many great opportunites.  The other day, I traveled to the island of Texel for a ceremony. We were there to help the wife of a former Veteran present a painting to a museum.   I think the whole event went splendidly and at the end of the day, we were treated to a lovely five-course meal.  Today, at our Embassy's 4th of July reception, I gave everyone flag pins including Prime Minister Balkenende, who by the way looks a lot like Harry Potter.  The Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister Verhagen, were the coolest ppl there, in my opinion.  It was a great event to be at and I approved of the menu of mini hotdogs, hamburgers, and even rootbeer floats, so American!  Oh, another great part is that I have my own office.  I love it--with a big desk and extra chairs.  It's great!  My only regret so far is that I have not gotten out and experienced The Hague quite yet.  Hopefully, that time will come, but for now, I am plenty busy waking up early at 7:00 am to get to work around 8 and then returning home at 6 or 6:30.  If I didn't have a 30 minute cycle back from work, I would easily stay later.  I'm quickly becoming a workaholic.  Very ,very strange.  Okay, well I have to wake up for another day of work, so I must get to sleep.  Sorry this is such a brief update, but civic duty calls and I can't afford to fall asleep on the job.  Until next time...Tot ziens!

After Hours

I am in America!  Finally, I am posting from the correct time zone for me.  It is crazy to be home.  I'm livin' the dream.  No really, I actually am living my dream.  

I had a dream about coming home and going to the grocery store and buying whatever my heart desired.  The other day I did just that!  Besides paying for everything in dollars, my favorite thing about being back is seeing my friends.  

I spent two days in NYC and I got to see fellow SAAB members Lauren and Julia! My Mom had gotten tickets to The Daily Show so we went my very first full day back in America!  I saw some of my best friends in NYC and came home to visit with even more friends.  I've been so busy, I haven't had a chance to relax.  

Today, I attended my brother and sister's graduation party.  They had the party early so I could be here for it.  It was a lot of fun and I got to see many of my family friends.  Besides that, I've been spending my days in a jet lag coma.  I just woke up after sleeping for 3 hours, after 9.5 hours last night.  Needless to say, I'm still tired.  I have finally finished the semester and am looking forward to a summer of work.  The posted pictures in the top are from my brief stint in America. The rest are from my former home, Amsterdam.

In honor, of my completed year below is the traditional end-of-the-year wrap-up(see past years here: Freshman Year & Sophomore Year). So in case you missed any, here is the compiled list.  Enjoy!

Viva La Vida: A brief update about my new home in Georgetown and my work in Washington D.C.  Check out the videos!

Every time We Say Goodbye: A chic party, a great market, and my favorite museum: read all about my adventures in D.C.!

Time to Pretend: Some advice to freshman from objects to bring, attitudes to embrace, and things you should take advantage of at orientation.  I would recommend this blog to anyone searching for answers about your freshman year of college. Take pictures, attend orientation events, and don't stress about making  friends are some of the included tips.

Ch-ch-ch-changes: Just a little bit about the changes I experienced during my junior year.  Life seems a little bit different when friends live off-campus all in different apartment buildings.  You realize who you want to spend time with and "pencil" into your schedule (if I ever kept a schedule). 

All Tomorrow's Parties: Another post writtewhile on Amtrak.  This seems to be a trend in my life.  Anyway, read all about my fall semester classes from Western Intellectual Thought to Congress and the Presidency.  I even had a brief stint with Econometrics.

Yesterday Never Tomorrows : I kid you not, another post written on the train.  This time, I include a list of of traveling tips.  What is the best way to get to the train station from Homewood Campus?  What about getting to the airport?

I'll Be Your Mirror : A bit of birthday, a bit of Amsterdam, and a life plan altered.  I drop Econometrics as a class and more importantly, Economics as my second major.

Don't Wait Too Long : As I say, "tonight's the night!  The polls are almost closing and CNN's magic map is on.  For political junkies like me, this is like Christmas morning."  Here are some of my thoughts on election night.

Chasing Pavements : Why?  A difficult question to answer, but one that often plagues a philosophy major.  Why did I choose to become a philosophy major and what does Hopkins' philosophy department have to offer?

There She Goes : 7 Successful Steps for Studying Abroad.  Make sure to consider these options and start early.  You don't want anything to stop you from such an  important experience.

Burning of the Midnight Lamp : A guide to the five levels of the library and my new found love of the library in general.  Also, check out the comments as Hopkins students debate about their favorite levels.

In a Manner of Speaking : As the holiday season is underway, I reminisce about my past semester of Hopkins.  What will I miss when I am abroad?

This is Your Life : One week before I leave for Europe.  What do I do?  I go to NYC meet up with fellow SAABer Julia, go to the American Museum of Natural History with another friend, discuss my love of great Americans such as  Alexander Hamilton, and watch the hours of coverage on Inauguration Day.

Amsterdam : Read all about my initial adventures in Amsterdam.  I discuss the dangers of riding a bike and the wonderfulness of the unnaturally tall Dutch people.

Never Had No One Ever : One of my first sunny days in Amsterdam and I spend the day biking outside with some Amsterdammers discussing cultural differences.  Importantly, I also mention my love of markets.

Traveling Without Moving : Five friends and I take an overnight bus to Berlin.  The next weekend, I take the train with a friend to the less interesting, but still beautiful Brugge and Brussels.   A trip to the 3 Bs.

CRIBS Double Duty: Charles Commons 1125 and Funenpark, Amsterdam : Read about my old home and my new one.  Check out the video from my Hopkins dorm and the pictures from my new city, Amsterdam.

Decisions, Decisions : A letter to admitted students about why there is no such thing as "the perfect school", but only a "more perfect one".  Hopkins was and is my more perfect school.

Barcelona!!! :  One of the best cities I've ever traveled to, Barcelona has a little bit of everything.  If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend visiting this city.  Read about my Spanish adventures in this post.

Graffiti Eyes :  Read all about the Greatest Party on Earth, Queen's Day in the Netherlands.  Everyone wears orange and floods the streets.  It's wonderful and crazy at the same time.

Where is My Mind? : My very last post in Amsterdam.  I explain why it is such a great city and why I feel comfortable calling it my home.

So that is it, my year in 21 posts.  It's been wonderful and I can't believe I'm saying this, but now that I've finished all of my work, I can call myself a senior.  I am a Senior at Johns Hopkins!  It's been a long year and much has happened, but I wouldn't change a thing.  I can't wait for what the future brings.  I also can't wait for the rest of my summer.  I will be flying back to the Netherlands in 2 days to start my job in The Hague.  

Until next time...

Where is my mind?

This is officially my last post in Amsterdam.  I miss it already. 

I often think about my love of Amsterdam in comparison to other cities.  Why is it that I love big cities like Paris and Barcelona, yet feel so great every time I return to Amsterdam?  I mean, of course there is the bed factor and the  amazing comforter I bought for myself, but really it’s about home.  Amsterdam is my home.  In other cities, I’m constantly on the move, but in Amsterdam I just exist.  

So recently, when I was trying to figure out the address of a friend I was visiting and I asked a random passerby-er to direct me.  I apologized and said, “I‘m sorry I don’t know where my memory / mind is (because I actually had recently been there, although to my credit it was during the night and things looked completely different).”  Anyway, he responded, “In America?”  I didn’t respond, but I was thinking that America would be the very last place my mind and memory could be found.  My mind was still at the Cafeé where I ate delicious apple pie and my memories were of the Van Gogh museum where I stayed for hours or the scenic views of the canals in the Jordaan.  

All I can say is that thank goodness this transition home is gradual.  I mean, I love America but living in Europe is wonderful.  I recently was talking with a friend who had been abroad the whole year and even found an internship to stay here until the middle of July.  She said, “don’t people realize they are going to have to drag me off this continent?”  While I’m not quite being dragged, I’m prolonging it for as long as possible. 

Unfortunately the end of my time in Amsterdam was dominated by school work: once a procrastinator, always a procrastinator.  I actually impressed myself with my ability to write a 30 page paper in 2 days.  When I was productive I would take breaks by biking around to the market, going out to dinner, and even taking a night bike ride and walk through the Red Light District.  

It’s funny, I was recently telling a friend(from home) that I took a walk through the Red Light District at night, and she asked me “isn’t it scary?”  Well, if you’re frightened by tourists then it’s a nightmare.  This is just one example of how after living in Europe you forget that things sound strange to other people.  Your mind reminds in Europe, not America.  There are things that have become so normal to me that I don’t realize they sound out of the ordinary to others.  This is why the transition will be interesting. 

So, I will spend one week in America before a return to The Hague.  I’m pretty excited for the rest of my summer in Europe. I arrive next Thursday and  my boss is picking me up at the airport!  He sent me an e-mail saying “I plan to wear an orange tie!  Otherwise it might be hard to recognize a tall brown haired man amongst the Dutch”.  I like the sense of humor already. 

At the end of the summer, I hope I will be happy to return to America.  I’ve got to start mentally preparing myself for the fall when I take 5 classes again.  Okay, well I actually need to board a flight home.  I will write my summary of the year in my next blog.  I apologize for my delay, while everyone at home had finished their finals my month of stress was just beginning.  All my pictures are from my recent trip to Santorini and Athens, Greece. 

Until next time… Tot ziens!

Graffiti Eyes

After a hectic month and a half of traveling, I finally feel settled at home.  Of course, by home, I mean the Netherlands.  I've gone on a few excursions across the country: I visited a castle in Muiderslot and town called Zaanse Schans where I  saw how they made cheese, wooden shoes, and windmills.  I can now say I've  experienced many of the traditional Dutch attractions.  The only thing I have left to do is see the tulips at the Keukenhoff--the most beautiful fields full of flowers.  Possibly the most exciting excursions of my last two weeks was my visit to The Hague/Wassenaar and my bike trip to Haarlem and the beach.  Let me begin with the latter.  

Ever biked 40-45 kms?  I hadn't either until a few friends of mine decided to undertake the dreaded distance--by the way a kilometer is 2/3 of a mile--to see a cute and apparently must see town in North Holland called Haarlem.  Haarlem you ask?  Is it a city like the one in New York?  In 1658, Peter Stuyvesant, the Director-General of the Dutch colony founded the settlement of Nieuw Haarlem in  the Northern part of Manhattan Island of Nieuw Amsterdam.  When the English captured New Netherland they renamed the colony New York and used the English spelling to change the name to Harlem.  So while the American city is named after this town, they are greatly different.  On the way there we took the scenic route.  We biked through the country side, passing farms and horses.  I've always had a soft spot for horses and gave an apple to a horse  right near the Halfweg sign.  Halfweg is the town that is literally at the halfway point between Amsterdam and Haarlem.  Apparently, it is where people use to switch their horses, maybe that's why we so many around that area.  After a short break we continued on finally reaching Haarlem, the quaint town set along the river Spaarne.  We walked through the center market which had some great stalls.  I even got this amazing pesto cheese which is so hard to find, but amazing.  After a walk around the city and a great lunch, we all were ready to move onto the beach.  Our bike ride to the beach was really lovely.  It seemed like a great place to live if you worked in Amsterdam but wanted to live in suburbia.  You are close to the beach and close to the city.  The houses were beautiful with great gardens and lawns; I could almost see myself living there.  I have to say, the beach was a bit cold.  There is a difference between the North Sea and the Mediterranean.  The North Sea  is seriously chilly.  The beach itself is nice but the water was frigid.  After a great day we biked back and stopped at the brewery at the windmill right near our building.  The Brewery could be one of the best places in the city.  It's open from 3-8 and is completely packed.  People sit outside and even along the canal.  Its a really great way to spend time with your friends.

The other great adventure of the past week was my trip to The Hague with my class.  I realized how lucky I happened to choose a city that has easy access to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Peace Palace.  A couple of months ago, I was able to sit in on a case at the ICJ--Nicaragua v. Costa Rica.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to observe a trial at the ICC since the court wasn't in session.  However, we did get to see presentations from various people who  worked at the ICC.  It's very interesting because the U.S. is not a party to (or does not submit themselves to the jurisdsiction of) the court. However, as part of the United Nations, the U.S. did play an important role in developing the Rome Statue-- the document that stipulates the limitations and extent of the court.  Anyway, that's a whole different story.   

The best part of my trip was my detour to the town of Wassenaar.  I finally figured out my housing situation for the summer.  I am going to be working for the State Department at the U.S. Embassy at The Hague in the Office of Political and Economic Affairs (long description, I know).  But, while I had this long-winded titled job, I had nowhere to live.  I ended up e-mailing the HR person at the Embassy and she put me into contact with a family that had the top floor of their home available to live in.  So during my trip to The Hague, I made plans to meet my potential family.  They are an American family living abroad and working for the government.  They have a 10 year old daughter, a 19 year old son, and a golden retriever!  This will probably be the closest I get to ever having a pet!  They were all extremely nice and welcoming and I can't wait for the summer.  It was wonderful because not only did I get to meet them, but the mom, Mary, showed me around the town of Wassenaar.  Evidently ,it is considered the Hollywood of the Netherlands because it is where the royal family and other important diplomats live.  Overall, it was adorable.  There were cute stores downtown, farms where there were baby sheep, wild horses, and yet you are so close to the city.  It should only be a 30 minute cycle to work in the morning.  Jeez louise, I've become so Dutch.  As the New York Times Style section says, I'll be "Riding the It Factor".  Read the article: here.

Lastly, the craziest thing I experienced in the last week was on April 30th, Queen's Day. After hearing so much was about it, I was excited to experience it first hand. Everyone comes together to celebrate the Queen's birthday (well actually the  birthday of the current Queen's mother). It is about "togetherness" and "national unity" but really it includes a night and day of complete fun. The festivities begin on Queen's Night--also known as Koninginnedag. The streets are crowded with thousands of people and the bars are packed. My friends and I headed over to the Jordaan where there were lots of parties taking place in the bars and in the streets. There was also lots and lots of random live music. It was so crowded we had to hold hands to get through the crowd and make our way to areas of open spaces. Evidently, many people attempt to stay out all night and then go shopping in the morning, but I couldn't quite make it. So, I went back for a couple hours of sleep and woke up early so I wouldn't miss out on all the good stuff being sold.

So what type of shopping you may ask? What was I worried about missing? Well, Queen's Day is also known for the Free Market that takes place all around the city. Many people set-up tables outside where they sell baked goods, random things from their house, really anything you can imagine. It's like a big tag sale throughout the city. Evidently the Jordaan, once again, is the place to be to find all of the "good"  stuff. Unfortunately, I did not find anything I absolutely wanted to buy so I walked away empty handed. But still, it was really fun to look through the interesting trinkets and goods. Another part of the day, which I found to be a little strange, was that many kids set-up around the city singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, even doing gymnastics in hope that people would give them a few coins. From the ridiculous kids singing to the massive amounts of people in Dam Square at the carnival, it was pretty outrageous. Most of the streets in the City Center were closed down. It was even too crowded to bike!

Overall the day was really spectacular. DJ Tiesto was even suppose to be playing in Museumplein, but due to an unfortunate accident outside The Hague, the evening festivities were canceled. I was shocked to see massive amounts of people dressed in orange and having so much fun. It reminded me of Spring Fair at Hopkins, except it was city wide. Rather than thousands of people it was 3 million. If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend spending April 29th and 30th in Amsterdam, its really worth it. Tot ziens! Until next time...

Barcelona!!!

As I exited the metro station in Placa d'Espanya and hurried along the sidewalk to the Palau Nacional, I heard the dulcet tones of Freddy Mercury singing "Barcelona".  Following the crowd up the steps, I could make out the brilliant colors of what I could only assume was THE magic fountain.  It was my last night in Barcelona and it was simply magical.  Below is one of the many clips I found online of the fountain, none compare to the actual experience, you can't see the palace in the background or the crowded boulevard below but its definitely worth watching.  Evidently the embedding isn't working so here is the link: Magic Fountain of Montjuic

My two friends from Amsterdam and I had left town for our short, but sweet Easter break.  After a hectic morning which included us buying the wrong train tickets and having to scrounge for change to buy new ones (I even borrowed 50 cents from a stranger) and then once at the airport having my friend realize she forgot her passport, we were happy to have made it to Barcelona in the first place.  One of the first things we did after dropping off our luggage at the hostel was walk down Las Ramblas.  It is the main boulevard in Barcelona and it is full of bustling tourists, a bird market, and crazy people dressed up in intricate costumes.  We stopped at La Boqueria, Barcelona's famous market that is consistently voted the best market in Europe.  As a market connoisseur myself, I have to say, I was pretty impressed.  The brilliant colors of the fruit stands, the delicious looking chocolate and candies, and the disgusting/surprising hanging meats were mesmerizing.  It is a must-see if you ever visit this city.  After walking around for a bit, we met up at the Travel Bar where Google told me there would be a free walking tour.  There is a company called New Europe that organizes free walking tours in various cities in Europe.  Amsterdam has a great one.  Unfortunately, they did not have one in Barcelona so I was curious to see what this other one would be like.  Our tour guide was Swedish, but had lived in Barcelona for 3 years.  She was really nice and helpful.  We toured the Gothic area and were informed where to go and where not to go at night, along with some great helpful hints.  One of the things she said was that we should not buy food on Las Ramblas, in particular, don't buy paella on Las Ramblas.  Instead, she said we should make our own paella(see the picutre to the right) and do a cooking class.  So, the next day that's what we did. 

Our second day in Barcelona was by far, the most beautiful.  It was 70 degrees and sunny so we went to the beach.  Having lived by the beach all my life, it's strange when it's a treat to go to one.  I forgot how much I missed just being by the water.  Of course Amsterdam has canals, but its not the same as having the breeze from the ocean, or in this case the sea, on your face.  The Mediterranean was beautiful and actually not that cold.  It was not warm enough for me to go swimming, but quite a few people did.  In fact, quite a few people went topless.  As liberal as Amsterdam is, Barcelona beats us on at least one count.  In Barcelona, public nudity is completely allowed.  All you need to do is have a pair of shoes.  I can't say I wasn't warned, but it was still shocking to encounter on the beach.  After relaxing for a while, we dragged ourselves off the beach and headed to Montjuic. We took the funicula half way up the mountain and then walked through Parc Montjuic to the top where there was a brilliant view of the city and Castell Montjuic.  What a wonderful location for a castle, not only can you see the entire city and the backdrop of Mt. Tibidabo's ominous church, but you can also see up along the coastline.  It was a lovely day and we made it back just in time for our cooking class where we learned to make sangria, tapas, and paella.  With my new found cooking knowledge, maybe I could host a Spanish dinner in the future.

Barcelona has great art and artists.  While I was there I went to the Picasso Museum, the Miro Museum, and the Caixa Forum.  Two out of the three major Catalan artists isn't too bad.  Can you guess the third?  Salvador Dali.  I heard there is a great museum with his work, but it was a day trip away.  Anyway, my favorite thing to see in Barcelona was not created by an artist, but an architect: Antonio Gaudi.  The works of Gaudi span throughout the city.  You can even spot lampposts that he designed.  With Parc Guell's famous Lizard at the entrance, I had my own Vicky Cristina Barcelona moment as I walked up the stairs.  The Gingerbread houses, as I like to call them, that are on either side of the entrance are a delight to see.  His work is surreal with elements of nature reflected within.  La Sagrada Familia, his obsession that he died working on is still unfinished.  The details of the building are unending.  I can't even begin to describe them.  It is a must see if you go to Barcelona.  The construction for this cathedral began in 1886.  Around the time of his death, Gaudi was spending all of his time at the church and would only leave to attend mass at another church.  He was hit by a rail car/tram on his way back from church.  His hair was long and a mess apparently he had let his appearance go as his work consumed him.  When he was hit, the people just moved him over because they thought he was a beggar.  They did not know he was one of the greatest architects in the world.  My favorite house of Gaudi's is La Pedrera.  The outside looks like it was made out of bones with balconies of skeleton heads.  His style is so different from anything else I have ever seen. I love classical architecture, but there is something enchanting about Gaudi's style that cannot be repeated by others. 

I had such a wonderful time visiting, I am confident I will be returning in the future.  After having traveled to a substantial number of cities, I really must say Barcelona is one of my favorites.    It has the lived in and gritty feel of Rome with the big city feel and beauty of Paris.  It was easy to get around and the people were very nice.   Having lived in a city where everyone speaks English, you can easily forget that not everyone else does.  For me, this was great.  I was finally able to practice my Spanish with native speakers.  It was fun to overhear and speak to people.  It made my many years of sitting in class wondering why I took Spanish instead of French worth it.  Regardless, I am now back in Amsterdam inundated with work that I have ignored.  That's the problem, it is hard to get work done when you live in such a unique city.  Eek!  I better get back to work.  Tot ziens! Until next time...

Decisions, Decisions

Dear Admitted Student,

Congratulations!  The worst is over, but now for the hard part...deciding which school to attend to.  I would say I completely understand, but I don't quite  because I applied to Hopkins early decision.  By April, all my choices were made.  Nevertheless, even though I wasn't bombarded with information of open houses I still had to ask myself one important question: can I see myself here, at Hopkins, for the next four years?  That is the most critical question you can ask yourself.  Originally, when I had toured Hopkins, I went with my Dad.  My Mom had never seen the school I was going to attend.  Consequently, in April, I took my Mom to a Open House to show her my future home.  When we first arrived on campus, I was a little nervous.  What if I something goes terribly wrong and I suddenly decided I hated Hopkins?  Can I really spend four years here, maybe its not perfect?  Well after a few deep breaths and a little rationality later, I came to the conclusions that a) Hopkins was even more beautiful in April and the people on campus were still very nice and helpful and b) a school can't be absolutely positively perfect.  I believe that there is no such thing as a perfect school only a more perfect one.  Hopkins was and is my more perfect school.  Of course there may be minute details that don't align with your image of your image of what college will be like, but you have to look at the big picture.  I am constantly surprised by Hopkins.  I had no idea Hopkins had such a great music conservatory or even a school in Nanjing.  In fact, after I was accepted at Hopkins I kept hearing it everywhere.  I would be watching a documentary on Egypt in one of my classes and there was a Hopkins professor commentating.  Even when I watched House, I heard about Hopkins.  I couldn't get away from it, but I didn't really want to either.  I was totally and completely excited about my decision.  I still am.

It's funny because after being abroad I've seemed to take note of the things that makes Hopkins unique.  After taking a philosophy class, I realized that our philosophy department is very specific.  When talking with the other kids on my abroad program about our different course offerings for the fall semester I am constantly reaffirmed of my good choice.  I chose Hopkins because of the beautiful campus, the great professors, and the great classes.  I really liked the freedom of the distribution requirements that allows me to take courses that broaden my perspective, but still relate to my interests.  Because you have to take 12 distribution credits in  the N,Qs, or Es category (Natural Science, Quantitative, or Engineering), 12 in Humanities, and 12 in Social Sciences, I could easily fulfill the H's and S's and then choose to take all my classes in the Natural Sciences on Oceans and Atmospheres and the planet or in the quantitative section with Calculus and Statistics.  Beside all the academic benefits of attending Hopkins, the city of Baltimore also provides great opportunities.  Baltimore has some great neighborhoods with amazing restaurants.  I'm really happy that I've been able to get to know this city.  I love walking down The Avenue in Hampden and checking in the funky stores or going out to eat in Little Italy.  Another of my favorite things was to take a ghost tour in Fell's Point around Halloween.  But if I ever want to get away for a weekend, I could easily go to Washington DC or even NYC.  Oh and I can't forget to mention how great Hopkins is in the spring with Lacrosse games and Spring Fair to distract you from your studies.

Of course my favorite part of Hopkins is the people I have met while going to school.  I really have had a great time and can't believe I am almost a senior.  College goes by so fast, I really am not exaggerating.  Make sure you spend this short time experiencing life, exploring the city, and finding out what your university has to offer.  If I hadn't chosen to attend Hopkins, maybe I wouldn't be abroad and going to Barcelona tomorrow (as you can tell I'm very excited)!!!  Well, I think that's all I have to say for now, if you have any questions you can always comment or go to the facebook group or message boards.  All of us on SAAB are willing to help provide you with information that can make your decision process easier.  Okay, well I'm off to class.  Until next time...

P.S.  All of my pictures are from my recent trip to Paris with my Mom.

CRIBS Double Duty: Charles Commons 1125 and Funenpark, Amsterdam

This post is going to be dedicated to my cribs, both at Hopkins and abroad.  Lucky for you, I filmed my suite at Hopkins in the fall so click on the video below to watch.  A brief synopsis (from what I remember) of my suite on the Charles side of Charles Commons.  I lived in a double with my roommate Danielle and now she has the whole suite to herself!  We each had individual rooms, a pretty big living room that had one of the best views onto the campus, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a hall closet.  I think that because it was an 11-month lease the rooms were slightly bigger and we had an actual living room with a couch, tv stand, and chair. If you look at my crib from last year the 7-month lease really only had a kitchen/breakfast nook.  That's all I will say of my former room for now.  I will let the video speak for itself.

Not only do I have a new "crib", but a new city.  If you've been reading my past couple of blogs, you may have seen my pictures of my new home.  Nevertheless, I'm going to do a quick recap of Amsterdam.  The Dutch have an impressive history.  Amsterdam came into existence in the 13th century because fisherman came and settled along the banks of the River Amstel.  It was there they built a bridge across the waterway near the IJ, then a large saltwater inlet. Wooden doors on the bridge served as a dam; these protected the town from the IJ, which often flooded the early settlement.  From this period on the city grew.  There is a saying that "God created the world, but the Dutch created Amsterdam".  The city is clearly man made and most of the city is below sea level.  The houses all slant because the are built on wooden boards and the ground is muddy; the are also very narrow since families use to be taxed on the width of the house.  The smallest house in Amsterdamis about 1.01 meters wide.  I can't even imagine how people function in that house.  The "Golden Age" of Amsterdam was in the 17th century.  Famous Dutch painters include Rembrandt, Hals, and Van Gogh.  Anne Frank lived in this city and you can visit her house and see the secret annex where she hid for many years during the war.  In 1960's and 70's the cultural revolution took place, mostly because of the citys tolerant policy towards soft drugs.  Today, while marijuana remains illegal it is decriminilized.  What is completely legal is prostitution.  If you walk through the Red Light District, you will see many "coffeeshops" where marijuana is sold and pass many "windows" where prostitutes stand inside, hoping to attract customers.  Recently the city has been attempting to clean up the Red Light District and close down the windows and coffeshops.  They have been allowing young designers to display their work in the old windows calling it "Red Light Fashion".  While the city is known for its tolerance in recent years it has been becoming less and less tolerant to immigrants who make up a large part of the city population.  The city is constantly changing and adapting to the world modernizing and becoming the city it is today, my home.

To the east of the bustle and touristy nature of the Red Light District and past a famous De Gooier Windmill is my actual home, Funenpark.  My building is a huge complex that I believe was designed by famous architects in a sort of regentrification type project.  The outside is very modern with colored windows and is set right across from train tracks.  I live on the 3rd floor and see the trains at approximately eye level, outside my window.  They aren't very loud and it is kind of comforting to have such consistency.  I have one roommate, Saba.  She goes to Princeton, but is attending the Gerrit Rietved Academie, the art school in Amsterdam.  She moved in about a month earlier than me and will move out about a month after (her program lasts longer than mine).  We have a small kitchen with a refridgerator and some gas burners, desks, lounge chairs, a coffee table Saba found for us!, and cages around our beds.  When I say cages, I mean metal bars with curtains hanging from them.  You will see in the pictures.  Our roomalso has about 3 sets of floor length doors that open to a mini balconey type area where the different color windows can be pushed open.  It's small, but nice.

While at first I was disappointed that I didn't get a single in the other building that is in a quantier/traditional Amsterdam-type area, Funenpark has grown on me.  It's in a great location and is pretty much the same as a dorm.  About 30 other students live in my building including a few international kids who attend Universeit van Amsterdam (UvA).  It's a great atmosphere and a short bike ride from most places in the city.  Besides the windmill is Dappermarkt-- my favorite market, the Troppenmuseum--my favorite museum, and Oosterpark--a great park that I usually go running in if the weather is nice.  It's close to two grocery stores, quite a few restaurants, and quite a few cafes.  Actually, its even close to the zoo.  One thing I'm really happy about is that the stairs are wide.  The Dutch are known for narrow houses and narrow and steep staircases.  These halls are wide and our stairs are normal.  It's great.  Well, that's pretty much all I can say about my crib for nowWhile I have a ton of free time I try not to spend it in my room.  At the very least, even on a grey day I try and get to the park or a cafe or the muesum.  My classes are a far enough bike ride away that I usually can stay out and out about.  In fact one of my classes use to be in the VOC which was the headquarters of the Dutch East India trading company.  Pretty cool huh?  Kind of interesting to have class in the building that housed the first multinational corporation in the world.  The city has so much history, but most importantly it has great people.  The best part of getting to know my new home is through talking to the people that live here.  They have interesting stories and well give you great recommendations for places to visit, eat, and see.  Unfortunately that is something I can't show you through pictures, but it really is at the heart of my new home.  Well, I'm in Paris this weekend and need to go back out and see some more sights!  Tot ziens! Until next time...

Traveling Without Moving

Well, I'm currently writing this post from the Amsterdam public library or the "Open Bare Bibliotheek" which is the biggest library in Europe. It's soooo cool inside. It's 7 floors with a great cafeteria on the top floor. You can sit outside and it has one of the best views of the city (the picture shows one of the views). In addition, right next doorto the library is a cafe/restaurant called Vapiano's (which is an amazing place, you can go to it in DC and you should!). I think this could be my new favorite place. Too bad it closes at 5 pm! The UvA   (University van Amsterdam) libraries are also very modern, but I don't like them as much. They aren't nearly as homey. While this building is modern and has crazy computer chairs that look like eggs and weird study carrels that are like huts, it has lots of books that makes it feel homey. The UvA ones hide their books, which is really my only complaint. Also, this library is more conveniently located, at least from where I live.

Anyway, I have much to say! The last two weekends I spent traveling, and this weekend I'm trying to save up money for when my friends come and visit.  So two weekends ago I went to Berlin.  I took an overnight bus which was like 9 hours and arrived in Berlin early on a Friday morning.  I went with 3 other boys from the program and 2 other girls.  I was really lucky because before I left, I e-mailed a few of my friends from Hopkins who had studied in Berlin the year before and they gave me great advice on what to do and see.  When we got there we bought a 3 day metro pass and hopped on the next u/sbahn to go to the hostel.  It was called the Heart of Gold Hostel and it was really clean and great because we got a room for the six of us, so we  didn't have anyone we didn't know sleeping in the room.  I guess the theme of the hostel was from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy so it had a lot of allusions to it with signs saying "Don't Panic" and weird murals on the walls.  Anyway, after dropping off our stuff we headed out to Museum Island and to the Pergamon.  It has some really really cool pieces including  original-sized, reconstructed monumental buildings such as the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, and the Ishtar Gate.  All the parts were transported from the original excavation site.  The Pergamon Altar and the gate from Babylon were awesome.  After that we walked around saw the Brandenburg Gate, the Bundestag, and the Memorial for Murdered Jews.  All three things were impressive to see, especially considering the history.  We got on the metro to go back and took a nap before heading out at night. 

At night, we did one of my favorite things.  We went to this bar which didn't really seem like a bar more like a warehouse that was kind of hard to find.  It was really funny walking in because it didn't seem like much and quite a few people (including Esther!) recommended it to me.  After a bit, it started getting crowded and more fun.  Basically it was a bar with one ping pong table.  You borrowed a ping pong paddle and then everyone stood around the table and hit once and walked to the other side until you made a mistake or lost a point.  Eventually it would end up with the two people who played a match until 5, and then it started again.  Considering it is one of the most fun and exhausting games  to play in tennis, it is easier and almost better with ping pong.  The next two days we spent seeing the main attractions including the Berlin Wall/East Side Gallery, the Bundestag at night, the Berliner Dom, and the National Gallery.  We also ate wurst, went to one really great German dinner and went to one dance club that played a tonnn of techno (apparently techno began in Berlin).  I'm really happy I went and had a great time, but I was also incredibly happy to be back in Amsterdam.  Note: The Green Man in the picture below is the image that is on all of the walk signs in East Berlin.

The next weekend I went to Brussels and Brugge.  Sadly, I haven't updated any of my photos yet so all of the pictures will be of Berlin.  I went with a friend from the program and stayed at her friend's place in Brussels.  The house her friend lived in was beautiful.  I was sooo jealous because it was like a real home with her own bedroom and a great living room/kitchen room area.  However, Europeans don't like to heat houses so I realized there are a few perks to having a studio/student apartment.  Brussels was a much bigger city then I thought, but pretty easy to get around.  We took the metro everywhere and walked around seeing all the different gardens and buildings.  We went to one museum and then another during this Museum Night Fever event  the city hosted.  I had a great time, but it was just fun to walk around the city.  Brugge was extremely touristy, but also beautiful.  It was like a fairy-book town.  Since I had already watched the movie "In Bruges" it was especially cool.  I went up to the top of the belfry and everything.  An interesting fact is that in certain parts of Belgium people speak Dutch(or Flemish which I guess is the same thing?) and in other parts people speak French.  In Brussels, they speak both and the signs are in both languages.  Although, it is my personal opinion that most people were speaking French.  I really enjoyed hearing the French, but I would much prefer to read menus in Dutch since the items are easier to figure out.  After my trip to Brussels I have to say Belgian waffles really are the greatest.  They are not like any type of waffle you would have in America.  They aren't really made out of batter like the "Belgian" waffles you would get in the U.S., but instead  they are made out of dough.  It makes them taste quite different and quite a lot better.  The next two weeks I will be spending in Amsterdam and showing the city around to my friend, Rachel, and my Mom and Aunt.  I'm so excited!  In the meantime, my vegan roommate is going to teach me how to cook non-vegan things so I can impress my guests.  Tot ziens!  Until next time...

Never Had No One Ever

 Well, it's been a busy last couple of weeks but I'm excited for the next month-or-so which seems like it will be even busier.  This weekend I'm going to Berlin, the weekend after I'm going to Ireland, then my friend Rachel is flying from the US to visit, and then my Mom and Aunt are visiting the following week and we are going to Paris.  I can't believe I've been here for almost a month and am going to be traveling for most of the next month!  I'm gradually getting to know my way around the city, I've seen a lot of different sites, and have had quite a few classes.  I even had a quiz in my Public International Law Class!  I've slowly been figuring out the back routes to class and have become quite attached to my bike.  The last time I wrote a blog, the front tire of my bike needed to be replaced.  Since that time, my back tire got a flat and needed to be replaced.  I also got in a mini accident in which my jeans were ripped, although to be honest it was a hit-and-run (or hit-and-keep keep biking?) and totally not my fault.  I don't know if it's a combination of clumsiness or just bad luck but I hope to have the number of accidents and replacements severely decrease as time goes on.

   This past weekend, I participated in a Cultural Workshop that combined the students from IES with Dutch students to talk about the different stereotypes between the Dutch and the Customs and Traditions/Government and Bureaucracy".  My group was a ton of fun; we basically spent all morning biking around the city.  We started at the Jordaan Market which is a traditional area that many tourists go to visit.  It has small narrow streets that give it a cozy feel.  We stopped at the Winkel (which ingeniously means store).  It is great cafe that, according to the Dutch people in my group, had the best apple pie in the city.  It was funny to discuss it because I always associated apple pie with America, but the Dutch people jokingly told us that apple pie was invented in Amsterdam.  This may or may not be true, but regardless, the apple pie was good.  After our time in Jordaan we biked through the "Nine Streets" which is a great shopping area, Vondelpark which is like Central Park, and even to Museumplein which is home to the Iamsterdam sign.  Finally we rounded out our beautiful morning bike ride by stopping at the Alberty Cuyp market which is the largest market in Amsterdam in this area called De Pijp (pronounced: Pipe). 
 
  Because it was such lovely weather, it was great to spend the morning outside.  During the morning we did discuss a lot of different traditions and cultural differences.  In particular, we talked about the fact that the Dutch government is in The Hague even though the capital is Amsterdam.  Evidently this tricky detail is because when they were trying to decide where the government was suppose to be there was a debate/feud between Rotterdam and Amsterdam.  Ultimately, they chose The Hague because it was a non-important neutral territory.  During the discussion we discovered that many of our customs and traditions are similar.  However, there is one custom that I find to be odd.  It derives from the Calvinist-type philosophy that people should have nothing to hide.  The Dutch people leave their curtains open so you can see right into their apartment.  Even on the first floor, you can see children playing in a play-pen or pianos or bookshelves.  You can see people watching TV.  As a New Englander, I come from a place that is notoriously private.  We don't even have sidewalks!  We don't talk to our neighbors.  There is no way we would leave our curtains open.  I find this custom to be shocking, but completely interesting. 

So when people ask me about how it is in Amsterdam or how do I like it or even, "do you feel like you actually live there?" one thing comes to mind: The Markets.  There is nothing I like to do more than go to a market.  Whether it is before class or after class, I just and love walking around even amongst the crowd of people.  I've counted and I've been to about 5 different markets and enjoy every one of them.  The Daapermarket is the market that is about a 2 minute bike ride away.  It is great for produce.  Currently, my favorite stall is the specific cheese/egg stall where the man behind the counter always gives me a slice of my favorite cheese.  I hope he learns my name and eventually starts to laugh at the fact that I order the same thing every time.  I also have a favorite produce stand.  Why is this stand my favorite?  Well because the first time I ordered there and was speaking English the guy-behind-the-counter consistently referred to me as Milady.  "What would you like milady?"  "Is that all milady?"  I had to bite my lip to keep from bursting out into laughter.  I realized later that the exact translation of "Ms." or how you would address a woman actually is "My lady", so I realize that is where it derives from, but it is still hilarious.  In addition, the other day I bought a bag of like 8 onions, a bag of tomatoes, and a bag of celery for 3 euros.  It really couldn't get better.  There is the Albert Cuypmarkt which is also great to go to on a sunny day.  They have leggings for 3 euros, scarves for that amount, and the best Stroopenwaffle (which I will explain in my next post) ever.  During the week it gets about 20.000 shoppers a day.  Its also in an awesome area of the city where there are a ton of outdoor cafes and restaurants.  Recently, I went to the Noordermarkt and  woke up at 8 am so I could get there early on Monday where they have a special market.  I think its called Westermarkt on these Mondays, but I can't   recall.  Regardless, they have all of the clothes and items from stores that have closed down in the city at a discount.  Unfortunately I didn't see anything amazing when I was there, but maybe when spring rolls around it will get better.

Well, I'm running out of steam but I will write again soon.  Sorry for the delay, I've been wrapped up with classes and traveling.  As they say in Dutch "Tot ziens!"  Until next time...

Amsterdam

Hallo from Amsterdam! First, a preface: while some people may think I've deviated from my tradition of using song titles for my post titles, fear not!  My title is not only a reference to where I am currently residing but also to the song by Peter Bjorn and John.  They also have a song called "Young Folks" which is played a lot. My integrity is still intact. 

So, trams, buses, cars, and bikes...hmmm am I leaving anything out?  I think that completes the list of moving vehicles that you can be hit by when walking around Amsterdam.  When strolling about the city, you really need to focus on what's actually a sidewalk and what's actually a bike path. The two can merge and diverge and then you will have million bells, whistles, and people yelling "toot toot" in order to signal you to move out of the way as soon as humanly possible.  Now that I have my own bike, I have to add pedestrians to my list of things to avoid.  It's a rough life.

Actually, the most frightening part of biking is not the pedestrians who have had practice moving out of the way for bikers, but rather the rare occasions where you have a tram on one side of you and a canal on the other.  Sheer terror.  You feel completely trapped.  This happened to me on my very first day of biking around the city and I thought I would never recover from the fright, especially after seeing the tram graze another biker in front of me.  Luckily, I caught a break.  Well, maybe not so much of a break but I ended up getting a screw in the front tire of my bike and had to get my front wheel replaced.   I was actually happy to hear this for two reasons: 1) because it demonstrated that it wasn't my fault I was biking so slow and couldn't keep up with the other people; it was the bike not me! and 2) i got a day break from biking. Nevertheless, I have my bike back and couldn't be happier.  You really get left out if you don't have a bike.  I kid you not, people bike to clubs at midnight and back at like 4 am.  Weird or amazing?  I can't decide.

So during my first couple of days here, I was completely busy.  I was inundated with lectures about safety, academics, and the history of Amsterdam.  It was fun and I was happy to meet the other people on the program, especially considering there are two different buildings in which people can live.  Had it not been for orientation, I would probably have never met the other kids.  At first, I was slightly disappointed to find out that my housing was a little bit farther from the city than the other residence, but now I love the area.  For one thing, I can always find Funenpark, which is the name of my building.  Why is this?  Well, it is because at the top of our street or "straat" here is a HUGE windmill.  It's very Dutch, I know.  It is the best landmark because instead of trying to explain that you live on the street called Ostenburgergraat, you say, "I live near the windmill."  It's wonderful. 

I also live near the best market in all of the city as some may say.  This market is said to be the "true" market or the "peoples" market because it is not touristy.  Truth be told, I have only passed by when it has been closed, but I have big plans for tomorrow.  Apparently the produce is amazing and ridiculously cheap.  That's another reason I love the area, there are two grocery stores less than a ten minute walk (or five minute bike ride) away.  Grocery shopping when you don't speak the language is always an adventure.  Is it American cheese or Swiss?  Is it ham or turkey? Orange juice or baby food?  You can never tell.  Although I am not a good cook, I love taking trips to the store.  My roommate here is going to teach me to cook and by this, I think she means cook vegetables and pasta since she is a vegan.  

In terms of traveling, I've taken one trip to a town outside of Amsterdam which was beautiful but freezing.  It's called Einkhusen or "some houses".  This week on Friday I'm going to a tennis tournament in Rotterdam.  A chance to see Nadal in his manly capris!?!  I have a few other trips planned one to Paris, one to Maastricht(Maastricht Treaty anyone? three pillars?), and hopefully a trip to Belgium.  Those are all the trips that will be coming up soon or are most definite, but I hope I get to do a little more than that.  There are  sooo many places I want to go including London, Ireland, Greece, Berlin, and Barcelona.  I plan on visiting at least one of these places by the end of the semester.  Luckily I will be able to do some traveling over the summer as well.

Hmmm I have so much to say, but I think this is a good stopping point considering I actually have homework and have not gotten back into the homework mode. If I could, I would continue this blog forever so I could avoid the massive amounts of reading that awaits me.  Well. here are some final thoughts.

I'm getting a residency permit tomorrow! Yay! That means I'll legally be able to stay in the Netherlands for more than a couple of months.  This makes me extremely happy because I've discovered that the Dutch people could possibly be the nicest people ever.  For example, one time I was staring at a map and said out loud but to myself, "Where is Waterlooplein?"  "Go straight for a block and then take a right" some man shouted as he walked by.  Or when I asked a woman if she knew any good restaurants in the area she said, "Oh I'm walking in this direction, I'll walk with you and point some out".  Well, let's hope I will have some more friendly encounters and the Dutch people might legitimately earn the title "nicest population on average" in addition to their great acheivement of being the "tallest people on average".  Okay I must actually do work now. 

Until next time...