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...

Comments

[M.L.T.]

Jacqueline Colette Murphy, The United States of America misses you, and so do I.

[M.L.T.]

Jackie:
How come you didn't tell everyone that your favorite Aunt Heather gave the AMERICA book to you? I can't believe that you brought it all the way to Amsterdam. It is more well travelled than I will ever be. Maybe it will send me a postcard or bring back a little present for me. What do you think????

[HID Kit]

How come you didn't tell everyone that your favorite Aunt Heather gave the AMERICA book to you?
Thanks for good informative on topic.