Spring is finally here! The weather is amazing (with the occasional cloudy, rainy day - no surprise there!). It was over 60 degrees yesterday and I was actually wearing short sleeves, which felt like heaven.
This semester got off to a bit of a rough start. After three weeks of traveling Italy with my brother and almost three weeks at home over winter break, I returned to the Netherlands and experienced a three day panic attack. I am sharing this information for any perspective Clarkie Leideners who might come next year. It turns out, everyone else I have talked to who was here last semester and returned after winter break had the exact same panic attack. It's perfectly normal! I think some of it had to do with the novelty of Leiden having worn off and once again having to do everything for myself after a vacation of restaurants and home cooking that made me anxious. But after classes started again, I eased into a routine and began meeting new people once again.
I am so glad to be back for another semester! It was really nice to walk into class and know my professor (from last semester) and other students in my classes. Plus, now that I'm back for another semester, I find that Dutch students are a bit warmer and more willing to sit and have lunch with me. I'm enjoying the familiarity of knowing people and how things work around here. Plus, now that winter is over, the city is coming alive in a way I have not seen since I first arrived. People are out on walks, enjoying the beautiful parks, and relaxing on their canal boats. Leiden is full of energy again =)
My travels have continued, thankfully! So far, I have been to 9 countries since I first arrived in August! Not bad, right? Here's the running list (and, yes, I'm counting the Vatican! It is technically its own country!):
- The Netherlands (duh!)
- Spain (Barcelona - it was fabulous)
- United Kingdom (London only. I'll be going to Scotland and Ireland in June.)
- Italy (Venice, Florence, and Rome)
- The Vatican
- Czech Republic (Prague was one of the best cities I've been to - amazing!)
- Austria (Vienna - very nice)
- Slovakia (one day in Bratislava - um, interesting, not a lot to see)
- Belgium (Brussels and Brugge - so much sugar!!!!)
In two weeks, I will be attending the Bloemencorso, which is a huge flower parade that runs throughout Holland on April 16. I'll also be going to Keukenhof, which is the über touristy place to see tulips! Can't wait.
Yesterday I attended a huge pillow fight in Amsterdam for "World Pillow Fight Day." It was perfect weather. I went to Amsterdam in my pajamas with a pillow, which earned me many strange looks on the train. It was pretty epic. Dam square was covered in goose feathers and I'm pretty sure I inhaled my fair share of feathers and synthetic materials. We had so much fun! I went with a bunch of friends and we all ended up laying in the feathers after the pillow fight. It was great.
And Queens Day is coming up on April 30, which will pretty much involve everyone decked out in orange (the color of the royal family) and massive amounts of Heineken (they are Dutch, after all). Should be hilarious people-watching!
I'm still involved in ISN-R Cooking Club, which is amaaaaazing! I've made so many friends in this club. There's something comforting and special about making and sharing food with others. Meals are such a cozy time to get to know others and we've kinda become a cooking club family. Plus, I always get to contribute my American recipes.
My classes are going well. I'm taking Urban Inequalities (with my professor from Social Movements), Religion and Modernity in Global Context, and Rural Development. I have weekly one-page assignments for each class. I'll have one final paper for Urban Inequalities and no finals, so I feel very lucky. My courses are higher level courses, so the professors know me by name and give me individual attention, which is nice.
Hard to believe I only have two months in Leiden left!
Note to Clarkies: Again, if you want to see all of my pictures, friend me on Facebook and *send me a message telling me who you are and that you're potentially going to Leiden (I might not accept the friend request otherwise).
