Finally, the weather has taken a turn for the better. The past 5 days have been really gorgeous, and by gorgeous I mean sunny and 18 degrees. It made for a really great day Friday for 'Water Cycling' with all the students and professors in my program, the Law and Politics of International Security. They really have been rolling out the red carpet to welcome us.
Saturday was just as nice and I took a bike ride with a girl from my residence floor in Amsterdam's nicest park the Vondelpark. It was nice to sit and relax and have lunch on an outdoor patio and watch people go by.
Sunday I met with some of my colleagues from the VU 'foo' and we explored around the city. It really is interesting to get to know a new place, not as a tourist or a guest but as an inhabitant. I hope that the more I discover the more I can make Amsterdam my own, though it might take awhile before I stop getting lost, all the canals and bridges in the city centre look the same :)
Today is officially the first day of lectures and I start the most important mandatory class in my program "The Changing Nature of War". I am looking forward to discussing and learning from my 28 classmates who come from 14 different countries, ranging from South Korea, Afghanistan, Mexico, Hungary, Latvia...
Later today I will also have my first official dutch language course. We will see if I will start in 'absolute beginners' or just 'beginners'. Wish me luck....Veel Succes!!
Ciao for now. Enjoy the pictures.
Laura
bella!
ReplyDeletebest of luck with your first ducth class. here is a little something to get you started: Ik houd u en u missen. if you need assistance translating, my good friends at http://translation.babylon.com/english/to-dutch/ can help you out hehe.
love and hugs!
jenny :)
Hello Laura,
ReplyDeleteI'm now officially registered as a follower of your blog. Looks and sounds like you're settling in nicely - oh how I envy you.
Love, Uncle Robbie
Hi Laura;
ReplyDeleteI am now a follower. I will send you some pics from the family B.D. We took Connor and Emily to Lake Muskoka. We had a blast, lots of kids. Em and I went kayaking, tubing behind the boat and biking. OUr house is quiet now, getting ready for back to school. Love Aunt Sheree xx00
Lo! I am so glad you can put the rain boots to rest for awhile! It sounds like you are having a great time and meeting new people! Good luck with your classes this week and keep the updates coming. I am enjoying your blog :)
ReplyDeleteLove you and miss you
Mand
xox
Salut Laura!
ReplyDeleteJe suis très content d'être membre ton blogue! J'ai lu avec beaucoup d'intérêt tes dernières publications. Je vois que tu viens de commencer tes cours, c'est très excitant, surtout si tes collègues de classe viennent de partout dans le monde. Je trouve le débat sur la nature de la guerre passionnant, j'ai moi-même suivi un séminaire de maîtrise sur le sujet, alors j'ai hâte d'en discuter avec toi!
Je te souhaite un bon succès dans tes premiers cours, et au plaisir de continuer à te lire sur ce blogue!
Je t'embrasse,
Alexandre