Die Schweizermacher!

What a wonderful time of year! Spring has sprung, tulips are blooming and it's sunny in Amsterdam. Spring fever had me spending all day Sunday outside and I even got a slight sun burn to prove it. I will have to start applying the SPF 30.

Well a great start to my Spring season was my trip to Switzerland! Though the weather was a mixed bag, I had a great time all around. Just spending time with my friend Michele is always fun and it was nice to also meet up with her family and friends. We had a typical Swiss brunch of Rosti with her family and made two nice Italian style meals and reminisced about our Roman adventures.

It was great being able to use my German again and everyone was kind enough to adapt to the 'Hochdeutsch' standard. One place where this wasn't possible however was during a Musical we went to see in Zurich, called "Die Schweizermacher". It is based on a 1978 film that has Federal Police investigating immigration to Switzerland. I could understand the main aspects of the story and was really intrigued to see how Swiss culture was portrayed through this very popular medium. Die Schweizermacher means quite literally the Swiss maker and the love story in the end tied all the details together to make for a very Swiss story.

Another great part of my trip was the day we spent in the mountains. Though we did not strap on any skis we still made the trip up to 3500m with 2 gondolas and a Mountain Metro. The view was needless to say breathtaking. There were some avalanche warnings so even the skiing was limited, but in Saas-Fee they can ski all year round because of the glaciers, which sadly to say are receding quite quickly based on observations.

So after a wonderful trip full of good times, laughter, cheese and chocolate :) I took the overnight train back to Amsterdam to finish the last assignment of my course work here in The Netherlands. Hopefully if everything goes well I will have just my thesis left to work on. To add some inspiration to the mix after I handed in the take-home exam on Friday I took a trip to The Hague.

First, I was able to visit the Canadian Embassy to pick up my forms to vote in the upcoming federal election. Excited to see how the campaign plays out over the next few weeks. Second some classmates and I attended a Master Class given by Luis Moreno-Ocampo. It was a very thought provoking session as students were able to ask the Prosecutor of the ICC questions about his mandate, decisions on cases to prosecute and the politics of the court. It was a great follow-up, hearing from the man himself, after having watched the documentary film "The Prosecutor" and also having visited the ICC this past fall. What is sure is that the next year and three months of Ocampo's mandate will be interesting to watch, especially as current events unfold around North Africa and the Middle East.

Now enough law and politics it's time to get my vitamin D intake while I still can.

Cheers to all :)

Laura

In the Swiss Federal Palace.

More than four 'Laura's' in a House of Mirrors in the Glacier Garden in Lucerne.

Yummy Swiss Fondue in Saas Fee with Michele and her parents.

In the beautiful Swiss Bergen. Saw the highest peak in the Swiss Alps, Dom.

So gorgeous and literally at 3500m it takes your breath away.

Michele and I on the top of the world.

A beautiful day in Zurich.

With Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court last Friday in the Hague.

Mardi Gras!

It's been awhile since I have updated my blog and it can be due to the deceiving thing about the month of February, as the shortest month, you blink and it's gone.

I have been keeping busy with school and work and also enjoying this lovely city as Spring slowly but surely arrives. This past weekend marked the Carnival festivities here in the Netherlands and around Europe. In Canada we would call yesterday Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday and to celebrate last night I invited some classmates over to eat some traditional Canadian pancakes, topped with authentic Maple Syrup. It was great to share this small bit of Canadian tradition with my friends and to mix it with Dutch traditions as some of us even dressed up in costume :)

In an attempt to take advantage of all the little time I have left in Amsterdam, a friend and I have compiled a list of things we really want to do before leaving. Unfortunately each week brings new exciting events and our list just keeps getting longer. This weekend I will get the opportunity to visit the Dutch Royal Palace here at Dam Square, as I will be guided around with friends.

More exciting news is that I will be taking a vacation next week, leaving for a long weekend in Switzerland. My friend Michele came to visit me here in Amsterdam in November and now I am reciprocating. It will be nice to explore the country with a true native and to enjoy the Swiss scenery, people, culture and of course food :) I hope I can practice my German, though I am not sure what they will think of my Hochdeutsch.

After Switzerland it will be a reality check as I return to Amsterdam to a take-home exam, a final thesis and the Amsterdam Law Forum Conference coming up in May. The end of the year is getting closer and closer and this brings about lots of interesting conversations around the Uni as everyone in my program is trying to figure out what comes next. It's the disadvantage of a 1-year Masters Program where just as you start to get comfortable with everything it's time to move to the nest step.

That is all for now, but next time I hope to have some great pictures to share with you from my Swiss adventure.

Laura

P.S. Happy Belated International Women's Day to all the Ladies around the world!

Ownership v.s. Donorship

It is a beautiful day here in Amsterdam, about 10 degrees and nice and sunny, which is a nice change after a weekend of 50 km/h winds that almost blew me off my bike and into the city's canals.

Yesterday evening I was fortunate to catch Paul Collier, the Oxford economist speak at my University on external interventions in Africa. Collier is the author of "Wars, Guns and Votes" and "The Bottom Billion" and he had some interesting and perhaps even controversial ideas concerning the so-called "forgotten continent". As a student of international law and politics it was particularly interesting to hear his views on common sense solutions to political corruption. The balance between the urgent needs of the struggling nations of the earth need to be balanced with the concept that aid finds its way into the right hands.

It was an interesting challenge to many in the crowd when Collier claimed that many Southern countries need to do away with the idea that the West still has a "colonial agenda". What is clear is that Collier is passionate about making a difference with a hands on perspective and he challenged the youth in the room to make these problems their own and to contribute to the flow of knowledge he deemed so important to helping economic growth.

Collier's speech marked the end to a busy weekend. I caught the premier of "Black Swan" in Amsterdam on Friday night and felt the movie really makes an impact with the audience, especially the performance by Natalie Portman. I had goose-bumps for the rest of the night.

Saturday I celebrated Chinese New Year with some friends and received the interesting fortune: "Things come and go like lightning, Wheel of transmigration rolls like drifting clouds. Where is the time to discuss right or wrong? Quite cryptic I know.

And like any self-respecting North American, Sunday night I found myself in a pub in Amsterdam catching the big game. I was cheering for the Packers and was really happy to see them pull through with the win.

Now I am off to bike to the VU and take advantage of this gorgeous day :)

I survived!!

The month of January is finally coming to a close!

I received inspiration for this week's Blog from the Rotary Club of Amstelveen where I spoke this past Tuesday. It was a lovely meeting, where I spoke in front of 35 Rotarians, who had interesting and thought provoking questions. They were happy to tell me I survived the Amstelveen Rotary Club, something that was a great feat ;)

In fact, I am not only happy to have survived the Rotary meeting but also the entire month of January.

After 10 000 words and one 3 hour exam, I am more than half way done my Masters Program in Amsterdam.

I have been relaxing over the past couple of days, relishing the fact that I didn't need to go to the library or the University. Tomorrow I start one new course but my work load will be substantially lighter and the coming months will bring thesis preparation and of course enjoying Amsterdam and the Netherlands.

It has been quite chilly over the past couple of days but dry and sunny, which is a nice change.

Friday night I went skating at an outdoor oval in Amsterdam called the Jaap Eden Baan with some Rotaract friends. The Dutch were out in force on their speed skates but I stuck to the traditional hockey skates.

Also, yesterday a couple friends and I ventured to Den Haag, where we did some touristy things. We went to see the Knights Hall, where the Queen gives the Speech from the Throne every year, of course I was interested to learn more about the Dutch political capital! We also visited Het Paleis, an old Royal Palace that was turned into a Museum and now houses an Escher exhibition. Quite amazing modern work on the differences of reality and perceptions. We finished off the day with a trip to Scheveningen, the beach town near The Hague, where I couldn't resist dipping my toes in the ice cold North Sea. Being so close to the sea we had a nice dinner of fish before returning to Amsterdam exhausted from the day of site-seeing.

Now it is time to start fresh in February and as I mentioned I am excited to celebrate Chinese New Year next week in Amsterdam. Lots of exciting things planned, first off to finish off my weekend, some flatmates and I are going to check out some Sunday afternoon Jazz.

Wishing everybody a nice and lazy Sunday.

Until next time!

Laura

Time to Hit the Books!

The first week of 2011 has passed. The further we get into January the busier I will get and I think this is a sign of things to come for the year. I have been told by Dutch students that January is the worst month of the year and I am starting to believe them.

I had an amazing vacation at home and a great New Year's in Amsterdam, but this past week has seen the return of the school work that I left behind before the holidays. Not the best start to a New Year. This year I think the Chinese New Year would be more appropriate, can't wait until February 3rd to start the year of the Rabbit!

Outside the school work, it is nice to be back in Amsterdam, to see all my friends, to ride my bike around the city, to enjoy the great things this city has to offer. I took a study break on Friday night to go for Ethiopian food with a group of friends, which was an amazing experience. We had the real authentic flavour and even ate with our hands. Such great tasting food!

No New Year's Resolutions for me this year, I just want to be able to enjoy the coming months in Amsterdam. I am sure it will all go by so quick and then comes the next step in a path which is still a little unclear. This is what makes life interesting though and the more options available the more exciting life is!

If anyone is looking for me during the next few weeks I will be at the library ;)

Tot zo!

Stick in til you Stick out!

It's the time of year to spend with family and friends, enjoying the traditions of the season. I am very fortunate enough to have made it home for Christmas, especially considering all of the mayhem in Europe over the weather.

Boxing Day is a special one in the Morrison household as we all get up early and make Tatty Scones or Potato Pancakes, a Scottish tradition. We were rolling, frying and flipping potatoes this morning for 2 hours before we sat down for a feast and stuck in til we stuck out. This afternoon marks the start of the World Junior hockey tournament, which brings back some great memories of Christmases past. Its that time of year when you reminisce and remember, yet also look to the future. With 2011 right around the corner, new opportunities and experiences will come forward and I can't wait to see what is in store for me.

I hope my flights back to Europe are as smooth as coming here and if so I will be ringing in the New Year in Amsterdam.

Best of the Season to all and I hope that you are surrounded by loved ones who help make this time of year so special.

Laura from home in Sault Ste. Marie

Tis the Season!

It's the most wonderful time of the year, at least in my opinion. Christmas is 2 weeks away and I could not be more excited. Getting into the festive spirit is my favourite thing about December, I have been playing Christmas music on repeat for the past two weeks. Adding to the atmosphere was the snow on the ground for the past couple of weeks, but it has all melted now.

Last weekend I went to Munster in Germany with some friends to visit the Christmas Market. It was amazing being back in Germany and shopping for Christmas presents, eating lots of great German food and let's not forget the Gluhwein :)

Last Sunday was another Dutch Holiday celebrated in December called Sinter Klaas. It's a traditional celebration where Sint comes and leaves candy, treats and toys in children's shoes. But the most interesting part of the Dutch tradition is that you write poems for your friends and family. Many of the students in my program got together last Monday night and we celebrated Sinter Klaas where we each wrote a poem for someone else. It was really fun celebrating this Dutch tradition with people from around the world.

This weekend I am in Amsterdam finishing up some assignments before leaving for Canada via Belgium for the holidays. Tonight I am going to go volunteer with the Amsterdam Rotaract Club in making Christmas hampers for homeless people in the city. Tomorrow there is a Christmas market here in Amsterdam and I will be going to compare to see if it measures up to the German variety.

Then it's back to work, humanitarian intervention discussions and deabtes on legality and legitmacy. The week will be gone before I know it and then it will be time to visit my host families and friends in Belgium and then home for a Morrison Christmas.

Best wishes of the Holidays to everyone!