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3BELGIUM HERE WE GOOOO!!!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
A day in the park
Its funny how much a sunny day and some nature
can truly make me feel complete.
A day in the park was purely satisfying.
I miss grass....the kind you play on...
<3 J
A day in the park was purely satisfying.
I miss grass....the kind you play on...
<3 J
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
EXPLORE.
I had this moment today that kind of just made everything. I was walking around exploring, finding my way around, taking pictures, and I had this thought...I was remembering when I was back home before I left trying to find the right coat. When I was trying on the many different coats I would look at myself and be like "hmm what would I look like in amsterdam in this...ok imagine me in amsterdam with this on.." Dont lie we all do it. So today when I was walking..in that moment I couldnt help but smile. Because here I am..in amsterdam, feeling, living, and breathing it all in...in my coat. Its just funny to compare the two totally different feelings....the feeling I imagined it would be like, and then the actual feeling of being...
This city is sooo dense its unreal, when biking you miss all the detail of this highly compacted, circular, little city...gotta walk sometimes. Oo and today a man asked me for directions!! and I actually was able to help him. It was an amazing feeling....I take for granted actually knowing WHERE I am. At home im like oo GPS(jezzabel), or google maps or whatever...here you end up biking and looking around being like.....WHERE AM I?....WHERRRREEE am I?...its a scary feeling.
Time to start planning trips..aka running out of money! wooo.
brussels this weekend??
<3 J
This city is sooo dense its unreal, when biking you miss all the detail of this highly compacted, circular, little city...gotta walk sometimes. Oo and today a man asked me for directions!! and I actually was able to help him. It was an amazing feeling....I take for granted actually knowing WHERE I am. At home im like oo GPS(jezzabel), or google maps or whatever...here you end up biking and looking around being like.....WHERE AM I?....WHERRRREEE am I?...its a scary feeling.
Time to start planning trips..aka running out of money! wooo.
brussels this weekend??
<3 J
Sunday, January 30, 2011
NONstopppp
Wow wow wow...where do I even begin. I have been crazy busy the last 3 days...yet it is all worth it. Orientation, meeting my abroad group, lunches, dinners, canal cruises, biking, walking...EVERYTHING.
The big realization of this week is that BIKING is a way of life here. "Bike till i DIE..." says the dutchh. Regardless if its raining, freezing cold(all the time), 1am drunkk..., work, school...everyone is fucking BIKING! Soo...yes...I have a bike, a very nice shiny new one...that looks exactly like the 30 other peoples bike in my abroad group. Im sure you can imagine what thats been like...trial and error. Highlight: I managed to eat shit the first night I got my bike. Fell righttt off, or should I say flew...Im still alive though. O, and that same night me and 3 other people got LOST, and I mean LOST for an hour trying to bike home. The cool thing about Amsterdam is that no matter what time of day it is there is always people out. So luckily we were able to ask for directions multiple times. The fact that there is always people out gives me a sense of security, no matter what I feel safe, even if Im biking home at night. Needless to say I am learning the city, and freshening up on my directions...its such a satisfying feeling when you reach your destination without getting lost. Making it home on my own without looking at a map is pure joy!
Yesterday was my first relaxing day, and I was able to go check out the farmers market that is 2 blocks away from my apartment...every SATURDAY! It was amazingggggg!! Cheese...fresh bread, veggies, herbs, trail mix, more cheeese, more breadd, and cheeeeseee. Samples galoreee! I also had my first dutch pancake..interesting. Its basically a crepe...but not folded. It was alright..
Besides my food exploration, and farmers market escapedes, we managed to find a LEGIT bar. Reminded me of LA...but what came first..amsterdam or LA? It was a whole scene...Lots of dudes with dreds...all the bartenders were tatted...playing damion marley and people under the stairs...lots of beer...couldnt get any better. I will definitely be going back...unfortunately I dont know the name...but i do remember where it is, so thats a PLUS.
So the real fun begins tomorrow...SCHOOL TIME. Its about time to get my edumacation..I swear im going brain dead. I highly advise NOT taking 2 months off of classes...gotta stay sharp! My first class tomorrow is already cancelled because the professor is ill, so I dont have class untill 6 tomorrow. Call me crazy, but im sooo EXCITED to go to school!!! WOOO! I just hope it doesnt rain anytime soon...i really dont want to bike in the rain. Oo yea..and a little lesson on Dutch Culture...they believe in an egalitarian society..which means no matter what everyone is equal. Regardless of your profession, race, sexual orientation...everyone is equal. And this means even for your superiors...its ok for students to call their professor out on something..should be interestingg!! Im ready for the dutch schooling system..
Wish me luck..
<3 J
The big realization of this week is that BIKING is a way of life here. "Bike till i DIE..." says the dutchh. Regardless if its raining, freezing cold(all the time), 1am drunkk..., work, school...everyone is fucking BIKING! Soo...yes...I have a bike, a very nice shiny new one...that looks exactly like the 30 other peoples bike in my abroad group. Im sure you can imagine what thats been like...trial and error. Highlight: I managed to eat shit the first night I got my bike. Fell righttt off, or should I say flew...Im still alive though. O, and that same night me and 3 other people got LOST, and I mean LOST for an hour trying to bike home. The cool thing about Amsterdam is that no matter what time of day it is there is always people out. So luckily we were able to ask for directions multiple times. The fact that there is always people out gives me a sense of security, no matter what I feel safe, even if Im biking home at night. Needless to say I am learning the city, and freshening up on my directions...its such a satisfying feeling when you reach your destination without getting lost. Making it home on my own without looking at a map is pure joy!
Yesterday was my first relaxing day, and I was able to go check out the farmers market that is 2 blocks away from my apartment...every SATURDAY! It was amazingggggg!! Cheese...fresh bread, veggies, herbs, trail mix, more cheeese, more breadd, and cheeeeseee. Samples galoreee! I also had my first dutch pancake..interesting. Its basically a crepe...but not folded. It was alright..
Besides my food exploration, and farmers market escapedes, we managed to find a LEGIT bar. Reminded me of LA...but what came first..amsterdam or LA? It was a whole scene...Lots of dudes with dreds...all the bartenders were tatted...playing damion marley and people under the stairs...lots of beer...couldnt get any better. I will definitely be going back...unfortunately I dont know the name...but i do remember where it is, so thats a PLUS.
So the real fun begins tomorrow...SCHOOL TIME. Its about time to get my edumacation..I swear im going brain dead. I highly advise NOT taking 2 months off of classes...gotta stay sharp! My first class tomorrow is already cancelled because the professor is ill, so I dont have class untill 6 tomorrow. Call me crazy, but im sooo EXCITED to go to school!!! WOOO! I just hope it doesnt rain anytime soon...i really dont want to bike in the rain. Oo yea..and a little lesson on Dutch Culture...they believe in an egalitarian society..which means no matter what everyone is equal. Regardless of your profession, race, sexual orientation...everyone is equal. And this means even for your superiors...its ok for students to call their professor out on something..should be interestingg!! Im ready for the dutch schooling system..
Wish me luck..
<3 J
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
to live and die in LA.....NOT
The song "to live and die and LA is the place to be..." is officially a burden to my life. The song is set as an alarm on my phone, and without fail...every night 9pm america time aka 6am amsterdam time has gone off waking me and my two traveling partners up. They are officially traumatized by the song, and last night/this morning it went off on my phone that was locked in the safe. As I attempted to unlock the safe my roomates thought they were being robbed....only you 2pac! Just thought I would share.
As for wondering the streets of AMSTERDAM it has been amazing. Everything is legitimately 10-15 mins away from eachother...and i mean EVERYTHING. We probably walked half the city yesterday and it didnt even phase me. So much to see, so many dutch streets to pronouncenGRAGHT! I attempted to find the place I will be living for the next 4 months...of course i forgot the address...but I knew the street...and fun fact its right next to the anne frank house...eyyyyYO. The building i will be living in is RIGHT on the canal....hopefully I have a nice view!! And the neighborhood is beautiful...and NON touristy.
And NO I have not been to a "coffee" shop yet...I have time, so much other stuff to see. We did go out though..a place called Prime...pretty cool. Good music and 2 euroo beers (kinda little though). Regardless we danced the night away and learned how to say thank you...DONKEY-vel...or something like that. I do know KORTING means sale...useful word. "is there a KORTING?.....ooo DONKEYVEL!!"
Sooo just got back from the Rembrandt museum aka his house..pretty cool..audio tour. LOTS of museums to seeee here. Van Gogh is next! I am sooo exhausted..I donno whether its jet lag...lack of sleep, or just too much walking. OO and I did go on a run today...mmhmm. Thanks to shawns motivation. It was unreal just running around the city...i kept thinking to myself..."no big deal just taking a jog in EUROPE...WTF!" Joggging....in europe...I donno why but that is just craziness. I need new music though..different scene different music.
Time to take a nap...or attempt..orientation starts tomorrow, and its a 4 day process...ooo yea..Im here to study too. Gooodnight...or GOODMORNING to you guys! (I will not be the one setting the alarm)
I love and miss you all!
<3 J
As for wondering the streets of AMSTERDAM it has been amazing. Everything is legitimately 10-15 mins away from eachother...and i mean EVERYTHING. We probably walked half the city yesterday and it didnt even phase me. So much to see, so many dutch streets to pronouncenGRAGHT! I attempted to find the place I will be living for the next 4 months...of course i forgot the address...but I knew the street...and fun fact its right next to the anne frank house...eyyyyYO. The building i will be living in is RIGHT on the canal....hopefully I have a nice view!! And the neighborhood is beautiful...and NON touristy.
And NO I have not been to a "coffee" shop yet...I have time, so much other stuff to see. We did go out though..a place called Prime...pretty cool. Good music and 2 euroo beers (kinda little though). Regardless we danced the night away and learned how to say thank you...DONKEY-vel...or something like that. I do know KORTING means sale...useful word. "is there a KORTING?.....ooo DONKEYVEL!!"
Sooo just got back from the Rembrandt museum aka his house..pretty cool..audio tour. LOTS of museums to seeee here. Van Gogh is next! I am sooo exhausted..I donno whether its jet lag...lack of sleep, or just too much walking. OO and I did go on a run today...mmhmm. Thanks to shawns motivation. It was unreal just running around the city...i kept thinking to myself..."no big deal just taking a jog in EUROPE...WTF!" Joggging....in europe...I donno why but that is just craziness. I need new music though..different scene different music.
Time to take a nap...or attempt..orientation starts tomorrow, and its a 4 day process...ooo yea..Im here to study too. Gooodnight...or GOODMORNING to you guys! (I will not be the one setting the alarm)
I love and miss you all!
<3 J
Sunday, January 23, 2011
AmsterdamLAND
My journey has begun...and yet it still has not sunk in. I cannot believe Im across the world, in a different time zone, it is all so surreal. I feel like I am on the universal studios tram ride, and I am just waiting for it to end.
So the adventure began with an emotional airport goodbye...(missing my boo), then to a giANT airplane. I managed to watch 3 movies and can I just say, I have never been offered soo many beverages in my life. Arriving in Amsterdam was though we arrived somewhere in the midwest, it wasnt until the taxi driver started off-roading on the train tracks and almost hit a pedestrian that I knew I was NOT in america...or kansas. Not to mention the buildings and cobblestone roads and canals are amazingly beautiful!
Being here has made me realize that us americans sure do LOVE our space. Our hotel room is a 10x10 box with two twin beds smashed together in the corner. Im not complaining, just a realization. What else have I realized....the dutch are friendly as everrr, and they sell bottles of water...(wheres the tap?) We are staying in a great location...rembrandt center...or something like that.
Time for bed, BIG things tomorrow...like gettig a phone, and getting some "hot chocolate" at the coffee shop...or we can take a trip over to nasty club.
goodnight world
<3 J
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