Since the first day, the week has been a complete rollercoaster and a reminder that this experience is full of ups and downs. The second night, I went out and met the rest of the Americans. About fifteen in all, most of them are from CMSU and South Dakota. The Dakotans are shocked when I tell them that I’ve been to Vermillion—they can’t imagine anybody wanting to come up their way. We went to several pubs, and with us came two Dutch students. Owen and Noortje, who weren’t used to drinking, but found it entertaining being around increasingly drunk Americans. I had Noortje translate one of the newspapers there, and it was interesting to get her perspective on politics, religion, and the Dutch religion.

At one pub, we sat outside next to a group of about 15 guys. The guys started to whistle and catcall the girls we were with. I ended up sitting right next to them, the closest of anybody in our group. At first I was really annoyed, especially because they started razzing me about not being able to speak Dutch. But I was friendly to them at first and I discovered that they were all members of a lower division soccer team. Of course this fascinated me, and I began to talk to them even more. Their English wasn’t the best, and they wanted to ask out the unattractive girl next to me. So I wrote down on a coaster “What’s your cell number?” for them and they tossed it to the girl. They were delighted that I had helped them out and began to talk to me even more, teaching me dirty words in Dutch. “Pijpen” means a girl giving a guy a blowjob, and “beffen” is the same, except a guy to a girl. “Neurken en de kuerken” is the best: fucking in the kitchen. Oh, they had me cracking up.

The experience is very fun of course at times, but there have been moments at the opposite end of the spectrum. Sometimes I feel lonely and overwhelmed by the experience. A country that speaks a completely unintelligible language can be hard to get along in. Little things are difficult. Street names, menus, direction signs, signs on the shops are all in dutch and therefore bewildering. I have to guess a lot as to where I’m going or what shop is what. Or what the hell to order. On top of this, the Dutch government has been cracking down on immigration and are making us jump through a big series of hoops to stay here. I have to have a copy of my birth certificate, proof of insurance, passport size pictures which I’ll get here, and around 3000 euros in a Dutch bank account so I can prove that I’m not a bum. Seriously. Its ridiculous. Most students here are freaking out because they don’t have nearly that amount of money and never have in their lifetime. Then there’s the fact that my room still looks as bare as a nun’s and that I can’t stop sleeping for ten hours a night. Probably because I had to wake up at seven every damn day this summer J haha

Anyway last weekend I went to the nearby beach in Vlassingen, about a 20 minute train ride, if that. The day was cloudy and rainy, but it was cool to walk along the sea and tour the very cute and typically dutch town. There was even an old fashioned windmill right there on the beach. In the distance, you could see many, many modern windmills and for good reason—it is very windy there. I forgot my towel or I would have gone in the water. So its probably a good thing I forgot it…Tons of people were out walking, biking, rollerblading and seemingly every person was towing their dog along. The Dutch are absolutely obsessed with dogs. Big dogs, small dogs, it doesn’t matter. I’ve seen already two Great Danes and a couple of Newfoundlands. I can’t imagine how they fit these dogs in the tiny houses here. Many bikers actually had one of those compartments, generally used for toddlers, hauling behind them. But instead of kids inside, nine times out of ten it was a small dog loving the ride. To me, this kind of defeats the purpose of taking your dog outside, but whatever.
Then started Introduction week, where every student is given two parents, or older students who are supposed to help them through the first weeks and look over them. I have two mothers for example, who really are nice but very unhelpful. It’s a weird situation for me because I technically am older than my parents, but o well. All throughout the week there have been necessary events to get us situated in the school, but it really has been a bureaucratic nightmare. In the evenings however, there are social events, which has consisted of going to the student bar on Monday, a pubcrawl (so much fun) on Tuesday, and the anything-but-clothes party last night. Everyone was supposed to dress up in something not clothing. I went wrapped in a dress of gift paper, but everyone loved ripping my costume to find the present inside, haha. Don’t worry, I had shorts on, but I ended up shirtless for most of the night. It was my first rave, with bright lights, drinks everywhere, and techno blaring out of the club’s many speakers. It ended up being a great night (I actually got kicked out but then got back in, long story sorry), but a long one, and so I will be going to bed early tonight. Let me know how life is in Maryville, I’m sure its ridiculously exciting.