Sunday, August 30, 2015

Seeing Holland: The Cycle to Amsterdam Adventure


Yesterday we cycled to Amsterdam. Celine from France, Pepe and Tiziano from Italy, Gustavo from Brazil, Johannes from Germany, Ben from England and I. We came together with this one goal of cycling from our new hometown of Nijmegen to the infamous Amsterdam. We started at 7 am and planned to find our way through more than 120k of Netherlands territory to Amsterdam in one day.


The Beauty

I originally began the journey just to see if I could do it. Even the locals thought we were crazy to try to do this in one day. Having never biked more than 2 hours, I thought I could go for 8 or so! (seems legit) The second we took off along the river Waal at sunrise, the scenery gave me the real reason for doing it. I realized what better way was there to really see Holland than to cycle through its roads, tiny farm towns, bike paths and construction zones. We found that we were able to completely immerse ourselves in the midst of the beauty of Holland. I tried to take as many photos as I could but nothing could portray what we witnessed.







The Landscape

About an hour into our ride I realized that the landscape was ever changing. Sometimes we would be cycling on a little bike path through farmlands, sometimes we would be on the bike lane on a very well paved road. We traveled through many little towns that were rich or poor, cobblestoned or construction zoned, canaled or windmilled or just plain green. We saw cows and sheep and little kittens as well as many other bikers and locals roaming the streets.



The Pain

The first hour of the ride was simply bliss. I was excited and enjoying the scenery. I was also enjoying the company of my 6 new friends. During the second and third hours I started feeling a little tired but it soon passed when I realized how much fun I was having.


Our first real stop (other than all of the little breaks when we were lost and trying to navagate) was when we had to cross a river on a ferry boat. We stopped at a little restaurant just before and had coffee and some food we brought. This was actually my very first time on a ferry it was a pretty cool experience.

After this, Utrecht was in our sights. We figured we had about 2 hours to go before we would make it there. It was further than halfway so we really pushed to get there. At this point I was so excited to see Utrecht that I never let myself think about the soreness rising in my legs. Pulling into the town we heard church bells ringing and beautiful buildings lining a canal. It was like a mini Amsterdam.

We stopped under a church and had lunch as we rested. While in Utrecht we went to a pub to grab some coffee and re-fill our water bottles. Gustavo realized he had a puncture in his tire and had to work to repair it. Although this could have set us back a bit, I did not mind because I had the chance to talk with the lovely bartender in the pub. We talked about traveling and meeting new people and she was very surprised we were doing what we were doing. After Gustavo's tire was fixed, we were ready to get to Amsterdam. We guessed it was only about another 2 hours and that we would make it there by 4. A couple small towns over is when the pain set it. We all started slowing down and getting grumpy. It was all I could do to just try and shut my brain off so it wouldn't think about how tired I was. I got little spurts of energy when I'd see a sign "Amsterdam 24k" or so on but it was hard to ignore the pain in my legs, knees and back as well as the sweat that was caked all over me.

The Infamous Amsterdam


We did finally arrive in Amsterdam although I scarcely remember it. I was so exhausted physically and mentally that everything from there was a blur. I tried to take a few pictures and pretend that I cared to see Amsterdam but I really did not at this point. There were people everywhere and the streets were hard to navigate. We stopped at a little Italian restaurant and I scarfed down my bowl of pasta as if I hadn't eaten in days. One of the guys ordered 7 beers because we deserved it. "Seven big ones!" This only made me more tired and care less about the city. We sat in a park for a few hours trying to rest and chatting with a few of Ben's friends who are studying abroad in Amsterdam. Later they took us to the prettiest canal spot they knew of to sit and have another beer. Of course, I ordered hot chocolate instead and it was possibly one of the best I've had. Overall that night was lazy and relaxed and we headed for our train at 12:23. The most difficult part was getting back on our bikes every time we would switch locations as well as biking home from the train station in Nijmegen at 2 am sore as ever.



The Experience 

What started out as a unlikely idea turned into a learning experience from multiple perspectives. Seven brave souls from our orientation group set out on a journey to Amsterdam the dutch way: on a bicycle. Johannes had a vague idea of what route to follow but needless to say, we always felt a bit lost. Ben reminded us that morning that it was completely okay if we did get lost because we were all out there for the experience anyway. I am proud to say I made it all the way across the Netherlands and that it was one of the coolest things I have ever done!


Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Contentment

Part of growing up has to do with finding yourself. Finding who you want to be, where you want to be, what you want to look like and how everything in your life fits in with your personality. For me going off to college, this meant a wealth of confusion and unhappiness. Every time I turned around I was wanting something different, something more, something something something. When I was in Springfield I was always itching to go home to see my parents or to Colorado to see Logan or my brother. When I was home I was missing my friends at school and getting snippy with my parents. I wanted to be a yoga instructor but once I became one I complained about having to go to work. I wanted to do everything I could to become the best psychologist I could be, the fittest woman I could be, the coolest friend, the sweetest daughter, and so many other things. I knew that this was just being an indecisive 20 year old with passions and dreams that went in all different directions. Something told me that in order to help with all of this, I needed to go abroad.



Being in the Netherlands brought on a huge adventure. I have been forced out of my comfort zone in so many situations and I am learning so much from it. The time difference from back home has made it so I cannot talk to anyone until late afternoon. I usually only have wifi in my room and otherwise cannot use my phone. I am in the middle of a country who only speaks English if you ask and I am forced to be on my own. Thank God because that is what is making me grow.



I wake up every morning wanting to ride my bike to any little place that sells coffee and sit out on their outdoor patio sipping and people watching or sipping and reading my kindle or sipping and thinking about everything and nothing. Where at first I used to get nervous ordering at these Cafe's because I don't speak dutch, now I get excited to have to speak with someone from another walk of life every time I want to order! It is fascinating to think that everyday I get to enjoy the company of people who carry out totally different but oddly similar lifestyles as mine.




I am surrounded by beautiful scenery like charming buildings with tons of history mixed in with modern, cutting-edge architecture. There are cafe's that line the streets, one after the other that serve coffee and tea by day and turn into vibrant pubs by night. Everything is dual purpose, innovative and convenient.




I have been on my own in the Netherlands for 11 days now and I have already figured out one small clue as to why I am here. Sitting in my room of white walls and cheap decorations, feeling the breeze through my window, I am content. Riding my bicycle down beautiful streets, or in the pouring rain, or with a backpack full of groceries, I am content. Whether it is a day that 4 months feels too short to be here or its a day where those 4 months feel like a lifetime, I am content. I know that this is where God has sent me for the rest of 2015. I feel safe, I feel happy and I feel home. I am content with the situation that I am in and I think that might be a first for me. What a beautiful feeling it is to know that whatever you choose to do has a meaning and a purpose but also no matter what you choose, it will always be the correct choice.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

The Dutch Way

Ladies and Gentlemen, Here it is!

In the Netherlands you must own a bicycle. The streets are literally set up for them. Many of them have no curbs so you can ride freely between the street, the bike lanes, and the sidewalks. People in the way? No problem, weave in between them. Cars in the way? No problem. Weave in between them. Basically you are respected as a cyclist and it is the fastest, most efficient way to get around.


"iiiitssss a nnnneww carr!"

My bike (or fiets in dutch)  is a Gazelle Impala. I consider it like an old, rusty Chevy Impala. Its not glamorous but it has wheels and they turn. Good enough here in Nijmegen. At first I was embarrassed to have a rusty old bike like mine but when I looked around at the locals I noticed theirs were like that too. I already feel like I fit in just fine. My bicycle also has many other interesting but necessary features. It has a light in the front and the back (just like cars for riding at night), a bell (to tell people to get their butts out of the way when I am late to class!), a lock (to make sure no one steals my old rusty machine), and of course brakes (which are the pedal backwards kind that I thought only kids could have). All of this I got for 85 euros! I consider that a steal when they say they will buy it back from me for half the price at the end of the semester.


Dutch Speak Dutch.. Makes Since?

Everything I see is in Dutch. Signs, streets, buildings, my washer and dryer.. People in the Netherlands speak fluent Dutch and English. I have found that they are actually very good at English. Of course, they still all speak Dutch. Every time I speak with someone, I always start with "In English Please?" and they will start speaking in English. This is helpful but that still doesn't help me figure out the washing machines or when signs say the toilet is out of order. For this reason, I thought I would try to learn a tiny bit of Dutch. This week I am spending all of my time with international students. This means no one else speaks Dutch either. I luckily met two friends who are very helpful with learning the language. One of them is from Belgium and knows a little bit of Dutch and the other is from Germany and says those two languages are very similar. They are the ones who help me with pronouncing words on signs, reading menus and practicing my first Dutch words. Right now I only know two phrases. Since in this region they are very big into going to the pubs at night, they have taught me "een bierje alsejblieft" and "proost!" These translate to "one beer please" and "cheers!" Before my mother gets angry, I have to mention, I tried saying the first to a Dutch person and they didn't understand me so I think I will have to stick with soda and studying!

(Left: Leticia from Brussels, Belgium. Right: Lena from Munich, Germany)

Home Sweet Holland

Before studying abroad I was warned that I would be homesick from time to time. They said about a month or so in I would really question why I decided to go abroad and really want to come home. Although I have not exactly felt that way yet, I am homesick. I am now and I was before and I think I will always be a little bit. I love my friends and family back home as well as what I know to be familiar. I am really enjoying my first week but of course, it is not my home! This is definitely a learning experience for me including learning how to cope with change. 




(I took this photo from the top floor of the tallest building on campus. My dorm is just beyond the green buildings at the top of the photo)

I have a break next week so I will probably be writing soon about my experiences around town and with the culture. My courses begin when September begins so be looking out for my take on Dutch courses!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Checked in to Confusion

Welcome to Nijmegen!

Today I met some mentors at the train station who took me to the University to register. I went through a couple long lines and met people from all different parts of the world. They gave me a big packet of information and sent me on my way. We got to ride a van to whichever housing we were in and they dropped us off. Once finding my room on the 4th floor, I lugged my 60lb suitcase and my 20lb backpack all the way up the stairs. Now I have had the chance to move all of my things in and set up the internet. The rest of the day is meant for unpacking and getting settled.

I have my own bedroom that has nice big windows that open up to trees and train tracks. Inside my white room, I have a bed with a white pillow and a white comforter. There is a bookshelf (guess what? its white!), a desk, some drawers, a swivel office chair, a couch-like chair, and a night stand. My sink is also in my room as well as a chest that serves as a decent sized closet (it even had hangers!) In the hallway there are 16 bedrooms, 3 toilets, 3 showers, and a kitchen. Inside the kitchen there are cabinets that coordinate with our room number that lock and we can store our groceries. All of this is nothing glamorous but it will do for 4 months. I will get used to the musty smell and the concrete walls in exchange for the experience of a lifetime! It sounds like with a suitcase as giant as mine I would have all that I need. I was thinking I would take a shower but then remembered I did not bring a towel. I hope I can find one tomorrow! 

We met at the train station at 11 so I had only had breakfast with my parents about an hour earlier. Once I finally got settled in my room around 4 I realized I had no food. The closest place I knew that would be open on Sundays was the train station so I gathered a few people and we took a bus to the station. We waited for the bus for about 30 minutes and then shopped at the station. Once we were finished we realized we needed to get back to the bus stop we left from. There are so many buses going all over town and all of the places are in Dutch. We could not figure out which one to ride by reading the signs so we had to ask the locals. Finally we found a bus that would take us back and we got back around 6. That turned out to be a confusing 2 hour journey for food. We hope they feed us during orientation to avoid confusion.

Orientation begins tomorrow and goes all week long. They will show us how to buy a bike as well as set up our phones and anything else. Classes will begin soon after that. Hopefully I will have many things to say about the people I meet this week in my next blog post. Until then,

Cheers!

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Why? Why? Why?

“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
But why?
Many have asked me why I chose to study abroad. They want to know what made me want to go and what I will be doing there. Why did I choose the Netherlands and what do I expect to achieve by going there? I had all the same questions for myself. That is why I am writing about it here. I could quite possibly still be trying to talk myself into this adventure!
The Chance of a Lifetime
I was told so many times this exact line, “I wish I had the chance to live abroad in college. Now is the time to do it.” I will be honest, my freshman year of college, I thought that was pretty cheesy. I won’t regret not going abroad, who even cares? Why do I need to go all the way across the world to learn a little about culture? (Guess what? That thought was exactly the reason I needed to go all the way across the world to learn about culture.) Once I realized how rewarding of an experience this could be, my “who cares?” turned into a “why not?”. Slowly but surely my “why not?” turned into a “yeah, I really have to go and I can’t wait!”
Terrifically Terrified
Don’t get me wrong, I had my doubts from the very beginning and I still do today. I decided I was going to study abroad my freshman year and by the end of the year I had completely changed my mind. I claimed I was not ready and there was no way I could do it. Then one day, just before my sophomore year, I decided I had better do a little more research because maybe I would regret being too scared to try. Today I sit in St. Louis airport scared to death (very open and honest, I know, you’re welcome). The one thing that makes all of that terrified feelings go away is this thought: God is calling me to do great things. I will learn invaluable lessons about others as well as myself. I will come back a completely new person. I need this to grow into the woman I want to be one day.
That is why I am still getting on that plane!
Going Dutch
Why the Netherlands? I have so many reasons. When originally thinking about studying abroad, I donned on my neighbor for advice. A few years older than me, Shannon studied at Radboud University in Nijmegen a couple years ago. I knew that she had a great time so I thought I would at least look up the program. Knowing that she had been there and had all the inside tips really helped my decision. This also meant that my mom could trust her mom when she said it was safe, clean and actually a great place (not just on paper). Next, after finding that the school did have a psychology program, I spoke with my psychology advisor at Missouri State and he assured me that the Netherlands would be a great place to further my psychology training! He has taught in the Netherlands and claims that they have great research in the field of psychology. I trust that I will be able to learn a lot not only in the classroom but through the city as well. It is important when training to be a psychologist to learn from people from all different walks of life. I am really looking forward to discussing the different stigmas and views of mental health from all over the world. The greatest part about studying abroad is not only do I get to live with many Dutch people but I also get to meet people from all over the world who are coming to study there too!
Expectations
I expect to go abroad not just to gain experience living in another country or learning about different types of people. I expect to learn so much that I can put toward my education as a Psychologist. I truly believe that this experience will help shape the type of counselor I will become one day. Now you see why being terrified is not an excuse. Once I am there, I know for certain it will be for the best!

What to look for next: The Big European Family Vacation!

Monday, August 3, 2015

About My Journey

Nijmegen, Netherlands

As you know I began this blog to share my experiences while studying abroad. In order for you all to understand what I write about, I must first explain exactly what it is I will be doing.

The Place of all Places

I chose a school named Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. It is located on the South eastern side of the Netherlands near Germany. The City of Nijmegen is about what I am used to considering their population is just over 164,000 people which is the same as Springfield, Missouri. With that being said, Missouri State has just over 24,000 students and Raboud University has about 19,000. Radboud University is known for their large exchange student population and I have heard they are very good at welcoming new international students.

The City of Nijmegen itself is a charming old city. It is actually the oldest city in the Netherlands and still contains a lot of history. The primary language spoken in the Netherlands is Dutch but almost everyone speaks English as well. Even though English is spoken, does not mean that we will always be on the same page. I know that there will be cultural differences and interesting ways of life that I will need to get used to and learn from. That is what makes traveling abroad so exciting and rewarding.

The Time Frame

The official fall semester at Radaboud is August 23, 2015 thru January 30, 2016. I will be arriving in Europe approximately 2 weeks early on August 10 in order to travel with my family and go through the orientation process at the university. My parents and I will be traveling through Ireland, Wales and the Netherlands before ending in Nijmegen. Next for me will be a week long orientation to get aquainted with the city, the university and with all of the students. The real semester begins promptly after that on the 23rd.

In the Netherlands the classes are set up as block classes with two blocks per semester. I will be taking half my credits in classes up until the end of October, or early November. Next I will take the other half of credits in classes that technically end at the end of January. The education system is set up a little different at Radboud where the classes are more discussion based instead of lecture based. This also means that the instructors can issue your final exam earlier than the end of the semester. The professors there are usually understanding of your time frame there in the Netherlands and can let you finish finals before Christmas. This is ultimately my goal. If all goes well, I will be back for Christmas with my family and return to regular classes for the spring semester at Missouri State.

The Dutch Way of Life

I will be living in an apartment just a short bike ride from campus. In this apartment I will have my own room but will share a bathroom, kitchen and laundry with an entire hall of students. (hey, atleast I have onsite laundry and my own room!) This apartment complex will house many International as well as Dutch students. This means while I may meet some people from the United States or from the Netherlands, I will also be meeting people from just about any other country in Europe and across the world. I will rent a bike and ride it everywhere. I will ride to class, to the Sports Center, the City Center and even to get groceries. This, I hear, is the norm in Holland. Cycling is the Dutch "Way of Life". If there is one thing I know about the Netherlands so far, it is that there are bikes everywhere. Maybe I will return with legs of steel from all the pedaling!

I am glad you have found my blog. If you read this first entry then I applaud you. I do imagine my next posts being a little less boring and basic. In the meantime, if you would like to learn a bit more about my new home click here.

What to look for next: What is Holland and Why am I going there?