I like french fries. Which is good. So does everyone else here.
Actually, everyone here is always eating ice cream. Even when it's cold.
Turn the corner - hey look, people with ice cream.
You know those signs that mean "no food" but are really just a picture of food with an X through them?
Here the picture always has ice cream in it.
So, just ice cream, ice cream and fries, or ice cream, fries, and a soda with an X.
I was studying for a chemistry test on the tram on my way to school last week and I realized how friggin cool that was. Learning Dutch element names on the Dutch public transportation system on the way to my Dutch school? Awesome! Well, until I failed the test. But you know. It's all good.
I was sitting alone in the study hall at school, and a random teacher came up to me and said, "What's up?"
Yeah, I thought he was speaking Dutch, so I was like, "....... huh?" and he said, "You're the American student, aren't you?" "Yes." Then he sort of smiled and patted my shoulder and said, "We are proud of you." So that made me feel pretty good.
Many kids at school ask me why I chose the Netherlands. They say it's boring here. But I think that no matter where you are, you sort of have to make it fun for yourself. But I understand. I mean, they've lived here all their lives. I lived in LC for all my life, and I needed a change. Maybe they all just need to spend a year abroad or something.
One girl said that it's boring here because there aren't any mountains. I beg to differ. There are sheer drop offs in every house, in the form of staircases. If I wake up at night and want to go to the bathroom, I have to climb down a cliff. No more rolling out of bed, stumbling into the bathroom, and rolling back in. No no. Here it's roll out of bed, turn on the light, stand at the top of the stairs and wake up/mentally prepare yourself, grasp the rail for dear life as you feel each step with your toes, stumble into the bathroom, heave yourself back upstairs with your hands, turn out the light, roll back into bed, then realize there's no way you're getting back to sleep because you've just accomplished the equivalent of a challenge in Survivor. No mountains? Hah. I laugh.
I'm pretty homesick, actually. This morning I was lying in bed and I sort of thought that when I opened my eyes I would see my own room. But I didn't. I miss my family, friends, boyfriend, dog, room, house, school, teachers, weather, neighborhood, grocery stores...language... oh well. Skype is helping a lot. And a change isn't such a bad thing. But this first month has been pretty rough - lots of new impressions and experiences make me tired and hungry for stroopwaffels!!!! Mwahahahaha I had a big, fresh, warm stroopwaffel today in the city. My host mom bought it for me, and the guy selling them was like, "Ik denk dat dit is voor jouw?" (I think that this is for you? - yeah, pretty similar to English). And I was happpyyyyy because it was lekker lekker lekker (delicious)!
Soo... by the way.... yeah, it's going to be a harsh winter. Apparently it's going to snow for four months straight. At first I thought, "Yayyy we don't have snow in LA!" But then people warned, "You'll get sick of it, trust me." Well, maybe I'll just spend all my free time making snowmen along the sidewalks. I guess I can't sled, though, seeing as there aren't any mountains. And sledding down the stairs probably isn't a very good idea... snowmen it is, then!
Tot ziens,
Emily
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