Uhm... I would like to give you some advice. If you ever find yourself in a hostile with very rickety old bunk beds that creak and quake with the slightest movement, don't choose a bottom bunk. And if you do choose a bottom bunk, don't choose the one underneath a really horny guy. Let's just say I thought I was going to be crushed and die for about half an hour. That's all I have to say about that...
Anyways, I realized something at the camp. The Netherlands must be SUPER different for some people. Like the kids coming from South America and Thailand and such.... but honestly, for me, NL is exactly like the USA. Sometimes I find myself thinking, ".... I took a 13 hour plane ride to go to America.... only it's more boring here." Like, I find myself thinking, damn it, I should have gone to Peru, or Hungary, or... oh I don't know, somewhere that would actually make me an exchange student? They warned me about culture shock. The biggest shock I've had is that everything here is the same as America. Except with smaller cars, more bikes, and at least 5 slices of bread a day.
Oh, and I guess people speak Dutch, too.
But that feels like a joke. I mean, everyone here speaks English. I feel like anybody who speaks Dutch in the world is fluent in English. So... why am I learning Dutch? It would be different if I was learning ... Chinese or something. That's the most spoken language in the world. I mean, yes, I'm trying very hard to learn Dutch and I'm going to continue to do my best. But it's like a game. If I don't know something, I just say it in English and everyone understands me.
You know what's even more awkward? When I say something in Dutch and the other person asks me to say it in Dutch. Uhm.... I don't know how much more Dutch that could possibly be said.... Well, I can usually make myself understandable. I just say things like, "Yes, he gives it to me yesterday," which isn't perfect, but trust me, past tense is the most confusing thing ever.
By the way... You can't run. You can't hide. Lady Gaga is ever present. I legitimately hear her every day. I might even go to one of her concerts here. People talk a lot about America here, too. Sometimes I don't even know what they're saying, but I'll just be walking by people and I'll hear, "Dutchdutchdutch IN AMERICA IT'S dutchdutchdutch." Weird. Similarly, They have Cool American flavored Doritos. And California Special burgers at Burger King. I'm just like.... "We don't have these in America. Or California."
"Do you have Holland Special hamburgers?"
"....No...."
But actually, the Netherlands isn't TOTALLY like America. People here are chill and super super super nice. The teachers are nice. I've definitely had classes with teachers who are more like dictators or jail keepers in America. The teachers are friends with the students here. And the kids are friends with each other. I like that.
HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA I have to tell you something!
Aside from the questions you would expect, like, "Why did you come here?" and "What are the major differences?" Guess what the number one question I get is?
"Do you really have cheerleaders in America, like the movies?"
That is so hilarious. I never knew it before, but... NOBODY has cheerleaders. Even the kids at the orientation camp from New Zealand and Germany and such were like, "Wow, I can't believe you have cheerleaders!" and I said, "Wow, I can't believe you DON'T have cheerleaders!" I just thought it was great.
Okay, I am suuuuper tired, as usual, so I should sleep. Eeek! There's even MORE stuff in my room now, since I just received my 30 textbooks. (That is not a typo). Tihs is a tpyo.
Tot ziens,
Emily
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