AmsterDamage Control

(This post was written yesterday, actually...)

So everyone is asking how it's going so far over here! The city is beautiful and I'm really excited to be here but the truth is that there are some things that are getting me down.

#1 Financial aid is taking its sweet time to arrive -therefore I haven't been able to go out to restaurants or cafes, museums, anything - and I've been living off PB&J from the grocery store for a few days. This is a short term problem that should be rectified in a few days but has been a bummer for the last week.

#2 Physical overexertion. I went on a minor fitness kick this year with gyming and running but apparently it didn't prepare me for this. I rode my bike for two hours straight today and regularly walk 1-2 hours a day. It doesn't sound terrible but you can't get away from it no matter what - I dont have the option to get in my car and drive to school if I want to. I'll spend the morning hectically riding around and the afternoon and evening just lounging because I'm tired. There have been days where my feet and muscles hurt so bad that I don't even get out of bed because I'm miserably sore. I feel depleted half the time. I'm sure that I will get used to this over time and it will benefit me a lot but - it's tough adjusting to this lifestyle when I'm used to an hour daily commute by car and drive thru Starbucks.

#3 It's lonely. Sure, Chris is here, and I've met a lot of cool people from all over the globe - but I haven't really clicked with any group of people yet so I spend a lot of time alone. I spend at least an hour a day Skyping with my mom and dad and Steve whenever our schedules allow. I'm sure I'll make friends as the semester progresses but right now sorta sucks.

#4 Weather? This isn't terrible just a minor annoyance. For the most part the weather has been great but today was rainy and overcast in the morning and then there was a huge storm all afternoon and evening.

#5 Being lost. I know this is part of living in a new place - but it really sucks! I have missed two classes so far because I didn't know where they were located or got lost and couldn't find it. I'm starting to find familiar streets and landmarks on my own without Chris's help but the truth is that I am pretty lost most of the time. The bright side of that is that I discover new places, I suppose - but regardless of the adventure it is really nerve wracking being alone in a city on a bicycle with mad traffic going on in an unfamiliar area. I know that this problem will be solved with time too..

I was complaining to my Dutch friend John about the bad weather and he said that the sunshine in Amsterdam is that you are living in Amsterdam. Haha, wise Dutch words.

Speaking of Dutch words - I learned how to say: "Ich heb twee groehn ojen" which means "I have two green eyes."