Finally I have homework. Not that its a good thing or anything, but it is the middle of February and I have completely forgotten what it means to do work, and that is probably not good. It is still "study" abroad, as my mom said about 15 times before I left, each time acting as if it was as clever as the first time. Actually, it was never really clever, but I love you anyway, mom. But now that I actually have some work to do, I thought it would be an appropriate time to update the blog.

Bike update: Had to get a new back tire today. After the mandatory plagiarism lecture (do not copy and paste from wikipedia was the main message that came across to me) I attempted to ride home and realized my bike was making a strange noise...and barely moving. I got off, and realized the back tire was completely flat. I had to walk it all the way home, it was raining, of course, to complete the emo-feel really bad for the girl who has to walk her bike 20 minutes home-scene. I was really upset, mostly because it meant that I probably would not be able to attend the weekly Tuesday night "borrel" or party that is held for ISN students at a bar called Heffer (fun name, right?). You might not understand why not having a bike would prevent me from going, but I live about a 40 minute walk from there and the busses stop running around 1230, so I would have had to walk home alone, since obviously everyone else would be riding their bikes. This is Holland, remember. But my roomate Robina was nice enough to let me take her bike out, which I was nervous to do given my track record borrowing people's things. Especially other roomates...ahem Maggie and the 58403549 things of yours I have lost. At least I brought back the Halloween dress!! ;)

I'm really glad I got to go out because it was so much fun. After Heffer we went to a bar called...um...De Doos? or something...I'm not sure...but it was a lot less touristy (and LESS EXPENSIVE THANK GOD FINALLY) than a lot of the other places I had been going. It was cozy, and despite the prevailing scent of cigarettes, I really enjoyed myself. AND, more importantly, I did not crash or lose or damage Robina's bike! And it didn't get stolen! Did you know that the average Amsterdam citizen gets thier bike stolen once every 1.4 years? And most of these stolen bikes end up being thrown in the canals? Fun facts.

Creepy Man update: I have probably told most of you the creepy taxi driver story. And the other creepy man story. Yea, the one who stopped me on the street as I was riding my bike to ask if I was Brazilian, and then tell me that because I looked like I had such a positive attitude (dammit subconscious smiling...not my fault, it was the first sunny day in a LONG time) he has an extra ticket to Paris that he would like me to have. Hopefully I will have no more of these kind of updates, as I am learning to not make eye contact in the street, and to look more depressed all of the time.

Speaking of people who don't really smile...I AM GOING TO PRAGUE IN ONE WEEK!!!!!! AHHHH can't wait to laugh obnoxiously and get stared down by angry Czechs with my foreign twin :)

It's like riding a bike

It's true, in case you had any doubts, that you really never forget. Now that I kind of know how to get some places, sometimes, I absolutely LOVE riding my bike. Even when freezing, even if its kind of raining, it is just so liberating to get on my bike and get somewhere fast. I would add that I love my bike itself, but to tell you the truth it is kind of a piece of crap. When I bought it, I was still unsure about how much I would ride it, so I got a cheap one. And apparently it is too small for me, as I was told today. It doesn't go very fast at all, which is ok except when men with tiny babies riding on the back of thier bikes pass me on very narrow paths. One wrong swerve and I could potentially kill a baby! Not ok. Also, the back lock and key are rusty and bent, and I can only lock the back wheel half the time. So I went to the market where a man sells bike parts and fixes them, for free I was told, to try to replace the lock. My encounter went something like this:

"I can't get the key out to lock the back wheel. Do you sell replacement ones?"
The man leans down, pushes down the lever, and easily removes the key that I had been slaving over for 10 minutes the night before.
"There is nothing wrong with this bike," he says sternly in his Dutch accent
"Oh...well...the key is kind of bent and rusty and hard for me to deal with so I think I still want a new one"
"There is nothing wrong with this bike. Except that it is too small for you. Children's bike"

*To be clear,it does not look like any children's bike I've ever seen, if you are imagining me riding around Amsterdam on a pink Barbie bike with training wheels. It looks pretty adult sized to me...

He then pulls out a wrench and lifts up my seat.
"Um...thank you...I guess you are right..."
A woman rides up, says something in Dutch, and he pumps up her tire. No money is exchanged, and she rides away. I am still standing there, not really sure what to do. He looks at me and says:
"Nothing wrong with your bike. Come back when you have real problem."

I think I made a new best friend.

I'm Here!

It's been almost a week since I've arrived in Amsterdam, and I finally feel more or less settled enough to tell you all about it. Now that I have finally acquired a phone, pillow, blanket, and know where my classes are...it seems like a good time to update.

Amsterdam is beautiful. It makes getting lost not so bad, which is lucky since I am lost A LOT. Fortunately, I have learned that once you're wandering somewhere in the city and don't know where you are or where to go, it is really easy to take a tram to Centraal Station, and then I know where I am!

I had my first class today, I am one of only 2 American students in a class of 16. It's in English though, which I first thought would be an advantage when writing papers and such, but everyone else speaks perfect English, of course. I came to class completely unprepared...no paper or pen. I was hoping to buy them on my way to class, but apparently nothing is open at 9am on Mondays. Luckily, the nice Dutch girl next to me let me borrow a paper and pen. I had heard right, the Dutch are all SO nice...and tall. I have never felt so normal sized in my life.

This weekend was really fun, we went out to bars, clubs, coffeeshops, even the red light district (awkward, I was the only girl not in a window in the entire area...). I also love that I basically turned 21 six months early...I purchased my first bottle of wine on Saturday! It was called Fat Bastard, and I drank the whole thing except for 2 small glasses that I gave away. That was kind of a mistake...but it was my first legally purchased alcohol? And I'm in Europe...so it's ok? Karlee, you understand... :)

Sidenote...Abby, no spacecake stories yet...but you will be the first to know.

Today I'm going to look for a bike. I'm kind of nervous, biking is so intense here. There are special lanes, rules, and since I don't know where I'm going most of the time, I don't think its going to be easy for me. Also, biking home drunk will be an adventure to say the least...But I'm so excited to get used to biking around the city because it will make everything so much easier (and less expensive)...plus it looks really fun!

I haven't had time to be online much, and now my internet in my room doesnt work, so that sucks. But hopefully it will be fixed soon so I can talk to some of you...and SKYPE! Miss you allll :)