Hi! So I have been contemplating starting a blog for weeks now. I wasn't really into the whole thing just because I feel like I would sound like a total loser writing about my experiences and telling everyone how magical everything is. But alas, I decided I don't really care because this may not turn out to be the best blog in the world but at least it will give me a place to write down all my experiences and look back on them one day. Hopefully I'll keep up with it and I apologize in advance if I don't.
I have been in Gent, Belgium for almost 16 days. I can't even believe it. I had to count twice to make sure. It feels like yesterday I was boarding the plane with Alison to go on this amazing life journey. (sorry for the corny-ness). I look back on the plane ride now and I remember being absolutely terrified. I had no idea, when we were going to land in Belgium, how I was getting to Gent, how I was purchasing my next meal or when and where I was sleeping that night. I can't even believe how I managed to keep so calm. However, we made it to our apartment safe and sound even though when we got to Gent we had a nasty cab driver who of course overcharged us and told us we were stupid Americans. The whole experience of getting to my apartment surprised me on how independent I can be and kind of amazing that by myself I can navigate to where I need to be in a foreign land. Ok I should totally stop with this weird cheesy-ness.
We have had two weeks of classes and my schedule is perfect! I only have Tuesday, Wednesday,Thursday classes. Which will give me plenty of opportunity to travel on weekends. Classes here are unexpectedly easy. All my teachers seem intimidated by the fact that Alison and I are native English speakers and have already asked us to help them when it comes to their English. All my classes are in English except for the intensive Dutch course. If you have never heard Dutch before, please go look up a youtube video or something. It is the weirdest language you can ever imagine. It is a mixture of German and English and makes my head spin bc it sounds so much like English. I'm surprised how much I have picked up just listening to it on the bus and seeing signs and such. I hope I can speak it fluently by the time I leave!
oh, I looked up a video of people conversing in Dutch:
Weird right?
Anyway, all our classes have exams only at the end--So no midterms :)-- but they are all going to be DUN DUN DUN....ORAL EXAMS. Yes, that means we will each individually have to converse with the teacher about what we have learned the whole semester. Apparently after talking to some student from the Netherlands, this form of examination is supposed to be easier because the teacher helps you out and just gives you a grade based on how well you know the topic. Since I didn't grow up taking tests this way, I have no idea what or how I am even going to prepare for something like this. I should probably not freak out about it now because I'm sure I'll be fine but it is still a scaryyyy thought. We also have a two week Easter break in April that I am excited to travel during. I'm not sure of all the places I want to go but traveling anywhere in Europe will be an amazing adventure.
I have made quite a lot of friends here from all over Europe. In Europe they have a program where students within Europe can travel to different colleges in Europe for a semester or an academic year. The program is called "Erasmus" and you can be in any field to take part. Alison and I are taking all of our classes with the Erasmus students and it's so interesting to talk to them. We have met students from Lithuania, Italy, Greece, and Netherlands. It's nice to be with these students in classes because we are all on the same page even though we are all from different countries. I am a tad bit jealous of these Erasmus students because they are much closer to home than I am. In fact, my friend who is from Milan, Italy just flew home last week for a couple of days because she had to work and got to see her family and boyfriend. A lot of them will also be going home for the 2 weeks we have off in April. I won't be able to go home until August!
Everyone always asks me about the weather here and it's actually a bit warmer than (50 degrees Fahrenheit) Chicago but it rains here ALL the time. I've stopped checking the weather because I know it is just going to say 60% chance of rain everyday. Out of the 16 days I have been here it has been sunny one day and that was the day that I was a little sick and had Dutch homework. So I didn't even enjoy it. Hopefully it starts to get warmer and sunnier.
That's all I really have to say for now, I'm sure I'll update like crazy in the next few days. Check back!! DOEI (that's bye in Dutch-pronounced do-we!)
This is me standing by the river we ride along to get to school. Gorgeous! :)
For the first time in my life, I like the cheese(yness). Haha. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteI hope the weather gets better. But hey, if not, at least you can claim to be an amateur meteorologist.