Beginnings

So, we went on that boat ride and had wine with our professors. It was really great, and there was a beautiful sunset. The one thing I haven't mentioned yet is that it is REALLY cold here. I would say upper 40's lower 50's during the day, and then absolutely freezing at night. We started classes...Monday the first class I had was Renaissance and Baroque Art. Now, all the professors have other jobs. This guy, Rob Dukors, is a museum curator in Maastricht (south of Well), and has lived everywhere in Europe working with art history. He is taking us on a trip to Maastricht next week, and we'll get a personal look into the museum he runs. Overall it sounds like a really cool class. Then I had Intercultural Communications with this Asian man named Chester Lee. His accent is so bizarre because he spent most of his life in Australia, but the past 15 years in the Netherlands. Yet he was born in Hong Kong. You can imagine how weird he sounds. That class seems cool too. We are having an actual prostitute come in next week and talk to us about her life and why she thinks prostitution should be legal everywhere. We're also going to a Dutch high school to talk to kids about American life, and then we are going to meet with Dutch university students and have a debate about westernization. I love that kind of stuff, so I am really excited. Then...I bought a bike! Which I have been riding everyday since. I love it so much. At night I had European Lit. The main theme of the class is Czech literature, which I am happy about since I've already read one Milan Kundera book and loved it. The professor is this guy from Boston actually, who now lives in Krakow, and sounds like a drunk surfer. Lots of rambling. So we shall see about that class. Yesterday I had History of European music....which was kind of intimidating. We talked about the church a lot, and listened to Gregorian chants. I think it will be interesting...but difficult. Also, we have to go see three concerts which will be great. I guess we already have one booked at the best opera house in London. Other then that, I have just been doing a lot of sleeping, studying, biking, and socializing. Oh, and trip-planning. I think we have decided to go to Austria in 2 weekends instead of Germany. Germany is really crowded right now because of Octoberfest...and there are virtually no accommodations available. And I think for my first extended travel break, I am going to Budapest in Hungary and then Transylvania in Romania. They are both very close to Croatia, and I have friends who want to go. Most people are going to Italy...but I've already done the big cities. Tonight is American night at the local bar (I have no idea what that means), and tomorrow we are going into Venlo at night (a city about an hour from Well).

Well, Netherlands