Summer '07: July 2007

Ok so here's the latest. Unfortunately, I am not going to be staying longer in Europe. I wish I could stay a few more weeks but some stuff came up, and I need to get back. Nonetheless, I am already making plans to come back next summer with some high school buddies. So I will be back on the expected date, August 2.
Anyways, I went to Amsterdam this weekend with some friends, and among other things, we were able to see the Van Gogh Museum, Red Light District, and Heineken Experience. We stayed at a really random guy's house (a friend of a friend's dad who was also a former IBI participant some 20 some odd years ago), but we had so much fun especially since it was my friend Pat's 21st birthday. We are going back to Amsterdam this weekend with the whole group, and we will be visiting the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank house, and a flower auction (Amsterdam is world famous for its flowers). We will also be going to Rotterdam this weekend before we head to Paris.
One thing I wish I regret not doing is going hot air ballooning here in Holland. I might try to do it tomorrow, but it will be hard to fit into our schedule, so we'll see. We have been through some pretty intensive class work these last couple of weeks, so it is hard to fit a lot in. It's like we are taking summer school or intersession classes in that we are trying to cram large amounts of class work into a few weeks. The only difference is that instead of taking a single summer school class, we are taking 2 at a time meaning we are in class for long hours. We do have a significant amount of free time everyday, but there are a lot of big papers, tests and projects that consume a large portion of that time. We finished our global marketing class 2 weeks ago, and we will finish our International Trade and Finance Class tomorrow. I am even 'studying' for the IT&F final as I type by listening to other people discuss the material. We are 2/3 of the way done with our Comparative Economics Systems Class, which we will be resuming later, and we are about halfway into Global Business Strategy. Most of our class work has been here in the Netherlands, and it has been nice not worrying about it while in other cities/countries. What's nice about the classes here is that the grades don't transfer only the credits do, meaning my grades won't affect my G.P.A. Still I find myself putting in a considerable amount time into the classes partially because I don't want to let my group members down and somewhat because I still take pride in my work. But what's nice is that if it the night before a test and some people want to go to a club or bar, I can go out. It's just nice not having to worry about my grades all that much. Having said that, I think I still can pull out 3 A's and a A-. The classes are actually more difficult than I had expected and rival normal semester-long classes in terms of difficulty (people typically have that perception that summer school classes/ study abroad programs are a lot easier than typical semester-long classes).
We have been settled here in The Netherlands for some 2.5 weeks now, and while I have enjoyed it as a nice break, I am especially looking forward to traveling again. They went over our itinerary for Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, and London, and it made me unbelievably excited. There is just so much to do and see in the upcoming cities, and I can't wait. I will have to tell you later about all the things we get to do.
Anyways, I got to go. I need to study, and I am probably going to go out later tonight. There has been a carnival in town for the past week or so. By the way, having a bike here in the Netherlands is utterly amazing. I will elaborate later. Thanks for reading.

Ok... so I know it has been a really long time since I’ve posted anything, but we have been really busy, and it has been hard to find time. I have typed out entries from past places we have visited but haven't posted them yet, so later when I find time, you will hear more about where we have been.

I’m not to sure if you have heard yet, but I am probably going to be staying in Europe a little longer. I met up with a really close friend from high school, Chris Taylor, in Geneva, and he and I might go visit Sardinia (Italian island), Corsica (French island), and some other parts of Italy after my trip is done on August 1st (Google image search Sardinia and Corsica; it looks like the Bahamas but in the Mediterranean.) My friend, Craig Astor, suggested some pretty cool places in mainland Italy, and I am also looking into traveling to Spain (perhaps Barcelona), Monaco, Greece, or the French Riviera. So that's the plan right now; it was kind of on a whim, so we'll see. Who knows I might not come back this until ‘08.

But as for now, we just arrived in Oisterwijk, The Netherlands. We have this really nice hotel all to ourselves, and we our using the 6 conferences rooms here for our classes (Global Marketing, International Trade & Finance, and Global Business Strategy) and group projects. They have assigned each of us a brand new bicycle, and bikes paths are everywhere here in the Netherlands, so I can’t express how nice it is to be able to explore places on a bicycle when we have been so accustomed to walking everywhere. Though the immediate area is forest and marshlands (Not a gross kind of marshlands; the places is absolutely beautiful; I can't describe it so I will have to show you pictures), Belgium is only about 20 km away and there are various other towns that are relatively close (downtown Oisterwijk is only about 3 minutes ride). Ever since our arrival, we have been greeted by pleasant weather (in the 60’s with daily, light rain showers). I would much rather experience light rain everyday as opposed to hot, unbearable weather. Here in the Netherlands I have my own hotel room (because we are starting some heavy class work), and I can't tell you how nice it is. I mean I enjoy the company friends and all, but it is so nice to be able to go to bed, shower, or do whatever I want, whenever I want, without having to be worried about infringing upon someone else. The food here is great. I’m pretty sure I lost weight in the early part of the trip just because we would walk upwards of 18 miles daily, but I think I am going to gain it back here. But well see because we are biking quite a bit.
Anyways, some friends, and I might go see the band KEANE in Amsterdam this Friday!!! It is about an hour and a half train ride. So we’ll see if that works out because we have a final for Global Marketing that day as well as a 20-page group project and a midterm for International Trade & Finance due the next.

Let me tell you a little more about our time in the Netherlands thus far. Two days ago downtown Oisterwijk had a Beer Festival with hundreds of different beers. And oh ya, we also went and saw the play Robin Hood (maybe my favorite story ever) which was really cool, because it was an outdoor theatre and the surrounding landscape could easily be mistaken for Sherwood Forrest. Though the play was in Dutch, half the fun was trying to figure out/imagine what they were saying. I also went to the town of Tilburg (a more metropolitan town about 30 minutes bike ride), and it was really fun. The downtown area had a lot of bars and affordable shops (a nice change of pace from Switzerland, where prices are close to double prices in the U.S.), so I’m pretty sure we will be frequenting this city. Today [this was written on Wednesday], we went to Brussels the main site of the European Parliament. The European Parliament is the governing body for the European Union (The EU actually was created to facilitate economic integration and interconnectedness so that future World Wars could be prevented). We met with an MEP (Member of the European Parliament; similar to a Congressman in the U.S.) as well as a number of assistants to MEP’s. Our visit today was actually quite helpful, because it helped me to envision what it would be like to vocationally pursue some sort of political discipline. I have always had a particular affinity for politics, but I think I have been disillusioned by many of the necessities required for success within this arena, namely dishonesty and slander. I sincerely like political affairs, and I think most people that get into it do, but from my perspective, it seems like no matter how idealistic an individual is, they inevitably get corrupted. And it is no longer about the issues they once held dear, but it becomes more about “politics,” as you would call it. I don’t think I would mind being a lobbyist though. But anyways, while we were in Belgium, I had a Belgian waffle with chocolate and ice cream. Even though I got sick from eating too much, it was, hands down, the best thing I have tasted in recent memory. I would probably give away my middle sister—scratch that, my littlest sister, Makenna—for another one. On that same note, I have eaten so much chocolate/candy/ice cream on this trip. Because we eat 3 solid meals a day, I often find myself hungry and snacking. Chocolate is everywhere here, and it is really good. In fact, on several occasions I have bought ‘home-made’ chocolate from specialty stores. It’s not just me though; everyone is eating chocolate like there’s no tomorrow. I also have been drinking soda and coffee way too much. I usually don’t drink it in the states because I don’t like caffeine. But again it’s everywhere, and when soda is cheaper than buying bottled water (you do have to pay for bottled water, and it’s expensive), it’s the logical alternative. The reason I have been drinking so much coffee is to stay awake. Even as I am writing this, it’s 2:30 AM, and I am wired on coffee because I had to stay up to finish this big Global Marketing project. I’m pretty sure that I am going to develop a dependence on caffeine, which I am not too excited about.

I must admit that one of the most difficult parts of the trip is managing my time. Between homework, projects, studying (all three of which are starting to take an increasing and significant portion of my time), visiting new places, experiencing the culture, shopping, building relationships with the people here, journaling, getting alone time, and sleeping, it is hard to fit everything in. I think I have actually neglected sleep the most. I usually go to bed around 2 AM and get up around 7:30; today [Wednesday] we got up at 6:00 AM though, and I went to bed at 3 last night. There is just so much to see and do, and I feel like time is so limited, and I realize that there is a possibility that I might never get to come back. We’ll see how sustainable these sleeping habits are because I’m the type of person who needs about 8 hours a night. It going to be interesting to see how things play out, because I have been doing this for quite some time now; so we’ll see how the far the caffeine takes me.

I can’t tell you how much fun I am having on this trip. All the people are so fun to be around, and there is a nice blend of distinct personalities. I think the bond I have with the people here runs pretty deep. Think about it, I am experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime trip, filled with unexpected twists, new adventures, and realities that are far from everyday life, along with 40 other people who are the same age and major as me, from all across the country. Now I can try to explain my trip to you, but you probably won’t want to hear it all, and realistically, you’re not going to understand what I’ve seen and experienced. But these people do. They know what its like to take an overnight sleeper train from Latvia through Belarus to Moscow, Russia. My friends have danced with me in the largest dance club in Europe. They know that indescribable feeling that comes with standing in a gas chamber at a Nazi Concentration Camp or an execution room at a KGB prison. And these people understand what it’s like to stand atop the Swiss Alps, look in any direction to see an elusive horizon of endless white peaks and glaciers, and know that from this moment on, you’ll never see life the same way. I tell you in attempt to explain how close I’ve grown to everyone on the trip. Before coming here, I didn’t think much about how the social dynamics could heighten the experience of the trip. I was talking with someone yesterday, and they compared the trip to the reality TV show “The Real World.” What’s funny is how true that is. When you spend every waking moment with 40 people you have never met before, it’s definitely an exciting experience. On the plane ride over, two of the girls I was sitting next to were already planning a reunion.

Let me give you some recently highlights since my last post:
-Largest Dance Club in Europe (in Prague)
-Dachau (Nazi Concentration Camp)
-Austrian mountain lake (Gorgeous views)
-Lichtenstein (Tiny, landlocked European Principality)
-Lucerne, Switzerland (We stayed on this unbelievably nice hotel with an amazing view of Lake Lucerne; I sent some of you guys an e-card with the view from out hotel)
-Jungfrau and Interlaken, Switzerland (Swiss Alps, unbelievable ski resorts and waterfalls)
-Geneva, Switzerland (Met up with my friend Chris Taylor, home to many brilliant people/reformers i.e. John Calvin)
-Mount Blanc and Chamonix, Switzerland (The Alps; Highest mountain in Europe; Literally, the most breath-taking place I have been in my entire life)
-Coblenz, Germany (Rhine River Cruise; Giant Music Festival of German bands covering American bands such as Queen, Elvis, etc.)

Here are some recent company/business visited:
-Black & Decker (Dewalt)
-Bosch
-Swarovsky Crystal
-Credit Suisse
-Nestle
-The European Parliament

It's hard to explain all these places to you because there is nothing in the States that even comes close to comparing to what we've seen, and I can’t believe I’m even trying to explain these to you because I know I won’t give them their due justice. But I have a few entries up my sleeve from the places above, and I will post them when I get a chance. I would really like to tell you about everywhere, but realistically, I am not going to have time, so you will have to ask me later about specific places you want to hear about. I know that I’ve done a terrible job with my blogging thus far. It’s just that there is so much to see and do here, and quite honestly, I have tried to make the lowest priority because I don’t want to miss out on anything here. I hope you understand.

After we finish up here in the Netherlands, we will be traveling to Paris and London. But about London and the recent bombings, our director is putting together a contingency plan in case circumstances worsen. I heard they are considering Italy, Amsterdam, and staying in Paris longer. But two years ago, they encountered the same problems with bombings in London. The problem was much worse and they still went. Among other things I am excited to see the palace at Versailles as well the Tour de France. Last year, the group was able to experience the pandemonium that came along with being in Germany during the World Cup. But, I think the Tour de France should be fun. Let me know it you want me to pick you up some memorabilia.

I already know that this experience has changed my life; it’s clear that my perception of the world is changing. Usually, if someone spends a semester studying abroad, they fall in love with that particular country and understand that culture’s way of life from a new perspective. They lose that typical, American, ethnocentric arrogance that comes from ignorance and lack of exposure. They are able to add another lens to the way they way they see things. Life changes from a simple picture to a dynamic, 3-dimensional experience and that person acquires the depth perception needed to see life in a fuller way. But this trip is so much more than that. Because we have visited so many places in such a short amount of time, I haven’t even had time to develop a partiality for—or for that matter, even get accustomed to—any particular place or culture. Instead of being directed towards a specific place, my fondness has become attached to the general pursuit of seeing and experiencing life’s many undiscovered cultures, places, people, and realities. Though this may be naïve to say, I think I have such a grander picture of how things are. Some people go away to a foreign country for a couple weeks and have a life-changing experience. Now, try to imagine what its like to go on a trip to a dozen different countries, with 40 people you don’t know, for an extended period of time. Can you begin to see how when all familiarity is removed from your life, you are able to see yourself to a different backdrop? It’s a bit sad, but I have almost forgotten what its like to be at home in the normal routine of things. And it’s really freeing to not have a care in the world. I mean I miss all you guys at home, but quite honestly, I haven’t thought about “home” all that much just because it is so good to get out on my own. I have difficulty imagining what it’s going to be like to come home. I’ve heard the culture shock is much more severe coming back. I’m sorry for my inability to explain things, but I hope you realize that there are so many ineffable experiences/feelings that are simply indescribable. I posted some pictures on Facebook and I will include the links below. I have posted only a very limited amount (I have about 2,500 pictures on my hard drive and there are several cities we have been to that I haven’t posted yet).

Real quick, I just wanted to say “Happy Birthday Trevor Hults,” and “Congratulations Justin and Kira.” I wish I could have been there for your birthday/wedding.

Again, I apologize if some of my sentences don’t make sense of if words are spelled wrong. I wrote a lot of this at about 2 in the morning, and I haven’t proofread it. Thanks again for caring enough about my trip to read all this. It’s nice to have people back at home who want to hear about all the cool places you have seen/experienced. Hope all is well, and I would love to here from you.

Here are the picture links:

Prague (part 2)
http://biola.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027655&l=c250b&id=68600429

Liechtenstein an Dachau, Germany
http://biola.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027656&l=0556a&id=68600429

Innsbruck, Austria
http://biola.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027659&l=ed50b&id=68600429

Lucerne, Switzerland
http://biola.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027657&l=7bc13&id=68600429

Jungfrau and Interlaken, Swtzerland
http://biola.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027660&l=c22cb&id=68600429

Geneva, Switzerland
http://biola.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027663&l=be437&id=68600429

Chamonix and Mount Blanc, Switzerland
http://biola.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027664&l=85724&id=68600429

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Some more pictures

The Hague 2

Monday, July 23, 2007

The Hague

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Summer '07

My Blog List

Blog Archive

About Me