Day 3 Successes

Readers, I blog to you while drinking a cup of tea with a mug with two tiny handles that even has its own little dish. It's very relaxing and very European. Let's forget that I carried said tea down two flights of stairs after using a microwave that has not been cleaned since the university was founded in 1632.

Not so glamorous. But, oh friends, I bring you good tidings after the insanity that was Day 2 of Operation Amsterdam. I ACCOMPLISHED things today. Orientation has thus far been hours long lists of have-to-do-immediately-or-will-never-succeed-in-Dutch-life things, with no time left to do them. Hence, panic. But guys, it's going to be fine. Really.

Today we learned all about our classes and got our schedules. I am so excited. Reason 1: my classes sound incredibly interesting. Reason 2: I only have class on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Thus, my weekend in longer than my week. However, Dutch classes are structured as lectures in which the main education and learning is done independently, outside the classroom. So don't think I'm going to be strolling leisurely along the Amstel on all those free days.

After that, we went on a boat tour of Amsterdam. And as you all know, there is just something about the water. Sitting on that long boat, staring up at crooked row houses and ornate bridges, I took a deep breath. I felt the boat rock. And I calmed the hell down. I haven't taken many pictures, but here's one, with the boat we rode in. It's turning around in a VERY TIGHT space:

Afterwards I was finally able to get my phone issues sorted out with the help of a few Euros and a lot of gesturing. Now I will actually know what time it is and be able to contact people if anything happens. Then my roommate and I wound around the city, looking for the used bikes we so desperately need. In the fall Amsterdam is flooded with international students and all of them rush to get used bikes. It's like a dog fight, trying to get a decent bike at a good price that you can hopefully sell back at the end of the semester. Once again, my height helped me out. The Dutch, the tall ones, all buy legit bikes they use for years, so I'm not competing with them. So while there were absolutely zero bikes for my friends that would actually fit them--they're competing with normal sized internationals-- I was able to look around. I wasn't fond of the prices I was getting, though, so I walked away. Then, on our walk back home, we accidentally came upon a used products store. And I found him.

He is Barney and he is MINE.

Fingers crossed I still love Barney in like a month.