Home sweet home!

I will definitely be posting the next few days as I have a few stories and pictures to share so make sure to check back.

I currently feel as if this is fake-- like I am going to be going back in a few days time. I wonder when it will actually hit me...

Omg. The weirdest thing just happened (yes, I swear I am going to stop posting and start reviewing my notes). I go to turn on my desk-lamp and the lightbulb blows out! My room knows I am leaving. 


Weird. I know. 

AHHHHHH

My final day in Utrecht. Let me breakdown the schedule for you...

11-1: Rachel and I have a final for our class "Media, Modernity, and the Arts". The make-up exam is sometime next week aka I am already back in the US aka I better pass (AHHHH I am a poet and I didn't even know it!). Unfortunate start to my day but necessary nonetheless.

1-4: (or hopefully sooner than 1 since I refuse to sit in that room for two full hours) Rachel and I will look at each other and talk about how much we are going to miss each other over a very delicious and romantic lunch in town. We are going to the same restaurant where we had our first meal in Utrecht together. I know, "Awwwwwww". 

4-4:29: I will go to the Bike King and pray he wants to buy my bike back. I feel really awkward about this. Like, am I supposed to negotiate? And, uh, like I don't really want euro so thats annoying but I guess it just means more sugar waffles for me in duty free! By the way, I am actually really emotional about selling my bike back but it hasn't hit me yet, so for now, jokes about sugar waffles it is!

4:30-5:15: I will go to the gym and express my emotions via some weight lifting, squats, and maybe some cardio if I am feeling crazy.

5:30-6:45: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga! If only Pieter, the instructor, knew how much this class has changed me. I <3 you Pieter. 

7:20-9:20: I am going with two of my closest Australian friends to Blauw, a delicious Indonesian restaurant in town. Fun fact: the Dutch are known for their Indonesian food.

Then.... goodbyes......

and sleep..... 

I can't believe that I leave the Netherlands tomorrow-- and not to just go on a short weekend trip. I think a part of me is in shock that when I get on the plane tomorrow I will be going back to the United States and not some European country a couple of hours away. By the way, I upgraded myself to economy plus. So, while I'm not excited for an 8 hour and 15 minute plane ride, at least I get some leg room. I mean, with the long legs that I have, the average seat on a plane is just not that comfortable. I know, I'm happy for me too!

Okay, scratch my idea of packing my carry-on and putting it inside my suitcase. Even though I kind of think that it could still work, I began to think of all the things that could go wrong. In fact, as I sit here trying to study for my final that is tomorrow, I can't help but think of all the ways I could possibly miss my flight. My most recent thought: I go into the elevator in my apartment on Wednesday morning with my two huge bags-- that may or may not be over the weight limit--, my carry-on, and my backpack, and get stuck in the elevator because everything weighs so much. 


I know, I need to just concentrate and learn about media and modern art. But instead, I leave you all with the thought of me being trapped in an elevator with overweight luggage unable to get to the airport on time. I know what you are thinking. THER-A-PY! 

For the past four days in Utrecht, it will rain-- and by rain I mean POUR-- in twenty minute intervals.  I kid you not. The British man sitting next to me at the coffee shop yesterday said it was "proper rain". Proper my a** (the word rhymes with pass). It's as if the sky is having an emotional breakdown and every twenty minutes remembers it is really sad and starts crying, composes itself, and then is set off again by some emotional trigger. Like, get over yourself sky. Its getting old. 

Dear Dad,


Happy Fathers Day! I got you a very special present: a 200 dollar bill from Verizon!! "...As of 6/19/2011, Mobile Number --- ---- has incurred approx. $200 in data roaming charges." It's as if they knew exactly what you wanted!! 


Love always, Ar


note to readers: this will be the first time my dad hears of this lovely addition to all the other wonderful roaming charges I have gotten since I arrived in Utrecht on February 2nd. Lets put it this way, Verizon is going to be really sad when I leave Europe. My Dad, not so much. 

Happy Birthday to my number one fan, my mom!!!!

Oh, and happy fathers day to my second number one fan, my dad!!!

Talk about a big day in my household. I'm still trying to figure out who to call first...

STRESS-FUL!

Today is Saturday, June 18th. I go home Wednesday, June 22. Where did time go? I am still trying to figure out the answer to that one myself. I have one bag fully packed and the other one about half way packed. That is the one good thing about the rainy forecast-- it makes it easy to figure out what clothes I need to leave out. What about my carry-on you may ask...

Funny you ask! Let me backtrack here for a second. When I arrived in Schipol airport at 5 in the morning (yes, my flight came in an hour early) on February 2nd and had to manage to get two humongous bags onto a cart, plus a carry-on that was way too heavy for its own good, while simultaneously carrying my equally as ridiculously heavy backpack, I thought I was going to faint. Not to mention the fact that I had on a heavy winter coat and snow boots (no, the snow boots couldn't fit in the bags). I was having some serious hot flashes.

Hello from the sidewalk at JFK! I am still happy here because I still have my Mom to help me with all my stuff. I wasn't as happy once I had to deal with it on my own. 

Back to my amazing idea. I have decided to fill up my carry-on with clothes and then put my carry-on inside of one of the large purple duffles that you see above. GE-N-I-US. I know. But, if you are like my mom you may be wondering, "what if your bag is overweight Arielle?". Uh... Hello. If my bag is overweight, there is actually no problem at all. Instead, I will calmly remove the carry-on from the large duffel taking out most of my clothes and putting them directly into the large duffle. Wa-la. Problem Solved. And now that just means that I have a carry-on bag to fill up with stroop waffles at duty free. I am telling you, I think Travel Magazine should ask me to write a feature on smart traveling.

I tweeted the other day about how I am pretty sure that the Dutch do not have a summer. Well, I think I have at the very least confirmed the fact that whatever summer the Netherlands does claim for its own is not going to commence while I am still around. Sigh. It has been pouring the past few days, on and off, and unfortunately the weather forecast doesn't give me much hope either. For someone who never liked biking in the rain, I especially don't like biking in the rain 5 months later. You know, in the beginning it was "new" and yadda yadda yadda but I can safely say that I have 0 desire to bike in the pouring rain. Hence, why my bike is currently in town and I am not. Thank you 6:45 pm rainstorm that occurred yesterday as I walked out of yoga and stopped as I got off the bus outside my apartment. Thanks a bunch!


....how much are you going to miss me complaining?!?! Be honest.

I just ate the most delicious strawberries that I bought yesterday when I biked to the Pancake House in the forest (don't worry, no pancakes this time). There is an old man who speaks a language that is entirely his own--as in even the Dutch people have no clue what the hell he is saying-- and stands outside the Pancake House all day selling strawberries, apples, and pears. Interesting assortment but delicious nonetheless. I think they may be the best strawberries I have eaten in a while. And for the fair price of 3 euro 50 cent. #moreplease

One week left in the Nethanethalands :(

So much to do.

So little time...

What better way to put off my work and the 2,000 word paper that needs to be written, uh, like, NOW, than to show off the Netherlands. Below are two pictures of the canals in Amsterdam. Just your average view. No big deal. 

Ughhhh I actually have work to do!!! No fun! I have a 2,000 word paper that is due on Tuesday at 11 am that I am going to attempt to write the majority of today (keyword: attempt) since I also have to send in an outline of my 12 page final paper that is due next week. Well, for everyone else in the class it is due June 27 but because I will be back in the US by then I decided that I am going to aim to hand it in before I leave so that I don't have to worry about it when I am home (keyword: aim).


Oh, and to top that all off, I have a final on Tuesday, June 21-- the day before I go home. Mind you that this final is in a class where the teacher is not there more than he is there due to the fact that he is either a) at an art conference (the class is called "Media, Modernity, and the Arts"), b) we are watching a documentary so he didn't feel the need to come, or c) because he lives in Brussels, as in Belgium, as in a different country, and it just isn't "that convenient". When I heard the teaching assistant use the latter as an excuse for why our teacher wasn't at the front of the room one morning, I felt like raising my hand and letting her know that it isn't exactly convenient for me to bike 20 minutes into town either. But, I managed to keep that one to myself.


So in answer to the question that I am sure you have all been wondering since you woke up on this summer morning-- "What is Arielle doing today?


 The answer is......


work.


Booooo-ring

9:45 am- I wake up to get a drink of water. Appears to be turning into a nice day outside. The sun is definitely trying to come out.

11 am- I wake up for real this time. Pouring rain outside. Takes me a solid few minutes to actually get out of bed thanks to the rain that makes me even more tired.

2 pm- I go to the grocery store across from my apartment in leggings, a zip up sweatshirt, and flip flops. Skies are grey again.

2:10 pm- I go to leave the grocery store, only to look outside and see pouring rain. It's raining, It's pouring... OH WAIT, THAT'S HAIL.

2:20 pm- I finally left the grocery store with a free umbrella in hand and trekked back with Rachel in a full-out hail storm. 

3:15 pm (now)- Relatively blue skies with some clouds. I even see the sun. 

WHAT THE HAIL IS GOING ON IN THE NETHANETHALANDS?! 

I'm just so thankful I wasn't on my bike. Dear God that would have been a disaster. 

Restaurant De Kas, Amsterdam

A restaurant with its own greenhouse and garden. Edible flowers should be expected with your meal. And I highly suggest you eat them. 

I am back in Utrecht after spending a couple days in Amsterdam-- as always, I had a wonderful time. I am particularly fond of Jordaan, an area that is much quieter but still full of great shopping (The "Nines" ring a bell?), great food, and of course, great coffee shops (yes, mom and dad, the real kind!). One of my favorite coffee shops in Amsterdam is a place called "Screaming Beans" where the drip coffee is fab, and the espressos are even better. Beware: if you want your coffee decaf, you better expect to receive a smirk from the barista who will inform you that you are at the "wrong place for decaf coffee", or something equally embarrassing. Luckily, I don't do Decaf. I actually had coffee at Screaming Beans a few weeks back, during which I ordered a black coffee and somehow ended up with a latte. I nicely told the barista who took my order that I thought there was some confusion and that unfortunately I couldn't drink the latte since I am lactose intolerant (and because I hate them but I figured he would get the point without expressing my distaste for frothy, milky, drinks). Well, you would have thought I said that I am deathly allergic to milk because before I could even finish my saga he had removed the latte and begun to brew my black coffee. A few unnecessary apologies later, and an additional "Are you sure you are going to be OK?", I walked out of there, feeling slightly bad I had caused him so much anxiety! Although, I figured he would get over it....
Apparently this whole incidence was more scarring than I remembered because when I went back two days ago to get an espresso, he looked me in the eye and said, "Hey, you are that girl who is lactose intolerant right? I was so worried!" 


Ladies: if you want a barista to remember you, pull the lactose intolerant card. Apparently it works.

Hallo!


One of my really good friends from school is visiting! She got to Utrecht yesterday and today we are heading into Amsterdam to spend the next couple of days there as it is her first time in ze nethanethalands. Cue tour-guide Arielle.


I gave her the world's most specific directions to get to my apartment yesterday, since I was in class and couldn't be there to meet her myself, which included the following: "The elevator has graffiti on it lol but dont be freaked out, its fine" as I personally remember the first time I saw that elevator and if it weren't for Rachel who was standing in front of me, I would have been entirely sure that I was at the completely wrong place. I mean, the whole living in a building with an elevator covered in graffiti wasn't exactly part of my pretty little picture of what I imagined Utrecht to be like. Thus, I felt she deserved a fair warning. Any who, she made it in one piece. I gave her the shopping tour of Utrecht yesterday after a delicious lunch at one of my favorite, and probably one of the better places in town-- De Bakkerswinkel. We then came back to my apartment and I gave her the grand tour, during which I made sure to show her my bike and the lovely sheep that live outside. Some people wake up to birds chirping, I wake up to sheep baaing. You say to-ma-to, I say tumatoe. You catch my drift? We then went into town around 9:30ish for dinner at Bis (another goodie) and went to Cafe Belgie to finish off our night! For those beer fanatics out there, Cafe Belgie has an impressively large collection of beer-- cherry, blonde, strawberry, 12% alcohol content , you name it. 


But for now, its breakfast time for us over here in the Nethanethalands... we have a full day ahead of us! Tot Ziens (Goodbye in Dutch. See I know some Dutch...) !

So, today is June 6. I go home June 22. EEK!!! I remember when I first got off the plane the morning I arrived in the Netherlands, beyond jet lagged and without a clue as to what I had just gotten myself into. Although, even after four months I sometimes wonder what I got myself into...


For so long I wouldn't let myself think about going home because it seemed so far away (and I was a little worried I wasn't going to make it)! Now, with only 16 days left here, I can't believe I can actually say that I am soon going home. If you are wondering if I am excited, the answer is YES!! I cannot wait to see everyone and be back home, although, I am genuinely going to miss Utrecht and the Netherlands in general as I have really come to love it here. Although, I don't know how much longer I could go without an air conditioner and my clothes are definitely on their last days without ever being put through a dryer (stiff jeans are not fun).  Similarly, the fact that I will go home and get my first manicure in FIVE MONTHS is amazing to me. I can definitely add that to the list of things I have learned about myself while abroad: I can go 5 months without getting a manicure and come out okay. Some other things that I am looking forward to are chips and salsa--no, I swear I cannot find good salsa, and the whole Tostitos concept definitely got lost in translation--, sushi, iced coffees, and chopped salads. I know what you are thinking, "you can't get iced coffee?!". In response, I can but I better have 4 lactaid on me as an iced coffee in this neck of the woods means I am getting a drink that consists of ice, coffee, ice cream, and milk. No thanks. And no, believe it or not, Starbucks hasn't infiltrated Utrecht yet, unless you count the train station, so yes, ice coffee is something I am excited for.


That being said, here is my schedule for my first day back. 


Fly out of the Netherlands at 11 am. 8 hours and 15 minutes later I will arrive in the US around 1 pm. Within forty minutes or so (dear God, it better not be that long) I expect to be greeted by my family and have my first Starbucks Iced Coffee of the day. Then, off to lunch-- most likely The Pizza Place (yes, that is the name) to have some good old New York Pizza and a chopped salad-- followed by a trip to the nail salon for a manicure and pedicure with ma sista. 4:30 to be exact. Dinner that night will be at Satsuki, my favorite sushi restaurant. And then, sleep. I refuse to be jet lagged but we'll see how that plan works out.


If you think I am crazy for planning my first day home 16 days before I even get there, think again. Its been planned for a whole lot longer than that. Reservations/ appointments included.

No, I didn't forget about all of you, don't cha worry!
So, for the weekend recap:


Friday: I went to the gym and then took a yoga class, only to be told by the American woman who opened the studio that I had misunderstood my contract-- I believe, "oh, right, you can't read Dutch" were the words she used--when I bought my 26 class yoga package which means that of the 14 classes I have left to use I can technically only use 9 of them at most, thanks to the fine print which reads "3 class maximum per week". Thank you google translator. Of course, not only have I been raving about this Yoga Studio but I have also been raving about all of the instructors, telling everyone who is willing to listen how nice they are and how helpful they are to a newbie like myself, never once bothered by the fact that because of me they have to teach their class in English. Of course, the American woman is the one who ruins the nice streak. And, I wonder why Americans have a bad rep in this part of the world! Ugh! 


Saturday: Sunbathed in the almost-too-hot 84 degree weather outside in my "backyard" with Rachel then grudgingly went into town to pick up my bike that was in the shop. 3 euro and 50 cent later my bike was back and better than ever. The inner tube was replaced for those who were wondering and while I still prefer a car to a bike at least it is a whole lot more pleasant to ride. In fact, I am almost positive my tires were probably somewhat off from the beginning-- thanks a lot Bike King! I then got home and went for a run in the forest, sans iPod in fear of tractors and the Dutch men who ride them, to the tune of sheep and cows. Talk about becoming one with nature. Then I was off to town with one of my friends for a delicious Italian dinner at this adorable place that is always very crowded and rightfully so. It was yum! 


Sunday: Woke up. Ate breakfast. Went back to bed (the usual!). Was (re)woken-up at 12:30 to a call from my friends who were about to ride into the forest for some well-needed pancakes at the pancake house. Well, how could I resist that. It was well worth the wake-up call. In fact, I think I will have to get back there again before I return to the USA. Good excuse right? Post doing my laundry I decided a run wouldn't hurt me, especially after eating the pancakes (see below). Although, this time I ran just a little bit faster than usual when I passed the pancake house that I had eaten at earlier that day. Nothing is a better motivator than the sweet aroma of the high-calorie food you just ate a couple hours earlier. 

Zucchini, Tomato, CHEESE, and some pesto. Oh, on top of a pancake. mmmm healthy! 

And for dessert, slivered almonds, strawberries, powered sugar, and some whip cream on the side. 

YES, I SHARED THESE!!!!!! but still...

For those of you who are concerned about my bike, let me update you:


It is going to make it!! Woohooooooo. I know, talk about a moment of uncertainty. I brought it into the bike shop today and am picking it up tomorrow between 3 and 5 pm. The diagnosis: most likely a hole in the tire. Although, worst case scenario is that the guys need to put a new inner tube in... as if I know what that means.


Regardless, my bike and I will be reunited tomorrow. Fewf. Because we all know I would just be so devastated without it.

About a month or so ago, I was entirely convinced that I was going to send my bike home. No, I do not know why I thought this made sense or why I thought it was a good idea, although, I do know that I thought it would be a nice "keepsake", as I put it to one of my friends when I first pondered the idea. "Yeah, a keepsake that will cost more than you paid for the bike to get to New York", was more or less the response I got. Touche. But true.

Flash-forward to today and I have reached the conclusion that there is no way in hell I am sending this bike overseas. First off, it is seriously in its last stages of life--It was already used when I bought it--and if I were to bring it home, I wouldn't make it past my driveway. Secondly, it is constantly losing air. Today, for example, I biked into town, knowing my bike was on its last "breath" (ha ha ha), only to learn that all the bike shops were closed thanks to the 900th Dutch Holiday this month. Thus, my bike is currently in town, without air in the tires... how convenient...

...Which brings me to my point: Nothing about living a 20 minute bike ride from town is convenient. In fact, I think I have entirely eliminated that word from my vocabulary since arriving in Utrecht-- except, of course, for times like this one, where I rant and rave about how inconvenient most things are here.

If you didn't get the hint by now, I cannot wait until I get to drive my car again. T-minus twenty days. Thank the lord.

Istanbul By Day...

Istanbul By Night...

The Topkapi Palace is where the Sultans and the harems lived during the Ottoman Empire. It is truly a breathtaking place, one that could easily fill an entire morning of your time, as the number of rooms to go into appear to be endless. Unfortunately, while the Turks have done their best to restore the palace and keep it as in tact as possible, the amazing gardens that once complimented the regal palace no longer exist. Although, I can't imagine keeping up the gardens in today's market that Sultans once had during the Ottoman Empire would be a budget-friendly task. Instead, sans gardens, I took a liking to the fascinating and impressive tiling that is literally in every single room. You know how you might pick out really special tile lets say for your kitchen, well, the Sultan's didn't just stop there. IT IS EVERYWHERE! 

I have nothing to do today (what else is new?) so I decided the least I could do was start my day off right and get a load of laundry done. Well, an hour or so later I decided to check on my laundry only to find that I had never actually pressed start. Unfortunately for me this isn't the first time this happened ...