First full week

Hello Everyone! Hallo Iedereen! I have a lot to catch up on, and many photos to add. I have been putting off updating my blog until the weekend, but I probably should have started earlier!

So, on Monday I went with Harriet to work (she is a primary school teacher) and that was an interesting experience! For the first time I felt really, really foreign. The little kids could barely understand me and I couldn't understand them either. It was especially funny when I had to tell these three little boys to clean up their craft and they had no clue what I was talking about! But then the message finally got across. Also, I visited an 8th grade class, and they asked me questions and I answered (in Dutch!). I felt like a movie star! And they asked me to play this Dutch game where you have to guess a word in Dutch, and I got them all right, so they were all cheering for me. That was great.
Tuesday, I went to figure out what classes I would take in school, etc. I start school tomorrow and am very excited. I cannot wait to make some friends.

I made a fool of myself once already, when I asked Herman where the post box was to mail my letter, and I called it a "post-doos," which apparently was very funny because he could not stop laughing. "Doos"means box in Dutch, so I thought it was the right thing to say! They still make fun of me for it, but it is all in good nature :).

On Wednesday I tried a karate class, and I really got a "kick"out of that! (haha). I have some battle bruises, and that is about it. Again, no one could really understand me, except when I said Ï am bad, and this is my first karate class. I have been exploring around my neighborhood, and checking out the bike paths. There are some cute ponies near my house.

Here is the view of the street from my bedroom window:This are what the houses on my street look like:

And this is the canal near my house:
And the bike path behind my house:

This is the backyard garden with the roof pulled out (it can be pulled in, too):Me and the town mascot, Bartje:
This is the old part of downtown Assen:On Thrusday Lili and Lex took me into town for some shopping, and they showed me what Dutch fast-food was like. They literally call it "getting food out of the wall." You pop a coin in, pull open the door, and take out your food! The picture should help you understand.


Here is Lili and I with some mod furniture I liked. I insisted on a photo, of course!

I liked this store, too! Accessories galore, color sorted.On Friday I slept over Chloe's house, which was fun. It turns out she is going home because she is too homesick. That is too bad. But I met her host family and they are all very nice. They were very impressed with my Dutch :)

On Saturday I went to a field hockey clinic, which was okay. I probably won't end up doing field hockey, because the place is too far (it would be a long bike ride), and I think it would be too much. I am going to get homework from school, and I will take me twice as long as everyone else to do it because I don't speak fluent Dutch. So I think its a no (sorry team...).

After that, my host mom took me to the dance school for their open house. I tried Streetdancing, which is like music video dancing. That was pretty fun! And then I even did the hokey-pokey with the little kids. After that I tried Stijldansen, which was the MOST fun! I think I really want to take that. It is a mix of Tango, Cha-cha, Quick-Step, Ballroom, Waltz, etc. Also, I had a really, really good looking dance partner! So that was a lot of fun.

My host parents later took me out to a bar with them downtown, and I had my first legal drink. I ordered the sweet white wine, which was very tasty. Anyway, I had fun seeing the downtown night scene.

Here is a picture or my host parents (next to the flappentap which is Dutch for ATM):

I have been enjoying the Dutch cuisine, and constantly trying new things. It is a lot of meat, bread, and cheese. I am not used to eating so much bread! Although it is indeed very tasty bread! Nina and Dad: you would LOVE the food here.

Here is the cheese selection at the supermarket. The Dutch are serious about their cheese:

Also, I received a surprise postcard from Teddy! That was such a nice surprise (thanks Teddy!). If you are reading this, I just wanted to tell you that I absolutely LOVED your postcard, and I would love for you to send me your adress so I can return the favor.

I apologize for not responding to everyone's messages, but I do read all of the comments, and I thank you all for them! I try not to stay on the computer too long. I am glad you are enjoying my blog, because I am enjoying making it.

Today we picked up Tanno who has been somewhere for the weekend, and we went out for dinner on the way. I ordered water with gas, which is the german way for saying seltzer water, and apparently that was wrong because the waitress had a puzzeled look on her face. I remember when Julia from Switzerland told me she ordered the same thing in New York. So now I have made the same mistake in the Netherlands. Whoops!! I have learned that there is no universal name for seltzer water.

I tried wiener schitzel for the first time, which I liked. And then we went for ice cream (dedicated to Amy, who wanted me to eat an ice cream cone for her!) and afterwards saw a windmill!

The land here is very, very flat (perfect for biking!), and everywhere you drive there are tons of cows, sheep, lambs, horses, cornfields, and green grass. The majority are cows. Today I saw for the first time these wild Scottish Cows. They look like brown cows with dread locks! Bike paths are absolutely everywhere you look. I love that the Dutch make biking such an easy alternative to driving a car. Some people even ride motor bikes on the bike paths! One thing I have to get used to is the bike traffic. It is another kind of rush hour here. Some people have baby seats on their bikes and also storage bags that hang over the back. So far my favorite bike I have seen is cow print.

Here is one place where bikes can cross, which is on my way to school. It is called the "zebra!" (black and white stripes)

This is the double-baby bike I saw- impressive! That's what I call a super-mom!

I have gotten short twinges of homesickness now and then, but nothing I can't get over. I just have to let my life back in the States go for this year. Sometimes I go for walks after dinner, and I have noticed that Dutch people LOVE to watch television precisely at 8:00. I can always see the televisions in people's windows. Also, all of the houses are made of brick (and a lot of the streets, too).

I can't wait to go to my first discotheek! They sound like so much fun! Herman told me that they have special nights where they fill the entire discotheek up with foam, and it is called a foam party. I absolutely have got to go to that.

And this picture is dedicated to Sasha, the girl with the cool toilet seat :)

Tot later! <