The First Day I spent in the Netherlands

Monday, September 3, 2012

So here I sit at my computer at the end of my first full day in the Netherlands. I am in my spacious and slightly 70's feeling room, well fed (I had pasta for tea) and relaxed. It is hard to get my head around what to include here from the last 48 hours as every aspect of it has been noteworthy for many different reasons...

Something great I over heard yesterday in the airport was a well spoken chap reading scooby-doo to his young son.It went as follows: "'whats that scooby?' 'roobbyy rooo!!!' 'like yeahh dude I totally agree.'" Great stuff.

Any whoooo that was in England which is not the focus of this blog.
The Netherlands is an exciting place to be, I feel like there is lots of potential for adventure.
Yesterday alone was one of the biggest adventures I have been on.
It was the first time I have been on an aeroplane on my own.  Flying is an exciting experience and one that is a shame not to share it with someone. Arriving for the first time in the Netherlands on my own was also a huge deal.
On the plane I heard mostly English but as soom as we stepped into the airport, the group dipersed leaving me and my ears to navigate a completly new language.

The ESN (Erasmus Student Network) were there to meet us at the 'meeting point' in the airport.
A perfect example the organisation which is stereotypical of the dutch.
Organisation allows for relaxation.
If the task is already planned out then it needn't be stressful at the time.
This is what I assume the logic to be behind this particular trait.
In fact my entire journey from Amsterdam Shipol to my new room in Utrecht seemed to have been guided by those who were more in the know.
This allowed me to sit back relax and enjoy the views.

And what views they were.
The netherlands is very flat. Now it has been said before, I know, however I just did not believe it to be true.
Having grown up in Devon land of hills, my experiences flat land are of going to Kent on holiday which was facinatingly flat. Yet Holland is annother story....  On the train from Amsterdam to Utrecht, the landscape streches for miles.
From where I am sat (on the top deck of a DOUBLE DECKER TRAIN!!!) I can see canals, people cycling and picnicing, and above all green lucious land.
Let's skip to the evening, I have arrived at my new home, it is late afternoon on a Sunday and I fear that I will have to go without dinner. But I resolve to try to find something to quieten my grumbly tummy.
So off I go in what feels like a good direction, I walk for about 5 minutes and low and behold, a supermarket.
What followed was dinner, which included the meeting with some of my new (crazy ;)) flat mates.
We even went out for a drink in the town centre. It is a beautiful place even at night, and the 25 minute walk there and back was great time to allow me to get to know my new friends a little better
Final thoughts; what an exciting place to explore and some great new people to do it with!
So what happens next?
Well, that is annother story for annother day...