My new suits!

I almost forgot to post the pictures of my new suits that I took to Geneva. I love them!

Ebace - Geneva, Switzerland

This past week I attended EBACE (European Business Aviation Convention and Expo) in Geneva, Switzerland. I had a great time. I learned a lot at the seminars and made many valuable contacts with potential employers. The convention featured about 65 static displayed aircraft, 400+ business booths, and 11,000 attendees. It was busy and exciting.

I did also manage to get out and explore a bit of Geneva too. I visited the botanical gardens and strolled through the downtown area. It was an enjoyable week for sure.


The Dassault Booth



The Static Display Ramp #1


The Static Display Ramp #2


The Static Display Ramp #3


The Static Display Ramp #4

Dag van het Levenslied

Alright I finally got a cord to upload pictures so I will begin with the evening before I went to Geneva which was May 10th.

May 10th is also Mothers day in Holland (moeders dag.) In Nijmegen they have a festival called Dag van het Levenslied. This a song festival for a certain type of Dutch song that usually features mothers. It is a bit of a tongue in cheek kind of festival as the songs are a bit ridiculous and the people who sing them also.

Here are some pictures.

Gijs and Gemma all dressed up!



Some of the performers.



More performers.

Wow

So it took me way too long to post on here again... so sorry everyone, but I am back.

I have spent the last few weeks just enjoying myself, going to class, and relaxing in the beautiful weather.

I have spent a lot of time in Nijmegen with Lieselot's family as I only have 2 classes a week. I often am in Nijmegen for a day before Lies arrives and a day after she goes back to Maastricht. I've particularly enjoyed hanging out with Gijs and Heleen when Lies has been gone.

Unfortunately I was not able to get into a dutch class. I am, however, stepping up my study and am understanding more and more every day. Now it's just a matter of speaking it.

This week is Koninginnedag which is Queensday, a big celebration in all of Holland. Lieselot, Heleen, and Gijs are all coming to Amsterdam to celebrate.

This past weekend I bought 2 suits for my trip to Geneva. I am very excited to pick them up friday after they are done being altered. Check back at the end of the week to see pictures of them.

Again, sorry for the long wait for a new post.

The Universiteit Bibliotheek (UB for short this is the Library)



This canal boat with bikers is how DHL delivers packages in a large part or Amsterdam.



This is a tram coming up Leidsestraat, a busy shopping.



The first brick building (straight in front of the Mini Cooper) is Paradiso, one of the most popular clubs in Amsterdam. Very touristy, not my favorite.



This is the bike garage where I park my bike.

The Last 2 Weeks

So I have slipped into a routine here in Amsterdam. Going to school, writing papers and hanging out. I try not to get too stressed out since school here in Holland is a bit harder than at Rocky.

This past weekend I traveled to Nijmegen. It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam. We celebrated Ferry's birthday on Saturday evening (Ferry is a friend of Lieselot's parents as well as a former babysitter.) It was an enjoyable evening for sure.

This afternoon I took my camera with me when I walked to the store and took some pictures of my neighborhood since I haven't done that yet.


A few of the apartment buildings on my way to the store.



This is a theater.




Osdorp Plein - A shopping center.




This is a bike path looking towards the center of Amsterdam (north)





This is the area in front of my building. My building is on the left. Straight ahead is the tram stop called Louis Davidstraat.

Busy Busy

This past week or so has been crazy busy. I came down with a cold in the middle of last week. I still traveled to Maastricht to see Lieselot's new apartment. It is very nice but not for taller people as it is only 183cm tall. I have to be careful not to stand up too quickly or else I will hit my head.

I spent most of this week just relaxing getting over my cold. It seems that all of Holland is sick. Lies came down with the same cold a few days after I did and many of my friends here in Amsterdam have also been sick.

I have been riding my bike into town when I have class or when I go out. It's about a 4 mile trip one way. There have been several days when I have biked into town twice for a grand total of 16 miles!

I went out on thursday evening with Colleen a girl who lives just down the hall from me. She goes to school at MSU in Bozeman and grew up in Spokane. What a small world! We went to a club on Rembrandt Plein called Studio 80. It was a lot of fun. Great music and a great atmosphere.

Lieselot came up to Amsterdam yesterday evening and we went out to an improv comedy show at Boom Chicago with a group of about 10 of my friends from my introduction weekend. It was quite funny and we plan on returning sometime later on.

Today we are going to Nijmegen to celebrate Gijs' birthday. It should be a good time.

Anyways, I am going to try and take more photos this week and put the up on the internet for everyone.

http://www.studio-80.nl/
http://www.boomchicago.nl/en/


This is a picture of a canal (gracht) that I ride along on my way to school.


These are fliers from the party I went to at Studio 80

School Has Started!

Hello again!

Sorry it has been a while since I last blogged. A lot has happened in the last week or so.

I started classes at UvA on February 2 so I am now into my second week. My first course is called From Film-Directors to Film-Authors. We are studying and discussing what defines a film author and how a film director can become a film author. It is a very interesting class but it is also very difficult. It is 4 hours long on Monday afternoons. Each week we have to write a paper either on the history and theory of a that weeks time period or on a film director/author of the time period. It only lasts until March 16 so I won't get too burned out.

My other class that I have now is called Narratives in Literature and Film. It is kind of a cross between a film class and an literature class as the name says. We will read 3 books/short stories. One by Hemingway, one by Henry James, and the last is the graphic novel Watchmen (the movie is coming out soon.) This class lasts the entire semester.

I have one more class but it doesn't start until March.

I came down with a cold last Friday and despite this I traveled to Maastricht to visit Lieselot and to see her new apartment in the city. Her room is very nice and is in a relatively quiet part of town.

Anyways, this week I will take my camera through Amsterdam and take some pictures to show you the town I'm living in. (I had forgotten my camera in Nijmegen last week after Lieselot's Grandfathers birthday party.)

Here are a few pictures that I took before the birthday party.

The Bar Cat at a cafe down the street from where I have classes. He's there to keep the rodent population down.


Just another Amsterdam Canal


The Begijnhof - A place for retired spiritual people to live. It is a beautiful and very quiet place in the heart of Amsterdam.


The Queen's Palace (She doesn't actually live there) on Dam Square.