That being said, the last few weeks have nonetheless become busier and a bit more work intensive, and I've been spending more time than I would like to in my room doing reading. Although I can't really complain about the material (for the most part). I have nothing against reading Anna Karenina, Romeo & Juliet, and Donne for my lit class. Readings for Introduction to European Integration, on the other hand, is totally brutal. No offense to poli sci majors, but what is that you study? I will never understand the difference between constructivism, neo-functionalism, and intergovernmentalism.
Two weekends ago I went on a day trip to the Hague with a few other people from my program. We visited the government complex, the Mauritshuis museum, and a huge outdoor market. All in all the Hague was pretty boring compared to Amsterdam, but in its defense it was also a weekend. What made the trip worthwhile was seeing how different the demographics are from Amsterdam. I've been hearing a lot since I've been here about problems with immigrant integration in the Netherlands (and across all of Europe), especially with Muslim populations, but downtown Amsterdam tends to be overwhelmingly Dutch and white. The Hague is much different -- there, the immigrant population is very large and very visible. When we went wandering to find the market, we soon found ourselves in neighborhoods that seemed completely Muslim, where the stores sold headscarves and all Middle Eastern food. There were also neighborhoods that seemed largely African. We happened to turn down a small street just as a very boisterous Muslim wedding was pouring out of an apartment building, and it was a lot of fun to watch.
Last weekend I went to Paris for the first time. I only had a weekend, and I did not mess around. I took a night bus from Amsterdam along with a few other people from my program. We arrived in Paris at 6am on Friday, checked into our hostel, and took off. We went to the Eiffel Tour and took the elevator all the way up (I wanted to climb it but my companions balked). We wandered down the Champs-Elysees, climbed to the top of Notre Dame, went to the Louvre, and ate dinner in the Latin Quarter with my friend since nursery school, Sarah. While in the Louvre, my exhaustion overtook me (I didn't sleep for an hour on the bus) and I had to leave because I couldn't deal with the enormity of the museum in my delirious state. The next day, after finally getting some sleep, I went out to Versaille and toured the palace and gardens. As beautiful as it was, I couldn't help thinking it would be nicer in the spring or summer when there were actual flowers and the statues weren't covered with tarps. That night I drank wine outside Notre Dame, went out in the Latin Quarter, and otherwise tried to feel Parisian with Ethan, my friend from Brandeis. On Sunday, I rose early and went back to the Louvre. This time, rested and regrouped, I conquered it. I wandered through St. Germaine and then met up with both Ethan and Sarah at the Musee d'Orsay. The impressionist collection here in phenomenal, and I would have to say that despite all the grandeur and stateliness of the Louvre the Orsay is one of the best museums I've ever been in. We followed this with a tour of Montmartre and the Sacre-Coeur, and I had dinner at Sarah's homestay apartment before boarding yet another night bus back to Amsterdam. This time, thanks to the whirlwind of a weekend (and some helpful sleep aids provided by Sarah) I slept until I pulled into Amsterdam at 6:30am.
I loved Paris even more than I thought I would, and I'm planning on returning sometime in April or May when the weather is a little more conducive to really enjoying all that the city has to offer. Still, I love Amsterdam the most. The difference in the way I'm treated as a foreigner by the Dutch and by the Parisians was night and day. If you even look lost in Amsterdam, somebody is liable to come up to you and ask you if you need directions, and it's completely possible that they will invite you to walk with them or just draw you a map on a napkin. In Paris, if I tried to ask for directions, people looked the other way like they didn't hear me. I know a lot of that has to do with my speaking English and their reluctance to allow French to become ma
rginalized in their own country, which is totally respectable. But I was glad to return to the Netherlands where people understand that they can be kind human beings and still maintain all the charm and integrity of their local culture. It really isn't so hard. Also, after all the grandeur of Paris, it was refreshing to return to the modesty of Amsterdam. All in all, it was a great first trip because I found another city I love, while realizing why I love the city I'm in the most.
On Thursday I leave for London, where I'll be staying with my Brandeis friend Jeremy. I'll be meeting up with Sarah yet again, checking out all the sights, and adhering to a strict diet of fish & chips and pints of whatever they drink in London. I have never been to London, and needless to say I'm very excited. Also, next week my favorite compatriot Liz will be arriving in Amsterdam for over a week, and we'll be heading off our adventures with a weekend in Belgium. So I have a lot to look forward to in the next few weeks -- check back for updates on whatever shenanigans we get up to.
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