Final post from Leiden, the Netherlands... my home

This is most likely the last post from Leiden, my home in the Netherlands.

This whole week has been really crazy. We were working so hard on our final project that we didn't really realize that everything was coming to an end, and we would be on our way back to North America soon.

Everywhere we've gone this weekend, I've just tried to absorb as much as I can. I want to remember everything about this wonderful place.

I have been truly sad several times this weekend, because I know that things will never be like this again. I will never be with these people, in this place, under these circumstances. I probably will never feel as comfortable in a foreign place as I do in Leiden. I truly feel like I'm no longer a tourist.

I also feel like I have become really comfortable with myself during this trip. I feel genuinely happy and very refreshed. I feel independent and confident, and it feels really good. I have had a lot of time to think to myself about a lot of things, and I just feel good about the world right now. It's a wonderful feeling!

Here's a recap of my past few days...

Friday: We had our final presentations starting at 9:30 Friday morning. Each person had 12 minutes to present their final project to the class and our instructors.

Our wonderfully decorated classroom

There is a lot I could say about the teaching style here... it is much less structured, and more conceptual. I feel like they didn't teach me a lot, but they expected me to have learned things and grown. They even told us that we weren't supposed to have a clear idea of our final project until just a few days before it was due.

The people's projects were:

• Allison: the forces of nature
• Morgan: 3-D door project
• Leah: a mock-up of a street, with photography and perspective
• Drew: altering signs to be like a "Life" game of his character's life
• Me: nobody is normal project
• Emily: beautiful drawings of people whose fates were sewn into their clothes w/ their string next to it
• Heather: free art, circles
• Kelly: chairs, used a cylindrical tube to look at the poster
• Katie: focused on kids, cylindrical artwork
• Doug: Dutch Influence, American Student
• Lindsay: flags, the process of her project
• Madison: destructive influence of time
• Lauren: texture/material and weaving
• Trysha: graphic design of her character

Friday evening, we went to a Chinese restaurant with the group. It was the type of meal that you don't order and they just bring you massive amounts of food to share with the group. It was so delicious and just fun to hang out with the group.

Emily, Steef and I... the best picture of my life

After dinner, we went back to the school to get the artwork we wanted to bring back and our grades. A lot of people thought they graded harshly, but I was okay with my grades. It's not like it really matters to me, though, because I'm graduated!!

Steef (program director), me, Matthijs (graphic design/drawing), Lotte (photography)

Later, we walked around Leiden because there was apparently a big festival happening. The festival was to celebrate the summer, and it lasted from Thursday to Sunday. This night, we went to the town hall, and they were having live music outside. It was fun to stand and listen to ABBA and other classics.


Saturday (4th of July): We woke up Saturday morning and headed to the market around noon.

On our way, we noticed that there were street blockades set up like there was going to be a parade. We walked for a little while longer, but then we heard music and looked over and saw horses in the street. Emily, Allison and I all said "parade!" and Emily grabbed my hand, and we took off running through the streets.

The parade was part of the festival, but a large section of it was just people walking with signs with years on them. It was the graduating members of the class, and it was really neat to see!


We also randomly ran into some dragonboat racing in one of the canals!


Because of the festival, the market was really big. We got our last fresh-made stroopwafels, and they were DELICIOUS! I also bought some flowers at the market, and they have made my room beautiful for the last few days.


Emily's friend Mallory came into Leiden to stay for a few days before their big trip, so Emily went to pick her up at the station in the afternoon. Allison, Doug, Drew and I went to Spar (one last time) to get the supplies for our 4th of July meal, and then came back and started cooking.

We made hamburgers and french fries, and it was really yummy. I can't wait to get back and have a hamburger cooked on a grill, though. And I was really sad that we didn't have fireworks!

After dinner, we hung out in the courtyard for a while, and some other residents of the dorm came down. It was a bunch of guys, and they were from all over Europe. We were going to go to a special event called "Museum Nacht" (Museum Night), but it was too expensive, so they went with us to the town hall where they had music again. The guys told us there was a club in the town hall, so we went in there for a while, but it was sooooo hot!

On the way back to the dorm, Allison got a ride on the back of one of the guys' bikes, and I got to drive another's! We hung out in the courtyard for a while and roasted marshmallows! It was fun to talk to some Europeans and making local friends! Too bad it was on our second to last night here!! I went to bed at 5 a.m.

Sunday: Today, I got up and went with Emily, Mallory and Allison to Amsterdam one last time. When we bought our tickets at the Leiden station, we realized that it would be our last return ticket to Leiden.

Once we got there, we went to the Rijksmuseum. It was a very nice museum, but it was much smaller than I expected it to be! A couple of the really neat things were a three-story dollhouse and a violin made of Delft pottery.

We mostly wandered around the rest of the afternoon and ran into some fun street dance performances. Emily and Mallory are both modern dancers, so it was fun to see them react!

Allison and I split up from Emily and Mallory because they still needed to go to the Anne Frank Huis. Allison and I got dinner at a cafe and then randomly ended up on the same train back to Leiden as Emily and Mallory!

I got really sad and nostalgic as we were leaving Amsterdam. I had to keep telling myself that it was an amazing experience that I will be able to remember forever and that I'll appreciate the U.S. much more when I get back.

The rest of tonight, we just hung out with everybody and packed. I saved my postcards and photos that are on my wall till last, so I'll pack those up in a few minutes. I didn't sleep at all tonight, because I was packing and because I think I just wanted to soak up as much Netherlands as I could. Maybe this will mean I will sleep great on the plane!

I had many more things I was going to say, but I think I'd like to at least lay down for 10 minutes before we walk to the station one last time... It's going to be really loud and bumpy on the cobblestone streets, but it will be a great walk. I just hope I don't cry...

I'll be home in just a few short hours... Tot ziens Leiden... Alst du blieft.