Home Sweet Maastricht 2/4/2008

Goededag! (Good day in Dutch)

So after two weeks of having no obligations but going on tours of the city and rolling out of bed to get on our study trip bus, we started class.... This block (a block here is 8 weeks) I am taking two classes (well its like 3 classes) Intercultural Communication/Dutch Language and Culture and Project Management.

So I have to go to class 8 hours per week for 2 classes. It's pretty sweet. I love my ICC/Dutch class and have not really had Prj. Mgmt yet, but I will let you know how it goes.

So taking a culture class has got me thinking of all the things that are different here in Maastricht (and probably all of Europe) than in the USA. Here is a list of things:

1) Good luck getting free water. The Dutch/Europeans take drinking water very seriously so they drink it out of a bottle or from a bottle poured into a glass. Drinking fountains are non-existent and ordering tap water is frowned upon.

2) When you pass someone on the street, you pass to their left instead of on the right. This has caused several linebacker moves on my part when passing cute old people on the streets. I think they secretly laugh at me.

3) Printing is extremely difficult! I believe that in an effort to promote conservation they make printing an extreme hassle. To print you must-put money on your university ID card but to do that you have to go to one building that takes cash (the rest take Dutch Chip cards), then you have to wait in line for a computer, then push all of these random buttons on the printer and sign in and write an essay with buttons, then you get your documents at ,05 euros a page!

4) In all bathroom sinks, there is only a cold water faucet....and I thought warm water helped kill the germs!

5) Eggs are not refrigerated!!

6) Ice doesn't exist.

7) Beer is cheaper than soda and water....YES!

8) Dutch people love to speak English and are always willing to help you!!

9) Bicycles are a way of life. Children do not wear helmets and it is never a bicyclists fault. If a bike hits a car....it's the car's fault. If I bike hits a person...it's the persons fault. Haha....so watch out for the bikes!

Well that is all for my revelations today! Dad is meeting me in Germany this weekend to visit the motherland! We are stopping in Stuttgart and Heidelberg so look for pictures soon.

I miss you all and feel free to email or skype me!

Love and tots ziens (talk to you later),

Betsy

Skype: Betsy Schieferstein1

email [email protected]