Amsterdam!!

Wow, I can't even begin to explain Amsterdam. Such a great weekend!

On Friday we had two classes, the last one ending at 4:30. Right after, all 19 of us left for the train station. The train left at 6:00pm. It was really crowded so we were not able to all sit together until the end when there was more room. We got there around 8:30pm and took a tram to the main square called Leidseplein. Our hostel was right around the corner. Of course we had to split up because there were so many of us so I was in the 10 person room which was located downstairs and all the other rooms were upstairs. I guess they knew since we were American, we would be the loudest so they put us in a room away from everybody else. When we walked into our room, we could not stop laughing. Such an interesting experience. It was definitely a 1 star hostel. It was some what clean and had clean sheets though, but the heater was broken and we would all freeze at night. Plus us five girls were not used to sharing a room with the five messy and loud guys. But it was still so much fun. We also found this creepy secret door on the floor in our room and when we opened it there was a dark hole with a staircase. We called it the "Schmeegel hole", where our friend Schmeegel lived. The guys even went so down there. So hilarious but so creepy!

                                                                Arriving at the Hostel. Our room!

                                                         The Schmeegel hole
The first night we just went to the bars in the main square. They were a lot of fun and we stayed out until atleast 3am. We met these two guys and two girls from Barcelona that were really nice so we met up with them the next night as well. There were a lot more tourists in Amsterdam then in Antwerp, so it was great to people so many different kinds of people.

                                                               Walking through Amsterdam!
Saturday we woke up around 10:30pm and the 12 of us went to get lunch at this really delicious bagel place. Me and the four other girls went to H&M to go shopping for a little and then met up with the guys later. We went to the "coffee shop" and then explored Amsterdam! We went to the Van Gogh museum for a few hours. We were not able to see everything, but what we did see was amazing. Then the girls and guys split up, and we ended up going to the NEMO museum of science because Anne Frank was too far (but we might go back one day and see it!). It was also fun and a great walk through Amsterdam next to the (frozen) canal. Then we decided to have a fancy, girls only, relaxing italian dinner at a restaurant next to the hostel. It was so nice and the food was wonderful. Afterwards we went back to the hostel to get ready and go out to the bars again. People here mostly went to bars and not clubs. Also, the clubs had a $30 cover charge. We stayed out really late again and the guys met up with us at the bars later that night.

                                                               Coffee Shop

                                                                     Amsterdam!

                                                           So beautiful with the snow!
Today, we had to leave at 11:00, so the girls and I went to a restaurant in the square called the Pancake Corner where we had bacon, eggs, toasts, etc. So yummy! Our train left at 1pm and we got here around 3pm. We all really need sleep and do our homework for tomorrow. Three classes tomorrow ugh! Some people are watching the Super Bowl tonight but I don't think I will. Such an amazing weekend though. Cannot wait to go back or travel again to other places in Europe!
Update soon!

Back to school!

After being on vacation for 7 weeks, going back to class was a little difficult for us. Monday we had our first class at 9am called "The history of Art Markets". This was part of our COB 301 section, but we only had it twice just as an introduction to Belgian art and history. At 2pm we had another COB 301 class which is focused on the European Union and its economy. Our last class at 5:30pm was Operations. All of our classes our three hours long, which I'm definitely not used to! Thankfully our professors give us breaks during the class. Operations seems to be a difficult class and we've already been assigned homework and projects due on Thursday. The professor is young and really nice, but sometimes I have trouble understanding him and reading his hand writing on the board. For lunch, we found this really great sandwich place right across the street called Jean Pierre. Their sandwichs are delicious and only 2 euros. You can also eat at the cafe inside the university.

                                                                Entrance to the University

                                                                 Us in class!

                                                          Courtyard in the University
Wednesday we had a tour of Antwerp in the morning and then Operations class at 2pm. The tour was interesting but freezing cold (23 degrees and windy). I don't think I've ever been so cold in my life. We convinced the tour guide to stop at Mcdonalds to defrost. We also got some heat when we visited the museum/ house of Rubens, one the most famous Belgian artists.

                                                         City hall of Antwerp
This morning we had a meeting to join the international "fraternity" called ESN (Erasmus). It is only 7 euros to join, and they have a lot of parties and trips. When they go to bars or clubs you can get free entrances and free drinks. Tonight they are having a free keg for us at De Prof bar, so I think we are going to go. Today we also had our first finance class that seems pretty intense. The professor isn't as friendly as the other ones. We also did our group project for operations, which went really well.

                                                  Us before going out to the bars!
This weekend a few of us are going to Amsterdam! We found a hostel in the center of the city for only 20 euros a night. The train is only 18 euros (one way). So leaving around 6pm and arriving around 8pm. We got a 10-bedroom suite, so most of us will be in the same room. Other people that are going are in different rooms or different hostels but still close. Can't wait to experience the city and nightlife. Apparently we are also very close the Anne Frank museum/house, so hopefully we will be able to visit that too.

Update when I get back!

First Weekend in Antwerpen

Of course my computer had to get a virus the second day I am in Belgium. No luck this week. On Friday, our second day in Antwerp, we had another Flemish class in the morning. This language is so complicated and our accents are not very good. Whenever we try to use phrases that we learn in town, no one seems to understand us. We’re just going to stick to English. Everyone here speaks English very well so it’s not a problem. Some even speak French. After our class, we had a scavenger hunt around Antwerp. We were split up into our five groups, and we had to go to different places in Antwerp and have someone take a picture of our group in front of the place. My group decided to use the metro to go to all these places to save time. We thought we won but ended up being second to last… But we did have a fun time and explored our new city by ourselves.

                                                      Scavenger hunt at the Statue in Grote Market
At night we went to the same bar from Friday night called “De Prof”. It is a bar right next to the University, where all the students seem to be. They play good music and the drinks our cheap (though I’m still on my coke diet until Thursday). Contrary to what we heard, people are actually really friendly here. We’ve met a lot of students from the University of Antwerp and other people just passing through the city.

                                                             First night at De Prof

                                                  Winning!
Sunday, we took a day trip to Ghent and Bruge. It was about an hour bus ride. In Ghent we visited a 15th century castle, Catholics churches, and the rest of the old town. In Bruge, we walked around the town, plazas, and two other churches. Everything was so beautiful and had so much history. It was so cold though! We all bought scarves and hats but still were freezing. We had some free time after and did a little shopping, went to a café, and had some Belgian fries!

                                                   Castle in Ghent

                                                         View of Ghent from Castle

                                                      Bruge (In the back is the Cathedral)
Tomorrow is our first day of class. After seven weeks of break, this is going to be rough! We have class at 9am then at 2pm and the last one at 5pm. We’ll see how it goes!

First days in Belgium!

I left from Dulles Airport Wednesday and at the gate found all the other JMU students waiting to board the plane. Coincidentally, my roommate Caitie, was sitting right next to me! I was glad I sat next to her because I am afraid of flying, and she is not at all! We got to know each other during the flight which was great. I was planning on sleeping the whole time by taking Valium because of my fear of flying. I do not know what happened but I took three of them (10 mg during the day 20mg on the flight) and nothing happened! I was wide awake and wired, but not very anxious so the flight went pretty well. I ended up watching three movies and reading cosmo.
We arrived in Brussels, Belgium at 7am then took a bus to Antwerp. Our living arrangements are really nice. There is a gate and then a courtyard, and all the apartments are there (only JMU students). Caitie and I live together, but we each have our own room. We share the bathroom and kitchen. Everything is very modern. We found out yesterday that the warm water only stays on for about five minutes, but we have managed to work it out. There is a common room downstairs that has internet, luckily, in our room we are able to have it sometimes as well.
We did not have time to nap yesterday because we had a little orientation where we learned about Antwerp and got our cell phones. Almost everyone fell asleep during it! Then we walked around Antwerp for a little and had dinner at this really good pizza place. We came home at 7pm, some people decided to go out but I fell asleep right away and slept until 8:00 this morning (13 hours of sleep that I desperately needed!).
Today we had breakfast at the university, which is only a 2 minute walk! We had another little orientation. Right now we have a free lunch time, but later we are going grocery shopping. At 5:00pm we also have a Flemish class to learn a few phrases! Unfortunately, I got sick when I got here and had to go to the doctor who gave me antibiotics that I have to take for seven days. He told me to not drink ANY alcohol while I am on them. This is sucks for the first week of being in Belgium, but it is ok! And I will still go out tonight just to see what the night life is like here!
So much in the first two days! I'll keep updating as much as I can!

                                                            My Room

                                                                 Our Bathroom

                                                                                  Our Kitchen

                                                      Breakfast at the University
Laetitia