Monday, September 7, 2009

Hello Old Friend

Old friend, you ask? School. Because I just had my "first day" of Dutch school! I put first day in quotes because the legitimacy of the use of the word day to describe what just happened can be very much debated (seeing as it lasted a whopping 90 mins). Ok SO - I got there early, got my roster (I'll post it below), got another tour, talked logistics, then went to my "mentor" class or something like that, I feel like it's homeroom or study hall or a like activity. I was like the not first there which is a good thing I guess? I met some people...kinda. Then she started talking to the class. It went on blahblahblah DutchDutchDutch but oh believe me it doesn't matter what language it is you know when the teacher is talking about YOU (teacher hand motions in your directions, you start recognizing more of the words, all eyes on you, cold sweat).

They dance around the subject of my buddy, or person who's going to help me in some of my classes (It seems I'm not exactly a hot commodity because I saw no hands or competitive jumping up and down to assist me with my LIFE which does, in fact, need assisting in it's current state). So some girl named Lydia offered herself up to the post and is now veritably STUCK with me (ok I'm exaggerating I don't even see her in class again until Wednesday). After class I talked to her and her friend a little bit, she admitted English wasn't her forte (The positives of this? I see far and few. Although I'm sure AFS would just be giddy). I left class and uhm...left the school?

You think I'm done talking about my first day - right? WRONG. So then I leave the school and go to the bike racks (not slightly comparable to their American cousins - these are like bike lots, on steroids), I unlock my bike and try to get out of the sea of metal. Turn right - no way out. Turn left - a group of kids standing right where I need to get out. So I walk over there and don't really know what to say (I'm counting on someone noticing me and moving before I have to open my mouth - yeah didn't work like that), I mutter something to make my presence known and they move...say a bunch of stuff in Dutch, repeat it ("DO I LOOK LIKE I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?!"), and then I proceed to speak to the natives in tongue - "Ik ben Amerikans." Well, let me tell you, that was QUITE the crowd pleaser! The teenagers who were just giving each other startled and dirty looks over the strange kid who appeared mute were overjoyed and dove right in with some English and "how awesome - I'd love to go to America," (I'm not gonna lie, I was so taken aback I dropped my bike - but don't worry, they told me "oh fuck it - it's fine"). They carry on about how I must've only come for the weed and that I need to come to their parties and stuff. So I play along with it then call it a day and bike home.

CRAZY, HUH!?

Yeah I know not really.

But here's my schedule which I promised:

Monday
Gym 11:20- 1
English 1:30 - 2:20
Geography 2:20-3:10

Tuesday
French 11:20-1 (RIGHT!?)

Wednesday (I call it day from Hell)
Dutch 8:30-9:20
History 9:20- 10:10
Social Sciences 12:10-1
Geography 2:20-3:10

Thursday
Dutch 11:20-12:10
English 2:20-3:10
French 3:10- 4

Friday
History 9:20-11
Social Sciences 11:20-12:10
Dutch 12:10-1

I don't really have much room to complain though. It's pretty solid if you ask me. And by solid I just mean awesome because it's completely empty so solidity has nothing to do with this (you should see the actual schedule I have - kids look at it and go..."where are your classes?" I say, "So here's the thing...I don't know DUTCH.").

Finally, I also have a video/interview/nonsensical thing that me and Crystal recorded this weekend (This post was so consumed with school that I didn't get to talk about my weekend!) talking about the Netherlands. Maybe I'll post it soon? My voice is super loud in it and the video/audio is delayed but nevertheless it's interesting. Maybe?