The past few weeks have felt super busy which is great because I think I really am making the most of this semester. I mean even as I’m writing this, I have tabs open planning my trip to Paris next weekend (what a way to spend your 21st birthday, eh?).
First of all I have started my off-campus course on Gender, Ethnicity and Religious Practices in European Contexts, which I must say is my absolute dream course and I think everyone should have to take a similar course. It’s super interesting, all about intersectionality and appeals to my not-so-secret gender studies nerd. However, I think my favourite bit so far was when a somewhat naive (read: ignorant) American exchange threw a strop after she made an irrelevant comment in class and the teacher asked to bring it back to the main topic. She threw herself down on the table and angrily bitched to herself for a good few minutes. Uni , and especially studying abroad, makes some people really grow up, others not so much…
I also went to see Akua Naru at a jazz club in Amsterdam which was incredible! I only really knew her for her incredible spoken word, generally set to jazz, so the hip-hop was a bit of a surprise. Took a while to get used to, but I was feeling it. It was an early birthday present so thank you for that! A really wonderful evening and nice to get off campus and into the ‘real world’. Plus after this we ordered falafel and hummus pittas off the Palestinian delivery service that is run by one of my friends on campus – have I told you how much I love this place yet?
On the subject of birthdays, although this time not mine, I went out for the most incredible meal of my life for my friend Remco’s 21st birthday. I genuinely nearly cried at how good the food was, plus it was super fancy and had a wine arrangement and everything. I was just super impressed by it all, especially the salmon sashimi we had for starter. OH MY GOD, SO GOOD! I think good food is really one of my true weaknesses in life and such a luxury. That night, we went back to campus to have a super lovely party at Remco’s flat – I feel like house parties are so much smaller here but I think it’s nicer, you get to chat a lot more than you would at a Leeds house party – but then it’s a very different culture. However after this we went to a party that was probably a lot more similar to what I am used to, except it was themed like the womb. Certainly an interesting theme for a party…
I went to Carnaval the weekend after this, but I think this phenomenon really deserves it’s own post. I would not be exaggerating if I said it was my best weekend of exchange yet. I wish Carnaval could happen every weekend but then I guess I would need a lot more costumes. This is probably going to come tomorrow when I am procrastinating from the essay I ought to be writing.
Recently my friends Joey and Finn came to Amsterdam for the week and on Tuesday afternoon (just gone) they came to visit me in Utrecht. It’s so nice to be able to show people around because I really do love where I live and it’s nice to show people a bit more of the ‘real’ Netherlands than the touristy side you see in Amsterdam. We went to lunch in this lovely little cafe on the Oudegracht called Vers (which translates to fresh) and had such delicious sandwiches. I feel like I chose a good place, but having never been there before I really owe the credit to Fleur for the recommendation. After this I went against all advice of the other UCU students and climbed the Dom (which at 112m is the tallest tower in the country). Legend has it if you climb it during your studies you won’t graduate – however since I’m not graduating from UCU I decided to take the risk. 465 steps later and we were treated to some beautiful views, according to the tour guide you could see all the way to Amsterdam and on a clearer day even Rotterdam and The Hague, I was far more excited about being able to see my house though. I will probably follow this up with pictures, but I might wait until Joey uploads his as I only have a few because my phone got too cold and turned itself off.
Many more things to tell you, including all about my British themed birthday party, but since my birthday is on Tuesday I feel I might just do a birthday themed post, which quelle surprise will include more food!
So that’s it for now!
A year in Utrecht 