Rainy Netherlands Day

I once again and really annoyed that my computer is not working. So I am again in the computer lab typing this out.

Yesterday afternoon we had what I thought was going to be another boring lecture/meeting. It was the academic welcome or something like that and the Executive Director of the Kasteel program talked to us a little about class and life in general around here. Here name is Dulcia Meijers (pronounced Meyers) and she is an incredible woman. She was extremely well spoken and knew alot. She informed us that on Septemeber 30th, we would be joined here by the one, the only, Jackie Leibergott, President of Emerson College. I am so excited. For those who don't know, Jackie is a big joke around campus because she is kind of a drunk. Right away the jokes started about how Jackie was going to be found passed out in Sophie's Lounge (A place in the castle that serves wine and beer). After that meeting we had a presentation by Johnny and Rene (Both men that are members of the Resident Life staff, kind of like RDs) called the Undutchables. It was a funny yet informative introduction to some Dutch phrases and Dutch culture.

Later on in the night we walked down to Old Well and got on a boat for a 2 hour ride down the River Maas. It was really pretty and a lot of fun. Half the people were a little tipsy because we each got two free drinks when we got there which was amusing to watch.

I awoke his morning to intense banging on the outside wall of my room. They are currently undergoing a renevation and restoration project on the castle so there is scaffolding around the tower where my room is. It didn't bother me so much because I was able to get back to sleep. We are experiencing our first taste of Netherlands weather. It has been raining on and off all morning and I just got back from a walk into town with my frien Paulina. She decided to stop random people on the street and ask them how to say stuff in Dutch, but she found a way to stop only the people who know NO English. It was amusing.

When I got back I had my first class. It was Acting III: Scene Study. The professor, whos name I still have no clue how to pronounce, seems really cool. He is Dutch and speaks English but not too well, so we all have to help him out sometimes. It was hte most intense class I ever had. It is from 2:30-9 with a 45 minute dinner break in there. We finished the last two hours today by improving this 15 scene play that he wrote the structure of about this girl he knew who died and her family. Basically everyone was crying by the end. Afterwards me, Blake and Tori decided to go to the Linden (Bar down the street) to destress ourselves. I really do kind of wish that we were able to do that in America. We only have a few drinks, nothing to make us crazy, just to sort of unwind after the day is over. Oh well I live in a castle.