The first time I was in Amsterdam was back in the Spring of 2005. I hardly knew anything about the city before I arrived, and I remember being surprised by two things - 1) that it was so beautiful and 2) that it seemed really diverse. I still think these two things almost every day. This past Monday night, I rode my bike home from the Lloyd Hotel after a great evening of free music - European musicians performed with artists from all over Africa and Europe as part of the Virus Free Generation Tour. The (South African) host of the night spoke English to the room, the artists performed in English, Slovak, Zulu, Swahili, Sardinian, Italian, and probably a few other languages that I'm forgetting. I sat with a group of new friends - Dutch, Croatian, Austrian, etc - and as I looked around the room I realized that out of the 100 or so people, we could have probably come up with at least thirty languages, easily. Every Monday night, the Lloyd Hotel hosts these free events, completely open to the public. You're not even obligated to buy a drink, though there is a nice bar. This Monday there's even a Tango Orchestra performance!
So the diversity, the combination of people who end up in Amsterdam from all over the world - this really appeals to me. In some ways, it reminds me a bit of New York City, just in the way that everyone seems to be from somewhere else, but every so often I'll run into a born-and-raised Amsterdammer. This makes for good stories, but at the same time everyone has heard all the stories... so one more foreigner showing up here from somewhere else really isn't that big of a deal.
And then there's the beauty, and this is me still being in the honeymoon phase. I still simply just love riding my bike across the city late at night, when it's quiet. On Monday night, my roommate and I rode home together, side by side, and only occasionally saw a car on the road. We crossed canals and rode past the windmill and the beautiful homes along Koninginneweg, not too far from where I live. It was such a great night, and to end it with the ability to cycle so easily, riding next to a friend the whole way ... it's just very special. Spring is in full bloom, and everything is so green and alive. I know I sound like a big hippie here, but whatever.
I've been trying to make myself take care of some of the more practical matters, like getting a printer cartridge refilled, going to the post office, and picking up a few things for my apartment. On the advice of practically everyone I've met I finally went over to the Albert Cuyp market and was successful getting just about everything I wanted. This is where you want to go to get everything from new bedding to envelopes, bike locks, food, clothes, etc - and at very, very affordable prices. However, if you plan to buy a mattress topper, I would advise you to maybe put some thought into how you're going to transport it home if you go via bike. As I rode home I just had to hope that I wasn't going to need to use my brakes or bell, since my hands were completely full holding the mattress in front of my handlebars in a very specific way (I got home without incident, fortunately).
It's really exciting to be in this phase, where there's still so much to see and discover. However, in the next week my first priority will be to spend as much time as possible with my current roommate, before she takes off for Rome. After spending over 8 years in Amsterdam she's leaving for a more southern climate. It will be great to gain a friend in Rome, but I'll miss having her around. Because of her generosity, I had a place to stay when I arrived here... but I also gained so much more than a bedroom, I gained a friend that I'm sure I will have for the rest of my life. And I can't thank her enough (though I'm going to try!) for making me feel so welcome here.
May 17, 2008
The important stuff: patatje, picnics, frisbee, and waterproof jackets
You might think that now that I've had a few weeks in Amsterdam, I'd have all kinds of things to say. But really, when people ask me what I've been up to since I've been here, it can easily be summed up: picnics, biking, frisbee, beach, drinks, hanging out. Trust me, I could fill up a blog very easily with all my thoughts about cycling here in Amsterdam, but I resist the urge. But it struck me the other day - I spend no money on transportation. It's just another one of those ways that makes Amsterdam fairly affordable.
I think that I've had more weather-related conversations in the past few weeks than I have had in my entire life. The weather in Amsterdam - up until today - has been nothing short of perfect. And wow, do the folks who live here like to emphasize how rare that is. I pointed out the other day that there are other places in the world where the weather isn't that great either, and that actually, if I think about it, the weather in New York kind of sucks. Hot and humid in the summer (and over-air conditioned), bitterly cold in the winter, etc. But there's no arguing this topic with a Netherlands local. The beautiful weather that stretched on for a couple weeks (and is due to return in a couple days) was surely a once-a-year opportunity, and therefore every moment must be spent appreciating it.
Which is fine with me! That's where all the picnics, bike rides, and beach trips come in. That's why my motivation to do any actual work was non-existent. This isn't me being lazy, of course, it's me adapting to this new culture. See how I just justified it? Part of my cultural experience included a trip to Wijk aan Zee, a beach located about 20 km or so from Amsterdam. I took part in the eating of patatje oorlog - french fries with peanut sauce mixed with mayonnaise and chopped onions. The name literally means "war fries," and even though everything about the combination seemed just simply wrong - I sure as hell kept eating them.
I've been meeting a lot of great people through my wonderful roommate, and I went to a couple Couch Surfing meetups, where I met even more great people. I'm not finding it terribly difficult to meet Dutch people who are friendly and welcoming, I haven't had any problems with ... anything, really. The honeymoon stage is still going strong, I suppose. When I woke up today, it was raining lightly and chilly, and for some reason this motivated me to finally get some practical stuff done. I rode my bike over to HEMA, the big everything-you-need department store, and stopped at the Bio Market for coffee, cheese, and bread. I was happy to notice that my jacket and bag really did pass the waterproof test, and I know I'm still in the honeymoon stage with Amsterdam when riding my bike in the rain makes me happy.
A lot of people have been asking about my job prospects, and all I can really say is everything still seems to be going well. I had a few meetings with the same company here in Amsterdam, and obviously I'm hoping that the outcome is that I'm offered the job. Until I know about that, everything is up in the air. I know exactly what I want to do if I get the job, and I have a pretty good idea for how I want to proceed if I don't get it... but it's not really worth going into details until I have an answer. Fortunately, in between picnics and trips to the beach and drinks with friends, I did manage to find the time to do a little freelance work, which is a big help. And honestly, I am really, really enjoying this time to just relax, sleep late, meet new people, and not think too much. I needed a break, and now that I have it, I'm making it a point to have a good time and enjoy living in the present, instead of always making a plan for the future. Of course, that being said, I do kind of hate that I have so many little projects half-finished or just-started. I wonder if the locals would kill me if I wished for more rain this week, so I can actually get some stuff done.
I think that I've had more weather-related conversations in the past few weeks than I have had in my entire life. The weather in Amsterdam - up until today - has been nothing short of perfect. And wow, do the folks who live here like to emphasize how rare that is. I pointed out the other day that there are other places in the world where the weather isn't that great either, and that actually, if I think about it, the weather in New York kind of sucks. Hot and humid in the summer (and over-air conditioned), bitterly cold in the winter, etc. But there's no arguing this topic with a Netherlands local. The beautiful weather that stretched on for a couple weeks (and is due to return in a couple days) was surely a once-a-year opportunity, and therefore every moment must be spent appreciating it.
Which is fine with me! That's where all the picnics, bike rides, and beach trips come in. That's why my motivation to do any actual work was non-existent. This isn't me being lazy, of course, it's me adapting to this new culture. See how I just justified it? Part of my cultural experience included a trip to Wijk aan Zee, a beach located about 20 km or so from Amsterdam. I took part in the eating of patatje oorlog - french fries with peanut sauce mixed with mayonnaise and chopped onions. The name literally means "war fries," and even though everything about the combination seemed just simply wrong - I sure as hell kept eating them.
I've been meeting a lot of great people through my wonderful roommate, and I went to a couple Couch Surfing meetups, where I met even more great people. I'm not finding it terribly difficult to meet Dutch people who are friendly and welcoming, I haven't had any problems with ... anything, really. The honeymoon stage is still going strong, I suppose. When I woke up today, it was raining lightly and chilly, and for some reason this motivated me to finally get some practical stuff done. I rode my bike over to HEMA, the big everything-you-need department store, and stopped at the Bio Market for coffee, cheese, and bread. I was happy to notice that my jacket and bag really did pass the waterproof test, and I know I'm still in the honeymoon stage with Amsterdam when riding my bike in the rain makes me happy.
A lot of people have been asking about my job prospects, and all I can really say is everything still seems to be going well. I had a few meetings with the same company here in Amsterdam, and obviously I'm hoping that the outcome is that I'm offered the job. Until I know about that, everything is up in the air. I know exactly what I want to do if I get the job, and I have a pretty good idea for how I want to proceed if I don't get it... but it's not really worth going into details until I have an answer. Fortunately, in between picnics and trips to the beach and drinks with friends, I did manage to find the time to do a little freelance work, which is a big help. And honestly, I am really, really enjoying this time to just relax, sleep late, meet new people, and not think too much. I needed a break, and now that I have it, I'm making it a point to have a good time and enjoy living in the present, instead of always making a plan for the future. Of course, that being said, I do kind of hate that I have so many little projects half-finished or just-started. I wonder if the locals would kill me if I wished for more rain this week, so I can actually get some stuff done.
May 6, 2008
Exploring different neighborhoods in Amsterdam
I love feeling a strong sense of attachment to my neighborhood - I don't need to be best friends with my neighbors, but I certainly like saying hi and bye. I like knowing the folks who work in the shops and cafes closest to whatever apartment I'm in, I like knowing all the shortcuts, I like knowing who has the cheapest beer and who has the freshest bread. So I already feel deeply attached to my new neighborhood, became friends with some old guy named Ben who works on my street, and the guy at the tabak is starting to get to know who I am. I know I won't be able to stay at my apartment indefinitely, but I'm already starting to hope that wherever I end up next will be somewhere close by.
That being said, it was great exploring the Oost with my friend Brooke, who has been living there for over a year. We walked through the Dappermarkt and then crossed over to what I think is the Zeeburg to check out all the crazy architecture and bridges. We enjoyed a couple of beers at Studio K, which was just across the street from her house. The thing I loved about Brooke's neighborhood was the diversity and the realness of it. Amsterdam is a small city and I'm sure tourists find their way to a lot of places, but on that day I think I was the only one taking pictures and not knowing my way around. That's a good feeling - maybe I'll end up living in that area someday.
One thing that I love about Amsterdam - and I know this might sound strange given that sex & drugs is what this city is known for - is that it's pretty quiet and peaceful in many ways. There's not a lot of horn-honking or car alarms or police chases, especially in my neighborhood. But talk about quiet and peaceful ... yesterday I finally explored the north of Amsterdam, or Amsterdam Nord - and it was like I had transported myself to the countryside. After taking a five-minute ferry ride, my friend C. and I rode our bikes no more than 5 or 6 km before I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. I saw cows, sheep, goats, windmills, and lots of open space. I rode my bike on lanes that were built in between two bodies of water, and I even rode in places where the water level was above the bike path - I'm finally starting to understand what this whole "below sea level" thing really means. The landscape of Amsterdam is so wonderfully foreign to me. I grew up around mountains, and I didn't see a working windmill until I was about 22 years old. C. and I spent about eight hours riding around and stopped here and there for a drink, a bite to eat, or to take pictures.
I felt very fortunate to have such a beautiful day to explore the north, and such great company. Even if I didn't have my roommate with me, it would have been a really easy trip to do by myself - and I did see a few tourists on rental bikes while I was out there. Even though city life suits me, I'm always looking for a way out. I hate that feeling of "trapped" that comes from spending too much time in the same city - or any city. I need to get away from buildings and concrete and people as much as possible. And Amsterdam makes this incredibly easy.
I took that above photo at a cafe where C. and I stopped for food. We ordered inside, then sat at the tables that were placed along the docks - literally eating on top of the water. I wouldn't want to go swimming in the water or anything, but just being around it - and hearing it all day long - feels incredible.
Even just getting to and from the north of Amsterdam was fun - we took a five-minute free ferry ride. I've been on ferries before, either on foot or with a car - but I've never seen one full of people on bicycles.
It's been so much fun to run all over Amsterdam this past week and learn my way around. I still have a long way to go before I'll really feel at home here, but fortunately we have another beautiful week ahead of us. This week I'm making it a goal to A) do some work and B) make some more friends. The friend part isn't so hard, but man, sitting down inside to actually work has been a bit of a challenge. One of these days I'll find that magic job where I get paid to learn my way around different places in the world and write about it, right?
That being said, it was great exploring the Oost with my friend Brooke, who has been living there for over a year. We walked through the Dappermarkt and then crossed over to what I think is the Zeeburg to check out all the crazy architecture and bridges. We enjoyed a couple of beers at Studio K, which was just across the street from her house. The thing I loved about Brooke's neighborhood was the diversity and the realness of it. Amsterdam is a small city and I'm sure tourists find their way to a lot of places, but on that day I think I was the only one taking pictures and not knowing my way around. That's a good feeling - maybe I'll end up living in that area someday.
One thing that I love about Amsterdam - and I know this might sound strange given that sex & drugs is what this city is known for - is that it's pretty quiet and peaceful in many ways. There's not a lot of horn-honking or car alarms or police chases, especially in my neighborhood. But talk about quiet and peaceful ... yesterday I finally explored the north of Amsterdam, or Amsterdam Nord - and it was like I had transported myself to the countryside. After taking a five-minute ferry ride, my friend C. and I rode our bikes no more than 5 or 6 km before I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. I saw cows, sheep, goats, windmills, and lots of open space. I rode my bike on lanes that were built in between two bodies of water, and I even rode in places where the water level was above the bike path - I'm finally starting to understand what this whole "below sea level" thing really means. The landscape of Amsterdam is so wonderfully foreign to me. I grew up around mountains, and I didn't see a working windmill until I was about 22 years old. C. and I spent about eight hours riding around and stopped here and there for a drink, a bite to eat, or to take pictures.
I felt very fortunate to have such a beautiful day to explore the north, and such great company. Even if I didn't have my roommate with me, it would have been a really easy trip to do by myself - and I did see a few tourists on rental bikes while I was out there. Even though city life suits me, I'm always looking for a way out. I hate that feeling of "trapped" that comes from spending too much time in the same city - or any city. I need to get away from buildings and concrete and people as much as possible. And Amsterdam makes this incredibly easy.
I took that above photo at a cafe where C. and I stopped for food. We ordered inside, then sat at the tables that were placed along the docks - literally eating on top of the water. I wouldn't want to go swimming in the water or anything, but just being around it - and hearing it all day long - feels incredible.
Even just getting to and from the north of Amsterdam was fun - we took a five-minute free ferry ride. I've been on ferries before, either on foot or with a car - but I've never seen one full of people on bicycles.
It's been so much fun to run all over Amsterdam this past week and learn my way around. I still have a long way to go before I'll really feel at home here, but fortunately we have another beautiful week ahead of us. This week I'm making it a goal to A) do some work and B) make some more friends. The friend part isn't so hard, but man, sitting down inside to actually work has been a bit of a challenge. One of these days I'll find that magic job where I get paid to learn my way around different places in the world and write about it, right?
May 2, 2008
My first Queens Day ... in Spain
After spending about 4 1/2 days in Amsterdam, I made my way to Barcelona this past Monday night (28 April). Though I booked this trip about three months ago, I didn't do a speck of research or planning for it. It's a nice story - C., my roommate in Amsterdam, was meeting me in Spain on her way back from Rome. Both of us have been so busy that up until about a week ago, we didn't even discuss where we would sleep at night. Hotel plans were made in about 2 minutes, I wrote down directions on how to find to get to the hotel from the airport, and that's about where my planning stopped. I met some really nice people on the train from the airport to the city, and they wrote down places I should go, food I should eat, and showed me what metro line to take (talk about good timing). So I ended up meeting C. at our hotel around 11pm on Monday night, and we proceeded to spend the next three days eating and drinking our way through every tapas bar in Barcelona. We rented bikes, we laid on the beach, we ate lots of fish, we struck up conversations with bartenders, and so on. Other than walking through a beautiful old church, my trip to Barcelona was all about hanging out with my friend, relaxing, and enjoying the weather - the touristy stuff will have to wait for next time. The people were beautiful and friendly, the bars were open late, the food was incredible, and compared to Amsterdam or Paris, Barcelona is a really affordable city.
C. is a very special friend, someone who came into my life at a great time and makes me feel incredibly welcomed here in Amsterdam. When we arrived home, I was delighted with how much daylight we still had left (our flight landed around 7pm, and it was light out until at least 9:30pm or so), and excited to be back and have someone else at the apartment. Even after spending three days in a row together, C. and I stayed up until past 1am, laughing and eating and making curtains for the windows out of sheets. It's really nice to live with a girl again - especially one who likes to cook and wears the same sizes as me. She's also encouraging me to start jogging with her in Vondelpark. The idea of starting up that habit (again - I have started and stopped that particular form of exercise a million times) seems like a great idea, especially since I live so close to the park and I have a lot of free time right now. The only problem is that I pretty much hate running just for the sake of running. If I was running around playing Frisbee on the beach, that would be great. But generally, running just to run bores me to death - but who knows, maybe this is the year that I'll learn how to love it.
I'm looking forward to another beautiful and sunny weekend here in Amsterdam, with plenty of biking and hopefully some meeting of new friends. Next week, I really do have to start working, and perhaps wake up before 11am. No promises though.
C. is a very special friend, someone who came into my life at a great time and makes me feel incredibly welcomed here in Amsterdam. When we arrived home, I was delighted with how much daylight we still had left (our flight landed around 7pm, and it was light out until at least 9:30pm or so), and excited to be back and have someone else at the apartment. Even after spending three days in a row together, C. and I stayed up until past 1am, laughing and eating and making curtains for the windows out of sheets. It's really nice to live with a girl again - especially one who likes to cook and wears the same sizes as me. She's also encouraging me to start jogging with her in Vondelpark. The idea of starting up that habit (again - I have started and stopped that particular form of exercise a million times) seems like a great idea, especially since I live so close to the park and I have a lot of free time right now. The only problem is that I pretty much hate running just for the sake of running. If I was running around playing Frisbee on the beach, that would be great. But generally, running just to run bores me to death - but who knows, maybe this is the year that I'll learn how to love it.
I'm looking forward to another beautiful and sunny weekend here in Amsterdam, with plenty of biking and hopefully some meeting of new friends. Next week, I really do have to start working, and perhaps wake up before 11am. No promises though.
April 27, 2008
I need to talk about bike riding, just to get it out of my system
I still don't really know that many people in Amsterdam, so when I find myself with free time and no desire to unpack, buy practical supplies for my apartment, or clean ... I bike. The weather has been absolutely perfect lately. I'm talking warm, sunny, blue skies, and cafes full of people eating outside. On Saturday, I spent several hours enjoying free wireless internet at Debaille, a cafe in Leidseplein. I left around 6pm and didn't stop biking until about midnight. It doesn't really even start to get dark until 9pm or so, which makes the days feel incredibly long - and when the weather is as perfect as it was on Saturday, all those daylight hours feel really great.
I'm getting better at finding my way around, and it's a good thing I'm spending so much time by myself. I find that as soon as I'm with someone else, I naturally let them take over and guide me around. On Saturday night I rode home with a friend and rather than pay attention to street names and how many canals we were crossing, I just concentrated on the conversation - which of course is not a bad thing, but still, I could have benefited from learning a direct route from de Pijp to the Oud West.
While I was in the center of Amsterdam today, I had my first pedestrian run-in. He stepped in front of my bike (while I was in the bike lane) and I didn't have the time to ring my bell, so technically, I hit him. Or collided into him, if you will. I imagine he was probably a little bit hurt, and I fell down and was also a little hurt, but I felt the need to scold the pedestrian. "Look before you walk next time!" I said, which is probably about ten times more polite than I would have been in New York (when a simple "fuck you, asshole" would have done). Everyone around me was instantly concerned about the welfare of my bike and cast disparaging looks at the sad pedestrian, who dared step foot in the bike path. It's moments like this when I feel like I feel like all is right with the world - cyclists always win here.
I say I'm averaging about 6 hours a day on my bike. At the end of the night, I'm exhausted (which is one reason why I haven't done nearly enough cleaning/unpacking/apartment-sorting out). Now, I've been riding for what feels like my entire life, and I've ridden in all different types of places - from the middle of nowhere to the heart of Chinatown in Manhattan. But these Amsterdam bikes are unlike anything I've ever ridden before. No gears and no hand brakes - to stop I push back on the pedals and also get a lot of use out of stopping myself with my feet. My hands feel like they have nothing to do! My left hand stays firmly near the bell while I'm riding through the center of the city, but once I'm outside the super-busy area... it's so strange, but I do like it. The bikes here are simple machines. Comfortable, not built for speed or going up hills, but perfectly built for this city.
I'm leaving for Barcelona tomorrow night, just for a quick 3-day vacation to avoid the madness of Queens Day here in Amsterdam. Having never been here for Queens Day, I don't really have any opinion of it one way or the other, but my roommate isn't a fan and convinced me a few months ago to go out of town for the holiday. I've never been to Barcelona, but I have a guidebook to read from 1995, some high school Spanish skills, and a wonderful friend who will meet me at our hotel on Monday night. So I pretty much think I'm all set.
I'm getting better at finding my way around, and it's a good thing I'm spending so much time by myself. I find that as soon as I'm with someone else, I naturally let them take over and guide me around. On Saturday night I rode home with a friend and rather than pay attention to street names and how many canals we were crossing, I just concentrated on the conversation - which of course is not a bad thing, but still, I could have benefited from learning a direct route from de Pijp to the Oud West.
While I was in the center of Amsterdam today, I had my first pedestrian run-in. He stepped in front of my bike (while I was in the bike lane) and I didn't have the time to ring my bell, so technically, I hit him. Or collided into him, if you will. I imagine he was probably a little bit hurt, and I fell down and was also a little hurt, but I felt the need to scold the pedestrian. "Look before you walk next time!" I said, which is probably about ten times more polite than I would have been in New York (when a simple "fuck you, asshole" would have done). Everyone around me was instantly concerned about the welfare of my bike and cast disparaging looks at the sad pedestrian, who dared step foot in the bike path. It's moments like this when I feel like I feel like all is right with the world - cyclists always win here.
I say I'm averaging about 6 hours a day on my bike. At the end of the night, I'm exhausted (which is one reason why I haven't done nearly enough cleaning/unpacking/apartment-sorting out). Now, I've been riding for what feels like my entire life, and I've ridden in all different types of places - from the middle of nowhere to the heart of Chinatown in Manhattan. But these Amsterdam bikes are unlike anything I've ever ridden before. No gears and no hand brakes - to stop I push back on the pedals and also get a lot of use out of stopping myself with my feet. My hands feel like they have nothing to do! My left hand stays firmly near the bell while I'm riding through the center of the city, but once I'm outside the super-busy area... it's so strange, but I do like it. The bikes here are simple machines. Comfortable, not built for speed or going up hills, but perfectly built for this city.
I'm leaving for Barcelona tomorrow night, just for a quick 3-day vacation to avoid the madness of Queens Day here in Amsterdam. Having never been here for Queens Day, I don't really have any opinion of it one way or the other, but my roommate isn't a fan and convinced me a few months ago to go out of town for the holiday. I've never been to Barcelona, but I have a guidebook to read from 1995, some high school Spanish skills, and a wonderful friend who will meet me at our hotel on Monday night. So I pretty much think I'm all set.
April 26, 2008
Day four in Amsterdam: Full force in the honeymoon stage
Finally, after all the planning and waiting, I'm in Amsterdam. And right now, I am definitely in the honeymoon stage with this city, the type of stage that pretty much anyone else (unless you're in the same kind of situation) would find either annoying or silly or boring. But you can only have this feeling once, when you finally do move to that new city or town that you wanted to get to so badly - so I'm going to enjoy it as long as it lasts.
If you're looking at a map of Amsterdam and find Vondelpark, my new home is near the "bottom" of the park, just across the canal (Sloterkade). My unpacking process is isn't moving that quickly, which is mostly due to the fact that I'm spending all day out and about and trying to get my life established - a slow process. I had a meeting this past Thursday about a potential job, and after studying a map before I left, was able to bike myself to the office without getting lost at all. When that was over, I wandered around the middle of the city looking for a place to buy a prepaid mobile phone. After about 30 minutes or so without any luck, I stopped in the closest hostel I could find to ask for advice. The girl at the front desk, who was smoking a joint (the center of Amsterdam smells like a combination of bakeries and marijuana at every turn), pointed me in the right direction and said "it's a little bit of a dodgy place, but it's cheap," she said. Perfect! I got a mobile for 35 Euros and added in the three people that I know here in Amsterdam (hey, have to start somewhere, right?) and felt like, damn, that was a successful day. In New York, a job meeting and a new phone would be no big deal - probably something I could do on a lunch break. But something about being in a new country and here on my own makes any small accomplishment into a big victory. Again, honeymoon stage.
So far, the way I've spent most of my time here is riding my bike (well, my roommate's bike). Since I have the time, I decided that I wouldn't use a map to get around while I'm out, which means it takes me a long time to get anywhere I need to go. Riding from my place to the library yesterday was fairly easy - only a few wrong turns (the main branch of the Amsterdam library is very close to Centraal Station, which makes it easy to find). Getting TO the center of Amsterdam doesn't really cause me any problems, it's when I try to get home that I end up riding around in circles. Still, on Friday night I rode home (after enjoying a lovely dinner with new friends) as the sun started to set and didn't arrive home until well after dark - which meant I got to see the canals all lit up. Not a bad reward for being lost. On Friday evening I spent enough time lost in the Oud West neighborhood that I'm hoping the area is a bit more ingrained in my head.
After not riding a bike for about three months, the feeling of relying on it as my sole method of transportation feels fantastic, and a million times more natural than it did to drive a car while I was in Los Angeles. I adore my new neighborhood and apartment - the balcony in the back looks on to all the backyards, which are full of flowers and trees, and I'm so glad I got here just as spring is beginning, to watch everything come to life.
If you're looking at a map of Amsterdam and find Vondelpark, my new home is near the "bottom" of the park, just across the canal (Sloterkade). My unpacking process is isn't moving that quickly, which is mostly due to the fact that I'm spending all day out and about and trying to get my life established - a slow process. I had a meeting this past Thursday about a potential job, and after studying a map before I left, was able to bike myself to the office without getting lost at all. When that was over, I wandered around the middle of the city looking for a place to buy a prepaid mobile phone. After about 30 minutes or so without any luck, I stopped in the closest hostel I could find to ask for advice. The girl at the front desk, who was smoking a joint (the center of Amsterdam smells like a combination of bakeries and marijuana at every turn), pointed me in the right direction and said "it's a little bit of a dodgy place, but it's cheap," she said. Perfect! I got a mobile for 35 Euros and added in the three people that I know here in Amsterdam (hey, have to start somewhere, right?) and felt like, damn, that was a successful day. In New York, a job meeting and a new phone would be no big deal - probably something I could do on a lunch break. But something about being in a new country and here on my own makes any small accomplishment into a big victory. Again, honeymoon stage.
So far, the way I've spent most of my time here is riding my bike (well, my roommate's bike). Since I have the time, I decided that I wouldn't use a map to get around while I'm out, which means it takes me a long time to get anywhere I need to go. Riding from my place to the library yesterday was fairly easy - only a few wrong turns (the main branch of the Amsterdam library is very close to Centraal Station, which makes it easy to find). Getting TO the center of Amsterdam doesn't really cause me any problems, it's when I try to get home that I end up riding around in circles. Still, on Friday night I rode home (after enjoying a lovely dinner with new friends) as the sun started to set and didn't arrive home until well after dark - which meant I got to see the canals all lit up. Not a bad reward for being lost. On Friday evening I spent enough time lost in the Oud West neighborhood that I'm hoping the area is a bit more ingrained in my head.
After not riding a bike for about three months, the feeling of relying on it as my sole method of transportation feels fantastic, and a million times more natural than it did to drive a car while I was in Los Angeles. I adore my new neighborhood and apartment - the balcony in the back looks on to all the backyards, which are full of flowers and trees, and I'm so glad I got here just as spring is beginning, to watch everything come to life.
April 21, 2008
From New York to Paris
I’m writing this somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, on my way to Paris. Finally getting ready to live up to the name of this blog and start expat life all over again.
I left Los Angeles on the 16th of April and landed in New York around 10 at night. Starting that very first night, I didn’t go to sleep before 4am the entire time I was there. Just too many people to see, too much fun to be had, and since I don’t have a job... there was plenty of time to enjoy it all. I stopped by my old job (I worked in television post-production for a little over a year) to see the folks that I used to spend 50+ hours a week with, and armed with advice, I headed to B&H to spent close to $1000 on an HDV camcorder and accessories. All that money I made at the accounting office sure is getting spent quickly.
So I mostly just ran a lot of errands, did some last-minute shopping, and enjoyed the hell out of the first real spring week in New York. Of course, four days is not nearly long enough, and I found myself wishing I had an extra week. I am incredibly blessed with the best friends in the world – the type that wouldn’t let me pay for anything ("it’s your last day here, it’s on me!"), that will stay out until 4am to catch up over drinks (even with work the next day), and will always have a place for me to stay and encouraging words. I also have an amazing family that is behind me 100% and will all go way out of their way to help me out. So right now, it’s really hard to leave all that behind. I still have friends that have known me since I was a little kid, and hanging out with them – and not having to explain anything, because they know me so well – well, I just really hate thinking of being away from that.
But. I also really love thinking about seeing my friends in Paris and Amsterdam. We may not have the same history, but the friendships I do have with people in Europe are pretty amazing. When I told my friend Lada that I would take a taxi to her apartment in Paris from the airport at such-and-such time, her immediate response was "are you insane? Do you think I won’t be there at the airport to meet you?" My other friends in cities all over Europe have been just as encouraging, supportive, and wonderful as the friends I have in the states.
When I arrive in Amsterdam on Wednesday night, my friend (and future roommate) won’t be around – we actually won’t see each other until we meet up in Barcelona on the 28th! So I will really be on my own, and I have to admit, I think that’s kind of exciting. I’ll have to go out and figure out where to buy groceries without someone pointing me in the right direction, and even though that doesn’t sound like a big deal, it’s those types of little things that will be small victories in those first few weeks. Now, if I can get my suitcase up the stairs of her apartment by myself, that will be a way more impressive victory...
But before all that, I have two and a half days to just relax and enjoy Paris. I don’t imagine I will have too much difficultly with that.
I left Los Angeles on the 16th of April and landed in New York around 10 at night. Starting that very first night, I didn’t go to sleep before 4am the entire time I was there. Just too many people to see, too much fun to be had, and since I don’t have a job... there was plenty of time to enjoy it all. I stopped by my old job (I worked in television post-production for a little over a year) to see the folks that I used to spend 50+ hours a week with, and armed with advice, I headed to B&H to spent close to $1000 on an HDV camcorder and accessories. All that money I made at the accounting office sure is getting spent quickly.
So I mostly just ran a lot of errands, did some last-minute shopping, and enjoyed the hell out of the first real spring week in New York. Of course, four days is not nearly long enough, and I found myself wishing I had an extra week. I am incredibly blessed with the best friends in the world – the type that wouldn’t let me pay for anything ("it’s your last day here, it’s on me!"), that will stay out until 4am to catch up over drinks (even with work the next day), and will always have a place for me to stay and encouraging words. I also have an amazing family that is behind me 100% and will all go way out of their way to help me out. So right now, it’s really hard to leave all that behind. I still have friends that have known me since I was a little kid, and hanging out with them – and not having to explain anything, because they know me so well – well, I just really hate thinking of being away from that.
But. I also really love thinking about seeing my friends in Paris and Amsterdam. We may not have the same history, but the friendships I do have with people in Europe are pretty amazing. When I told my friend Lada that I would take a taxi to her apartment in Paris from the airport at such-and-such time, her immediate response was "are you insane? Do you think I won’t be there at the airport to meet you?" My other friends in cities all over Europe have been just as encouraging, supportive, and wonderful as the friends I have in the states.
When I arrive in Amsterdam on Wednesday night, my friend (and future roommate) won’t be around – we actually won’t see each other until we meet up in Barcelona on the 28th! So I will really be on my own, and I have to admit, I think that’s kind of exciting. I’ll have to go out and figure out where to buy groceries without someone pointing me in the right direction, and even though that doesn’t sound like a big deal, it’s those types of little things that will be small victories in those first few weeks. Now, if I can get my suitcase up the stairs of her apartment by myself, that will be a way more impressive victory...
But before all that, I have two and a half days to just relax and enjoy Paris. I don’t imagine I will have too much difficultly with that.
April 15, 2008
The journey begins - goodbye west coast!
My last day of work in Los Angeles is tomorrow (technically, today), the 15th of April, and I keep getting a lot of "wow, you sure are leaving quickly, huh?" type of comments because my flight to New York is the 16th. But Los Angeles was only a temporary move, so it doesn't seem like a quick departure to me. What else am I going to do here? Go look at movie star homes? I saved some money, enjoyed the weather and the food, and now it's time to go. But before I leave, I have to pack.
I'd like to think that I'm a good packer, but I wonder if I'm lying to myself. When one makes a "normal" move, ie: moving to a different town, you pack up all your crap in boxes and go. Of course I'm sure you throw a lot of stuff away and donate and whatnot, but for the most part, you don't get rid of everything. That's the big difference when you move across an ocean, especially if you have absolutely no idea how long you'll be away or where you might end up. So yes, I have a few boxes in my father's attic with photo albums and comic books. I will leave another box or two at my mom's house in LA with clothes and shoes - but my reasoning for leaving behind my beautiful shiny black shoes? They're heavy. I love them, but they're heavy, so they stay in the US. The goal is to get all of my worldly belongings in two suitcases, each under 50 lbs., and heavy shoes do not make the cut. I won't be moving books, movies, or photo albums. For the most part, all I'm bringing with me to Amsterdam is clothes, about 1/4th of my shoe collection (which is really hard), and a couple thousand of dollars (or about 50 Euros, ha ha... oh, that joke is starting to hurt) worth of electronics. It would be nice to think that if I do manage to settle down in Amsterdam, I could have a few boxes sent to me and reclaim some of these items. The hardest things for me to leave behind (other than the shoes) are the pictures that I keep in frames and my wonderful winter coat, which is long and warm and wonderful and completely impractical for Amsterdam in every way. I spent over four hours this past Sunday listening to the Clash very loudly and going through every item I currently own, trying to figure out if it stays or goes... and I'm not done. And have I ever mentioned that when I came to California, I only had two suitcases? I know most of the time I spent packing was really going through paperwork - years of bank statements, old passport copies, plane tickets - but still. I have no idea how that took four hours.
I know those first few weeks that I spend in Amsterdam are going to be really weird - going from a super-structured life in the US to a totally unstructured life in Europe is obviously going to take some getting used to. I have a meeting with some folks in Amsterdam on my first full day there (the 24th), and I admit, having something to do - a place to go and a time to be there - it helps, mentally.
So the first leg of the journey starts with a 6-hour plane ride east. Back to Eastern Standard Time, back to Brooklyn, back home to New York. I'll spend four days running all over the place, picking up a few last-minute items, trying not to be late to some last-minute appointments, and of course, saying goodbye to friends and family. My time is booked up nicely with dinners and drinks and hopefully, lots and lots of sleep.
I'd like to think that I'm a good packer, but I wonder if I'm lying to myself. When one makes a "normal" move, ie: moving to a different town, you pack up all your crap in boxes and go. Of course I'm sure you throw a lot of stuff away and donate and whatnot, but for the most part, you don't get rid of everything. That's the big difference when you move across an ocean, especially if you have absolutely no idea how long you'll be away or where you might end up. So yes, I have a few boxes in my father's attic with photo albums and comic books. I will leave another box or two at my mom's house in LA with clothes and shoes - but my reasoning for leaving behind my beautiful shiny black shoes? They're heavy. I love them, but they're heavy, so they stay in the US. The goal is to get all of my worldly belongings in two suitcases, each under 50 lbs., and heavy shoes do not make the cut. I won't be moving books, movies, or photo albums. For the most part, all I'm bringing with me to Amsterdam is clothes, about 1/4th of my shoe collection (which is really hard), and a couple thousand of dollars (or about 50 Euros, ha ha... oh, that joke is starting to hurt) worth of electronics. It would be nice to think that if I do manage to settle down in Amsterdam, I could have a few boxes sent to me and reclaim some of these items. The hardest things for me to leave behind (other than the shoes) are the pictures that I keep in frames and my wonderful winter coat, which is long and warm and wonderful and completely impractical for Amsterdam in every way. I spent over four hours this past Sunday listening to the Clash very loudly and going through every item I currently own, trying to figure out if it stays or goes... and I'm not done. And have I ever mentioned that when I came to California, I only had two suitcases? I know most of the time I spent packing was really going through paperwork - years of bank statements, old passport copies, plane tickets - but still. I have no idea how that took four hours.
I know those first few weeks that I spend in Amsterdam are going to be really weird - going from a super-structured life in the US to a totally unstructured life in Europe is obviously going to take some getting used to. I have a meeting with some folks in Amsterdam on my first full day there (the 24th), and I admit, having something to do - a place to go and a time to be there - it helps, mentally.
So the first leg of the journey starts with a 6-hour plane ride east. Back to Eastern Standard Time, back to Brooklyn, back home to New York. I'll spend four days running all over the place, picking up a few last-minute items, trying not to be late to some last-minute appointments, and of course, saying goodbye to friends and family. My time is booked up nicely with dinners and drinks and hopefully, lots and lots of sleep.
April 9, 2008
Two week countdown
I'm very tired, and sometimes I wonder if it's just pure exhaustion that makes me feel like eh, whatever, moving out of the country in less than two weeks, no big deal. Will I be able to get some sleep once I'm in Amsterdam? Yes? That's all I really care about right now. Maybe next week I'll start getting nervous, but everything is about as planned out as it can be. The only things left to do are buy an HDV camcorder (exciting!) next week in New York City, pack, and say goodbye.
My friend C., who offered to host me when I arrive in Amsterdam, has decided to leave Amsterdam for Rome - I'll miss having her around, but I can't fault a girl for deciding to quit her job and change countries, right? Instead of losing a friend in Amsterdam, I just see it as gaining a friend in Rome, which works for me. But with her leaving Amsterdam (I think at the end of May) and my moving date rapidly approaching, I did start to more seriously think about where exactly I was going to live. A while back, she bought up me taking over her apartment as a hypothetical idea, and I hypothetically agreed that it was worth thinking about. Then sometime last week I thought, shit, I want that apartment. It is not a place I can stay for the long-term (it's one of the many "illegal" sublet apartments, which means that registration isn't possible, which means I can't apply for a residence permit), but for three months it can be home while I figure out what happens next. C. said that would work out great and we'll talk about the details when I arrive (in two weeks!).
So that's the Amsterdam news. In just a little over a week I'll go from being employed at a well-paying job and driving a nice car to enter the world of freelancing and total instability. I am ecstatic about giving up the car, and as far as giving up the idea of guaranteed, full-time employment - well, it's nothing I haven't done before. And honestly, there's always New York City. I have a lot of problems with that place (mostly involving how much it costs to live there), but the longer I stay away from it the more I miss it and feel like that is where home is. I feel the same way about Paris and Philadelphia sometimes too. But NYC - that's where the jobs are, that's where family and friends are, and it will always be there for me if I need to go back.
I mentioned in my last post that because of my quiet office job, I have a lot of time to listen to news, podcasts, and music, right? I think I'm going a little overboard. I'm finding myself having imaginary arguments with people all the time, constantly yelling at the radio, and unable to have a conversation without bringing up some crisis happening somewhere in the world. Someone suggested that I try and find some comedy podcasts to listen to, so I started searching, but Flight of the Conchords led me to HBO which led me to documentaries which led to an interview with Spike Lee about his documentary When the Levees Broke, and that's what I listened to as I finished up my work day. Directly after that I listened to this special on NPR about the Iraq War Senate hearings with Crocker and Petraeus, which led to more and louder yelling at the radio, especially since I was in the car and therefore didn't have to keep my voice down. Someone at the hearing bought up the "what if there's another humanitarian crisis somewhere in the world, like in North Korea or Afghanistan, how will the US Army be able to help?" and I'm thinking gee, WHEN DID THAT EVER HAPPEN BEFORE? Wasn't there some kind of incident involving a hurricane in 2005? Right here in the US? Isn't there a genocide going on in Darfur like, right now?
So that's what I'm up to. Yelling at people who can't yell back, while I wait impatiently for the 20th of April.
My friend C., who offered to host me when I arrive in Amsterdam, has decided to leave Amsterdam for Rome - I'll miss having her around, but I can't fault a girl for deciding to quit her job and change countries, right? Instead of losing a friend in Amsterdam, I just see it as gaining a friend in Rome, which works for me. But with her leaving Amsterdam (I think at the end of May) and my moving date rapidly approaching, I did start to more seriously think about where exactly I was going to live. A while back, she bought up me taking over her apartment as a hypothetical idea, and I hypothetically agreed that it was worth thinking about. Then sometime last week I thought, shit, I want that apartment. It is not a place I can stay for the long-term (it's one of the many "illegal" sublet apartments, which means that registration isn't possible, which means I can't apply for a residence permit), but for three months it can be home while I figure out what happens next. C. said that would work out great and we'll talk about the details when I arrive (in two weeks!).
So that's the Amsterdam news. In just a little over a week I'll go from being employed at a well-paying job and driving a nice car to enter the world of freelancing and total instability. I am ecstatic about giving up the car, and as far as giving up the idea of guaranteed, full-time employment - well, it's nothing I haven't done before. And honestly, there's always New York City. I have a lot of problems with that place (mostly involving how much it costs to live there), but the longer I stay away from it the more I miss it and feel like that is where home is. I feel the same way about Paris and Philadelphia sometimes too. But NYC - that's where the jobs are, that's where family and friends are, and it will always be there for me if I need to go back.
I mentioned in my last post that because of my quiet office job, I have a lot of time to listen to news, podcasts, and music, right? I think I'm going a little overboard. I'm finding myself having imaginary arguments with people all the time, constantly yelling at the radio, and unable to have a conversation without bringing up some crisis happening somewhere in the world. Someone suggested that I try and find some comedy podcasts to listen to, so I started searching, but Flight of the Conchords led me to HBO which led me to documentaries which led to an interview with Spike Lee about his documentary When the Levees Broke, and that's what I listened to as I finished up my work day. Directly after that I listened to this special on NPR about the Iraq War Senate hearings with Crocker and Petraeus, which led to more and louder yelling at the radio, especially since I was in the car and therefore didn't have to keep my voice down. Someone at the hearing bought up the "what if there's another humanitarian crisis somewhere in the world, like in North Korea or Afghanistan, how will the US Army be able to help?" and I'm thinking gee, WHEN DID THAT EVER HAPPEN BEFORE? Wasn't there some kind of incident involving a hurricane in 2005? Right here in the US? Isn't there a genocide going on in Darfur like, right now?
So that's what I'm up to. Yelling at people who can't yell back, while I wait impatiently for the 20th of April.
April 1, 2008
Sink or swim
Since I've been in Los Angeles (which is about two months now), I have had a lot of time to listen to music and podcasts - I try to see that as a benefit of my desk job and spending so much time driving a car. I love anything that has a documentary-style feel to it, and often when I'm filing or photocopying for hours, I use the time to listen to the BBC World Service radio documentaries. Much to my delight, the third documentary I listened to this past Friday (I'm not kidding when I say I have a lot of time to do this kind of thing) was titled "Escaping the Water Wolf: With climate change bringing new threats of rising sea levels and increased rainfall, will luck and ingenuity continue to save the Netherlands from submersion?" You can listen to the program here.
The Netherlands - in case you couldn't guess by the name - is home to the lowest elevation in Europe (Fun Netherlands Factbook link here). People are living 7 meters below sea level in Zuidplaspolder, which is near Rotterdam, and the documentary talked about how climate change is going to affect the Netherlands in the future. Interesting stuff to learn about my future home.
Today I confirmed all my plans in terms of arriving in Europe on the 21st of April. I have a place to stay in Paris and friends to see for the two days that I'll be there. It's so easy to arrive in Paris - I know exactly where I'll pick up my bags, where I'll grab a taxi, and exactly how to tell the taxi driver where I want to go. I realized as I was thinking everything through that I don't know about any of that stuff in terms of arriving in Amsterdam. I know I'll arrive at the train station around 19.30 on the 23rd of April and take a taxi to my friend's apartment - an apartment I've only been to once, in a neighborhood that I've only seen at night. I don't even know the name of the neighborhood where she lives! I wonder if it will seem real - arriving in Amsterdam without a return ticket, knowing that I'm planning to stay.
I got a confirmation email from the Binger Filmlab saying that my application had been received, and I should find out if I made the short list of applicants sometime after April 10. I still put my chances of getting in to that school at 100 to 1, but we'll see. I had some email exchanges in the past few days in regards to the job in Amsterdam, and hopefully a phone call to be scheduled this week. Nothing ever moves fast enough for my taste, but at this point all I can do is wait. At least it's finally April! And remember, if you live in Amsterdam - tonight the Kaizers Orchestra is playing at the Paradiso. I love this band so much it makes me want to learn Norwegian, just so I can sing along with all the songs. I wonder if I can find the same type of thing in a Dutch band?
The Netherlands - in case you couldn't guess by the name - is home to the lowest elevation in Europe (Fun Netherlands Factbook link here). People are living 7 meters below sea level in Zuidplaspolder, which is near Rotterdam, and the documentary talked about how climate change is going to affect the Netherlands in the future. Interesting stuff to learn about my future home.
Today I confirmed all my plans in terms of arriving in Europe on the 21st of April. I have a place to stay in Paris and friends to see for the two days that I'll be there. It's so easy to arrive in Paris - I know exactly where I'll pick up my bags, where I'll grab a taxi, and exactly how to tell the taxi driver where I want to go. I realized as I was thinking everything through that I don't know about any of that stuff in terms of arriving in Amsterdam. I know I'll arrive at the train station around 19.30 on the 23rd of April and take a taxi to my friend's apartment - an apartment I've only been to once, in a neighborhood that I've only seen at night. I don't even know the name of the neighborhood where she lives! I wonder if it will seem real - arriving in Amsterdam without a return ticket, knowing that I'm planning to stay.
I got a confirmation email from the Binger Filmlab saying that my application had been received, and I should find out if I made the short list of applicants sometime after April 10. I still put my chances of getting in to that school at 100 to 1, but we'll see. I had some email exchanges in the past few days in regards to the job in Amsterdam, and hopefully a phone call to be scheduled this week. Nothing ever moves fast enough for my taste, but at this point all I can do is wait. At least it's finally April! And remember, if you live in Amsterdam - tonight the Kaizers Orchestra is playing at the Paradiso. I love this band so much it makes me want to learn Norwegian, just so I can sing along with all the songs. I wonder if I can find the same type of thing in a Dutch band?
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