Rain, Trains and the Weekend

So I will talk about the weekend I promise, but first i have to say that I am very sad. It's raining here again. boo.

And now to the weekend!

So first, the trains. Ohh the trains. I knew that Europe had great public transportation. I didn't realize that it would be so hard for me to figure it all out. On friday I left for Goes at 3:47, but since I had to go all the way across the country I had to change trains several times. I went Delden to Zutphen to Arnhem to Roosendaal to Goes. The way there was pretty good, although I did almost get off at the wrong place, one of the train people caught me before the train left. The way back was where it got complicated, I was supose to go Goes to Rotterdam to Utrect to Arnhen to Zutphen to Delden. But we all left half an hour early and went to Roosendaal then to Rotterdam, but we got in Rotterdan early so I got on a earlier train to Utrect with some of the Rotex (ex-rotary exchange students). So Esme, one of the Rotex, put me on a train to Arnhem and from there I was by myself. On the train to Arnhem there was no seats left, so I ended up sitting in the doorway on my bag. There was another girl there and she let me borrow a Cosmo mag. to keep me awake. Then I arived in Zutphen and missed my train by a minute. So I ended up having wait an hour for the next train, not very much fun. So that was my first train experience, at least I made it home in one piece!

Other than the trains the weekend was very much fun. Friday night we all sat and talked and caught up with how everyone was doing. It was really good to see everyone again. Then we went to bed, I ended up sleeping in the same bed as Patty (Ohio, USA) and Julianna (Ontario, Canada), and the other people in my room were Meaghan (New Brunswick, Canada), Haruka (Japan), Sara (Washington State, USA) and Kalie(New York, USA). It was "gezellig"...I don't know any other way to descride it. Gezellig is like cozy and warm and lots of people and lots of laughter, the Dutch pride it in being the only word that isn't translatable into any other language.

Saturday we went and saw the Deltaworks, which is a large series of dams the control all the dikes and canals in Holland. Because most of the Netherlands is below sea level, this is a very important part of the country. So we hung out there and watched a few movies on the Dams, took a boat ride to see one ofthe dam, and stuff. It was very interesting all the history and work the people in Holland have put into this.

(One of the Dams)

After Deltaworks we went back to the youth hostel we were staying at and ate supper. Then we played some games and had to present a skit on either an alternative ending or scene for a movie. After that we started up the music and danced (mostly spanish again) for a while. Then some of us went upstairs and sat in the hallway and just hungout and talked again. After a while a few people went to bed, and I realized that my bed had been stolen, so I ended up bedless. So it ended up being Charly(Mexico), Paula(Argentina), Kalie (NY, USA) and me sitting in the hallway. After a while we were joined by more people and I fell asleep in the hallway. Then me and Kalie went to bed (I ended up sharing a tiny bed with her).

Then Sunday we went sailing, but there was no wind so it ended up just kind of sitting in the boat talking. In my boat was Duncan(Arizona, USA), Raki (Brazil) and Matt (New York, USA). Then we went home.

So that was my weekend. I had a lot of fun! I already miss everyone. Life in Holland is still great!

Love everyone!

Doei!

Jayden

p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!

p.p.s. heres the rest of the picutes:http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54036&l=93fa9&id=51928056

its been a while

Hey!

Sorry that I haven't posted in a while. Life is a lot like life in Medicine Hat...only wetter. Though we have had sunshine the past few days, so exciting:).

Yesterday I met with my Nederlands (Dutch) teacher and my new tutor, Lotte, to discuss a plan to help me learn Dutch. My Nederlands teacher bought me the book Dutch For Dummies. Also, for the month of October, I don't have to take several courses, in that time I will be putting my time to better use learning Dutch in the Library. I don't have to take, French (Thank goodness, it is sooo hard learning a language from people who aren`t speaking your language), Maatschappijleer (like social), Maatschappijwetenschappen (I still don`t know what that course is about), Levensbeschouwing (The meaning of life class) and Geschiedenis (history). So hopefully this plan will help me learn Dutch a bit faster.

I had a free class today to start my studying, and I would like to ask something. Who knows what, `The perfect tense is formed with an auxiliary plus the past participle of the verb.` (Dutch For Dummies page 38) means? I sure dont. Also, I had to take an English test other day, I spent 2 full minutes trying to remember what an irregualar verb was, man did I feel stupid. Another example, in French class I sit beside a girl who is originally from Australia, here`s one of our conversations.
Lotte: So you have to write a few sentences about the picture. (A girl in a white turtle neck)
Me: Ok so like what kind of sentences (question mark)
Lotte: Like her jumper is white. Only in French.
Me: O, Ok. Whats a Jumper?
Lotte: Her sweater. What do Canadians call them? Hoddie?
Me: Shes not wearing a hoddie.
Lotte: What do you call that?
Me: A turtle neck...
Lotte: Oh, wow thats cool... (sarcasm) So you call all sweaters turtle necks?
Me: Noo, it's not a sweater, its a shirt.
Lotte: But it doesn't have buttons.
Me: So?
Lotte: Shirts have buttons.
Me: Not all shirts. What do you call that? *Points to someones shirt*
Lotte: A top.
Me: Oh.
It went on like that for a while. I short, I think I`m learning a lot of English here, as well as Dutch.

Also, Marita (Germany) touched on the differences in groups at school in her blog. I have to agree with her, there aren`t groups here in Holland here either. Everyone in my year is friends with everyone else. It is much different than in Canada where everyone has a group of friends, and they stick with the same friends, eat lunch at the same table with that same group of friends, hang out with the same people after school. I like the Dutch way much better, this way I can get to know everyone. Oh! and happy 18th Marita!

Hm...On a side note, being an exchange student has really let me appreciate the small nice things that people do. Like, the other day in Lichamelijke Opvoeding (Gym) we were playing Ultimate Frizbee, I was tying my shoe, and one of the guys on my team stopped (with the frizbee) and waited for me to finish to resume the game. Or today, I was walking to the Library before I should have had French class, and one of the guys that I had French class stopped me to make sure I knew we had French. I guess what I`m saying that it`s nice that people are looking out for me even if I don`t know them very well. The small things like that are really the things that make me feel accepted here.

On a different note completely, I`m going down to Zeeland today for a Rotex weekend! I`m really excited to see all the inbounds again. We are going to see the big dam that controls a lot of the canals in Holland, and go sail and stuff. I will try to update with pictures and everything when I get back from that!

I think thats it.

Doei!

Jayden

p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!

Photo's!

Hello All,

I'm am happy to report that my computer is now up and running...meaning I get to upload pictures again! In this post there is some of sail week and some of my life here at home.

<-- the boats

<-- A windmill, canal and sail boats.

<-- The Dutch Square Trees (they makes frames and attach the tree branches to them so the tree grow square and flat.)

<-- Youth hostel we stayed at.

<-- Typical Blue Freis Tile

<-- Water Tower in Delden

<-- Castle in Delden

<-- My House

<-- My Bike

<-- My host brother before a football game deck out in all orange and a canada hat:)

<-- Host Families Children.

Thats all for now. The reast of the pictures are on facebook, so check them out!

Not much has really happened here. On September 26-28 I have a Rotary trip to Delta Works and Paris is October 14-17. So look for more picture after those dates!

In other news, guess what flew into my house the other night? Thats right, another bat!

I think thats all.

Doei!

Jayden.

p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!

Sailing etc.

Hey!

Back from sailing camp! Sorry there arn't any pictures right now, they are on the other computer and its internet is currently down. I'll try to put them up either today or tomorrow, but no promises.
Sailing is very cool, I love it. We stay in a youth hostel with the sailing instructors and some staff. I stayed in a room with 4 other girls, everyone was vry nice. Our boats were small 5-6 person boats, so there were 4-5 people in each boat with an instuctor, and the groups changes everyday so that every one got to sail with different people. We would normally leave between 9-9:30, sail till around 12, eat lunch in a little town and then sail back to where we were staying. Everyone got to learn how to opperate all parts of the boat. Steering was my favourite thing to do. Hold the ropes for the main sail and the jib hurt the hands! Also, when sailing, you get VERY wet.
Also school trips are much different here than back in Canada! For one, no teachers went with us, it was just the sailing instructors till us. Also, we didn't have a set time to go to bed. THe last night, we stay up and danced and chilled out with the younger sailing instructors till 6 in the morning. I'd like to see that happen on the schoo trip back home!
I think thats it about sailing, but I have something else to write about other that sailing...

As of today I have been in Holland one month! Wow time flies, it hasn't felt nearly that long.
Some things I have learned it that, Hi5's, the phrases "awesome", and "okay" have extended to europe,Chinese food is all over the world, along with swearing (everyone swears in english) and that mayo on fries is really good and high gas prices is good for the environment. Also, with a few words in dutch an a smile, everyone is willing to help you.

Still Loving Holland.

Doei!

Jayden

p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!