The computer I am using tonight is SOOOOO much better.
Today, I moved to a cheap hostel. Tonight, I share a room with 4 other girls. Tomorrow I will be in a dormitory room with 17 other girls.
For the equivalent of approximately $45.00 American, I have a bed, a locker, a hot shower, free breakfast and a hot dinner which is, actually, rather good. I'm a picky eater, so if I say it's good, you can trust me on that! I have always complained about the food in the Netherlands, but the food here is really quite decent. I enjoyed my meal tonight much more than the one I paid 25 Euros for last night, and this one only cost me 5 Euros. Last night, I left hungry and tonight, I ate a plate that was piled high with good, hot food, lots of veggies, it was awesome.
And .... the internet here is great. Prices are even better. I paid 4 Euros for one hour. At the stupid hotel I stayed at last night, I paid 30 cents per minute - one hour would have cost me 18 Euros - the equivalent of almost $30 American. That was just so BOGUS for a computer that didn't even work!
I'm happier here, in many ways, than I was in the much more expensive hotel last night. I was insulated there, but here, I am soaking in the real SPIRIT of the city, and the heart of the country. I have 4 roommates, and they are interesting ladies. Two of them have just finished a 30-day stint of doing media research for the University of Amsterdam. I talked to them about the specifics of their research, and it opened up a whole "crop" of conversation topics for me. The European Union is in the process of setting up a political structure which will be the "umbrella" for all the member nations. All of this fascinates me, because the European Union is growing all the time, gaining more and more members.
The major world powers are re-aligning - RIGHT NOW - and I am talking to people who are actually studying the popular sentiment about all these changes, and the political changes that these voters are creating. I am wishing I didn't have my family stuff to do, and could just stay in Amsterdam and keep talking to these people.
On my way back to the hostel tonight, I stopped at what looked like a fruit stand, but inside, there were so many delectable treats, I couldn't resist buying more food. I bought three little apricots, a handful of ripe black cherries and two bananas for my breakfast and lunch tomorrow, when I will be on the move. I also got a package of (my favourite) water-packed Mediterranean black, salty olives and a round of feta cheese, packed in water so that it's fresh.
I'm not hungry now, but think I'll go back to my room and share the olives and cheese with whoever happens to be there.
I LOVE THIS CITY!!!!!
But I hate seeing the bad things it brings out in some people. There is so much self-degradation here, so much self-abuse, and so many people who are walking around looking and acting like they have already checked out of life. I'm staying in the Jordaan area, which is definitely nice, but when I go to Centraal Station, or anywhere else out of this little area, the mood changes fast. Even in this nice, family area, there are some real "space cadets" wandering around. Their eyes are staring, glassy and dead-looking. They are obviously so stoned that they don't know where they are walking. I ache for them. Just wish I could wrap them up in a blanket and take them to a quiet place for a while, until they came down from whatever they are on - but then, I wouldn't want to be around them when that happened!
This hostel is one of the two biggest in Amsterdam, and both of them are run as non-profits by a Christian ministry organization. As I'm sitting here, typing, I'm listening to one of the volunteers talking to a pair of kids who seem to be feeling kinda lost and confused (kids like that are a dime a dozen in this city, especially at this time of year.) The volunteer worker is talking to them about his experience of a better way of life. Another one of the volunteers - a girl - walked up, and is massaging the girl's shoulders, and both of them are listening. The guy is getting more involved in the conversation, but it looks like the girl is too wasted to really pay attention.
On Saturday there is going to be a huge demonstration, a gay pride parade. I didn't know about it until today when someone told me about it, but now that I know, I'm glad to be leaving that morning. I don't want to get caught in the middle of all those passionate people, some of them defending their relatively unpopular lifestyle without using any class or dignity for their defense, and others protesting them, using equally classless tactics, probably waving anti-gay slogans and screaming "death and destruction" words at the demonstrators. I don't want any part of any of it. I don't want to see it. I don't want to be anywhere near it.
The female of the couple I mentioned has perked up a bit and joined in on the conversation at the "bar." I hope she eats something soon, 'cause she looks like she needs it. Well .... she is in good hands now, I guess.
Gotta go .... gonna take a walk along one of the canals, now that the car traffic is gone and the bicycles are gone. It's a nice night for a stroll.
Today, I moved to a cheap hostel. Tonight, I share a room with 4 other girls. Tomorrow I will be in a dormitory room with 17 other girls.
For the equivalent of approximately $45.00 American, I have a bed, a locker, a hot shower, free breakfast and a hot dinner which is, actually, rather good. I'm a picky eater, so if I say it's good, you can trust me on that! I have always complained about the food in the Netherlands, but the food here is really quite decent. I enjoyed my meal tonight much more than the one I paid 25 Euros for last night, and this one only cost me 5 Euros. Last night, I left hungry and tonight, I ate a plate that was piled high with good, hot food, lots of veggies, it was awesome.
And .... the internet here is great. Prices are even better. I paid 4 Euros for one hour. At the stupid hotel I stayed at last night, I paid 30 cents per minute - one hour would have cost me 18 Euros - the equivalent of almost $30 American. That was just so BOGUS for a computer that didn't even work!
I'm happier here, in many ways, than I was in the much more expensive hotel last night. I was insulated there, but here, I am soaking in the real SPIRIT of the city, and the heart of the country. I have 4 roommates, and they are interesting ladies. Two of them have just finished a 30-day stint of doing media research for the University of Amsterdam. I talked to them about the specifics of their research, and it opened up a whole "crop" of conversation topics for me. The European Union is in the process of setting up a political structure which will be the "umbrella" for all the member nations. All of this fascinates me, because the European Union is growing all the time, gaining more and more members.
The major world powers are re-aligning - RIGHT NOW - and I am talking to people who are actually studying the popular sentiment about all these changes, and the political changes that these voters are creating. I am wishing I didn't have my family stuff to do, and could just stay in Amsterdam and keep talking to these people.
On my way back to the hostel tonight, I stopped at what looked like a fruit stand, but inside, there were so many delectable treats, I couldn't resist buying more food. I bought three little apricots, a handful of ripe black cherries and two bananas for my breakfast and lunch tomorrow, when I will be on the move. I also got a package of (my favourite) water-packed Mediterranean black, salty olives and a round of feta cheese, packed in water so that it's fresh.
I'm not hungry now, but think I'll go back to my room and share the olives and cheese with whoever happens to be there.
I LOVE THIS CITY!!!!!
But I hate seeing the bad things it brings out in some people. There is so much self-degradation here, so much self-abuse, and so many people who are walking around looking and acting like they have already checked out of life. I'm staying in the Jordaan area, which is definitely nice, but when I go to Centraal Station, or anywhere else out of this little area, the mood changes fast. Even in this nice, family area, there are some real "space cadets" wandering around. Their eyes are staring, glassy and dead-looking. They are obviously so stoned that they don't know where they are walking. I ache for them. Just wish I could wrap them up in a blanket and take them to a quiet place for a while, until they came down from whatever they are on - but then, I wouldn't want to be around them when that happened!
This hostel is one of the two biggest in Amsterdam, and both of them are run as non-profits by a Christian ministry organization. As I'm sitting here, typing, I'm listening to one of the volunteers talking to a pair of kids who seem to be feeling kinda lost and confused (kids like that are a dime a dozen in this city, especially at this time of year.) The volunteer worker is talking to them about his experience of a better way of life. Another one of the volunteers - a girl - walked up, and is massaging the girl's shoulders, and both of them are listening. The guy is getting more involved in the conversation, but it looks like the girl is too wasted to really pay attention.
On Saturday there is going to be a huge demonstration, a gay pride parade. I didn't know about it until today when someone told me about it, but now that I know, I'm glad to be leaving that morning. I don't want to get caught in the middle of all those passionate people, some of them defending their relatively unpopular lifestyle without using any class or dignity for their defense, and others protesting them, using equally classless tactics, probably waving anti-gay slogans and screaming "death and destruction" words at the demonstrators. I don't want any part of any of it. I don't want to see it. I don't want to be anywhere near it.
The female of the couple I mentioned has perked up a bit and joined in on the conversation at the "bar." I hope she eats something soon, 'cause she looks like she needs it. Well .... she is in good hands now, I guess.
Gotta go .... gonna take a walk along one of the canals, now that the car traffic is gone and the bicycles are gone. It's a nice night for a stroll.
posted by Me | 2:15 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home