Well hello again! It’s been a while…apologies for that. Time just seems to disappear!

This one’s going to be short and sweet as I’m leaving for the airport in 5.5 hours to fly to the US for the Duke program. I’ll be in North Carolina for about a week and then in the Hague with a group of talented high school students teaching them about International Law. Pretty sweet gig and I’m really looking forward to it. My mom is also joining me in North Carolina which will be just fantastic. We have the first couple of days together before the program starts to catch up, shop, and enjoy some good eats in the NC area. Thanks to Megan for the suggestions of things to do/places to eat while we’re there!

The program information can be found here. You can follow our progress during the program on this blog.

Since my last update a few things have happened:

1. I went with Stijn and two of his colleagues, Janna and Lineke, to the Efteling. It was a magical place–definitely the cleanest, classiest amusement park I’ve ever been to! I felt like a little kid on some of the rides, but it was really really cool. Pictures are here. My favorite was the Vogel Rock and Vliegende Hollander (yes, Flying Dutchman).

2. I had another soccer tournament but this time a weekend affair in Groningen, in the north of the Netherlands. It was my first time in that province and city and I had a blast with my soccer teammates. We had quite an adventure getting there with some delays and cancelations of trains, but once we were there, it was great. We started off Friday evening with an opening party that went well into the wee hours of the morning complete with beer and lots of dancing. Soccer seemed secondary during this tournament, though the games during the day were great. The weather was just perfect, so no complaints there. Saturday we played our games and then a nice barbecue before party night #2 that also went way into the early morning. We were awoken around 8.30 both mornings by dance music and a reminder that we actually had to work through the hangovers to make it onto the fields for our games. It was an extremely fun weekend. I don’t have the pictures up just yet, but will hope to get them soon.

3. My research is going really well for the University of Utrecht project and Ian is done grading my final paper for the Child Maintenance project, so that’s good. I’m working on perhaps changing my thesis project to match the research I’ve started on the role of NGOs in post-conflict society (the UU project) but have nothing finalized. I definitely need to get after that soon!

4. We had our team season closing last night where our Italian coach Marco fixed us a very delicious Italian dinner. The pictures are here and here. Please don’t judge the creepy face I am making with my coach on the first picture

So for now, that’s the update. I’m still alive and enjoying all that I’m doing. Would love updates from you if you have a chance!

Tot ziens!

Hey!

Yesterday the Odysseus ‘91 Dames 3 played in a 7 versus 7 tournament held at KDS, another football club in Utrecht. The theme of the tournament was Oud Hollandsche Spelen (Old Dutch Games). We played 5 games (20 minutes each) and won 4, lost only one. It was a super day, hanging with my teammates, scoring a few goals, and practicing my Dutch.

Between games, we had time to watch the other Ody teams participating in the tournament and to play typically Dutch games such as Sjoelen (kind of a bit like shuffleboard) and Koekhappen (where a bit of breakfast bread, called Ontbijt Koek, is suspended in the air and the object is that you’re the first to eat it all off the string. See example photos here and here. The first is of children, which is what the game is meant for, and the second is of the Crown Prince Willem Alexander being typically Dutch.). Another game we played was called Spijkerpoepen, where you tie a string with a nail around your waist–the nail is suspended–and you try to squat while coercing the nail into the mouth of a wine bottle. This one was quite tough, but very funny to see 20-something-year-old women squatting for this one. Example pictures here and here. The games were a fun intermission to our soccer fun. When all was said and done, we were the champions (kampioenen) of the Tournament!

This week I have a lot of fun in store. Thursday is (another) national holiday, Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day) and since Friday occurs between a national holiday and a weekend, it is a compulsory day off as well. Have I mentioned how much I love this country and its policies toward vacation?

That reminds me of an interesting piece in the New York Times magazine written by an American living in the Netherlands. He does a good job of addressing the seemingly large gap between American and the Netherlands (and discusses the elements of the Socialism label that many Americans are quick to tag the Dutch state with despite not understanding that there are benefits conferred to all citizens when taxes are paid). If you have time and are interested, it is found here.

At any rate, Wednesday I am headed down to the very South of the country to Heerlen, where Stijn’s family lives to hang with the fam a bit and to visit a restaurant called Cuba Libre for a story he is doing. Apparently, you can negotiate the price of your meal, very helpful in these economic crisis times we’re in-haha. Then, Friday, we’re off with a couple of his colleagues to the Efteling, a Dutch themepark apparently very well crafted and typically Dutch as well. One of the more popular rides as I understand it is the Vliegende Hollander (yes, the Flying Dutchman). I think for me it’s an excuse to revert back to being a 12-year-old again…

(This is the entrance to the Efteling–woah).

So, that’s the latest and greatest. Other than this, I’m busy busy with my job and thesis writing. I hope you’re all well! Hope to give you a full report soon on all the fun from the coming week. Tot ziens!