Round Here

With the end of semester tension, this trip is in my thoughts most of the day. All I can think of is doing homework by the moat (yes, moat) and sketching gondolas in Venice. 

Thursday was a meeting for everyone going. 16 of us. Seems like a good group. I had to rush off right after so I didn't get to talk with anyone extensively, but most people seemed friendly enough. We have a group page on facebook, planning flights and whatnot. The information is all sort of overwhelming; I have so much to line up in a short amount of time. I've no idea what to pack (which usually translates into me over-packing), still haven't booked my flight, and I already have homework due in a couple weeks.

Classes are actually what I'm most excited for. My poor dad has to help me find yet another digital camera (they seem to get lost, go through the wash, and stepped on a regular basis in the Kent house) for the digital photography/art history course I'll be taking. This will be the first time I've gotten to play around on Photoshop, and I have 150 pages of it's manual to read by May 16th and have to take two self portraits. 

It's mildly terrifying (not as terrifying as, say, the movie Prom Night I saw three days ago) to think of being in a place where I don't understand money, language, and nonverbal cues. Forces you to respect the immigrants here when remembering they're not just visiting, but living in that confusion. 

At my meeting, we received this whole printed packet about how a lot of kids who study abroad start to feel the effects of culture shock. Symptoms include identifying very strongly with one's own country, questioning life choices such as area of study, and starting to hate America and not wanting to return. So, that was... encouraging...? It's funny, the man who runs the program seemed to keep piling on facts that were less positive. He had way too many stories about people getting lost, but I'm happy to share with you my personal favorite fun fact about the Netherlands: it's entirely below sea level! Which means the only reason it isn't under water completely is that some hundred year old dykes are holding back the ocean. Again, encouraging. 

My apologies for the randomness and disorganization of this post. I'm off to write a paper and nap. I do love to nap. 

Also, any prayers or good thoughts towards my Yankees here in Boston tonight would be greatly appreciated. :)