Sicknesses

It is day 7 in Amsterdam, and I feel just about as lost as I did on day 1, if not more. The first few days were just a lot of orientation, and then we had Sunday off. I went out with a few people on Sunday to explore and looked for some boots with no luck. After stepping in a big puddle today while wearing my sneakers and sitting through a 3 hour class with frozen wet toes, I might double the forces on the mission of new shoes. That night I had some kind of nasty stomach illness. I don't know if it was food poisoning or what, but to say the least it was unpleasant. So on Monday I was pretty dibilitated, and feeling quite homesick. I skyped with Dad and and Daniel H. and it was nice to hear from home. Some fatherly advice usually helps. The time difference is a little rough, especially because I have adapted quite a strange sleeping schedule. I usually wake up around 6 or 7 am, wide awake, and then pass out by 8 or 9 at the latest. So unlike myself... but I'm also not awake and home for most of the US's daytime hours, so finding time to talk is hard, and leaves me feeling very disconnected.

I do feel better today. I had my first class- Sexuality from a Cross Cultural Perspective. It is very interesting, and my professor seems really good. We have two books to read for the class, and I'm looking forward to both. Our grades are 50% a final paper, 30% essay-midterm, and 20% class presentation. Very different from PSU where we mostly just have exams.

Starting class has made me feel a lot better. Now I have something to do other than sit in my room missing home. Before I kind of felt like I was here for no reason other than to be away from what is familiar, and I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. A lot of the other students here are really into going out drinking or smoking a lot, but at this point it doesn't sound appealing to me. Considering that I'm already so uncomfortable with my surroundings, and don't really know anyone yet, I don't really view that kind of "bonding" as valuable. I don't mean to sound anti-fun, because I certainly am not, but I'm still getting my footing here. I don't understand how so many other people are ready for that now.

Well, my current mission is to figure out how to print things in our student center (where I am currently writing) and purchase some school supplies. Today I took notes in my tiny notepad with a borrowed pen: unacceptable. I might also add getting some frenchfries (with mayonaise?!) to my to-do list. Tomorrow: Music and Cognition.