Week 1

After spending the first full week in the program many first impressions have been made. I get along with most everyone in the program which is nice. The classes seem very manageable and the faculty very friendly. The dorms are nice although I have really grown out of dorm life. Being a few years older, 3 for the most part, has been noticeable in some instances. People don't seem to think it makes a difference but after going on a few co-ops and getting a taste for the real world you grow up a little faster than your counterparts.

We went to Amsterdam this weekend, the Van Gogh Museum left a little to be desired. It it definitely worth the few hours, the exhibit on Van Gogh himself takes you through his tortured life as an artist in great detail. It's also very interesting to see how drastically different his paintings got as he progressed. The other floors were okay however it was much smaller than expected and missing a few of his masterpieces.

Other than that we didn't really do much. Walking around the Red Light District at 2 in the morning is a sight you just have to see. If you thought your town was sleazy you're in for a surprise. The main art museum was closed for renovations however I thing it should be back up soon. The Heineken factory was also closed until March. We weren't there for very long and all the rain made walking around the city a little cumbersome. I suggest taking a canal tour if the weather is nicer. The architecture pales in comparison to some of it's Flemmish counterparts like Brussels and Bruge. But the Cenraal Station is magnificent.