The rain has started. Heavy wind storms are a regular thing which means classes get cancelled or moved virtually! Rain is heavy and consistent throughout the day. November weather shows only 2 days where there is a chance of no rain. Umbrellas are useless due to the wind so everyone invests in a heavy-duty raincoat, ponchos, and rainpants. This makes biking nearly impossible…although I have seen some crazy falls due to the wind. There is barely any daylight anymore since the sun rises around 9 and it is dark by 6. This is the time when I am thankful my housing has a gym and restaurant incase I can’t make it out due to the weather. Although fewer activities are being done outside, Dutch folks are used to this and just move inside! My ultimate team has moved to indoors which is something I have never tried before but the first practice went well!
Christmas and holiday decorations are being put up around the city center which has made it adorable. My P2 classes are underway and so far seem very interesting. I am continuing my Dutch course which has become handy when it comes to my volunteering, grocery shopping, or small talk with locals!
November is when most of the students in my program are traveling so every weekend I am going out with a different group and meeting new people which has been exciting! I have also met a lot of people through Social Hub which is the hotel I am staying at. Several different exchange programs are being housed here so I am always starting conversations with other students! My floor is coed, all from IES, and super friendly. We have managed to keep the kitchen clean so I have no complaints!
I feel like I have just laid down my roots with my volunteering, knowing local bartenders and chefs by name, getting closer to my friends, and not having to pull up Google Maps every time I leave the house, so it is sad to think I have 2 months left here. The majority of my weekends left here will be spent in other countries so that leaves weekdays for me to find local gems in Amsterdam.
I will attach some photos from Halloween weekend at my volunteering location! The adults were so happy to dress up and go out for some candy it was very wholesome. Volunteering has brought structure to my schedule, connections with locals, and is rewarding! 