An essay-on travel, being alone, and a tiny bit about love.

Recently, my friend Katie posted an article on Facebook.  It was about comments made by Bill Murray's at a South Carolina wedding he crashed over the weekend.  He said,

“If you have someone that you think is The One, don't do… don’t just sort of think in your ordinary mind, 'Okay, let's make a date. Let's plan this and make a party and get married.' Take that person and travel around the world. Buy a plane ticket for the two of you to travel all around the world, and go to places that are hard to go to and hard to get out of. And if when you come back to JFK, when you land in JFK, and you're still in love with that person, get married at the airport.”

And I kind of liked that.  It's pretty real.  And true!

Life really isn't all sunshines and rainbows all the time.   I've had a pretty hard dose of reality this week myself.  Today is Wednesday, I have missed 3 days of work this week, and I missed all previous weekend's festivities because I've been sick since FRIDAY.  This is not at all how I pictured my time in Europe.  My idea of a perfect summer has just been slapped in the face.  I had to cancel a bike ride to a pancake house and castle with my colleagues, I canceled a trip to the zoo in Amsterdam, I turned down plans for dinner, and I didn't make it out for a friend's birthday last night, and I am actually really upset about how far behind I will be in work next week.  But I suppose all of this really is pretty trivial.  My social calendar will recover. 

The upside of this unfortunate illness is that I have had a lot of time to think.  A LOT.  I have literally been so still and had more time to think than I have in the past year.  The busy life of a vet student is not to be understated.  We literally don't have an ounce of effort to dedicate to anything other than school, without sacrificing school (which...yeah, we do sometimes).  And as soon as school ended in April, I was on a plane to California, then back to NC to work for a week, then to Alabama for a NASCAR race, then on a plane to Europe.  And since I've been here, my life still hasn't slowed down for one second.  So many wonderful friends, places to explore, foods to try...

I have been in constant motion since August 14th. 

But this week is different.  Nothing to do.  No exams to study for.  No errands to run.  Just a lot of quite time in my room, in The Netherlands.  And thankfully, it's been chilly and rainy, so I don't feel the desire to be outside.  I've watched a couple movies, had a couple good yoga sessions, spent too much time on Facebook...

I have to admit though, these last few quite days have been rough.  For a girl who obtains a lot of her energy from her active environment and other people, alone time is really just okay if it's planned.  I need to know how long I'll be alone for and when I'll be around people again, so I have something to look forward to.   Again, this week has been different.  I surly didn't expect to feel sick THIS long.  And with a holiday approaching, I really don't want to waste that time at home, alone. 

So yes, beginning tomorrow (Thursday) is a two day holiday during which the University will be closed.  A whole 4-day weekend?!  I have spent hours this week brainstorming where to go.  Italy, Ireland, France?  I have consulted friends on travel plans, and what do to if I still don't feel well tomorrow.  France is the easiest to get to, so I decided to plan a trip to Normandy and Paris.  However, even that has been hard for me to plan.  I'm tremendously hesitant.  This will be my first international trip alone.  Making friends has never been hard for me, but I truly feel very uncertain about a lot of it. I have arrangements to CouchSurf in Normandy tomorrow night, but then what?  And what if the trains are full when I arrive in the morning?  And will I be feeling well enough to travel (which is why I haven't made many reservations yet).  There are literally a thousand things running through my mind, creating all of this uneasiness I'm feeling.  They don't even speak English in France.  Yikes.  Okay, I'm pretty scared now.  

However, traveling by myself is not a totally new concept.  I spent 4 weeks last summer on a road trip around the US with my dog, and truly had some of the greatest experiences of my life.  But I always felt safe from behind the wheel of my car.  It was always comforting for me to know I could sleep in my car if I had to.  And I was in total control of my day; how fast I wanted to get somewhere, or how slow.  But the security of traveling in my own car is about to be challenged on tomorrow's trip to Normandy.  I will essentially be out of control of a lot of situations I'm used to being in control of.  Yes, I am tremendously apprehensive.  But I am trying to remember all of the good reasons to do this as well.  There will still be people where I am going, and some of them will speak English.  There will be food, and shelter, and hotels.  Do I really need much else?  I can always leave when I want (provided there is a train available, when I want).  There is also a lot of opportunity for me to learn.  Before last summer, I had never traveled extensively on my own.  I was scared then too, but I did it.  Same goes for now.  It's just a really good time for me to get over my fears. 

So, to bring it back to Bill's statement. Yes, travel often, and travel when it's hard. It does force you into a different mindset, and the decisions you make tell a lot about yourself.  Even though Bill stresses the importance of traveling with someone else to decide if you're in love with them, I urge you to travel with yourself too.  Learning to love yourself is an entirely different kind of love.  It's the love that will let others in,  somewhere down the road.  It's a love that teaches you to trust yourself, even when all you see in front of you is doubt.  It's also a love that will never abandon you. 

So if you're in a relationship, get out and travel the world with that person!  See what your love is made of!  If you're not (and even if you are!), get out and travel the world alone.  The love you create will blow your mind.  It builds confidence, and strength in times of uncertainty. There is such a powerful energy that comes from making your own decisions, for only you, and then reveling in the success of those moments, or occasionaly, suffering the consequences.  Either way, it's worth it.  Plus, it always makes for a good story to share.  ;)

I am also deeply saddened by the passing of Maya Angelou today.  Always a sucker for a good poem, and she will be greatly missed.  She's leaving me with the perfect quote tonight:  'Trust life, a little bit.'

Races and parties

So I apparently arrived in The Netherlands just in time for THE vet school event of the year.  The Diergeneeskundige Studenten Kring (DSK) is the name of the vet school student organization and once a year they host an event called the Peerdepieten.  It's this enormous horse race event weekend.  They have this impressive board, which my friend Bart was a member of a couple years ago, and the board manages and plans everything.  The event began on Saturday with the Peerdepieten race where the veterinary students dress up in their best English Ascot style.  It was explained to me that means the women wear classy sundresses with big hats, and the men wear nice suits, often with tophats.  There is even a difference in the type of coattails they have for daytime vs. nighttime events!  

Of course there was a Welsh Corgi there...

This was the first hours race I attended, and was so fun!  Even though it was freezing cold and raining...

Old school J. Lo. videos on the bus ride?  Okay. 

They began the event with a parade of student organizations, then had about 9 actual races.  The horses pull carts and have to remain in a trot the entire race (usually 3 laps or so).  And everyone bets on the races.  I bet one whole Euro...and lost it...so that was the end of my risk taking.  Inside they had beer, wine and typical Dutch food.  

The student who won!

One of the races was composed entirely of students who, through a very selective process, were lucky enough to spend the last several months training to compete.  It is apparently an honor to compete, and a pretty big deal to win!  The girl that won her race was so emotional!  After After the races, they hosted a party for the students!  So we danced a good while, and collapsed by the time we made it on the bus to come back to Utrecht!

Hannah and Fred discussing bets.

My betting ticket! 

Where did they get an American school bus?

Hannah and Fred, and the horses!

Liselot and Bart were handing out some of the awards. 

With sweet Liselot! :)

Liselot made me take a photo with the handsome guys....ooookkkayy.  ;)

Dancing with Hannah!

After the races on Saturday, the DSK organization also plans the annual gala on Sunday night, which is comparable to the formal at the CVM, yet slightly different.  Drinks were unlimited, and they had this crazy awesome DJ!  It reminded me more of just a party than a formal, and it was so much fun!  Kristina, the other student here from NCSU also joined us!  It was supposed to be a mascarade party, but most of us had lost our masks (or rubbed off the paint) before the end of the night.  And this party didn't end until 3am!  That made for a fun Monday morning, which happened to be my first day at work...

A professional photographer got a pic of the whole group!

Liselot, Kristina, Hannah, and I

Kristina and I!  Reppin' NC State! :)

Just met this girl, and love her!

This was the DJ.  YES.

Utrecht shopping

Evening storms give the best light!  No filter.  View after stepping off the bus at my apartment!

Slept til 11am...not hungover!

Liselot and I enjoyed some errand running and shopping in the city center of Utrecht.  There were so many outdoor stores!  I would have been lost without her.  H&M was everywhere (about like Starbucks in any American city), and I saw a Foot Locker!  The architecture was stunning.  I can't wait to go back and buy flowers from the little flower market and sit by the canals sipping on coffee.  :)

Mmm, coffee.

Sprinkles for breakfast

Day 2

Morning light

sprinkles for breakfast!

Woke up the morning of day 2, surprised to not be suffering too much from jet lag.  It's more like just suffering from exhaustion of the last three weeks.  It was still a slow start though.  Liselot drinks hot tea, so she doesn't have a coffee maker.  I need to get one of those, ASAP.  Liselot also told me about a breakfast food I had to try.  It seems the Dutch love to eat bread with sprinkles!  So for breakfast I had some crackers with butter and sprinkles (Hagelslag). It was pretty amazing; both creamy and sweet!

That afternoon I had a meeting with the organizers of my program and Kristina!  Kristina is a student from NC State and she's in my class!  She is here with Merial also, but her project is different than mine.  We'll probably see each other more once I get into the lab on Monday. 
We actually found a skeleton of a giraffe that is just like one at NC State, so we obviously had to take a picture with it!  It kind of reminded both of us of home. 

Liselot and Bart

Liselot and Bart invited me to dinner with their friends Hannah and Fred, who live just across the street.  Liselot and I decided to make lemon pie, with all kinds of crazy food coloring!  It turned out to be quite the experiment.  We increased the quantities of ingredients, but didn't really measure it.  Here in Europe, they weigh out all of the ingredients they use in recipes, unlike in America where we measure with cups and such.  So the recipe ingredients were described in grams.  The dough was blue, the custard was green, and we swirled red in it!  Then we had to bake it at Hannah's, and some of the ovens here aren't like regular, giant American ovens.  They are like large toaster ovens on countertops, about the size of microwaves!  So things can cook a little differently.  We think we got it mostly cooked...and since no one got sick, we must have done just fine!  It was quite delicious.

Dinner conversation was incredible.  Fred was the former president of International Veterinary Students' Association and has traveled all over the world attending veterinary conferences.  Actually, at the SAVMA Symposium in Colorado this year, Kristina and I were introduced to the current president, who is also a student at Utrecht.  Bart has also traveled a considerable amount.  I loved hearing stories about international travel!  Like the time Fred was detained briefly and investigated because he had recently been to Turkey.  And the 18+ hour flight Bart took to Japan as a teenager.  Bart actually looks a lot like Daniel Radcliffe, and in Japan they apparently thought it was hilarious because the entire customs counter had to have a look when he went through!  
We also talked about the violence in America, and how it's just not the same here.  Very few people have guns in The Netherlands, and therefore, they just don't have public massacres the way we do in America.  We talked about weed, which turns out, is illegal here!  The authorities just don't seem to care...And the wine we had at dinner was from California.  Haha, I can't believe I flew all the way to Europe to drink American wine!

Local dinner conversations

 We ended the incredible night at a local bar.  It's actually under a dorm, and students volunteer to run it, so the alcohol is super cheap!  Rounds of apple sour shots for almost nothing!  Proost!!  (cheers)

The first days...

I'm 3 days behind on posting, so here we go!

Day 0-1

Tear filled flight out of Raleigh

Initially, the trip was off to a rough start.  Since I packed my previous 3 weeks with adventures in California and Alabama,  I ended up leaving myself less than 24 hours to pack and say my goodbyes in Raleigh, which was not enough time.  When Mom waved me goodbye in the airport, tears running down her face, I knew my strong, excited facade was over.  I literally began bawling taking off my shoes in the security line shuffle and didn't stop until Philadelphia. The flight over Raleigh was beautiful though, and thankfully the man beside me didn't say anything about my crying.  I really just wanted to be left alone anyways.  I knew I was headed into the unknown, totally alone, and was already anticipating missing everyone, and my dog, Casey.


Turns out it was just a weak few moments.  Once I boarded my international flight to Amsterdam, I was totally ready.  I had just befriended 17 Dutch students in the airport who all eased my concerns in their nearly perfect English (which was totally surprising!) and they were on my flight.  Whew.  So we all boarded on time, stuffed our bags in every little space we could, and began to settle in for a 7 hour transatlantic flight.  After a while of no aircraft movement, we all began to wonder what was going on.  An announcement came over the loud speaker stating there was a problem with a radio they were required to carry, and the mechanical crew was working on it.  By now though, I had already conducted my general introductions to everyone around me and was in the process of figuring out their life stories.  My favorite thing about flying is meeting people.  People who challenge your opinions, make you laugh, and share stories of their adventures past and future dreams.  Within a few minutes, I knew I liked Sandy and Bob.  An older couple from Florida, Sandy and Bob were meeting 4 other couples in Amsterdam to take a cruise north.  They were flying out two days early so they could travel around a bit.  Very funny individuals, both of them made me laugh instantly!  For the next 2 hours on our stationary aircraft we just kept feeding off each others positive energy and just laughed and told stories while we waited to hear of our new takeoff time.  Now, 3 hours later, they announce that the aircraft is irreparable and we are to board another one.  So we re-entered the terminal, received our food vouchers (since we had not yet been served our airplane supper), and Sandy, Bob, and I set out to find a restaurant that was still open in the airport. 

woohoo!  Extra seat=more room!

I was impressed to find Sandy and Bob wanted me tag along with them, and even saved me a seat in the food court.  I found out they were high school sweethearts, married for 45 years, who had literally know each other since they were in kindergarten.  After a grand 5 hour delay, we finally took off into the Philadelphia night sky.  Sandy and I had managed to nab a row with a seat between us (woohoo, more room!).  We exchanged emails, each ordered a glass of wine, and drifted into sleep.  

hello Holland

Train ride to Utrecht

Navigating Amsterdam transportation wasn't as bad as I expected.  I bought a ticket and was directed to the proper train platform.  I officially boarded a train in Europe!  Me and my 2 suitcases!  Yay!  I had arranged to meet a friend, Liselot (who I was renting the apartment from) at the Burger King in the Utrecht train station.  Miraculously, I made it without any problems and literally could have jumped in her arms.  I was finally where I was supposed to be!  I bought a Starbucks coffee and we made our way to the buses. 

Starbuxx

Upon boarding, the driver looked at me in a severely disapproving way, and explained to Liselot that coffee isn't allowed on buses. 
I could have cried, but thank goodness she explained I was just in from America and the driver allowed me to maintain possession of my lifeline.  I was so flustered between managing my suitcases, hurriedly buying a bus ticket from my chastising driver, and hearing dutch for the first time, that I actually did manage to spill some of my coffee along the entire ride...oops. 

Arrival in Utrecht!  Waiting for the bus. 

my apartment building

My apartment is this grand confetti colored building.  15 stories high, and I'm on the 10th.  It's one big room with a kitchen, living room, and bedroom.  Like a flat or loft I suppose?  And I have a private bathroom!  Liselot is staying with her boyfriend, Bart, 4 floors above me until she leaves on her summer trip in 2 weeks.  My view is of the vet faculty, which is a mere 5 minute walk.
Ah, I made it.  Liselot and Bart made me dinner and I immediately felt comfortable and as if I could make a home out of this opportunity.  I climbed into bed, and watched the lights over the city out my window before drifting into sleep.  Day 1, conquered. 

.   

Resurrecting the blog!

Alrightyyyy, officially bringing back the blog.  I started this blog when I moved to Colorado 3 years ago, and since have continued to travel, often by car.  Last summer I drove across the United States on a cross country road trip with my dog, Casey.  Although I never posted any blog entries, I had at least drafted them!   This time though, I am taking to the skies and headed to Europe! 

I am spending my summer in the city of Utrecht in The Netherlands!  I am doing research for the Merial Veterinary Scholars Program at the vet faculty here.  My project is related to antibiotic resistant bacteria on farms and possible transmission via mice and insects on the farms.  My program lasts 10 weeks and I have to be back in the US by July 31 to present my project at a research symposium at Cornell sponsored by Merial and NIH.  It should be a good time!  I have lots of little trips planned, but can't wait for all the excitement of the unplanned adventures too!  Stay tuned!  :)

http://www.uu.nl/faculty/veterinarymedicine/en/pages/default.aspx