On Berlin

Berlin was never on my travel itinerary. For some reason, I just never had a desire to go. When my friend Krista put me in contact with her best friend Lisa, I had no reason not to go. What I did not realize is how new the city is. It has been in constant change for the last 100 years. When Hitler rose to power, Berlin became home to the Nazi regime and faced great changes. Following Hitler’s death, the Soviets took over Berlin and communism took over the city. The Berlin Wall was erected in 1961 and stood there until 1989. It is crazy to think that the wall only came down 20 years ago. I was alive, though young, but still alive. My generation is resurfacing the face of this city and giving new meaning to the way in which they live their lives. I arrived in Berlin on the 30^th of June after taking my last Ryan Air flight. I will say, I will not miss the experience but will miss the price.

One of the most interesting sites I went to while in Berlin was the Jewish Memorial. It is a large memorial above and underground. The symbolic representation is left up to the viewer to decide. Peter Eiseman, the architect behind the memorial, does not share his interpretation, but feels that it is up for every viewer to create his or her own. The memorial is placed at a 19,000 square meter site with 2,711 stones. The stones are of various heights, but have the same widths and lengths. Though Eiseman does not provide a meaning for the memorial, his project documents state that the placement of the stones is meant to make the visitor feel uneasy and it creates a confusing atmosphere.

This was my interpretation: It looks like many different things at once. Standing at the front looking directly into the memorial, it looks like massive headstones or coffins placed one on top of the other. As I walked into the memorial, and passed between different stones, I felt like I was wondering through a deportation or selection line. Various stones in differing heights represented children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. I weaved in and out of the lines, feeling disoriented and turned around at times. Depending on the time of day and the suns position in the sky, different sides of the stones receive a shadow. The stones are cold, though the day was warm.

Under the stone memorial, there is an exhibition. It starts with history of the Holocaust, Berlin, and Germany under Hitler. The next room is directly below the memorial. This is evident by the stones that are in the ceiling. Artifacts are projected onto the floor and presented in a block shape, representing the stone memorial above. Again, the visitor must walk around the room in the same manner as the above memorial. The room is quite. The border of the room is a list of countries that suffered from the Holocaust. Because the memorial above is built on slanted ground, the roof of the exhibition moves up and down, making some rooms taller than others.

While under the memorial there is a room that lists names of victims that are on record. It tells their stories or what is known about them (i.e. dates born and died). The next room is dedicated to various concentration caps across Europe. There are information booths with phone to listen to additional information. It is interesting the way that the Holocaust is preserved in varying mediums. How does one preserve and honor memory? We erect memorials and monuments, create a film or write a script, poem, or book or take pictures. These are all important ways to preserve memory, because soon, the personal accounts from survivors will only be a memory to be preserved by their lineage. 

What I really came to love about Berlin is the resurgence of youth and the city’s ability to turn negative aspects into positive ones. I saw this mainly with graffiti and Germany’s policy on recycling. Graffiti is no longer a crime and walking down any given street will provide someone with amazing artwork and murals. This makes Berlin so unique. I saw some of the most amazing graffiti just walking down random streets. The artistic representation of humanity and change on the East Side Gallery is amazing. The new generation of Berlin is not living in the shadow of the past. They are very aware and critical of the tainted history of Germany and Berlin, but this is not stopping them. When it comes to recycling, Germany charges a deposit of .25-euro cents for any plastic or aluminum container. Most tourists throw these containers out. They do not sit in the trashcans for long because the homeless and poor collect them. This keeps the city clean and gives the poor and homeless credit at a grocery store.

A highlight of the trip was going to a bar called Froschkönig (Frog King) and having a truly local experience. An old man joined out table and was hilarious. He only spoke German, which Lisa translated for me. He had been drinking for some time, and he turned to me, and in German, he said something along the lines of you have beautiful ears in this light. We all had a good laugh and continued having a few drinks with the old man and the bar owner. This was another great experience with being the minority in language but enjoying myself nonetheless. 

Pictures to be added later....

Peace,

JP

On Leaving Holland

I know it has been a while since my last blog. I left Holland this morning and it was  thard. I grew as a person because of the people, adversity, and experiences I had along the way. I am forever grateful to the people who have enriched my life. Each person taught me about myself. I have been searching for the words to articulate the experience and have decided to do it in the fashion of Mary Schmich, the author of “Advice, Like Youth, Probably Just Wasted on the Young,” which was later turned into the song, “Wear Sunscreen” by Baz Lurman. Here is what I took from the past 5 months:

Don't always do what's comfortable. Challenge yourself.

Make the best of every moment. Try not to focus on the negative but look at the positive. Every situation has a lesson

Learn from others. They'll teach you about yourself.

Have fun.

Don't be afraid of adversity. Meet it with determination.

Embrace any weather. If the sun comes out, go outside and enjoy it. Or if it's raining, dance.

Adjusting is difficult. Everyone goes through it. Embrace it.

Write memories down and take pictures. That way you'll never forget the moments that defined your journey.

Fell comfortable with making fun of yourself. You may look ridiculous, but someone else will always be the bigger fool.

Smile.

Fight for oven space. You never know when the oven will be missing.

Don't expect every night to be a good sleep. Someone will always be there to wake you up.

Always remember that nothing is permanent. All experiences will come to an end but that is a good thing. The end is what makes experiences reflective. It reminds us of what matters.

Friends are family.

Don't waste time being judgmental. You'll miss out on some great people.

The people we meet along the road of life may live miles away from home, but home is in the heart and both transcend.

Everyone who studies abroad chose to do so for various reasons. Regardless of the specific reason, one reason that remains true for everyone, is to do something different.

Dance. Even of it is very inappropriate.

Take your shirt off if it fells right.

Laugh.

Watch the sunrise.

Be comfortable when plans change. Nothing is set in stone until after it happens.

Go with the flow.

Fall off your bike with grace and a smile.

Leave your mark.

Loosen up.

Travel. Observe the customs and living conditions of other cultures. You'll see how fortunate you are.

RyanAir sucks. You may have to wear all your clothes to get through the weighing station. The cheap flight is worth it.

Couchsurf. You'll meet interesting people and get a different perspective.

Enjoy downtime. Watch a movie or kick around a ball.

Make family dinners.

Don't fret about money or buying your friend a beer. It'll all even out in the end.

Learn to fix a bike.

Travel to other places but learn and explore the city you live in. You never know what surprises it has in store.

Don't ever say goodbye. Because it's always until next time…

The following quotes are ones I picked up or stumbled upon at various times in the last five months:

"There’s a trick to the 'graceful exit.' It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, or a relationship is over — and let it go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance to our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving up, rather than out." (Annonymos)

"You'll think you leave you heart there until you recognize that love transcends all borders + is applicable anywhere. You'll think you leave you heart there until you recognize that love transcends all borders + is applicable anywhere" (Amy Liedy)

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Additonally, if you are unfamiliar with the song and article that inspired this blog, you can check it out with this link:

You can watch the video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI

So to Holland and all the people I met along the way, all I have to say is, until next time…

On “Thriving” Civilizations: Past and Present

What is left of Rome and the Roman Empire are structures made of brick and stone. They were built to withstand anything, particularly attacks. There was careful design and planning in the construction of this ancient city. The remains speak to this.

In the modern world, we have tall buildings and architectural feats as well; they are not similar, they are just different. In two thousand years, what will be left of the world we live in today? Our skyscrapers, buildings and homes will be just a frame, an empty shell of what was.

As I write this, I am staring at the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. What is left of the incomparable design and building structure is fading into night as the sun sets to the east. The bricks have become redder as the sun moves further east. It is as if I am in Sedona, Arizona – watching the ancient rock formations fade into the purple haze of dusk.

The Forum and the Colosseum have been through earthquakes, fires, wars, floods, pillaging and looting. I know this sounds cliché, but if these walls could talk, they would provide a lot of insight into the past and this, intern, would help us understand the direction for the future.

When the modern world is gone the glass walls of skyscrapers will shatter, the wood frames of homes and buildings will decay and rot while the steel frames will remain standing – lifeless, without walls, floors, windows or character. Will generations to come understand our lifestyle and culture with only small fragments and empty shells? There is no Pantheon, Colosseum or Roman forum in the modern world. We have no pyramids, unless The Luxor in Las Vegas counts, which I am pretty sure it does not.

Even the houses we live in cant compare to historical architecture. Look at the old dwellings of the early Spanish and Mexican – Americans. The pueblo homes, of mud and sticks, dried from the desert sun still stand, and aide in understanding a culture and way of life. Cookie cut and manufactured homes will be left to learn from the modern world. What was once a home will become nothing more trash and litter the grounds where a subdivision once “thrived.” These homes are able to stand up against the natural course of the world.

The buildings in front of me, from the Roman Empire were built brick by brick and stone by stone and over a long period of time. Houses in the United States go up in a little over three months in the “thriving” subdivisions. All a contracting company needs to do is throw up a frame of cheap 2x4 plywood, add some insulation, and nail in some drywall to cover the insulation and frame. Now the frame has become a shell. If the house is in the southwest, it may be sprayed with some cement and eventually given a stucco finish. If the house is in Boise, Idaho, cover it with flimsy plastic/aluminum side panels that resemble wood and consider the job done.

What will become of these structures in the modern world in the next 2000 years? Or even the next 200? I guess the good news is that I wont be around to see it. 

On Poverty and Lending a Hand

The following is a short piece I wrote after observing a homeless woman walk down the streets of Rome at night:

Traffic lights go from green to red and vise versa. The mopeds speed by and the buses come and go, letting off passengers only to collect new ones. People talk on their iPhones without the care of attention to others around them. The sound of suitcases on wheels bump down the uneven stone covered crosswalks in front of Roma Termini, Rome’s Central Station.

Across the street, beyond the tramlines and bus stop, a woman, dressed in a long black skirt and a hooded down jacket walks parallel to the station. Behind her drags a box, her home, and refuge from the night and the rain. She is elderly. Her hair is white and shoulder length. It sticks out from the front of her hood. She is some ones daughter. She may be a mother or even a grandmother. Poverty is real.

Clenched in her right fist is a plastic bag full of the only possessions she has in this world. She crosses the street and walks along the wall of the stations entrance, the cardboard kitchen appliance box is still firmly held. The entrance wall consists of eight tall and wide glass panels. The barrier between her and the rest of society is transparent.

She lays the box down first. The bag is positioned as if it is a pillow. In the three blocks that she has waked, she has not stopped once to beg for a handout. She has no sign asking for a helping hand, there is no baby slung from her shoulder, and she is not performing an act to get applause or encouragement. Her focus is a place to sleep – a warm one preferably. Luckily it is the 5^th of May.

She sits upright with her back against the glass window. I have not seen her face yet, but I know what the lines will tell me. I reach into my pocket, grab all the change and look at it in the palm of my hand. I count four euro or so. I walk up behind where she sits upright, tap on her shoulder, and hand her the change in my hand. She tries to refuse the handout, but all I do is smile. Her face is dirty, with fragments of sand and small clumps of dirt stuck between the wrinkles on her face. I look at her closely; she looks like my grandmother who died almost three years ago. We exchange smiles this time.

I spent the night observing.

I wrote this piece as I walked and observed this unnamed woman. When I left her, I couldn’t stop thinking about her face and smile. The lines and folds of her face told an important story. I will never know this story. Maybe her story was about misfortune, death, alcoholism, drug abuse, a layoff, or heartache. It is possible it was a combination of everything mentioned.

What I know for certain is this: at some point in her life, she laughed, loved, danced, smiled, cheered, hugged, sang, learned and most importantly, she lived.

Regardless of whatever circumstance put her in this place, she should not go to bed hungry, without a smile, or without the feeling that human compassion exists and that a helping hand is there.

I stood in the train station for ten minutes as the rain started in slowly and moved in fast and hard. I looked at her from the transparent barrier created by the wall of windows. I just could not stop thinking, “what if this was my nana?” I would not want my own grandmother to go to bed hungry or without a warm feeling in her heart.

At the lower level of the station there was a grocery store. I went and got her strawberries, bread, and water. Strange combination, I know, but I chose strawberries because I wondered the last time she had eaten them. Did she remembered the flavor when the juice reached the taste buds or what it felt like to have the small coarse grainy seeds pass through her teeth.

On my way out, I passed a McDonalds. I am morally against the company and the practices they have, but I felt that she would want a cheeseburger as well, or two. The total came to two euro. I handed the cashier a twenty-euro note. I stuffed the change into my pocket. When I brought the food out to her, she refused to take it. No Senoré. She spoke no English. I took her hand and left the food. She put the strawberries under her blanket, to save them for later. As I walked away, I could hear the bag from McDonalds opening.

In this twenty-minute period, I never once thought about money. It did not matter. I just did what I knew felt right. When I walked towards the metro, I pulled out the change from McDonalds to place it in my wallet. I counted twenty-three euro. The cashier had miscounted, and gave me an extra five-euro, the exact amount I spent on the purchase of this woman’s meal. There was a reason I decided to buy her dinner tonight.

I made a difference in this woman’s night, and in her life. I know she’ll remember that someone showed her decency and compassion when she had nothing. She needed the food more than I needed the money. I am not foolish to think that I can change the entire world, but I know I can make a difference. I walked all of Rome and saw the Colosseum, Pantheon, Roman Forum and everything in between, and this moment, was most significant. The bottom line is that there are too many people in this world and the money and resource is not available to help everyone. But helping just one makes an impact, and if everyone threw out a hand here in there, maybe the world could be a better place. But who know, I sure don’t. 

On Rome

I was meant to leave for Italy on Sunday, the second of May. I intended on going to Florence and Rome. Saturday afternoon I got online to purchase my bus ticket to Bremen Airport, the airport in Germany that caters to RyanAir flights. When I got online, the bus was sold out. This meant I had to travel on Monday, and because of this, I decided to spend my entire time in Rome. I didn’t want to split up 4 days between both Florence and Rome, so when I landed in Milan on the 3^rd of May, I went straight to Rome.

My train ride to Rome went through Tuscany. All I can say is this countryside is absolutely beautiful and green. Rolling hills with vineyards. Small establishment towns built on hilltops designed to center around a church at the top. I am not sure why the placement is here; maybe it brings the people and church clergy closer to God. It is the closest thing to touch the skies of heaven. The tips of the church scrape the sky with the beliefs held inside. I can even see the communities off in the distance with a church at the top.  Small rivers wind in and around the landscape. There is no real flat land. This is a complete contrast to the Netherlands.

The hills and landscape are alive in beauty, color, and scenery. The grasses and plants very in shades of green and the land that has been plowed to make room for the new harvest of grapes. The ground resembles the stripes on a watermelon rind. Everything feels alive. The history is alive in these small villages of Tuscany. This is the type of area that I prefer. If I could, I would stay in this area and explore more – maybe I will have time in July. The homes and buildings are old. The vineyards have been producing grapes for years. New grapes sprout with each harvest but the soil is acting on instinct.

The train weaved in and out of tunnels built inside the mountains of this region. The railroad had to be built around the existing landscape. Is it strange that I am traveling at 140km/h under a mountain? Are we meant to be taking trains through mountains and underwater? Is this too far?

I enjoyed the train travel more so than anything. I got to really see the country. On a plane, I contribute to a lot of pollution and the high-speed train works off of magnetism. I felt like I am making less of a carbon footprint.

In Rome, over the course of four days, I saw almost everything there was to see. I walked the entire city at least five times. I couch surfed with a professor from a university in Rome. He had a lot of insight into things to do and made my experience a lot better. I went to all the tourist sites from the Colosseum to the Vatican and some places off the tourist trail. The Roman Baths, were a really cool structure. So much remains and being place about 2 kilometers outside the center, it is less concentrated with tourists. I think I saw a total of thirty people while I was there. It is nice to have pictures of structures without any people in them.

The Vatican was an interesting experience. There was so much to see and it was sort of overwhelming. I ended up joining in on a walking tour so that I could learn about what I was seeing. The art was impressive, I’ll admit that, but being in the Vatican didn’t move me. I enjoyed walking around Rome more. It was more interesting to see the remains of a society that thrived for so long. It was cool to walk around the entire city and see small artifices from the empire. Seeing a column that was 2000 years old was way more interesting for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed Rome and I would have loved to spend more time there. The food was amazing and the coffee was the best I have ever tasted. The right amount of foam, milk, and espresso made for a cappuccino that required no sugar. The best part was that this cost under a euro fifty. Mmmm. I love the Netherlands but the coffee here is bitter and overpriced. Missing the coffee already.

Love and Peace ~ JP Popovich

Some Questions and a Creative Writing piece

While in Portugal, some questions came to mind:

Why so we build parks to but up gates and lock people out?

Why do we go to church only to leave with judgment?

A Creative Writing Piece:

While I was walking through the castle alleys in Lisbon, Portugal, I walked passed a lady looking out her window. I wanted to take a picture, but felt that would be too intrusive. Instead, I took a mental image, and wrote about it later. Here it is:

She is looking out the burnt pink window of her home. Staring at nothing but the blank wall in front of her. There is no personality or meaning to the white wall that stares back at her. The wall is a canvas. It is whatever she imagines it to be; a story she tells to her grandchildren or of a mental picture she took long ago coming to life. Imagination is alive in her thoughts and wandering glance.  The lines and wrinkles on her face are beautiful and full of wisdom. It is possible that she has watched passing locals and tourists her whole life from this very same window.

    A green birdcage hangs the balcony above. A white bird whistles the thoughts, prayers, desires, dreams, fears, and hopes of the woman who does not speak. She has made a home in this space. It is alive with personality and the aroma of fresh herbs are emerging from the window and filling the shaded alley. The bird and grandmother have been together for years. No one knows how long. They are observing in silence. There is something to be found in the noise and rush of life, but in silence, there is peace. She has found this.

Some more writings coming later. Love and peace - 

JP Popovich

On Religion and Portugal

On Easter Sunday, we entered the main church in Lisbon, Portugal to observe a Catholic Easter Service. When I was sixteen, I dropped religion and stopped attending church. This was my first time back in a church since then. Here is what I wrote as I sat in on the Mass:

The beauty that lies in religion is its ability to bring people together. Christ preached love, respect, forgiveness, and peace. Coming together to truly believe and follow these teachings for every man, woman and child will pave the way for compassion and love. Religion gives you something to believe in; something to hold onto. God is a name given to the power that is unexplainable. There is a force and energy that exists and that is larger than the human race and mind and no definition is perfect. Religion at the faith base is beautiful. When the politics of church gets involved, religion gets ugly. I don't think you need to spend your time in a church to show your connection. Devotion lies in the heart and mind and is expressed through actions and the way in which your life is lived. That was Jesus’ goal and message. Don't hate. Love.

I observed the Easter mass in the main cathedral. I saw a community together in the pews. I wanted to believe that the people sitting in the church would take the meaning of what is being preached and apply it to there lives. The truth is that judgment still is being mentioned and held in the minds of those sitting in the pews. I can't speak and generalize for everyone. But racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and hate are still very much present in every culture. We can’t tell people how to live there lives if they have done nothing wrong. Being different is not a crime. It is the beauty that exists in the world. Taking the time to learn from those who differ in language, race, religion, sexual orientation, and personality is important. You can learn a lot from these people.

Life is too precious to waste hating and oppressing others. Every human being has the right to live, love, and prosper in this world. No one has the right to take that away or try and stop that. We should put our energy towards living, loving, laughing, dancing, smiling, learning, reading, and being grateful and happy.

Peace and Love,

JP Popovich

Portugal Pictures

This is a post of pictures only. Enjoy!

On Portugal and Adapting

I got back from Portugal on Monday April 5, 2010. Minus a few dramatics, the trip was absolutely amazing. Myself and four other students went on this trip. I planned it back in February and friends joined in along the way. The trip started on Tuesday March 30^th with three of us. We flew from Bremen, Germany to Faro, Portugal. Both Bremen and Faro have RyanAir airports. The nice thing about RyanAir is that it is cheap. The unfortunate part about it is that it costs more to get to the airport that the tickets actually cost. Also, they advertise like crazy on the flights and the journey to the airport is often rugged.

Aside from that, the three of us arrived in Faro around 9am. I love seeing the ocean and we landed right next to it. When we got off the plane it was around 65 degrees. This was a large change from the 25 degrees we left in Holland. The sun was out shining and the weather was perfect. We took a 20 minute bus ride to the city center and found our hostel. Our hostel was more of a hotel than anything. Faro is a sleepy town. We were only staying there one night to wait for the rest of our group that was arriving the following day. We explored the city in a little over three hours and enjoyed dinner and coffee on the marina.

On Wednesday, the rest of our party arrived and we headed to Lagos, Portugal. We were booked for three nights at the ‘Rising Cock’ hostel. The name is a pun on an actual story in Portuguese culture. An innocent man who had been traveling from Spain was accused of a crime he didn’t commit. The night before his hanging, the judge came in to eat his dinner, of rooster, in front of the prisoner.  The innocent man said that the rooster would rise and crow before he was to be hung to prove his innocence. At that moment, the rooster rose and crowed.

The matriarch of the hostel is “Mama” She is amazing and makes you feel at home. She makes you a full breakfast of crepes in the morning and a hangover tea. She makes sure you are full before sending you on your way. I have never felt so at home than in this hostel. Their goal was to provide comfort and fun. They accomplished both. We spent three days and nights at this hostel. The city is small and we covered the major areas the first night we were there. We spent most of the time chillin’ on the beautiful and clear beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. I actually got some color, a little burnt in fact. 

The beaches sit at the bottom of high cliffs. There is an awesome trial that weaves around the cliffs and provides some of the most beautiful landscape pictures. Million dollar views! I spent an hour a day writing and/or reading at the top of a cliff that dangled over the ocean. The waves crashed against the ancient walls hundreds of feet below me. On our last night in Lagos, we took this hike to a specific spot to watch the sunset. We packed in a picnic and wine and watched the sun go down. One of the most beautiful evenings of my life. A romantic dinner and setting for five.

The next morning, we packed and got ready to head to Lisbon. The previous day, I decided that I would get a tattoo on my way out of Lagos. While I was writing the previous days, I noticed something interesting about the wildflowers. Each day, they took on a different shape and the colors, while remaining the same scheme, changed brightness and predominance. The flowers adapted to their environment in order to survive. They have no control over their existence but have instincts to remain living.

The tattoo is a reminder of this. We all have to learn to adapt according to nature and our environment. For most of the trip I was irritated and frustrated with my travel mates. I had to remember my fortune in being in Portugal and being surrounded by the beautiful coast and cliffs. We all have different personalities and quirks. This is what makes travel interesting. 

I missed the train out with the group so caught the next one out. We spent the night in Lagos enjoying delicious sangria, Portuguese green wine, and traditional food. The next day, our only day in Lisbon we walked around seeing all major attractions. We checked out various landmarks, a castle, and walked up and down the seven famous hills of Lisbon. The town is like San Francisco, but on some serious hill steroids.

We left the following morning, and after some drama, a 360-euro cab ride, and 14 hours of travel, we made it back to Groningen, Netherlands. After dinner and a shower, I passed out. I will attach some pictures to this post, and a separate one of just pictures. Hope everyone is well and I look forward to seeing you all in August.

Love and Peace – JP 

Picture 1: Old Fortress Wall in Faro, Portugal

Picture 2: Old Historic District at Sunset - Lagos

Picture 3: Artsy Picture At Sunset - Port - Lagos

Picture 4: An Atlantic Ocean Grotto - Lagos

Picture 5: Art Picture - Lagos

Picture 6: Atlantic Beach - Lagos

Picture 7: Hill Leading to Port - Lisbon

Picture 8: Fortress Entrance - Faro

Picture 9: The Group - Myself, Felix, Hannah, Brittany, Penny

On Groningen Part 2: Must's for Study Abroad Students

20 Things:

1. Think about start up costs. Set aside 150 to 200 euros for this. You may need to get a new phone when arriving. Lebara Mobile provides students with a free sim card and every time you top up 10 euro, they match it. Don't use your cell phone to call the United States. Add Skype credit to your Skype account. It works out to be about 2 cents per minute. Phones range between 19 and 35 euro for a cheap phone.

2. The housing office provides you with a kitchen box that includes one fork, knife, spoon, plate, bowl, mug, and drinking glass. You'll need one more of each. The good thing is that IKEA is accessible by bus or walking. You can also rent a sheet set for 17.50 euro for the semester.   You can buy a more comfortable and cheaper one from IKEA.

3. Expect to spend around 40 Euro on your first bike. There is a good chance it'll break or get stolen. Plan on going through at least two bikes. Maybe even three or four. Always lock it to a permanent post and lock the front tire to the frame. You'll save yourself the headache.

4. If you are attending RUG, plan on being overwhelmed and frustrated after the orientation ceremony. Don't be surprised if you have two or three classes at the same time. This is normal. Most lectures are attached to group seminars. The seminars are the equivalent to a NAU class meeting or lectures. The university sets up your schedule and the timetable may be hard to read but there will be plenty of assistance.

5. Again, if you're at RUG, Albert, our advisor is a great contact. He's very helpful and always available. He organizes a group meeting for all the Americans after the first week and it's at a local pub.

6. Utilize the market. It's every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. You can find everything there at a far less price than the grocery store. There are 2 markets in town. The Grote Market and the Vismarket. The Vismarket translates to "Fish Market." This is where the food market is.

7. Books, especially if you're in Lit. Courses will be pricy. There is a used bookstore called De Seltag on the main shopping street. Try there first.

8. Try and live close to your campus and/or the city center. Zernike is the north campus and home to the Hanze School. There is also a RUG campus there. The RUG Liberal Arts, and main campus is in the city center. You'll ride your bike everywhere regardless of where you live.

9. If you want to have a great living experience, live at Winschoterdiep 46. It can get loud at night. Party nights are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. If you want a quite house I would not recommend this one. I know of three people who moved to this house because of its awesomeness.

10. When it comes to the parties, limit yourself. You can easily spend 20 euros a night. If that's why you're studying abroad, then by all means, party. If you came to travel and see Europe, party one day a week and see how much you save. Speaking from experience, the first two weeks were a party. This got costly.

11. Don't be afraid to meet people. The best place for this is in the kitchens. You'll come together over food. Share what you know about your own country and cuisine. And if you can, organize a weekly dinner. Right now, Sundays are for cooking, drinks, laughs and friends. I'm currently cooking with Australians, Finns and Americans. There are 8 of us.

12. Once you meet cool people, plan trips together. Also, don't be afraid to travel alone. Some of The best trips I've taken have been on my own. You'll meet strangers in hostels that are just like you; traveling and exploring.

13. When booking hostels, look at location. Hostleworld.com has maps attached to the hostels. Read the reviews but only pay attention to the reviews regarding location. Google "europe's best hostels." Stay in the recommended hostels in the cities they are in. You won't regret it.

14. Join the ESN Intro Week. It's the best way to meet people from all over. Your leaders will be Dutch and have a lot of great insights and information. It's 25 euro and well worth it.

15. There are two airports for travel with RyanAir. The main one is in Bremen, Germany and the other in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Bremen is a hub; therefore flights will be a lot cheaper. A roundtrip bus ticket to Bremen will b 33 euro And roundtrip train ticket will be 34 with the NL Discount card.

16. You’ll need to set up a bank account for a lot of different things. If you want a gym membership you’ll need one. When it comes time to pay the housing office for your rent, you’ll have to pay 7 euro extra to pay in cash. If you have a bank account here, you can set up a transfer for free. You will also be able to get the Dutch Railways Discount Card. The card will cost you 55 euro upfront but will pay for itself in 2 roundtrip fares. It saves you 40% on all fares.

17. Travel to Amsterdam on the weekends. You can get a weekend pass for 27 euro. You have to travel after 7pm on Friday and before Midnight on Sunday. That gives you two good days and nights there. Visit the Anne Frank House, Heineken Museum, Van Gough Museum, and downtown. Amsterdam is such a cool city. Most of the modern aspects of the city are on the outskirts so you get a good feel for what it really looked like.

18. Take buses from country to country. They are really cheap. They may take longer but you'll save heaps. Take night ones as well. It'll save you a night’s accommodation.

19. Keep a blog or a journal. It is the best way to document your experiences. A blog will also keep your family and friends up to date on what your doing. This saves on mass emails and phone calls.

20. This is a once and a lifetime opportunity. Embrace it and don’t spend your time in your room. Love every minute of your adventure. It will only strengthen you as a person in your own life but allow you to see the world in so many different lights. I guarantee you’ll grow and change.

JP Popovich

Picture 1: Me outside Het Kasteel - A bar in the town center

Picture 2: The reflection of another student house from the reflection of a car window/

Picture 3: The canal outside of Winschoterdiep, my student house

Picture 4: A cool house boat

Picture 5: Another reflection picture
Picture 6: No explanation needed

Picture 7: The bar, 'The Three Sisters' - Largest bar in Holland