The Whirlwind Comes to an End.doc

After six glorious days in Berlin and Prague, I took an overnight bus back home to Amsterdam. Not only was I excited to drop my bags and settle into some fresh clothes, but Emily and Raffi were waiting for me upon arrival.

You see, their bus was set to arrive in Amsterdam at 11:30pm and my bus was to pull into the city at 7:00am the next morning. To remedy this conflict, I duct-taped my apartment key to the inside ceiling of my mailbox. When Emily arrived, she was to reach into the mailbox (as if to deliver a letter) and pry the tape and the key from the box. All week I tried not to think about the possibility of someone inserting a letter and noticing there was a key, but I was mighty happy to get a message from Emily saying they had received it.

I arrived in Amsterdam at 5:00am and hoofed it home. After a quick reunion and obligatory questions about each others bus rides, we all collapsed into a few hours of extra sleep. That morning, we raided the grocery store downstairs (not the C.H, but the A.H in fact) to collect items for a breakfast feast. It seems the only time I have breakfast feasts is when visitors arrive (I wouldn't have it any other way). After the meal, we set out from the apartment and covered a lot of ground - I took Raffi and Emily through six to eight of the popular areas of the city. We saw markets, squares, buildings of note, and, of course, bicycles everywhere we went. At the market, we picked up broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms for a stir-fry as well as three avacadoes for 1 Euro! 

After our five hour walk, we returned home and made a delicious peanut stir-fry with rice. We chatted over a few beers before heading to The Neighbour - which is, without a doubt, my favourite Amsterdam haunt. It's off the beaten path, it's open until 4am, and it feels to me like a quintessential Amsterdam bar. We spent a few hours there sipping beers and listening to really groovy music.

The next morning we slept in and rejuvenated with yet another breakfast feast. It feels great to have guests to make coffee and eggs for. The weather was so great that we decided it would be a shame to spend the day inside. Instead of spending the 12 Euros on the Van Gogh (which we considered) or going out for a nice meal (also an option), instead we spent the money wisely on a nice communal dinner at the apartment - the guacamole made from the avacadoes was the highlight of the meal. Because 12,000 Scottish fans had infiltrated the city for a qualifying match for the World Cup, we decided to stick in and have a house party instead. We stayed up over a few drinks and shared some laughs, talked about the future (as we're prone to do), and compared travel schedules. 

The day of departure is always hard, but we managed to get up for a final walk around the city and finished the visit with a cup of tea before Emily and Raffi went to the bus station. It was a wonderful weekend and a reminder that I'm lucky (in addition to MAIPR friends) to have such wonderfully close friends also on the continent. When I sometimes miss the types of parties that go on back in Canada, these types of visits completely rejuvenate my spirit, while at the same time reminding me of all the great friends back home. I really got to know Raffi more this weekend than I did in December, and I was happy to have the opportunity - he's a great guy. Emily is OK too.

With the end of the visit came the harsh reality that reading week was over. I had a fantastic time on the road and an equally great time back home in Amsterdam with Emily and Raffi. The time off was maximized to the best of its potential. 

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I'm half-Scottish by birth, and I love the Scots. But 12,000 testosterone driven football hooligans proved to be overwhelming in the city of Amsterdam. I'm glad the Dutch won the game.

Czech, Czech, Czech - Czech It Out.doc

From the alive and electric city of Berlin, I made my way to the beautiful and serene city of Prague. Well, it would prove to be serene. You don't think of the city as beautiful if you arrive at the Prague Bus Station (Florenc) at 6am. It was a little scary but I hung out there until the city started moving around 8am. It just so happened that one of my program friends, Milan from Slovakia, was spending reading week in Prague (where he lived for two years previous). Since all of his friends in the city were off working during the days, he was more than happy to show me around. It proved to make the trip different from others I've had exploring a new city - suddenly I had privileged access to spots off the beaten path.

That Monday morning we went to Prague Castle which looks down at the city from the surrounding hills. It's an imposing structure sitting atop the landscape that looks beautiful in the evening. We walked through the old buildings, along Golden Lane, and then took the stairs down to the old part of the city. From there we walked across the massive Charles bridge which is a pedestrian walkway filled with tourists, little vendors, and caricature artists. From the bridge you can look out on old town which is a collection of yellow and orange buildings with beautiful green domes and churches scattered throughout. That afternoon we broke up walking through the city with stops for a coffee in a cafe, a beer in a pub, and a tradition Czech meal (goulash). 

I checked into my hostel that afternoon and grabbed a nap to recover from the overnight bus ride. I was staying in a newly renovated hostel with 10 beds in the room. There were only two of us staying there the first two nights, and I had the lone bed up the stairs in what felt like my own little loft - I was able to spread out and have my own space. That evening I met Milan for a few drinks in a bar in the centre where I met two of his friends - a guy from Germany and another from Calgary who had moved to Prague to teach English. It's always nice to meet fellow Canadians along the way.

The next day I picked up a Euro plug adapter (since I had stupidly left mine back home in Amsterdam) to charge my camera battery. I met Milan and his friend for a walk around the outskirts of the city. It was a raised portion that offered a really great view of the centre. There we visited an old church, a cemetery, and had some warm wine in a beautiful park. The three of us then went back to the flat Milan was staying at and made a delicious dinner in a big pot. Oftentimes Milan and his friends would slip into conversations in Slovakian. It was odd to listen to, since I had no entry point into understanding even some of the words, but it was fun trying to decipher what was going on. I was appreciative that they made efforts to include me in conversations when it was a big group - English after all is their second language.

That evening we went to a concert featuring two Polish cellists who sang beautiful duets. I had missed being able to see a performance in Berlin, but I was happy to see something in Prague. There were seven of us who went to the performance and they took me to a traditional Czech bar for beers after the show (no tourists in sight). The Czech can drink. It seemed like it wasn't even a question whether or not the table would order a third round...it was just expected. We ended off the night at a fun Karaoke bar (it just happened the be a Tuesday of all nights) and I jumped on a tram back to my hostel.

Wednesday morning I spent a little time exploring the city by myself. I went past the National Theatre, some interesting Kafka spots, and places of note during the Velvet Revolution. Wherever you looked in Prague there are traces of the effects and influence of Communism. It was the first time I really felt confronted by it in Europe. It made me consider how isolated things feel in Canada - it is easy to forget that some of my fellow students grew up in completely different political climates. 

That evening, Milan and his friends made a traditional Slovakian meal that reminded me of macaroni and cheese. Instead of pasta it was made with small dumplings, really strong cheese, cream, and bacon. It was heavy, but really tasty. We went for a few after dinner drinks and then to a dance club that usually stays open until 6am. We only stayed until 2:30am. I bid farewell to my generous host. Milan really did lay out the red carpet for me (as I would do for anyone who came to visit in Canada) and I was really appreciative to get the real Prague experience. I may not have seen all the tourists spots listed in the guide book, but it felt like an authentic weekend.

The next morning I packed up at the hostel, went exploring a bit more in the city, and then hopped on the bus headed home to Amsterdam. The bus was a 12 hour ride, but I was surprised that I was able to sleep for a good seven hours. When it was announced that we had arrived in Amsterdam, it felt like I had returned home. I realized I hadn't left the country for two and a half months before leaving, but it felt great to get back to familiar sights. What made the arrival home all the better was that Emily and Raffi were waiting for me back at the apartment. The subject, of course, of the next blog.

Doc's Prescription of the Day:

“The Berlin Wall crumbled, Politburos resigned and governments vanished overnight. Half a million Czechs and Slovaks gathered ... in Prague and we sensed that a long, absent angel had returned home to Central Europe.”
Madeleine Albright

"Prague never lets you go... this dear little mother has sharp claws."
Franz Kafka

The Berliner Ensemble.doc

Greetings from Prague!
I'm taking a morning break from sightseeing to give you the scoop on the latest sights and sounds.

We left for Berlin on Thursday evening at 11:30pm and arrived the next morning at 9am. The city is positively buzzing with great vibes - it feels alive with potential. Berlin is one of those cities right now that is gaining momentum; it seems like everyone in Europe knows that it's a spot to be. Our experience definitely didn't disappoint.

A visit to Berlin was important not only to see what everyone was talking about, but also because I have been in two shows recently that were set in the very city (Cabaret and Boulevard of the Brave). It was wonderful to have the opportunity to explore the places I had only pretended to visit on the stage.

We didn't waste any time once our bus landed in the city. We took the nearest U-Bahn, which we jumped around on all weekend, to Alexander Platz and started walking through the city. It wasn't before long that we wandered upon a square dedicated to Marx and Engels (with statutes recognizing their achievements). Obligatory photos were taken. The plaza also houses the TV Tower (one of the iconic symbols of the city). From there we walked down the length of Unter den Linden where we stopped in at a holocaust memorial, Humboldt University (whose list of alumnus includes Marx, Hegel, Benjamin, and Einstein), and a Ferrari shop that had beautiful cars on display.

It was then that we got to more aggressive sightseeing. We made our way to the Brandenburg Gate which is called the most recognizable landmark in the city and we waited in line for an hour and a hour to have entry to the Reichstag. To say this building has a lot of history is an understatement. Visitors are shuttled to the
top of the building where the Reichstag dome provides one of the most comprehensive views of the city. The cupola designed in the dome's centre is made of hundreds of mirrors that shift and shape as you climb to the top. The neatest thing about the building is that you can see parliament in session from below.

We took a break from the major attractions to check into the hostel. It featured an impressive all you can eat breakfast the likes of which I haven't seen in Europe (we smuggled food out whenever possible). That evening we went for a Turkish meal (dirt cheap in Germany) and then vistied the Berliner Ensemble. We were unable to get tickets for a show that evening (a big disappointment) but were not suprised since the major attraction playing right now is Three Penny Opera directed by Robert Wilson. It's touring to Amsterdam in April so I'm hoping to catch it then. It was still neat to make it to Brecht's theatre. We ended the evening in a really huge pub near the Zoo which just so happened to be playing Beatles songs. The bar was packed, the German pilsner was flowing, and the crowds here singing along. It was a great capper to the day.

The next day started at 9am at Berlin's Museum Island (a UNESCO hertiage site). For the outragerous student price of 7 Euros you have access to the four impressive museums that compose the grouping. We went to the Pergamon which houses the Peragmon Alter and the Ishtar Gate (the Gate was one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture I've seen) and the Egyptian Museum where, unfortunately, it was impossible to see the bust of Nefertiti due to renovations. After spending three hours in the ancient museums, we went to visit ancient dead people! We made a stop by one of the most well known cemeteries in the city where Brecht and Hegel are buried. Afterwards, we made our way to the Jewish Museum Berlin. It is, without a doubt, the most innovatively designed museum I've ever been to. Daniel Libeskind designed the museum, which opened to the public in 2001, and his focus on creating an experience for the visitor was very much apparent. I cannot do it justice in a blog post (and think I'll avoid description all together) but walking through the The Garden of Exile, Holocaust Tower, and the Memory Void were all extremely moving. You must see this museum if you go to Berlin.

After a full day we enjoyed a bit of a chichi dinner near the theatre district and again were unable to snag cheap theatre tickets for the evening (we think we missed the alternative theatre scene altogether). This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because instead we went for a drink in the lobby of the German National theatre and then headed to a jazz club called B Flat where we caught some amazing African infused jazz. It turns out it was the weekend of live music for us!

For our last day in Berlin we planned yet another adventerous day - it began at the Holocaust Memorial near the Potsdamer Platz which is a square of grey blocks which houses a memorial walk underneath. Again, it was another moving experience tracing the history of the Holocaust, not only in Berlin, but throughout Europe. From there we went to the opposite end of the city to a most bohemian festival where there was live music, wonderful food, hipsters, punksters, and antique collectors alike, and all kinds of wonderful junk. Markets will forever remind me of Europe I think. Afterwards, we jumped on a bus tour around the city (for an affordable 2 Euros) to catch some of the sights we didn't get to. We realized we had been able to attack a really good portion of the city - we went East, West, North, and South over the three days, saw four museums, pieces of the Wall, two concerts, and rode on three types of transport. Courtney (who was a fantastic travel companionfor the first leg of the trip) departed home for Amsterdam that evening but I had three hours to spare before heading to Prague. I went for a late evening walk to the Olympic Stadium. While I was only able to walk around the gate, it was the perfect site to end the trip with.

Man, how do you summarize three amazing days in Berlin in one blog post. Bottom line: the city is amazing. It feels more happening than even London or Paris and has a gritty alternative edge that makes it all the more attractive. The photos I was able to capture are stunning. Watch out for them. I'm getting total guide treatment here in Prague but I'll tell you all about it in the next post.

Until then...

Doc's Prescription of the Day:

“Berlin combines the culture of New York, the traffic system of Tokyo, the nature of Seattle, and the historical treasures of, well, Berlin.”
Hiroshi Motomura, US Law professor, 2004

"I still keep a suitcase in Berlin."
Song by Marlene Dietrich in 1957

I Like to Ride my Bicycle, Bicycle.doc

Well, it's official: I've joined the large population of Amsterdam cyclists maneuvering through the streets of the historic city on their way to work, school, and play. Just call me Lance Armstrong.

Not quite. It was a lengthy process to obtain the bike (locating the friends of my Canadian friend for keys and having the RAs find the bike in permanent storage) but it was well worth the perserverence. Biking isn't just a mode of transport in the city, it's a way of life. There are bike lanes on every street, separate lights for cyclists at every intersection, a bike service wherever you turn, and a constant hum of pleasant sounding bells used to push wandering tourists out of our lanes. That's right, I'm now "one of them" and not just a mere pedestrian. Being a pedestrian is just so...pedestrian.

The transition to being a member of the biking community wasn't without its "speedbumps." The bikes here in Amsterdam are much different than the ones you see back home. The design that rules the streets is a high-seat, one gear bike a la the one the Wicked Witch of the West rode off on. It has neither handlebar brake nor a sporty look. Instead, you must peddle backwards to brake and the design is one of sophistication. My first official ride was to my morning class on Tuesday. That was my first mistake; It was 8:30am and the absolute peak time of bike traffic. It was like learning how to swim during an Olympic freestyle race - the cyclists are veterans and need to get to work just as fast as the other guy. The bike was hard to maneuver into the bike traffic lane just due to the fact that it's a lot bigger than I'm use to, and takes more starting friction than the bikes back home. I was able to get into the lane from outside of my apartment, but was visibly slowing traffic down with my slow start. Picture a lanky Steve Martin in a pea coat trying to battle a bike the size of him into a lane of full traffic. That's a pretty decent picture.

Once I got my legs under me, I embraced the liberation that came with breezing by my former pedestrian cohorts, I smiled at other cyclists denoting some sort of solidarity on the paths, and I relished the wind in my hair and the sun on my forehead. The bike to school went extremely well. Since then I've rode the bike a half dozen of times - now I'm able to add sunglasses and an ipod to the cyclist aesthetic. I'm still getting use to the ettiqute of my new transport class and the feel of my own bike, but I'm looking forward to the time it will save getting from point A to B. We've already made plans for a North-Holland bike trip once the tulips start to blossom and I'm thinking it will be a good way to get some exercise if I just want to get out of the house for a bit. It's going to change my whole Amsterdam experience.

Yesterday, after our six hours of class, the group went out for a few pints to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. You might expect that St. Patty's would be a big day to celebrate in Amsterdam (since most hip spots embrace the day as another excuse to drink) but you'd be wrong. There was a splash of green here or there, but all in all I didn't see much celebration. My theory is that the Dutch are proud enough of their heritage to have to appropriate another culture's holiday, but more importantly, the country is saving the celebrations for Queen's Day at the end of April. It's the biggest party of the year in the Netherlands and it just so happens to take place while I'm here (score). Something to look forward to. I caught up with Tory again and we continued talking about the good times - the group of students here really like her and Zoey.

Today, I biked all the way to Central Station and then to the Amsterdam Public Library for school research. I spent a good four hours this morning trying to formulate thoughts for the dissertation proposal that will be submitted on May 1. The To-Do List I set myself for the past four days how has more things crossed off than needing attention so I'm feeling good. I leave tomorrow evening at 11:30pm for Berlin with Courtney where hopefully I'll be able to sleep the whole way. Here is an idea of my schedule:

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Berlin
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning in Prague
I return back home on Friday morning at 7:00am where I will greet Emily and Raffi who are in town for two full nights. Amazing.
What an amazing Reading Week break ahead!

I will, of course, take loads of photos and will try my best to provide updates on the road. Wishing you all the best back home and I'll be in touch after I return from the trip.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: When was the last time you were on a bike? Maybe it's time to embrace the great weather and go for a ride. I'll try to take a bike photo shoot to inspire y'all to join the team.

Worlds Colliding.doc

There's a really great Seinfeld episode where George warns Jerry about "worlds colliding." He worries that if Susan "infiltrates" herself into the group, then the George that they know and love will cease to be:

GEORGE: You have no idea of the magnitude of this thing. If she is allowed to infiltrate this world then George Costanza as you know him ceases to exist. You see, right now I have Relationship George. But there is also Independent George. That's the George you know, the George you grew up with... Movie George, Coffee Shop George, Liar George, Bawdy George.

JERRY: I love that George.

GEORGE: Me too, and he's dying. If Relationship George walks through this door, he will kill Independent George. A George divided against itself cannot stand!

It's an interesting theory and something we all encounter in moments when people from our various spheres of social life find themselves in the same room. Whereas George warns against the potential destruction of independence that happens when "worlds collide", our friends look forward to parties and gatherings where the collision of our separate social pockets creates a new and exciting dynamic. Case in point - the TWT parties that grew from three dedicated members to a full out zoo by summer's end of the most unlikely of people brought together. Worlds definitely collided when Emily met all of the MAIPR friends last month, but there was an even bigger collision this past Friday when Tory came to visit Amsterdam.

Tory is the only person in the program who knows me pre-MAIPR and she met a lot of you at events at Isabella last year. We became good friends after a grueling MA year and were both excited to have a friend in the MAIPR program for the coming year. At the same time, we both were happy we were not assigned the same mobility schedule as it meant we couldn't fall easily into each other's company. What made the collision of worlds all the greater on Friday is that Tory knows both Canada Keith and MAIPR Keith and all the friends and faculty that compose the program here - madness! Instead of it being a bad collision, it, of course, was such a welcome visit. We talked for a good two hours in the kitchen (trying to look as social with the others as possible) about last term, where we currently are at, and plans for the future.

Milan (from Slovakia) threw the party in his massive common room - we listened to great music, had a few beverages, and got to know Zoey (from Thailand) who accompanied Tory from Warwick. From there we took the girls for a night on the town to Rembrandt Square. There is a moderately sized dance bar called "Club Smokey" (I don't think it is named after the Bear). They have a decent dance floor and pool tables in the back room. The gang got up to some pool, dancing, and OPDing (a typical weekend night). It was yet another late one, and Sunday was spent lazily catching up on some homework.

Sunday evening I was invited for dinner with the Finnish home students. It was really nice of them to include me in their get together, me being a Warick hommie and all. It was a good chance to chat with Tory again in a less-party type setting. The girls made a really great salad, rice, and chicken - Milan and I were forbidden from helping cook. It was the perfect Sunday evening.

Tory is in town for the whole week but since I am heading out on Thursday night, we are hoping to get together before then. The next four days are absolutely jam-packed. I have a schedule for each day from 9am - 8pm and if there is a moment when I'm not doing something, I'm wasting time! So many errands to take care of before taking off for a week. Top of the list this morning was to pick up my residence permit (a short trip on the train out of Central station). It's a cool identity card that allows me to stay in the country until the end of the year. It also means I don't have to carry my passport with me everywhere, as per Dutch law.

Tomorrow is St. Patty's Day and we have yet to schedule plans but I'm sure we'll get up to something after six hours of class. The Dutch don't have many ties to Ireland, but they'll never pass up an opportunity for merrymaking.

Courtney and I spied a production at the Berliner Ensemble (Brecht's theatre) directed by none other than Robert Wilson that is playing while we are in Berlin - we're hoping and praying that we can get some rush tickets.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I think the dose of Seinfeld was enough. If I had it my way I'd include a bit of Seinfeldian wisdom everyday. Costanza's takes on life are some of my favourite.

Spring Re-Awakening.doc

It has been an eventful few days in Amsterdam. Yesterday morning it was announced that Dutch police had detained seven people accused of plotting terrorist attacks in the city. One of those arrested apparently has connections with the perpetrators of the Madrid bombings. Admittedly, it was a scary bit of news - our daily routines are so much a part of the centre of the city (the area around the shopping centres and tourists attractions). With first the airplane crash and now the terrorist bust, it seems Amsterdam has been splashed over the international news lately. And here I thought it was an under-the-radar cultural tourist spot. More info on the plot here. Please don't let this worry you - Amsterdam is as safe as any other Western city.

In better news, spring is squirming its way through the dreary remains of winter. Yesterday it was a comfortable 12 degrees, the tulips have begun to pop out of the soil, and the sunshine pronounced itself present. I usually have a realization every spring about how much I forgot what it felt like to have moderate to warm to hot temperatures. It tends to wash over me like a wave as I'm strolling through the city wearing my sunglasses for the first time in several months - the reminder that, oh yeah, for half of the year we're able to walk around without jackets, scarves, and gloves. It's an incredibly empowering feeling, as if we've conquered the Winter beast and are free to frolic for a number of months. We joke about how much the winter weather affects us, but I truly believe that I'm a happier person in spring and summer. Look forward to further pro-climate proclamations - warm weather just fills me with joy.

This week I've been able to start routine work on my placement. I'm sticking to a 12 hours a week schedule which means I'll be able to wrap it up before Finland summer school. It means that in April, when we add a new course, I'll be hunkering down into a schoolwork bunker and hoping the month passes quickly.

We did yet another "country specific" presentation in our Global Images and Theatre workshop this week. We're exploring how theatre is a venue for the "redistribution" of global images pulled from a local or international consciousness (read: media-constructed). I presented Judith Thompson's Palace at the End for the way in which it gives voice to figures who have, for all intensive purposes, been subsumed by their images: Lynndie England, David Kelly, and Iraqi civilians. It went really well; the play actually relates to the very questions we were tackling.

Today will be spent completing laundry (what a glamorous afternoon) and tackling the weekend To-Do list. Thankfully, I have a fantastic evening to help me through the work. Bec is coming over for dinner to discuss UK housing plans and then we're heading to an MAIPR party. The highlight of the evening is that Miss Tory Mountain is visiting for a week from Warwick! I haven't seen Tory in almost eight months and am so looking forward to welcoming her to Amsterdam. Tory and I spent last year at the UofT MA boot camp - struggling through a first year PhD course together and sharing the stage in two productions. We both applied to the program and, to our mutual surprise, were both selected. One of the Finnish students remarked, "If everyone in Canada is as good-looking as Tory and Keith, then the country must be full of beautiful people." Damn right it is. 

Doc's Prescription of the Day: If you believe it's spring, it will be. Yuck, obviously that's a lie. Nevertheless, I hope it arrives for you back home as quickly as it has for those of us in Europe. 

Cycle Dining Sweeps the Nation.doc

I'm a bit disturbed by how my blog page looks on the Dell I'm currently working from at the university. On my wonderful Mac (we'll be celebrating our two-year anniversary in May), the background page is a muted cream coffee colour which I find soothing. On this flimsy PC, the background is a jarring pale yellow that I would never want to inflict upon my readers. I hope you are seeing the same aesthetic I usually do, instead of this terrible yellow. Further investigation on the way...

On Sunday night, the residents of Sarphatistraat student housing had a Cycling Dinner! You may ask, like I did, what the hell is a cycling dinner? Well, the premise is quite cool. The idea is that you have a three course meal (starter, main, and dessert) and instead of it all being prepared by one host, you cycle through different flats to piece together your meal. Everyone chooses one of the three elements of the meal and that’s the course they prepare for the group. There were 21 different flats cooking so there were seven different sets of dinners going on.

I choose the easiest of the three courses: the starter. They asked us to make something related to our home culture if possible (since it's an international residence) but I, understandably, had some difficultly coming up with something Canadian - I didn't want to make anything with maple syrup and I only had one packet of Swiss Chalet sauce. The starter I made was something that Emily and I had on Christmas Eve in Paris. It's a pretty simple appetizer: a slice of tomato, chopped Basil, and a generous block of soft mozzarella on top of a piece of baguette. The two-bite French treats are drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and a host of spices. I thought the combination of red and white, and the French influence made it as close to a "Canadian appetizer" as possible. They were a big hit.

The main course I cycled to was hosted by two girls downstairs - one hails from South Africa and the other from Turkey. We had a delicious meal with Turkish rice and a yogurt drink, and a South African take on Sheppard’s Pie. The main dinner party featured students from every continent but Antarctica (yet another International evening). The final portion of the meal was a Brazilian dessert that was heavy on the chocolate and supplemented with ice cream. How could you go wrong? The RAs made sangria for the after-dinner drinks in our yellow lobby downstairs. I had no idea that that many people lived in the building. The only time I see fellow "housemates" is in the laundry room or in the elevators so it provided a valuable opportunity to meet some of my neighbours. There are people from everywhere around the globe.

Monday night I had a meeting for the conference I'm helping with in July. It looks like one of my tasks will be developing an archive for the exhibition attached to the international part of the conference. The exhibition may be touring Europe if the organizers get the grant money they are requesting from the EU so it looks to be a great project in which to be involved. Last night, I had a few drinks with Stuart, my friend studying Law at UVA from the UK - he gave all kinds of advice about what exactly should be seen in Berlin and Prague.

This morning, Courtney and I were successful in obtaining seats at the weekly lunchtime series at the Concert Gebouw. I'm amazed at the number of people who show up for this free concert and are turned away when the hall fills up. Today we listened to three incredibly beautiful pieces between a pianist and a cellist - brilliant, gorgeous, and haunting. If I could pick any instrument to master it would have to be the cello; it just commands respect. The sun was out ALL day in Amsterdam and I walked past purple and yellow flowers making their way out of the soil - wearing sunglasses never felt so good.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: I think a cycle dinner must be organized by our friends in the future. We could even call it a "subway" dinner and just hop between each other's places. Is this only a European invention? Why do potlucks get all the attention?!

Marching Right Along.doc

I'm amazed by how quickly time is passing. It may be that the six hour difference adds to the feeling of a quickened clock, since whenever I catch someone at home I'm usually getting ready for bed while they are looking forward to dinner, but I also think it just comes with an extremely busy schedule. March is rolling right along and reading week plus the visit from friends at the end of the month will all but signal its conclusion!

Speaking of Reading Week, I've book myself in. I'm heading out of the city on a Eurolines bus on March 19 at 11:30pm and will awake to find myself in Berlin where I'll spend three nights. With Berlin being called the "NYC of Europe" I want to give myself adequate time to see some of the major sites. While I won't be able to see everything in three days, it'll give me time to see locations properly. From Berlin, I then head to Prague for three nights and then take a direct route back home to Amsterdam. Eurolines offered a "mini-pass" for these two cities at an incredible price. I'm on the road for seven days, but the decision to spend three days in each city means I can do the visits justice. Any suggestions on what to see? I think Courtney is going to be accompanying me on the travels - she has signed up for Berlin at least. While I'm the type that can chart my own path through a city, I'll be great to have a travel buddy.

I found out a really neat fact about the Theatre Studies department at the University of Amsterdam I think relevant to share - it certainly trumps any unique stories about any other department of which I've been a part (sorry to the three others). The building we study in is located on an old street in the centre of the city called Nieuwe Doelenstraat. Doelen translates to militia and hence a lot of the buildings on the street were the home of Amsterdam units of the military. The Theatre Studies department is housed in one of the largest buildings on the street (right in the centre) where there use to hang portraits of the militia as an archive of their successes and history. It just so happens that Rembrandt's The Night Watch is one of the paintings that hung on the wall. For those unaware, it is the artist's most famous work and arguably one of the ten most famous pieces of art in the World. I don't exactly know which area of the building housed the Rembrandt (I think this is still debated), but it's neat to study in a building with so much history and character.

Going back to this question of why time is ticking away so fast, I think it has to do with the amount of socializing we've been doing: Wednesday was one such night when we went directly from the conclusion of our six o'clock class to the pub where we carried the discussion in the classroom to a discussion over beers (the hallmark of graduate education); Thursday, Courtney and I saw Revolutionary Road - an honest look at Western monogamy that was superbly acted; Friday we spent six hours in a seminar on Theatre and Globalization and then spent the evening in our little haunt near the Theatre Studies department; and last night we went to a really cool club called Studio 80 which hosts a once-a-month only student alternative/indie music night. Admittedly, last night's festivities (where we stayed out until 3am) were more charged than our pub outings but it's great to see everyone so keen to socialize. A full evening schedule has meant that I'm back to the type of routine I loved in Toronto where the days were planned out fully to maximize time in the evening.

Today is a beautiful sunny Sunday which must unfortunately be spent reading and prepping for the upcoming week. However, I have my wall window open with the curtains swaying in the breeze; let the sun shine in. This "almost-balcony" is going to be gorgeous in the spring. Weather update: it's usually around 8 degrees during the day and buds have started to form on trees and bushes. I hope you're having an equally enjoyable Sunday.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: Time is the topic of the day. I see you've sprung forward and lost an hour of sleep. We haven't had to do that here. Make sure when you bitch and complaint about the hour lost that you remember the greater good - it means spring is within reach.

The Plan, Stan.doc

No luxury of a strike, and I still have no bike! There has been a snag in the plan. I have Jenna’s keys (after two weeks of waiting) but now cannot find her bike in residence storage. I’ve had to go there after hours so I don’t look like an unlikely theft sticking random keys into bikes I think it could be. I’ve had to do the same under the cloak of night at the bike rack outside the building - trying keys on any bike that looks close and praying its owner doesn’t saunter up and ask just what the hell I’m doing. She has given me a direct description: green, says Batavus on it, and has a front headlight. Unfortunately it has either been stolen or the residence assistants have moved it somewhere (I’ve emailed them in the hopes that the latter is the case). Until then, I continue to hoof it.

Two and a half days have passed since my last post and I have to admit not much has happened. I’ve had some wonderful chats with family and friends back home, started my placement, and had two busy days of class. With that said, this post is meant to address some of your FAQ in regards to how my year is looking so far. Since many of you have asked the same questions about plans, I decided to give a breakdown so you have an idea of where I might be, what I might be up to, and with whom I might be spending my time. The trifecta of italicized ‘mights’ is meant to indicate that almost everything on the list is tentative planning at best:

"For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see, saw the vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be." --Alfred Lord Tennyson

March: Is going to fly by. An extremely busy month: lots of class, assignments, and presentations. Luckily, it also contains my reading week. This week I hope to finalize a Reading Week trip to Berlin and Prague from March 19 - 25 (more on that next post). Before leaving I’ll get to hang with Tory (a friend from UofT who is doing Warwick mobility currently) when she arrives with some of the other MAIPRS in just over a week. The second adventure to look forward to is a visit from Emily, Raffi, and Simon during the last weekend in March after my trip. I'm excited to host a full crew of friends.

April: Is apparently the cruelest month. It might prove to be academically - we add an extra class to our schedule for this month, continue diligently with placement work, and have no break to look forward to. It’s my last full month of regular class for a long time (possibly ever) so I plan to power through. That being said, I might try and sneak in a Parisian weekend (take note!) or save this for the last weekend of May/first weekend of June. School is the number one in April.

May: Welcome tulips and friends! I’m really looking forward to this month - not only do April showers bring May flowers but they also bring May friends. Aside from writing essays (which can always be done betwixt and between), I’ll only have six hours of class total this month and some placement work to continue. This means that I’ll have a good amount of time to devote to friends coming to stay! Graham and Leslie start things off for two nights on their Europa adventures, Michael follows with a week long visit, and Bronwyn and Lia will round out the group (I guess Emily can come too). Wow, may it come quick!

June: Vodka and Saunas. After the friend free-for-all, I’ll have one week to power through essays and “finnish” my placement before headed to the Finlandia forest for a week long summer conference and retreat - the first meeting of all MAIPR should be a blast. After returning, and hopefully sending in final essays, I’ll pack up my things and (hopefully) move back to the UK. We’re having a meeting this week about possible living conditions. It looks like it will be either Leamington Spa, Coventry, or even Birmingham. This will be the big challenge in June.

July: Jetsetting? Hopefully we’ll be able to camp out in a hostel at the end of June and have a place by July 1. Before jumping straight into the essay (as if...) I can then catch up with Jessica who sets down in Europe for an incredible 7 weeks! I plan to visit her in Portugal, travel to Spain (if funds and timing work out), and maybe she’ll accompany me back to the UK. There is also one of the largest concerts of the summer (80,000 participants - eat that Rennes) in Ireland called Oxegen which we’re planning to visit. The lineup includes Kings of Leon, Blur, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Pete Doherty, Lily Allen, and Lady Gaga. Again, a lot depends on money and timing. I also might return to Amsterdam in the third week of the month for a conference that relates to my placement. Many options for July.

August: The calm after the storm? If I have as busy a month as I plan to (see above), I’ll look to return to the UK and get my thesis underway. I think I can strike a good balance between getting work started and enjoying one of my favourite months of the year. I foresee little traveling this month.

September: Keep it going. I plan to harness the momentum of August (if all goes to plan) and continue working hard with the thesis. Since I want to, in theory, finish early instead of working into December it’ll take working 9 -5 five/six days a week to accomplish. Maybe a weekend trip to somewhere exciting - Ireland if I don’t get there earlier or even Italy. My parents have also planned to hit European soil in either August or September so that will be a visit that I’ll patiently look forward to.

October: Autumn’s Here. During the end of Sept/start of Oct we’ll be helping the new MAIPR contingent and joining their induction week (I predict there'll be a buddy system or something). We’ll also have the opportunity to participate in their activities - I already know that both Sue-Ellen Case and Susan Foster will be in as guest instructors so I am looking forward to attending sessions with these “academic celebs.” Hopefully time for a weekend trip to Scotland. The post-program job search begins.

November: When the hell is that? So far in advance everything is just speculation. I figure this is the month I’ll go a bit crazy trying to reach page 100 of my thesis (makes me sick to even type it). Probably little traveling, lots of writing and tearing my hair out. Job blitz of everywhere for January 2010.

December: Will I make it this far? Hopefully I’ll be just revising and editing, and continuing the job search. I'll move out of the UK abode and bid adieu to the academic lifestyle for now. At this point I’ll (again, hopefully) have banked some cash and can go on one more travel blitz -I'd die if I was able to make it to Greece - before hitting glorious Canadian soil, getting a double-double ASAP, and enjoying a Christmas at home.

I know what you’re thinking: December is a long way away. But look at the possible adventures I have before then! A part of me thought this was a cop-out post at first, but looking back it has been a good exercise in envisioning the opportunities I have to look forward to.

Disclaimer: I know there are some other friends/family who may visit. I didn’t include maybes here because I don’t want to pressure anyone into coming. Know that I’d love any visitors. Also, yes, I will be looking for jobs everywhere - it would be silly not to.

Doc’s Prescription of the Day: It may be scary to look so far in the future, but can prove to be a healthy way of organizing tasks and seeing opportunities laid out before you. Ima gunna go back to the list continually to remind myself of all that’s possible.

Beware the Bike Rides of March.doc

An update on the bike situation: I told y'all earlier that I had struck a deal with an Amsterdam home student to borrow her bike while I am here in the Dam. The guys she left her keys with have been impossible to get a hold of - I've visited every day at various times for the past ten days. I eventually got impatient and sent them a facebook message. It seems they went back home to Belgium for two weeks and have been unavailable. They return tonight and promised to slip the keys in my mailbox. So by this time tomorrow I'll be cruising the bike paths of the gorgeous city...if I can find Jenna's bike in the storage room (I'll cross that bridge once I've got the keys). March is bike month.

A second aspect of the term is falling into place. I've been offered a placement as a Research Assistant with the Director of the Theatre Studies department here in Amsterdam. This will be my third Research Assistantship in my young career - I continually wonder if this experience will have any relevance outside academic circles (here's hoping!) While it was my initial desire to gain experience working on a festival in the city, this proved to be harder than anticipated - a lot of the festivals had either hired all their staff or would only recruit someone who could speak both English and Dutch. I'm not complaining though. The position with the Director is a great opportunity. She's creating a guided research project where I'll study theoretical and case studies of gay and lesbian performance, politics, identity, and theatre. The research will feed into the creation of a thesis topic. Right now I'm consider researching and writing about Same Sex Marriage legislation and its effect on the performance/identity of the gay counterpublic. It sounds like more of a sociology paper than something in the theatre, but that's the umbrella of Performance Studies for you. So I'll start the placement this coming week; the biggest pro is that I'll get to define my own hours.

Thursday night and last night we went to see two dance pieces as part of the Something Raw festival. The week long festival is an exhibition of experiment dance and performance from all over the country. The posters depicting partially nude male and female torsos indicate the type of art one could expect to see – those that figuratively “strip down” to a more “raw” level of performance while pushing the boundaries of what can be displayed on stage.  Both dance pieces were extremely entertaining - at times the dancers spastically let it all out on stage, doused each other in water, and made the oddest noises with their bodies - but they were a bit heavy on critique and deconstruction. Both shows featured some form of nudity from either a male or female dance. Why is it that Europeans embrace on-stage nudity as a sometimes necessary element of expression, while it is somewhat taboo in North American theatre? 

Friday night was a Mexican themed party at Bec's. The initial inspiration for such a party came from Hetta's desire to have a tequila night. We all sipped our beverages of choice and were coerced into a few rounds of the devilish shot from the very persistent Fin. I'm not sure why we're so different, but of all of the assembled countries (Finland, Russia, Australia, Slovakia, and Britain) Canada was the only one who downs the shot with lime - everyone else uses lemon. Maybe something was lost in translation when the tradition made its way across the Atlantic. My theory is that lemons are just cheaper. As usual, it was a great night spent among friends: a twister board was busted out, we chatted about a variety of topics, and then went to a fine establishment around the corner from Bec's place.

Today, on a glorious lazy Sunday, I'm completing an assignment for submission on Tuesday, hoping to correspond with some friends I haven't chatted with in a good week, and trying to maneuver the Dutch websites so I can plan some reading week traveling. It looks like I have about seven full days to explore. The initial plans were to try to go to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland but I think that's too much to pack into a mere week. I'm now thinking of spreading the days over Berlin and Prague so I can settle into each city rather than visit for only a day. More details to come once I've booked something.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: In honour of my new bike, of which I should have possession by tomorrow, the next time you encounter a cyclist, think of me cruising by one of the city's canals with the wind in my hair. Poetic, isn't it?