Amsterdam

Hallo! It is so good to be back in Bremen! Everyone agreed that we really appreciate Bremen even more now after going to Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a cool place to say you've been, but would not be the first place I would suggest you travel. It was a rollercoaster of a trip. Some of the times were really fun, but others were kind of a hassle. Our first time dealing with the trains made everyone a little nervous, but we made it there safely and got some sleep on the way. (4 hour trip- 3 different trains) I stayed with 4 other people (2 guys and 2 girls) and I definitely chose the right group to be with. We stayed in a hostel (my first time in a hostel) and it was what I've been told pretty nice as far as hostels go. We had our own locker, bathroom and bunk beds. Our door locked, but we had a fan and could open the window and look out at the canal and streets. It really was very clean, despite my expectations.
Amsterdam is overrun with canals. Initially we tried to use the water for navigating the city, but soon realized there were way too many to do that. We were able to meet up with a few of the other groups occasionally, usually by just running into them. Traveling with a group of 27 is difficult without cellphones. If I had to describe the city of Amsterdam in one word it would be "dirty." Every morning the streets looked like Franklin Street after Halloween might look. It was definitely an eye-opening experience and we all learned a lot about traveling in general. It was a VERY touristy place and the prices were higher on average than they are in Bremen. (Which is one reason we are glad to be staying here because it is more "homey")
My foot is feeling much better now! I wore tennis shoes the whole time we were in Amsterdam and it didn't bother me hardly at all. This was very convenient since we walked a lot while we were there. My group was smart and bought 48 hour bus passes and definitely got our use out of them. Still, the walking was unavoidable in a place that has streets that small and that many people. Pedestrians are definitely on the bottom of the traffic food chain there. You are constantly honked at my mopeds and bikers and trams! I am so glad to be back because I was so stressed from constantly worry about my passport and the few other valuables I had to take with me.
Tomorrow we have our second day of class, which should be a little rough. Most of us aren't used to 7 hour school days anymore. Personally, I'm excited because going to class is familiar and last week it was so bad. Being in class is the same as being in class in Wilmington so it helped with being homesick last week and will hopefully keep me from being homesick this week. (As long as it isn't too boring or hard!)
Also the jet lag has mostly worn off! Thank goodness. I feel so much better and have much more energy. Of course, as soon as I start feeling completely normal and get on a routine I'll be flying home and adjusting all over again!
One catch about the Amsterdam trip though... I (being the smart person that I am) forgot to take my SD card out of my laptop and put it into my camera for this weekend. So I didn't take a single picture in Amsterdam. Just kidding! Haha I took pictures on my phone, but I will not be able to upload them until I get home since I do not have my cord or internet on my phone. I made my friends take even more pictures, so I will probably copy a few from them and put them on facebook or snapfish for you to see.
Well I hope everyone had a good weekend and has a great week ahead! Miss you all! :)