Mijn bezoek naar Nederland

Josiah Miggiani

Alkmaar, Sept. 22-23, 2023

Far and away my favorite trip of the semester so far. After departing from Centraal Station, we took a scenic train ride to the beautiful city of Alkmaar, with a population of around 110,000. Even on a Friday afternoon, the center of the city was alive and vibrant, with a pop-up market along the canals and plenty of Dutch classics like cheese, clogs, and mini pancakes called poffertjes! During free time, I visited a Salvation Army second-hand store (named ReShare) with a friend, and we had an amazing time thanks to the service of a very friendly and humorous Babs, who mainly spoke Dutch. I could mostly understand her, and she could piece together my own (if basic) Dutch speech. Plenty of recommendations and compliments were given, and I think we came away with a phenomenal haul for a great price. We were even treated to coffee and cookies downstairs!

Departing the station on a drizzly day.

Poffertjes! Heel lekker.

Later in the day, IES had a scheduled kayak tour of the city. Coming into the trip, this is what I was most excited for--it didn't disappoint! The whole group of us traversed the canals and went underneath the bridges of Alkmaar, with intermittent drizzle spells. Honestly, I think the light rain added to the experience, and the cozier and quieter environment would make kayaking here a better experience than even in Amsterdam.

We concluded the night with a three-course meal at a local Mexican restaurant. The food and drink were both delicious, and I had a great time in Alkmaar. And I haven't even talked about the sailing trip back! I'll leave some photos to stimulate your imagination. I absolutely love feeling the breeze out on the ocean, and savored every moment I could being on the deck... even when the weather got a little rough :)

Anatomy practical, Sept. 12, 2023

Earlier today, I was in a lab with several cadavers and organ specimens. It was a very sobering experience.

Notes for the future

Anatomy and Physiology count towards ECE's science/math requirement and on paper, the equivalent of a 9 unit course. However, it is a 200 level (in a 3-year bachelor's program) course, and I find it quite heavy, coming with zero bio background. Also, you are required to buy a white lab coat...
Having a crate installed on your bike might make you feel like you're trying to drive a tank on two wheels, but will save your spine from carrying a heavy backpack for a ~25 minute commute to school. (Plus, your back won't be drenched in sweat when you arrive!) It also helps with groceries.

biking confession

Every time I get passed, I physically need to check if they're using an e-bike. my pride demands it!

...

as of late, my pride has become more humble

biking confession 2

I ran into a girl today--our eyes met, a will they/won't they encounter.

It turned out to be the latter-- just three accident-free weeks in Amsterdam before I crashed into a pedestrian

Monday, 8/28/23

OMAFIETS. Oma, meaning grandma (like in German! There are many similarities between the two languages... and English). Fiets, meaning bike. Thus it's literal translation: granny bike!

It's not difficult to see why this style of bicycle would be dubbed 'Omafiets.'

From the curved bike frame that allows users to easily step through and over the bike, the typically cushy bike seat, and the rear-pointing handles that promote upright posture, the bike is accessible to the point that even Oma can ride. The bikes can be equipped with a basket for groceries and bags, and many have chain guards so long pants don't get chewed up. As a region, the Netherlands is very flat, so many omafietsen are not equipped with handbrakes (one instead uses the pedals in reverse to engage the brakes), and many are also single speed/gear.

Coming from an American bike background, I initially had a hard time getting used to this new style of bike! Not to mention I had qualms about the general aesthetic appeal of the Omafiets. Because the bikes have pedal brakes, it's very difficult to put one foot on the pedal and swing on and over after a running start. My bike felt very sensitive, and I felt that I would nearly fall off just going straight. Even just getting the bike to move from a standstill felt cumbersome because of all of the different features that felt so foreign to me.

I waffled between buying a more familiar style of bike off of marktplaats.nl (A dutch craigslist/facebook marketplace of sorts), but found that after a few days, I learned to deal with the supposed idiosyncrasies of the omafiets. I learned where the pedals should be positioned when stopping so that starting would be easier, how to better manage the sensitivity of the front steering, and even just the rules of the fietspad (bike path).

Cycling around Amsterdam has been amazing. I think every single road I've been on has had a dedicated bike path, or at the very least, a marked section for cyclists on generously spaced pedestrian sidewalks. Here are some snippets of the few rides I've taken.

Sunday, 8/20/23

After months of anticipation, requirement waivers, and general procedure, I'm finally in the Netherlands! As the plane descended from cruise altitude and the Pacific came into view, I was immediately struck by the view of off-shore wind farms. Getting closer to Amsterdam, I could see that the NL lived up to its reputation as really flat. REALLY really flat. Yes, I noted many bike paths as well.

Once the plane touched down, I stepped my first steps onto Holland (and the EU too), and slipped into a different world. I couldn't help myself from breaking into a grin as I walked among a human forest. Yep--this too fits the country's reputation.

The next hour or so was marked by wandering around with too much and too heavy luggage, hunting first for the currency exchange I reserved a transaction with, and then a means to get to my hostel for the night. It turned out that the airport exchange location only buys euros! Despite promising otherwise when I set it up online--bleh. After bumbling up and down elevators and conveyor belts, and some assistance from the train station front desk, I finally had my ticket, and my destination set.

STAIRS

These were the final obstacle to my Elysium. A bit of a workout lugging ~70lbs the way up! A very obvious piece of advice for future study abroad-goers: pack LIGHT! Especially make sure your backpack carry-on isn't bursting at the seams.

At long last, I made it. Sweaty, smelly, and likely looking the part of the dreaded American tourist, I checked in and crawled into the elevator. I showered, resigned myself to exploring tomorrow after getting my dorm, and crashed into bed.

I think the format of these posts will vary between informal/occasional diary entries, to perhaps some long form musings. Bear with me!

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