Where in the World is Kirsten?: Amsterdam!

I'm posting this a week late but, better late than never!

Canals of Amsterdam

It's so easy to travel in Europe because all of the countries are so close to each other and connected (you don't have to go through border control between EU countries.) All you have to do is hop on a train and a few hours later, your in completely different place. So when I heard that my mom was going to be in Amsterdam for a business trip, I knew that I had to meet up with her.

the only word to describe it is "cute"

Although Amsterdam is not too far away from Muenster and the Germany in whole, it felt so different. EVERYBODY speaks English here. IN fact, I heard more English than Dutch. All maps, menus, movies and newspapers were printed in English and Dutch. After being constantly surrounded by people speaking another language for several months now, it was a little weird being surrounded by so much English again.

The architecture was also different in Amsterdam. Everything is simply adorable. Narrow, brick houses with stepped gable facades are built right up against canals and everything looked picture perfect.

Christmas market

I think that I'll always remember this trip as the trip where I tried so much food (and some of the best food I've ever eaten.) My mom and I arrived the weekend that the Christmas markets opened and all you do at Christmas markets is eat, and eat and shop and once again, eat. We went to the market everyday AT LEAST once...We tried everything ranging from cheeses and fondues (which Amsterdam's known for) to crepes to tropical fruits (Holland is the 2nd largest exporter of fresh fruits and veggies) to Italian pastries (although the best food we came across from a local outdoor weekend market.) We were in food heaven.

Mom and I

I can't get enough cheese

But this trip was special because I met up with my mom and I hadn't seen her for four months. It was awesome being family again and speaking real, American English again. The combination was deadly...all I did for the first day and a half was talk. I probably spoke too much and too fast but there was too much to talk about and so little time. Telling my mom about the past couple of months was also therapeutic. It really allowed me to debrief and collect my thoughts on my experience so far, but it most importantly made me realize that I'm not gonna be ready to leave in a month. I want to stay longer. Before seeing my mom, I was beginning to get a little home/friendsick, but now that problem has completely dissolved and I'm starting to wish that I could stay for the full year.