It's incredibly hard to believe but I have been in the Netherlands for three weeks now and so far have been having the most amazing time.  In the two weeks before classes began I did a bit of travelling throughout the Netherlands and each city I explored was exciting and unique in its own way.  My friends and I took a day trip to Zaanse Shans, a neighborhood in Zaandam that's filled with the scent of chocolate (due to its famous chocolate factory) and countless windmills.

            This past week was filled with parks and reserves, hiking, and taking in the diversity of species and surroundings. Our Wildlife Conservation and Management class took a field trip to Maquipucuna Nature Reserve, a cloud forest located about an hour north of Quito. There, we took several hikes observing the stark differences between the secondary and primary forests. Much of the land there was previously under agricultural production as sugar cane farm plantations.

The first two weeks in Dublin can be characterized by lots of walking, mental mapping and excitement over not getting lost after the fourth or fifth time that you’ve ventured on your own down one of the various streets in the city. 

The feeling of triumph is amazing, and being able to navigate in the city makes it feel more like home. You feel a sense of belonging and little more like a Dubliner.

Recently, I went with my new friends to an open market to purchase a Dutch bicycle (a necessity in The Netherlands). I was with three wonderful women: one from Finland, one from Canada, and one from Spain. To set the scene, it’s important to understand many of these bikes are stolen. The Amsterdam Police estimate that 50.000 to 80.000 bikes are stolen annually. Additionally, these probably stolen bikes don’t have prices on them, forcing you to ask the seller about each bike you’re interested in.

I made it! I’m in the lovely city of London. I’ve been here for five days and have already fallen in love with the city. As I sat on the top of a double decker bus I had to stop and think just how grateful I truly am to experience London not just a week, but for almost four months of my life.

Well dear reader(s), I made it. I have successfully survived an entire week (count ‘em, seven whole days) here in Salamanca, Spain (yayyy me!). Let me tell you, this week has been full of ups and downs (more ups than downs, luckily).

On Adjusting