“Ottobrare” is a type of lovely, warm, lingering late summer that lasts through October. It is an Italian term, though I don’t know if the phenomenon is exclusively Italian or Mediterranean in general. This year we stayed in that golden haze through September and four full weeks of October – a just reward, my host mother informed me, for enduring an unusually cold, wet, and altogether upsetting Roman summer.
From the wise words of a Senegalese hostel worker in Marrakech to the rural villages of the grand Atlas Mountains to the highest peak in North Africa – it was quite a weekend. Mount Toubkal, which stands at 4,167 meters (13,671 ft), is a popular destination for hikers and isn’t too far from Marrakech, the heartland of Morocco’s tourism. With seven others and two local guides, I ventured into rural Berber territory to tackle the climb.
Snorkeling at Leon Dormido off of San Cristobal Island
These past two weeks have been full of research for two courses, with two papers and a project due, it has been busy. Today I had some time to think seriously about what it means for me to be in Amsterdam. I think the highlight of this semester is the freedom I am allowed; no limits on where I can go, what I can do, who I can meet, or the stories that I have access to. I am happy.
Here I sit at my desk for the first time in what feels like ages. Freiburg is bustling with thousands of college students like I’ve never seen it before. At the start of September, I was greeted by a quaint, but quiet city. Now, it’s in full blast. The restaurants and bars are bustling, the tram is often packed, and the streets are abuzz with excitement. Students enjoy an extended holiday through the months of August, September and some of October in Germany.
My time in Freiburg is flying! Everyday still feels new which is hard to believe now that I am in my seventh week in Germany. Most significantly, though, I officially have a Tandem Partner! Now, a Tandem Partner is provided through a partnership with the IES Abroad Program and the Pädogogische Hochschule in Freiburg. This University is for students who intend to be teachers eventually.
Omanto matsuri (おまんと祭) takes place right next to my host dad’s family home and is a very important matsuri for his family. During this matsuri, horses are brought into a ring to run around it as young men try to grab onto the horse and run with it. My host mother told me that the longer they hold on, the more luck they have. She also told me that my host dad participated until he broke his arm one year. Despite how dangerous it sounds, it was very interesting to watch.
Concertgebouw is the main performance hall for classical music in Amsterdam. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra regularly performs there, as well as other European orchestras. As a conservatory student here, we are lucky to have such a world-renowned orchestra and concert hall right here in our backyard!
The Conservatorium van Amsterdam has a two week break for the orchestra project, so I decided to do some solo traveling! October is a great month to visit the Alps. I started in France, then Northern Italy, then Switzerland. It was a great experience traveling alone. It could be scary at some times, but I always ended up finding nice people to help me along the way. I really enjoyed seeing mountains and experiencing other European cultures.