This past week has flown past. Classes have been going very well- I am really enjoying the fact that most of my classes take me outside of the classroom. I am seeing more of London this way. I’ve been to Greenwich, the National Gallery, the Museum of London, the list could keep going. I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to go back to long lectures and notes next semester… 

Today was my first day volunteering at a NGO teaching English to Moroccans. The entire day I could not get my mind off of it. I have never taught before and I did not want to mess up. Although I am studying journalism at school, it is so much harder to teach something that comes naturally to you.

I spoke with other students who have already started and they spoke about teaching like it was very easy. “Just come up with a lesson plan and go from there. The students will catch on.” Definitely not the case.

Amsterdam is a wonderful, beautiful, historic city. However, the beauty that surrounds me everyday often gets overshadowed by its notorious reputation for legalizing marijuana and prostitution.

My friend Matt came to visit last week, and naturally he was curious about the Red Light District, the area in Amsterdam filled with sex workers, sex shops and coffeehouses – where one would go to purchase marijuana. I took him for a walk through the area and it really struck a chord with me.

Here is a poem that basically sums up, in all its touristy glory, that “Honeymoon period” I’ve been experiencing these past couple weeks. It’s to the tune of Under The Sea from the Little Mermaid, so you’ll probably get more out of it if you keep the song in mind.

Across the Pond

The US is quite a nation

The home of the brave and free

A symbol of innovation

But that’s not my cup of tea

My third week was much like the Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen cinematographic masterpiece Passport to Paris, minus all the McDonalds and falling in love with twelve year old boys.

Being a senior and choosing to study abroad is a little more challenging as I have less time to prepare myself after coming back from studying in Italy before I join the real world and must look for a big girl job.  I had my heart set on going to study in Italy and have an internship to help build my resume upon returning home to the states.  I thought having an internship abroad would help strengthen my skills as I would be doing graphic design work and getting to see how Italian companies are run verses companies in the United States.