It's 7:20 pm on Saturday night here in A'Dam, and Jeopardy isn't on. We're over the jetlag mostly, unless you count sleeping til 12:30 jetlag. Arrival here has been strangely uneventful. Staying at our friend Ned's apartment is a saving grace. We can just sleep and sleep, our boxes piled in the living room, the reality and apartment list waiting patiently. There is a tv, with commercials in Dutch and American shows, including the Simpsons.

We have taken much time paying what our friends steve and keesje call "the stupid tax", which is basically when you spend money because you fucked up because you don't understand the system, like having to go back a second day to an out of the way warehouse to pick up the boxes sent cargo because you had to go back to the airport terminal (a 2nd time) to get customs to stamp a form (for another fee), and then having to pay extra for storage costs on the boxes you didn't pick up on time... or there's the inevitable "three hour errand" to the students for students office to inquire about housing-- you finally find the place after walking up and down a street with the right name but a cooky numbering system, only to be told that they don't refer apartments, only shared student housing and rooms...Or having to replace a $50 power current transformer of Ned's that someone (who shall remain nameless) blew up by plugging in US appliances. Turns out you need a different converter for appliances with different wattages, one transformer does not cover all currents....and so our adventure begins.

r says:

it's weird taking mercedes taxis. all the dutch people seem to wear glasses that have lenses smaller than their eyeballs, which makes me understand why they need glasses. everyone looks cooler than me, but that's cause they're stoned and i'm not. it's funny watching telly and seeing the weather for colombia and the phillipines, and damn, they don't have all those cool 3d graphics. there are naked people in shower commercials. we watched a mafia movie(goodfellas) and it just doesn't seem the same with dutch subtitles. there is this sense while watching the news that you get an entirely different perspective on what world news here (like it exists, and even may have nothing to do with the US), even if you can't understand Dutch (yet). our cell phone doesn't work yet, but the com is up and functioning. i like it here. on monday we'll start looking for a pad. i've started writing and it feels so so good. nothing seems that weird except not working.

thanks to all who helped us and said hi to us before moving--we were somewhat lucky to get off in time, but the plane was tardier than we were. we'll miss everyone, but i suspect it won't seem like so long.

love, r- Note: at the end of Sept my email address will change (stupid stupid earthling Verio people!!!) to the following: rdglick@netscape.net so mark it on your address books.

l- says:

The conservatory here is really beautiful. It felt so good to walk into an old building, a school, and know I'd be part of it. School seems like a good idea again, though I still have no idea what I'll be doing there exactly. The administrators I talked to were very nice. Most people are still on their long August vacations, and not much happens "ahead of time" here. People seem to be pretty relaxed, but organized (I just have no idea what the organization is, of course, but they seem organized). talked to Sparnaay, he was friendly, and we have our first meeting set for the 30th. Guess I'll find out more then about my mission and how it will be caried out.

There is a good amount of Chinese presence around our neighborhood- several acupuncture clinics, medicinal herb shops, Chinese decorations and food shops. I've seen several signs up for Yang style tai chi lessons (but none for Chen style- mine will be up soon after we find an apartment). I'll also be scoping out a place to teach. I was told about a center all kinds of movement classes, new age stuff (smeall the incence), massage, yoga classes, etc. Seems one can rent space there, so I'll see. I've already been given the names of two Shiatsu massage guys to talk to, one of whom practices qigong. Maybe they can give me some advise (or sign up for my taiji class).

One sees signs in many languages all over the place, including Hebrew. It feels very international here, and comfortable in that way. Our friend Steve said there are even a bunch of Hassids who live in his neighborhood. Robert saw two kosher meat markets, which of course he was very excited about.

So far we've eaten Thai food, lots of little sandwiches, fabulous cheese, and of course the requsite beer-coffee-beer-coffee. Good thing I'm walking around a lot. Tomorrow a nice walk in the Vondelpark. It's Sunday, and that's what you do. There's also a big concert festival on the canals this weekend, mostly classical music, which we will check out tomorrow. The city is full of tourists right now, and the streets are really crowded, but it's very vibrant in that way. It's strange and fun to find things we like from home here, but to see them in a different setting. It's kind of a relief to know we don't have to have shippments of chili paste sent in (though I haven't looked for nori yet, and tortillas are the just arrived trendy new item and are thus quite expensive).

Our bikes we brought are way too nice for street use here. We will acquire beater bikes of the local black, one speed varriety very soon. The good bikes will be saved for weekend rides out of town, and the like.

love, Laura