Day 15: WELCOME TO BERLIN!!!

Today is our first full day in HOT Berlin! I honestly don't know how to feel about being in Germany yet. I have some ties here, but I was having trouble connecting with this city. Nevertheless, I can say that I felt the same way in the other cities as well, so just like Paris and Amsterdam, I was going to have to get used to Berlin.
Just like any other city, our first day alwasy consist of a free walking tour! I was not that excited because the night before I had to do laundry and it took then entire night. Apparently, in Germany, the washers and dryers are a lot more complex, and take around 90 minutes to wash and 135 to dry. With three loads, I was exhausted by the next day. Knowing that our walking tours usually last from about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, I wasn't sure if I was going to really be up for it, but I didn't really have a choice. I got up to meet the tour guide and we were off!
We met at the Brandenburg Gate, which was absolutely beautiful and got seperated into groups. Our tour guide's name was Susan and already, she had my attention. She was a history buff so I could tell that she not only knew a lot, but that she was passionate about her work, which made the tour so much better!! From stop to stop, I was engulfed in Berlin and German history, and it made me want to learn more and more! Although it was hot, it was by far the best walking tour I've been on this etire trip. I guess you could say at this point, I was beginning my romance with Berlin. I'm looking forward my time here.

Later, we went on our first excursion! It was to the TV Tower in Berlin. Now, the TV Tower is located in Alexanderplatz, which is kind of like an epicenter in Berlin, known for shopping and food and everything you need. The TV Tower is famous for its height, which it got because before our recent technology, the only way the people of the city could get television connections and any kind of signal was from this tower. The higher it was, the further out the signal could go and more people could be reached. Now, it is not used for this, but as a tourist site for those wanting to see Berlin in a different way. 

Getting to see it from the groud is one thing, but from the top is an entirely different experience. In all honesty, I must admit, I was first looking to see the Eiffel Tower in the distance, but I reminded myself that I was in Berlin, which was just as beautiful. My first day in Germany was one to remember. 

Day 14: July 24, 2016- Berlin

Today is our travel day from Amsterdam to Berlin. I can honestly say that I'm almost heartbroken to leave Amsterdam because it was such a lovely city, and everything felt easy there, but it was A LOT of walking, so I can say that I'm excited to go to a city where I'll be getting a metro pass!! Oh, the things we take for granted!
My morning started at 6:15 AM because we all had to be downstairs at 6:45AM to get ready to leave. I was able to get all my things down before time, thinking that today would be an easier travel day since I only had two bags (I bought another one so I could fit all of my things back with versus having to ship anything. Let's just say I've done a great deal of shopping and I don't plan on throwing anything away!) However, I was completel wrong.
After we all met downstairs, we had breakfast and began our travels to Central Station. The two bags that I thought would be easy to carry and travel with proved me completly wrong!! They were so heavy and it made it almost impossible to lug my bags and keep up with the group. After several bag exchanges between Kempson, Jasmane, and I, and several pauses and pep talks, we finally made it to the station.
It was hot and the train looked like it was going to be crowded. Everyone was already tired, but we knew we still had a long day ahead of us because our train was supposed to be 6 long hours!!! When the train approached, there was a great deal of confusion if we should get on or not, and at the last minute, we all had to make that move and drag our luggage on before the doors closed!! I promise I could feel my entire body shattering! Then, we found out that we would have to switch trains in about an hour or so. The day was getting longer.
Once we arrived to the next station, we swtiched trains and had to rush to get on the other one! Just our luck, the train was overcrowded and did not have seats for everybody, nor did it have air. We were all very upset and frustrated. Getting to Germany was so much harder than we anticipated.
After about 5 hours, we finally made it to Germany!! It was extremely hot, and we were all tired and sweating and had all these bags to lug in and out of the crowds of people. Making it to the hostel was our saving grace!! By far, this was the toughtest travel day, but if this is any indicationh of how our time in Germany will be, I guarantee it will be nothing short of interesting!

Day 12

Today we woke up and went to the van Gogh museum as a whole group! Everyone dressed a little nicer than the past days because we took a group picture at the "I Amsterdam" sign. There were so many people there luckily once our whole group walked up most people decided to wait take their pictures because they didn't want that many random people in their picture. The van Gogh museum was okay not really my favorite thing because I'm really not that into it. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have Starry Night in there also because that's by far his most popular painting and the one I love. I did enjoy seeing the exhibit on why he killed himself and cut off his ear. Over the years people have tried to see what type of mental illness he had but nobody ever figured it out there are just many possible things he could have had like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and a personality disorder just to name a few. 

After we left the museum Jasmane, Kempson and I went to Albert Cuypmarket not too far from the museum. This was a pretty cool area to see of Amsterdam! In the market you could really find almost anything you needed. They had clothes, shoes, souvenirs, food, cosmetics, and many other things! I bought some souvenirs there and food. I first got a pesto grilled cheese from a grilled cheese stand and it was amazing!! The cheese in the Amsterdam that I've tasted was better than in France to me. Then Kempson notices a place that sells all chicken (wings, burgers, sandwiches, hotdogs, etc) all for 2.50 euro! We got some wings and they were really good as well! After spending a few hours down there we decided to head back to the hostel to take a break from all of the walking. On the way Jasmane needed to stop at a few more banks and we did. It was cool because the route we took ended up putting us right in the middle of Vondelpark not too far down from the hostel. I hadn't been this far yet I. Vondelpark so it was pretty cool because I got to see what everyone was talking about its really a great park! When we got back Jasmane and I took naps until it was time to go to the canal cruise. For the canal cruise we went as a whole group. I liked the canal cruise we got to see where all the canals lead to, a pirate ship, and see Amsterdam the way locals do. It was also relaxing just being on the water but I don't like when the boat started to rock too much it made my stomach feel a little funny. After we left the canal cruise we grabbed some pizza and a group of us decided to come back out and grab a few drinks it was a lot of fun! Today overall has been a great day!

Day 13 Last Day in Amsterdam

Today is our last day in Amsterdam and also our free day. We did get to sleep in so i took full advantage of this. all of my roommates and i kind of woke up around the same time but it was after breakfast had already ended. So Jasmane, Meghan, and I decided to try a breakfast spot not too far from here called The Pancake Corner. I ordered an omlette with bacon inside it and it came with toast as well as a tomato and cucumber like most meals here in Amsterdam. I did learn that omlettes in the Netherlands are different from at home. It was more so flat and not folded over and it didn't have any cheese in it which is my favorite part! but, it was still okay overall. After breakfast Jasmane and I decided to catch up on some work and went over to the Mariott Hotel because the wifi over there is faster than in the hostel. the hostels wifi is not good at all manly because there are so many people using the same network. we sat over there for about an hour then decided to get out and hit the streets. We met up with Kempson and headed towards the shopping area close to dam square. I broke off from them once we got over close to the area to go to a thrift store that we passed on our first day here. I wanted to by my brother a suede bomber jacket and i got a hat for myself. As I was walking back from the thrift store i came across another market like area. this market didn't sell everything it was a clothing market! it was awesome! they had thrift shops, regular clothing, shoes, hats, everything clothing related. I didn't by anything over there because wanted to wait and see what i saw in Pull and Bear first because i heard they had really great sales. So i walked back to the shops off of dam square and went immediately to Pull and Bear! I was in a shoppers paradise right when i walked in I didn't know where to start! there were so many great sales it was hard to pass them up. Imade my way through the entire store and picked up things for my family as well as myself, it was great! After finishing up i met back up with Kempson and Jasmane and we went to grab some food. We were looking for an Indian food place to try but couldn't find one before we stumbled on this cafeteria style place. It was really big and looked kind of like an upscale cafeteria. they had fresh food in there everything was cooked to order. You had to walk around to the different type of food stands in there. There was asian food, pastas, pizzas, steaks, sandwhiches, a smoothie bar, salad bar, deserts, breads, everything you could think of! I didn't pay too much for it but the prices could add up very easily. the food was pretty good too.
We then cam back to the hostel and I packed up my things before we went to watch the pride march in vondelpark. This was pretty cool to see so many people come together in support of this community of people. After that we went by the grocery store to grab snacks for the long train ride in the morning. I have overall enjoyed Amsterdam its a beautiful and relaxed city with very cool vibes. I am not sad about leaving i am ready to take on the next city Berlin!

July 24 Day 14- From Amsterdam to Berlin

Today we finally left for Berlin, which means we're only days away from going home. We had to be up and downstairs by 6:45. Then we turned in our room cards and ate breakfast. After breakfast we were off to the train station. Getting to the train station was hell. We all had more bags than we started out with. Once we got to the train station, we went to the platform for our train and waited. Once a train finally did arrive we were told to wait because no one was sure if it was our train. After that got straightened out we got on and found seats for the two hour ride to the transfer point. After getting to the transfer point, we had to hustle to store our bags and find seats. Some people weren't so fortunate and had to stand and sit in the floor for the entire time. Once we got to Berlin, we got on a subway train to our hostel. These guys got on after us and were asking for tickets but we didn't have ours. So when we got off they did too. Overall today was okay.

July 23 Day 13- Amsterdam

Today was our free day. We got up and went out to breakfast. The restaurant we went to only accepted cash so I ate elsewhere. After we left breakfast, we went to the Marriott to upload our blogs. Then we hit the city to do some shopping and just to get out. After shopping, we ate at this restaurant that different food bars. It was cool and the food was decent. Next we went to look for last minute souvenirs before going to the Pride Parade. The Pride Parade was really interesting. There was a lot of different characters and we even got to take a picture of one. After the parade we went and got some snacks for the train ride to Berlin. Finally I finished my day up by packing my bags and doing my hair.

Day 13: Pride in Amsterdam!!

Today is the first day of Pride in Amsterdam! Now, although I'm not too familiar, Pride is like a festival for people of all backgrounds, especially in the LGBT community, to come together and celebrate life, and having the freedom to live your life the way you want!! I couldn't wait to witness this amazing festival! But first, I had to sit down and get some work done. Yes, I was getting to do some amazing things and visit cities I never thought I would see in real life, but I was here for school, so work comes before play!!
I finished my work and packed up all my stuff, but by the time I did all of that and got everything done, it was already 4PM!! Although it was late in the day, I felt accomplished that I had gotten everything done and was ready for travel day. This meant that I could enjoy the rest of my day stress and worry free, and enjoy Pride all night!!
The Pride festivities began at 7PM with a parade through Vondal Park to Dam Square and it was absolutely amazing!!! There were so many people, gay, straight, families that were just out to celebrate people in general, having the freedom to live life as they please, and loving one another. In my opinion, that's the best way to live, even if you don't agree with the lifestyle, loving one another will always prevail over hate.

All in all, Amsterdam exceeded my expectations and I cannot wait to come back!! I'll truly miss this wonderful city! Until next time!!!!

Day 12: Time to Grind

Today was our group excursion day, and we were scheduled to go to the Van Gogh museum and do a River Cruise. However, I also realized that it was Friday and I only had one interview! So, today was going to be full! We all headed the to Van Gogh Museum, but we first made a stop at the I AMSTERDAM sign and took a group picture. I loved it.

Once reaching the museum, we had to wait a little bit for whatever the reason, but then we were free to explore. The museum was nice, but it was very crowded, and a little less organized than I would have liked because it was hard to navigate and keep up with the details of his life. However, there was an extra exhibit on display showcasing his suicide and how he cut off his ear. Van Gogh was truly a hurting artist, I feel. I don't think any disease and condition could put a name on it.
Walking through the rest of the museum, I learned a lot about his life and how art intervened in so many ways, much like how music does the same for me. I remember being in art class studied these very paintings, but I had no idea that Van Gogh had done and accomplished the things that he did. It was truly a treasure to see!
After I left the museum, I went off in hopes of getting more interviews. Unlike Paris, there are not that many pharmacies to find. Many require a great deal of traveling to get to, so I knew I was in for a long day! Shortly after, I found my first pharmacy and got a great interview!! I guess that increased my luck because after, I walked to two other pharmacies and got some great interviews as well!! In my second interview with Dr. Simon, he actually took me on a tour of the Pharmacy, showing me things that I didn't even know existed, such as an automated delivery system which allows patients to pick up medicine 24/7 without standing in line and having the see the pharmacist! It was an amazing experience and I loved it!
From there, I traveled and found another pharmacy, and luckily got another great interview!! I couldn't believe it!! Though it had been a long day, it was well worth it! I traveled back to the Hostel and took a nap before our river cruise.
My nap was exactly what I needed before traveling to the River Cruise. Once we got there, we borded and we were off. I was somewhat nervouse because I knew how being on the boat in Rotterdam made me feel, but I decided that I would make the best of it. It actually wasn't that bad, until we got to the open sea, but other than that, it was absolutely beautiful! It had been the perfect evening to go on a river cruise and it was well worth it.

Once our journey came to an end, Kayla, Jasmayne, Kempson, and I went to get something to eat. Pizza!! It was really good, especially the Chicken Diavla (not to be confused with diablo; it was more sweet with a spicy kick than spicy). Good food turned into good conversation, and before we knew it, we had been there for an hour. We headed back tot he hostle for some rest. Tomorrow was a big day, the beginning of Pride in Amsterdam!!

Day 11: ROTTERDAM!!!

Today, myself, Kempson, Kayla, and Jasmane are going to take a trip to visit Rotterdam, a smaller city outside of Amsterdam! I for one was very excited because I have realized over the last ten days that I'm not a girl made for the city. The hustle and bustle is nice for a moment, but I like to be able to get away and go back to a place of quite and not as many people. I don't know if it's just being here in an unfamiliar place or just how I am in general, but it's definitely allowed me to examine certain aspects of myself.
We got up somewhat early and received TRAM PASSES!!! Ugh, thankfully, our day would be filled with a little less walking! We headed to Central Station and caught our train to Rotterdam, which took about an hour. In no time, I was sleep!! I guess I needed the rest. Once we made it, we were able to rent bikes and begin our journey!!

First off, I would like to say that bicycles are a form of transportation in Holland. There is real bike traffic and a completely different kind of living!! Thinking that riding bikes here is similar to riding bikes back at home in the neighborhood will HIGHLY disappoint you!! Rotterdam goes at a much slower pace than Amsterdam, but still, I felt like I needed my training wheels back! It was easy to get the hang of, but honestly, it was like driving a car for the first time, being so nervous and cautious about everything and everyone! I'm sure EVERYONE could tell that we were tourist. Oh well!
We rode our bikes to the Port and got on a boat to do the tour, and there, I found out another thing about myself! I can easily get sea-sick! Usually, when I traveling and there is any kind of turbulence and rocking, it puts me to sleep, almost like it's calming. But being on a boat and in water made me feel otherwise! I loved being able to see the sites and enjoy this tour, but I wish I didn't want to lay down the entire time!

Once we were back on land, (which I was I so thankful for), we hopped back on our bikes and headed for the lake! The ride was okay, because some of us were still getting used to riding and the flow of things, but it was so beautiful and such an authentic experience. The lake was absolutely beautiful!!! Just the area and everything was definitely something I could get used to. Rotterdam was exactly was I needed and just my speed!! I wished we could have gotten the chance to stay here longer, but I know many would no enjoy it like I would.

Next, we moved on to a place where we could feed the deer!! This was a moment I had been looking forward to all week! I bought some ice cream, and at first, they were super uninterested, but I was determined!! There were some ladies feeding one deer some bread and that started a frenzy, so I took this chance as my chance and it was success!! It went quickly, but it was great!! After, we left a rode back to Central Station. Our day was about over and I couldn't believe it went by so quickly! Rotterdam, until we meet again!!

Day 10: Unforgettable

Today in Amsterdam was one of our free days. We would have the entire day to ourselves, and these days were the perfect days to go out and conducts interviews, golden days for research!
Like any other free day, honestly, it was a great opportunity to sleep a little longer than we normally would, and that's exactly what I did. I didn't actually get up and outside of my room until about 12:00 Noon-1:00PMish. Jasmane and I decided to get something to eat at the Hard Rock Café!! It's one of my favorite places and I wasn't sure when I would get the opportunity to eat here again! Our food was delicious and nothing short of worth it!

Next, we met up with Kayla and Kempson, after a short shopping break!! (It wasn't our fault. H&M is on every corner and the sales are amazing!!! Couldn't have been passed up!!) However, my day took a turn for the worst....
I have asthma, and my condition can worsen with things such as weather changes or sickness, both of what I was experiencing in Paris and somewhat Amsterdam. Sometimes, it is easier to control and other times, not so much. When you're on the verge of an attack, it insights panic, the panic of not being able to breathe, which worsens my condition. So, I ended up having to rush and find a hospital. It all was so scary, thinking of the cost and wondering if I would be able to get the help I needed. In some ways, it was kind of perfect because I was here, studying pharmacies and how the health care system worked in Europe, so I used my knowledge in that area and was able to get the help I needed. I actually needed to go to a pharmacy, so it was as if my research came full circle. After that, I was good to go!
I met back up with my group and we headed back to the hostel. Once getting some well-needed rest, we headed back out to visit the Red Light District and enjoy a night in Amsterdam! It was wonderful!

Day 9: The Anne Frank House

Today, for our second full day in Amsterdam, my class got the opportunity to visit the Anne Frank House. Now, of course I knew who Anne Frank was, as I had studied her story in school. But, I never thought that I would get the chance to visit the very hiding place where she had written an account of the last years of her life.

Before we would get to enter the house, we had some free time on our hands, so we went our separate ways to conduct interviews. It wasn’t that long before I found a local pharmacy. I introduced myself and actually ended up getting a wonderful interview!! Dr. Straeten gave me a great deal of information and it helped me in understanding the health care system in the Netherlands.

After I finished my interview, I headed to get a snack, which consisted of fries with ketchup and a DR. PEPPER!!! Goodness, this was the first time I’ve been in Europe that I actually found a place that didn’t just sell Coke!! I was ecstatic!! But, my joy of this moment wouldn't last too long

Finally, we were able to enter the house and our tour began. Immediately, I felt overwhelming sadness. The stories and diary entries that had been written on the walls threw me back into the past, in the very steps that those eight people walked and sat and feared the worst. That feeling is unreal, unexplainable. Seeing the bookcase and the tiny stairs and enclosed spaces, is something that will forever stay with me. The Anne Frank House reminded me of the horror in this world and the evil that haunts it. But it also taught me about the joy that overpowers it all. Her diary was proof of that and the impact that it has made on the world continues to serve as a reminder of what the hope of one girl can do. It was truly and experience I'll never forget.

Once we left, we headed back for dinner at this wonderful restaurant called Green Grill. I had one of the best burgers I've ever tasted and it was delicious! The food was amazing end to an unforgettable day!

July 22 Day 12- Amsterdam

Today we went to the Van Gogh museum with everyone. We took a group photo in front if the I Amsterdam sign. We went inside the museum and finally started to walk around. It was a lot to see but, after all the museums we've seen in Paris I really don't have anymore room to be wowed or really into a museum. After leaving the museum we went to the Albert Cuypmarkt. It was cool there. I found a good deal on soap there and I also found a hair store along the way. I've never been so happy to walk into a beauty supply store. My hair was ready to be freed from bondage. After leaving the market we walked around trying to find a bank so I could get more interviews. I had a little luck and was able to get in one interview. All of the other banks that google maps led us to were more like brokerage firms. After having no more luck, we went back to the hostille but, we were led through a different way. We came up through a side of Vondelpark we had never been on. This side was more scenic. Later we went on a canal cruise with everyone. It was really relaxing and cold once we got to the harbor.

July 21 Day 11- Amsterdam

Today we went to Rotterdam. We rode bikes, went to the lake, and we went on a boat tour. Bicycling was easier than I thought it would be. I've rode a bike before but never for a long period of time. The bikes were huge and hard to stand up on. First we rode to the port and got on a tour boat. Then we rode to get lunch at this horseshoe building. The place we ate was really cool.

July 20 Day 10- Amsterdam

Today we went out and got more interviews, went the flower market, and finished our city assignment. The city assignment was fairly easy to finish since we have to walk to multiple districts for everyone to get an interview. Later on, we went to the Red Light District. It's a different atmosphere at night. The streets are packed and more girls are on display.

July 19 Day 9- Amsterdam

Today we met with Dr. V to discuss how things have been going so far. We also discussed our class outing for Thursday and our plans to visit the Anne Frank house. After breakfast we came back upstairs to finish getting ready and then we went out to do interviews. We went to the Anne Frank house to meet up with Dr. Northcut's class and to see how long of a wait it would be. They said the wait time was 1 hour and 30 minutes so we went off to get interviews while they waited. We all were able to get something accomplished today. After finishing up walking around, we went back to the Anne Frank house to get in line. While waiting in line, Dr. V came and offered every one some sparkling mint water. I tried it and, it was different. It tasted like carbonated water with mint in it. Finally we go to the front of the line and were able to walk through the Anne Frank house. It wasn't quite what I'd expected. It was a lot of rooms with no furniture. It still was a nice experience. 

July 18 Day 8- Amsterdam

Today we went on a walking tour. We got picked up at our hostille by one of the guides.  After going around to other hostilles and getting people, we went to the starting point of the tour and were given tickets. The tickets were used to determine which people went with each guide. Our tour lasted about 3.5 hours. We got to see the Red Light District and the narrowest house in Amsterdam. We also got to taste some cheese. After the tour ended, we asked our guide if he would answer some questions for one of our city assignments, he agreed.

July 17 Day 7- From Paris to Amsterdam

Today is the day we finally said au revoir to Paris. Paris is a great city but it's so busy. I was quite ready for a change. We met in the lobby at 7 am to turn in our room keys and leave for Amsterdam. After checking out we got on the RER and headed to the train station. After grabbing breakfast inside the station, we went through security for the train and boarded the train. The train ride was a couple of hours but I wouldn't know because I slept most of the ride here. When we got off the train and walked into the station it was like the complete opposite of Paris. There was a lot of people but not so many that it's hard to function and move around like it was in Paris. We got 1 hour cards for the tram to ride to our hostille. After getting to the hostille, we had to wait until 2 to go to our rooms. In Amsterdam, girls are 4 to a room while guys are 5 to a room. Much different from the 2 person to a room in Paris. The hostille is really nice and so are our rooms. We walked around the city for a while after putting our stuff in our rooms. We ate lunch at a Mexican restaurant kind of like chipotle. It was so much better than the food in Paris. The food in Paris was okay but after the first two days I got tired of it. They don't really eat heavy meals there. From what I can tell so far, there will be plenty of hefty meals in Amsterdam. After leaving the restaurant we went to the market for water and returned to the hostille. Dinner was at 6:30 which was followed by orientation.

July 16 Day 6- Paris

Today we were supposed to go to Disney Land. Epic fail. We order the wrong tickets and the upgrade price for the correct price was €40. Disney Land wasn't worth that much money to me so I decided to come back to the University. My classmates and I decided to finish up or city assignment. We went to 5 different districts to collect the information we needed to complete the Paris assignment. After completing the district research, we came back to the university to wash and pack for the next city.

July 15 Day 5- Paris

Today we got up early to go to Versailles. The tram had an accident issue so we had to hop on the rer. Figuring out how to get there on the rer was a little difficult but, we made it. Once we got in the gates we had to get in a long line that wrapped around the courtyard a couple of times. When we got in, we walked around inside, which was huge. Then we proceeded to the garden. The garden was gorgeous and the mirror fountain was such a delight. After leaving versaiolles we ran back to the dorm rooms to drop off some of our things before meeting everyone at the Eiffel Tower. After we got to the tower and got past security, we decide not to climb the tower because it was so high and we couldn't find anyone. Eventually we stumbled upon everyone and got in line with them. After we got our tickets it was time to start walking. The stairs seemed to never end. After we got to the first tier, most people decide to continue going up. After the tower, we all meet at the pier for the river cruise. The river cruise circled the canal and we got to see some of Paris greatest attractions.

July 14 Day 4- Paris

Today we went to the catacombs. It was nice, but a lot of steep stairs. After leaving the catacombs we grabbed lunch and say the gendarmerie ride by on tanks coming from the Bastille parade. Next we went to the louvre and spent hours there. The louvre was huge and had a lot to offer. Our wait in line went by pretty quick for us to be getting in free of charge. Once inside, we walked around and took pictures. Of course we had to see the Mona Lisa. When we found the room it was in, there was a huge crowd of people waiting to get up close and personal. We joined the crowd and elbowed and waited and waited and elbowed until we were finally up front. It still doesn't feel real for me that we're in Paris. Our next stop was the national opera but, they were closed. We still hung around in that area for a while. We sat outside on the steps of the opera national and listened to the street performers. Finally to wrap our day up we went to watch the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. We weren't actually at the tower but we were close enough to see the fireworks without the crowd. It was the longest and most complex firework show that I've ever seen.

July 13 Day 3- Paris

Today, we met with Dr. V to discuss the syllabus. After discussing the syllabus, we went to the market for snacks because we missed breakfast. We then went to the game so one of our classmates could interview the gym manager. We went to Chatelet- Les Halles and did a little shopping at Forum de Halles, which was huge. We also went site seeing at Champs-Elyses. We also had a class excursion at the Museum of Counterfeit with the accounting class. After leaving the museum, we stopped at another market to work on our city assignment. 

July 12 Day 2- Paris

This morning, we had a 30 min orientation and then we were dismissed to go to class or exploring while we waited for class. The marketing students went to breakfast together at one of the dorms on campus. Breakfast was very interesting. All they had was croissants, baguettes, and cereal.  After breakfast we met up with Dr. V to discuss how we were going to be broken up into teams and some key pointers were given by one of the GEC III students. Next we went to the computer room to translate our questions to French. The French use a different keyboard than we do. Once we left the computer lab all of us (marketing class) went to Denfert-Rochereau. Everyone was able to get an interview today. We also got to visit a bouchier. After a while, everyone started to get tired so we came back to the university and took a break. We met back up later and went to Montmartre (The Art District). We also went to Basilica of Sacre-Coeur. After leaving the church, we walked around the district and ate. Before leaving we went to the Moulin Rouge and took pictures.

July 11- 1st Full Day in Paris

Today was our first day in Paris. We hit the ground running. After getting off the plane and going through the passport checkpoint, we had to got to baggage claims and then customs. After all that, we met up with Dr. V in the airport lobby to receive further instructions.mwe were split up into 3 groups and given a transit I.D. To travel anywhere in the city unlimited. We walked to the subway stop in the airport, which was quite a walk, to get to the campus we were staying at. Once everyone was on we sat down and waited for our stop which took about 40 minutes. Once we arrived to our stop, Cite Universite, we excited the subway station and were led to the university. Once we got to the university, we were given check-in cards to fill out, in French of course. Then we had to choose our roommates and sign-off on our room. We then received our TNCIS i.d. cards and had to sign off on our perdiem. Then we were told to take our luggage inside to the library where it would be locked away until we were able to check-in at 3 pm. Once we out our stuff down, we were free to roam the city until check-in time. Well, until noon for marketing students. So we had 3 hours to explore before we had to meet with Dr. V. A group of us went to the international building at the university to find food. To our surprise, there wasn't much there. Interesting enough, in this cozy cafe type of dining hall, a bird was flying around eating crumbs too. That kind of creeped me out. Seeing that there wasn't much offered, we decided to test our transit passes. We caught the RER B (subway) to the Notre-Dame area and we settled on a restaurant called Le Fenelon. I ordered a flank steak which came with fries. After eating, we had to go inside to pay for our food. France is very different from the U.S. There are no sales taxes and waiters/waitresses don't write down the orders. They also don't accept tips. Once you're done eating and ready to pay, you have to approach the register. With cash payments, receipts aren't given. After breakfast/lunch, the marketing students returned to the university to meet with Dr. V. Once we all met up, Dr. V took us to Notre-Dame for a walking tour. After we got to Notre-Dame, Dr. V gave us instructions for the tour and left. While on the tour, we walked through Versailles, past the lock bridge, and we ended near the Eiffel Tower.

Amsterdam Day 5: Van Gough & Canal Cruise

Day 5 was another day to look forward to because it was the second to our last full day, and we wanted to make the best of it. After reflecting over my stay, it has felt like I have been in Amsterdam for over a week. I believe I feel like this because the environment is very laid-back and it feels like the time is a little slower here compared to Paris. One thing that I am happy about is that Amsterdam has a different feel than Paris because it allows me to get a different perception of the environment in each city. These diverse experiences could help expand my outlook of the multiple European nations for this trip. Today, our group planned to visit the Van Gough Museum and to take the river canal cruise.

Our group spent some time touring the Van Gough Museum. On the way, everyone stopped at the “I Amsterdam” sign to get a class picture. It was very cool taking this picture, because I usually only saw this sign on the internet, but now I was seeing it right in front of me. I also noticed that many other people loved this attraction sign because every time I passed this sign people were usually taking pictures with it. From there, we journeyed to Van Gough Museum. This place was very nice, and I was surprised that the museum had so many floors. I went from the top to the bottom, and it allowed visitors to get a perspective of Van Gough’s life on each floor. The floor that caught my attention the most was the bottom floor because it really went into detail about his shortcomings during the latter part of his life. I was interested in this part the most because the question flowed within my mind of why Vincent Van Gough took his own life? It turns out that investigators could not highlight one particular reason, but they came up with multiple hypotheses to explain his illness. I was grateful to just even have the opportunity to explore Vincent Van Gough’s life and witness his wonderful art pieces.

Secondly, the group had some leisure time until the canal cruise. My class decided to stop at the marketplace. The marketplace reminded me of a flea market, but a nice area to check out. There were multiple shops, restaurants, and street performers. One thing of note, was when I stopped at a restaurant that only sold chicken. Everything in this restaurant shop was literally chicken, so I was thinking that their food would taste really good. In addition, the guy who took orders was very loud and personable which actually first caught my attention. I had some chicken wings and chicken meatballs, and the food was very delicious. It was literally my highlight of the day.

Thirdly, the group went to the canal river cruise. The canal boat was pretty nice too. The captain took us throughout Amsterdam and we got the opportunity to learn some historical facts on the tour. One fact that I remember well was when it was mentioned that a maid beheaded six burglars, and I was thinking “how did she do that”. In addition, the scenery was also very attractive, especially in northern Amsterdam. I never realized how beautiful this part was but I am glad that I got to experience it. 

Then, to finish out the day, our group stopped to get something to eat. I decided to get a chocolate fudge sundae and a chocolate cookie. This meal was such a great way to end a wonderful day, and it made me look forward to a task-filled day tomorrow.

Day 11 Rotterdam!!

Today was our trip to Rotterdam! The marketing class along with Brandon left around 9 this morning and headed there. We had to take the tram to the train station and catch a train to Rotterdam. It was about an hour ride which wasn't bad at all! Once we arrived we immediately went to a bike rental place not far from the train station. I was so excited to ride bikes because it is really apart of the culture here and I wanted to try it out! However, I don't remember the last time I was on a bike so it's been pretty long. But what everyone says is true you immediately pick it right back up! Once we all got comfortable with our bikes we took off to head to the port of Rotterdam and ride through the city. I have to say riding a bike in the city is harder than it looks but you pick it up pretty fast. The hardest part is turning on the bike I almost crashed into some people later into the day, luckily we didn't though. As we arrived at the port we all really loved the building structures and the modernness of the city! Everything there is very modern and almost futuristic looking and many of the buildings are an odd geometric shape that looks cool. When we first got there we had to lock up our bikes which was confusing at first but very easy after a couple times. It was finally time to board the boat to go down into the port and do the tour. On the tour we got to see all the different ports and ships that carrying different items into the port. The port of Rotterdam use to be the largest shipping port in the world but now it's just the largest in Europe. I liked the tour overall because we got to see something different and it's cool to think that almost everything that comes into Europe by sea enters through here.

 After our tour of the shipping ports we went to the horseshoe building to grab some lunch. This was by far the coolest building I've seen! The building has markets, restaurants, some shopping and even apartments inside. One the ceiling of the building there were bright paintings of flowers which were really pretty! We went to a food bar and I ate some pasta with shrimp in it and a fruit salad. The food was pretty good! They also had many other options. Once we left here we went to the lake. The ride over to the lake was longer than to the port and to grab lunch we went through many residential areas. It was cool to take in the city because it's very different from Amsterdam it's not as many people and it's not as fast paced at all. When we got to the park the first turn to enter the park is where I almost crashed! I was so scared I was going to hit the other people but they stopped! We rode to this restaurant/ bar right on the water. It was such a beautiful view! By far one of my favorites yet! We sat and enjoyed watching the water, seeing a really windmill, people fall off their boats, and just the environment! We sat for some time the. Decided to leave and head to feed the deer. It wasn't far from the restaurant at all. Once we arrived at the deer sanctuary Ashley and I bought ice cream to try and feed them. It seemed like the deer didn't want any ice cream because they wouldn't come to the fence at all they just looked at us like we were crazy and kept eating grass. I decided to just eat my ice cream but Ashley kept trying and FINALLY one came! Then a few more did and hey all wanted ice cream! It was the cutest thing ever! Too bad I didn't have mine for them but they took too long. After feeding the deer we headed back to return our bikes and head back to Amsterdam to make it to dinner. On the ride back we went up a small hill which was kind of hard to peddle up just because we had been biking on flat land all day but we made it back! We made it to the station with 2 minutes to make it on the train back. We had to fast walk then run a little to catch it and we made it just in time! I had a lot of fun in Rotterdam. It was nice seeing another city in the Netherlands and comparing it to Amsterdam because they were both so different but I like both of them for different things! Rotterdam is great city to come if your in Amsterdam and you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and you just want to relax and enjoy the atmosphere and take in the environment. 

        

Day 10

Today was a very relaxed day overall. We got to sleep in, which was great! I think I woke up around 11:30 or so and got dressed to get out and finish researching. I went around to shops close to the hostel. My topic is pretty easy to find locations because it's fashion and there are stores everywhere. I stopped in 3 stores today and 2 out of the 3 gave me interviews! Now I have 4 interviews for Amsterdam which I am really happy about because i did better here than in Paris. While i was finishing up I decided to grab a slice of pizza because I hadn't eaten all day and I wanted a little something to tie me over. After that I met up with Kempson and we started doing Our neighborhood research. We met up with Ashley and Jasmane shortly after so we could all go around together to finish up. We walked through the flower market today as well and this was pretty cool to see because there are so many flower shops and you can look at the tulips and they're beautiful. We headed around going from neighborhood to neighborhood and stopping in grocery stores till finally we finished and stopped at salsa shop again to grab food. We just all love the food there! I think because it reminds us of home and the flavors are great! We started to head back to the hostel to figure out what we would do for the rest of the day. A lot of us met up at the bar in the hostel to talk and see the specials they had. Some of us decided to go to the red light district just to see what it was like at night time and we hadn't been back since our walking tour. We walked around for a little bit and decided to leave from there because it was so many people out and we were ready to get back close to the hostel. By the time we got back by the hostel many of us were sleepy so we got ready for bed because we're going to Rotterdam in the morning!

Day 9

Today was pretty good day overall. We woke up had breakfast and met with Dr. V briefly about our research. We're really coming along and it's a lot easier in Amsterdam then it was in Paris people here are more willing to give you one. After breakfast I caught up on sleep because I was extremely tired. I woke up a few hours later and the marketing class headed to meet English at the Anne Frank house. We couldn't go in until 3:30 so we decided to go try and get at least one interview. We all got one! Now I have 2 interviews and I am going to try and get 2 more before the weeks over. As we went into the Anne Frank house I noticed that we couldn't take any pictures and was a little disappointed but as we went trough the tour I appreciated it. It allowed me to focus more on the tour and take everything in because I had no distractions. During the tour you get to walk through the downstairs of the house the business and the secret annex where Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding. It was really cool to see and think that people were actually hiding in there. Also after reading her diary then doing the tour it makes so many connections and I think everyone should try and read it before doing the tour or read it after while the tour is still fresh in your head. After the tour we went shopping for a little bit. Amsterdam's shopping is pretty cool because they have so many streets full of stores! We also went into a mall and t was nice we didn't walk around it long but it was cool. I preferred the shopping streets over the mall. We shopped for a few hours then went to eat dinner at a restaurant not too far from the hostel. It was a green foods place so everything for the most part was natural and organic and cooked on a grill. The food was great! I got a chicken sandwich and I could taste the freshness and the charcoal on it and it wasn't dry at all! We heard of the place earlier because the chef who's also s football coach stopped Kempson trying to get him to play football in Amsterdam then he told us to try the restaurant out. After we left the restaurant we went back to the hostel and relaxed for a little bit. Then a group of us went and had drinks at the bar to end the night!

Day 8

Today was our first full day! We woke up had breakfast then did our walking tour. The breakfast in Amsterdam is better than it was in Paris. It's still not like ours at home but it's good. They serve a variety of meat, cheese, and bread. Also they have jams, fruit, boils eggs, and cereal. After breakfast we waited in the lobby for the tour guide to pick us up and we walked to meet at the tour location in the city. Our tour guide was Rocco he was a great guide! He took us to the red light district, a hidden church, showed us Amsterdam LGBTQ monument, among many other things. I really enjoyed the walking tour here more than Paris because it was more entertaining and Amsterdam is a city made for walking and just taking in all the beauty of the buildings, canals, and things along the way. Our walking tour took almost 3 hours but, after that we came back to the hostel to take a quick nap before dinner. 

We woke back up and headed to dinner then after dinner we did some more exploring in the city by just walking around. We did end up grabbing food at an Italian place close to the hostel because we really didn't like the food they served today for dinner in the hostel. Then we grabbed ice cream from a place near by. The ice cream was really good! As we were walking around there were so many people out and about and people playing music it was really cool to see especially for a Monday night. We then headed back to the hostel to get ready for the next day!