Life - Full Throttle!

Since the 18th of March, when I left my beloved Europe, my life can be described as nothing short of heading full throttle into life after University.

Stepping off the plane onto U.S. soil was, as per usual, a mix of emotions for me. This time this was accompanied by a degree of uncertainty. For once in my life - I do not have all the steps ahead planned out and strategized. My story after the end of July is unwritten right now, which is both exciting and a bit nerve racking.

Opting For See You Soon!

A weakness of mine - I cannot say 'Goodbye'. I am a firm believer that there is never a moment for actual Goodbyes, but rather that there are periods of separation in life. These periods are the reason why moments together must always be cherished. I believe that everyone in my life means something, that every person I encounter aids me in my life journey, making me who I am. It is the people in my life that create beautiful memories. While I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate beautiful places, it is the people that make that place special.

I have been thoroughly blessed with the people in my life - my time in Maastricht was no exception to this. To come to such a beautiful city, not knowing a soul, and to leave with friends I regard as family is something I will cherish all my life. I have grown as a person here, pushing beyond the familiar into a territory which forced me to discover more about who I am. Everyone here, from my housemates to my classmates to all my other friends, I will miss dearly. But as I said before - it is not goodbye - it is a 'See You Soon'.

Want to get to know my academic inclinations?

Typically, this blog is used to display my various travels and explorations of culture. Rarely do I discuss the countless hours pouring over legal documents or my other academic pursuits. I like to keep this blog about travel and cultural explorations, so I will not be changing that in the slightest. However, I do want to provide you all with access to my academic interests.

Carnival

Carnival in Maastricht is simply one of those things that you must experience to fully grasp the utter madness. Every direction you turn there are decorations, entire families decked out in the most elaborate costumes ever seen and smiles all around. I am incredibly glad that I stayed in Maastricht during Carnival and that I was out every day to witness the shenanigans. I will never forget the creatures that came into being for those days in Maastricht. The time, and money that people put into the creation of their carnival costumes is something that Halloween in the states will simply never be able to touch. I will never forget chatting to this demon with horns, a crow feather cape and grotesque black claws, only to look into their eyes to see nothing but demonic black. The creativity in what people 'became' for those days was, quite simply, boundless.

Sight of Winter in Copenhagen

The final week of my trip to Copenhagen I was lucky enough to have one of my best friends from Maastricht join me, and therefore I had an excuse to see all the landmarks once again. Even though I have been to many of these places numerous times, it never 'gets old' and I still am full of wonder as I walk through Dyrehavn, see the Lille Havfrue (Little Mermaid), or stroll through the baroque gardens of Frederiksborg Slot (castle). Since most of these places have been covered before in my blog I shall instead show you some pictures of these Copenhagen treasures in the wintertime. 

One of my favorite places in Copenhagen in the wintertime is Tivoli, which turns into, quite simply, a winter wonderland. 

Tivoli

To My Danish Home for Christmas

I realize fully that I am an extremely lucky individual. For my academic opportunities, for my traveling opportunities, for the fantastic friends I have made, and for my truly amazing family. Studying in the Netherlands for my Masters makes it quite difficult to go to my hometown in Florida for Christmas. Thankfully, I have family quite close who I was able to spent yet another amazing Christmas with. When I first started blogging in the summer of 2010, I don't think I would have predicted how studying abroad in Denmark would truly change my life forever. And I suppose it wouldn't have changed my life as much without two very important people opting to be my hostfamily. I knew by the end of my year abroad in Denmark that I truly had expanded my family. Now I am so lucky that I have not one place where I feel at Home and with family but two, one being in Sarasota Florida, and the other being Copenhagen Denmark.

Christmas Market

When near Germany around Christmas time it is a definite necessity to visit a Christmas Market. They are hard to miss in German towns, with their stalls, lights, and amazing smells which seem to take over many a Germany city square.

Maastricht, though in the Netherlands, hosts a small Christmas Market in the center of town. Yet when in Maastricht, to truly experience the German Christmas Market one should hop on the bus for the short ride to Aachen. This nearby German city has a fantastic Christmas market, and it is so close that one can go in the afternoon, enjoy the market, and come back that evening.

Thanksgiving 2012

There are certain times of the year, and certain days where it is very hard to be away from one's family as an American. One of those days is Thanksgiving. It is hard to describe to my loved ones in the United States, but it is hard to wake up on Thanksgiving in the holiday mindset, wanting to watch the Macy's day parade when it is simply just another day of the week for everyone around you. Instead of finishing up Thanksgiving baking whilst watching the parade streaming live on the TV, I got to spend the entirety of the day at the University, restraining myself from blurting out Happy Thanksgiving to everyone that passed my way.

This year my housemate Johanna and I decided that we would hold a Thanksgiving dinner at our house on the Saturday following the Thursday of Thanksgiving. So while I didn't get to have my Thanksgiving day full of traditions and family, that Saturday was full of great food and some of our closest friends. Everything was made from scratch and we had all the traditional foods including cornbread, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, assorted vegetables, stuffing, turkey, and of course four different types of pie.

 

I am so thankful to my friends who helped me celebrate, and of course to Johanna, who was utterly essential to the success of our dinner. With only two Americans in the house, it was exciting to explain some of our traditions and of course to eat great food. The purpose of Thanksgiving is to share with others, so in a way this Thanksgiving was more of a True Thanksgiving than before, though I did still miss the family banter around the table.  I am greatly thankful for all the people in my life, the relatives and friends, both near and far. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

SinterKlaas Arrives to Maastricht

On Saturday the 17th of November at 11 a.m., there was a very important arrival at the docks of 'Rederij Stiphout'. This is none other than the arrival of SinterKlaas to Maastricht. After having heard about this traditional Dutch event from a friend, I naturally got incredibly excited and made plans to attend.

Upon arriving at the location along the river one could tell that this was a very special event. With costumes, bands, and hundreds eagerly looking down the river for the first sign of Sinterklaas, the feeling of Christmas cheer was overwhelming.

European Public Affairs

Rarely do I tell of the countless hours in the Maastricht University library or the hours of intense lectures or massive group projects which occur in my life here in the Netherlands. I figure that the majority of people reading this blog may get bored if I write a summary of the legality, economics, institutional structure or any other complex aspect of the European Union. The program that I am in is called European Public Affairs. Suffice it to say that we live and breathe the facts about Europe that most would never bother themselves with.



My Favorite Bookstore

Those of you who know me well know me to be quite a bookworm. As such, a bookstore is always one of my largest weaknesses. I simply love the atmosphere - the smell, the quiet contemplation, and of course, I adore the written words contained within the walls of a bookstore. In Maastricht, I have found one of my all time favorite bookstores, and being the nerd I am, I had to share the discovery with you.

Sint-Servaasbasiliek

When in Maastricht, it is hard to avoid the story of Saint Servatius, or Sint Servaas (around 310-384). It is fair to say that he is a very important figure to be acquainted with in Maastricht's history.This Roman Catholic Saint was the first bishop of Maastricht and is this city's patron Saint. He is venerated on the 13th of May.

All Aboard! Cruise on the Maas

In Maastricht, a city named for Trajectum ad Mosam (passage through the Maas), the lure of the waters of the river Maas is undeniable. On a sunny day the waters glisten just so, and people seem to flock to cafes on the waters edge.

On such a sunny day in early October, Ole, Birgitte and I headed to the water's edge and booked a cruise on the river, complete with a tour of some of the connecting canals. The Maas, with its 1000km, has been a useful river for shipping and therefore many canals were created to develop even more shipping paths. With different water levels between the river, and the various canals our boat had to pause to go through the various locks, adjusting water levels, on the way.



Bonnefante Museum

At the beginning of October, I got a tremendous Birthday present in the form of Ole and Birgitte coming to visit me in Maastricht. Besides celebrating the addition of another year to my life experience, the three of us spent time together exploring Maastricht. With the intensity of the Masters program I am in, I had not had a plethora of time to spend being a tourist, so this was a great opportunity for me to get to know the city which I am currently calling home. One of the places that we visited was the Bonnefante Museum. With its distinctive building by Aldo Rossi, which can be seen from the water, the Bonnefante Museum had unspoken promise of revealing a different side to Maastricht.

In this art museum there are classic paintings and sculptures by the masters while at the same time there are a myriad of more Contemporary exhibits.

I have always had a love for art, and have been known to spend hours in museums, so I was excited to get to see this museum which is famous around Maastricht. As always, I am lucky that I was given the opportunity to explore a different area of the world with Ole and Birgitte.

The River Maas By Night

Maastricht by the riverside is, like the other areas of Maastricht, pretty. With the old style buildings, the arching bridges and the glistening waters of the river Maas, it is quite a view. The river at nighttime is simply breathtaking. With a sense of peace in the air the lights from the bridges illuminate the waters just so, and it is stunning.

 

The river is one of the defining features of Maastricht, from orienting yourself or asking for directions to the history, the city's position on the river is not easily forgotten. Even the city name signifies the importance of the river. The name Maastricht comes from Trajectum ad Mosam, meaning passage through the Maas river.

 

The bridges spanning the Maas also have stories to tell. While a Roman built bridge collapsed into the water in the year 1275, Maastricht still has the oldest bridge in the Netherlands. This bridge, St. Servaasbridge was built over 18 years from 1280-1298. It was named for the first bishop of Maastricht, St. Servaas. As I have stated before, everything you see in Maastricht is not only beautiful but it has a great deal of history behind it - the riverside is no exception!

 

Helpoort

Maastricht, in the summertime, is far from bereft of beautiful things to see when simply walking around the city. Stadspark, as mentioned before, is an extensive park in the city. One of the sections of the park runs alongside the old city walls, and takes you directly to Helpoort, the old city gate.

After gaining city rights in 1204, Maastricht built a wall around the city for defense purposes. Helpoort was the city gate for this set of walls which was constructed in 1229. As such, Helpoort is one of the oldest surviving city gates in the Netherlands.

As the city grew and developed, additional walls were built around the city which actually steered much of the traffic away from Helpoort. The movement of traffic away from Helpoort is probably one of the things that has enabled it to be standing today.

Yet another pretty place in Maastricht! 

A Stroll Through The Streets Of Maastricht

With a stroll through the streets of Maastricht one realizes the charm of this small, historic city. With mainly traditional style buildings, cobblestone streets, small boutiques, pedestrian paths and an atmosphere of tradition mixed pleasantly with modernity, Maastricht is a beautiful city. With the warm sunshine that is present currently, it seems that most city inhabitants, when not in work, are enjoying their days outside. One comes across many packed outdoor cafes where people are leisurely sipping at beverages and relaxing. What is extremely noticeable in this city is the heavy use of bicycles. As was often the case in Copenhagen, it seems that in Maastricht the most efficient way to get around is by bike. There are nice size bike lanes on every street and bikes are constantly seen when you walk anywhere. Since I liked the presence of bikes in Denmark, I am glad to find biking as a norm here in the Netherlands.

The city streets are so cozy that it becomes hard to choose which photographs to share from a walk through the streets. With the prevalence of bicycles here it is only natural that to familiarize you with Maastricht a bicycle picture would be included. The street view picture is how a typical street looks in Maastricht, and is actually showing one of the bigger streets as one can see by the presence of a bus.When walking down the streets, it evokes a feeling that the buildings here have witnessed a great deal. In English there is the expression "if walls could talk"; in a place like Maastricht one can not help but wonder what they would have to say.

One of the things I already have grown to love is the outdoor cafes, filling city squares with laughter, and a sense of relaxation.A great example of this is the pedestrian area around city hall which is ringed with cafes. Everyone in such areas around the city are quite relaxed, friendly and cheerful. Though it is probably partially due to the warm summer days currently in Maastricht, it is quite welcoming to see such positivity during my first week here.

Despite my lack of Dutch, Maastricht has been an easy city to begin to explore. I am glad and lucky that my Masters program is in such a beautiful place.

Stadspark

Near to where I am living is Stadspark, the biggest city park in Maastricht. It consists of many sub-parks and definitely warrants a walk through when in Maastricht. With gorgeous lawns, and shady trees, it is wonderful for the warm summer days that Maastricht is currently having. In this area there has been some sort of a park since the early 18th century. 

One of the unique things about this park is the various animal enclosures that are present in one of the sub-parks. Without knowing about the animals, the first time I walked through I was a bit perplexed as to why there were donkeys, deer, goats, and birds. After adjusting to the idea, it is quite nice to see some animals whilst taking a stroll in the nearby park. With its proximity to where I am living and to many University buildings, I can predict that I will be spending some time over the coming months absorbing the peacefulness present in this park.

Though you are not supposed to feed the animals, every time I have been to the park thus far some of the animals are receiving special treats from their visitors. Since the weather is presently quite warm, the park is quite popular with individuals and families alike. To me, it seems an ideal place to spend a day reading a book under the shade of a tree.

Sint Pieter

The area of Maastricht in which I am living is the Sint Pieter area. Naturally when you move to a new place you tend to first explore the area nearest to where you are living. As such, Sint Pieter was one of the first areas of Maastricht that I walked around in.

Sint Pieter is an area that is in the South West part of Maastricht. It is about 5 minutes by bike to the city center. Though it is so close to the city center, it is a quiet neighborhood that is only a few hundred meters away from farmland. Sint Pieter is a peaceful area that is mostly residential, with a couple cafes and boutiques. One of the highlights of the area, is a hill from which one has a great view of the city.

Also on this hill is Fort Sint Pieter. It was commissioned to be built by Daniel Wolf in the early 1700s. and served to defend Maastricht.

Sint Pieter seems to be a great area to be in, if you want to be close to the city center yet still want to be able to enjoy the benefits of being able to take walks or bike rides in a peaceful setting.

Maastricht - A New Beginning

This week, with the help of Ole and Birgitte, I moved to Maastricht in the Netherlands. I will be studying at Maastricht University for my Masters, and as such this move marks a new chapter of my life. I am quite excited for both my Masters program and this opportunity to get to know another city. As always, moving is a bit complicated since you are excited for that which is new, yet still missing everything you know. I know that the experiences I will have here will be worthwhile, and therefore I look upon the coming months as a big 'adventure'.

My first impression of Maastricht is that it is an adorable city, with a rich history that is apparent by walking down the streets. Maastricht is located in the province of Limburg in the Netherlands, close to both the Dutch border with Belgium as well as the Dutch border with Germany. The city spans both sides of the Meuse river, and is considered home to over 120,000 individuals. 

Maastricht is one of the oldest cities, regarding the existence of a human settlement, in the Netherlands, though it did not receive official city rights until 1204. Throughout its history, Maastricht has been important in trade and manufacturing. It was also a very strategic position, which explains the fortifications which were built around the city. During its history the city has changed hands many times, and is a very international city today. Though it was said to have become a part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815, it was not until 1839 with the Treaty of London that this was officially implemented.

Today Maastricht is most widely known for the Maastricht Treaty, which was negotiated and signed in 1992. This led to the creation of the European Union as we know it, and the single European currency. 

As I explore the city I will explain different parts of the history in more depth, but for now suffice it to say that Maastricht has a very interesting history which I am excited to get to know over the coming months.