I made it back home to Dundee. My flight was delayed an hour and a half, so it took a bit longer than I had hoped for. Being back in the City of Discovery, which really is an outdated nickname, trust me, kind of feels like being home again. It's strange how quickly you're able to adept.
Last week was an amazing week. The first weekend, with my amazing friend Laura's party, was an excellent way to kick it off and see some people I care for. On Sunday, I left for Ypenburg, where the IDL (Instituut Defensie Leergangen) is located, to work with Pax Ludens, as described in my previous post. Three words come to mind when I think about this week: beautiful, tiring and confusing.
The simulation we had set up and during which we assisted and guided the players went extraordinary well. Our Control Team worked like we worked together every day, which was quite an accomplishment. The evenings were filled with drinking beers, talking to the local bartender John, and sleeping short but sound in my little room. Hence beautiful and tiring.
Confusing because that's what being back home seems to be... Nothing had really changed, except of course the fact that my parents have moved, but seeing old friends was as if I had never left. Amazing. Also, my excellent sense of timing, for which some of you know me, has made it even more confusing, but also more beautiful. Don't blame me for being vague, I'm absolutely exhausted :)
This week will be a lot about studying, I have a presentation tomorrow and two essays to finish for the weekend. Although I'm sure I will make it, it is good to know that my professors have already told me that I can get an extension without any problem, due to the fact that I missed a week and they seem quite interested in what I did back home.
After this week, my semester is over. Nada to do until mid-January. Excellent... I'll be flying back to the Netherlands on the 21st again, and I will stay there until the 9th of January, which gives me some more time to meet people. I'm looking forward to it...
For now, I'm back to my presentation... The institutionalisation of peacebuilding is waiting for me... Ouch.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Shame On Me!
I have not made a single post to this website since September 25th. 6 weeks is a little too long, and I doubt it if anyone will actually ever navigate to this page again to see how I'm doing. Oh well, at least I'm trying to keep people updated on my life here (sort of, really).
So, a month and a half of no posts... What have and haven't I been doing? I haven't really been studying. The programme doesn't demand that much work to be done, and I'm taking full advantage of that. However, essay time has started. Two essays and a book review due in a week and a bit. The draft version, that is. Considering the essays are only 2000 words and the book review a mere 800 it should prove to be no problem. I still have the feeling I'm doing well on my programme.
I have been playing a lot of sports. Football three times a week, sometimes four, depending if I make the team on Saturdays (squad is subject to change). Also, Just and I picked up swimming. Great exercise.
Enjoying myself, fully. Parties, drinking, meeting interesting and less interesting people, tagging along to more parties, celebrating Halloween, celebrating every random night you can possibly imagine, chilling, being a couch-cow between 5 and 7 watching E4, daily, more fun, more sports, going to Tannadyce to see Celtic slaughter Dundee United, more chilling, more parties, glowsticks, work work work work work WORK, relax and sleep. Oh how I love sleeping.
Anyways, I'm really starting to feel settled here. It was a great decision to leave The Netherlands and move here. Surely, I miss certain people, but it's worth it. More than worth it...
In a week and a half I'll be travelling back to The Netherlands. I'll be working with Pax Ludens on a simulation exercise for HDV (Hoger Defensie Vorming). 5 days in a hotel, in a place where you have to show your passport to get in. Should be fun. Hard work during the day, relaxing in the evening. The best thing about is that I get to see some people who are important to me again. Also, my parents have moved. The house that I grew up in became too big. I'm anxious to see their new place.
Whoever said it would only rain in Scotland has been very wrong. Sunshine, almost daily. HA!
Some pictures of my room:
So, a month and a half of no posts... What have and haven't I been doing? I haven't really been studying. The programme doesn't demand that much work to be done, and I'm taking full advantage of that. However, essay time has started. Two essays and a book review due in a week and a bit. The draft version, that is. Considering the essays are only 2000 words and the book review a mere 800 it should prove to be no problem. I still have the feeling I'm doing well on my programme.
I have been playing a lot of sports. Football three times a week, sometimes four, depending if I make the team on Saturdays (squad is subject to change). Also, Just and I picked up swimming. Great exercise.
Enjoying myself, fully. Parties, drinking, meeting interesting and less interesting people, tagging along to more parties, celebrating Halloween, celebrating every random night you can possibly imagine, chilling, being a couch-cow between 5 and 7 watching E4, daily, more fun, more sports, going to Tannadyce to see Celtic slaughter Dundee United, more chilling, more parties, glowsticks, work work work work work WORK, relax and sleep. Oh how I love sleeping.
Anyways, I'm really starting to feel settled here. It was a great decision to leave The Netherlands and move here. Surely, I miss certain people, but it's worth it. More than worth it...
In a week and a half I'll be travelling back to The Netherlands. I'll be working with Pax Ludens on a simulation exercise for HDV (Hoger Defensie Vorming). 5 days in a hotel, in a place where you have to show your passport to get in. Should be fun. Hard work during the day, relaxing in the evening. The best thing about is that I get to see some people who are important to me again. Also, my parents have moved. The house that I grew up in became too big. I'm anxious to see their new place.
Whoever said it would only rain in Scotland has been very wrong. Sunshine, almost daily. HA!
Some pictures of my room:
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