Some of the things I've noticed since I've been here

6 September 2000

Since my arrival here on the 1st of September, I have been remarking to myself about all of the differences between Utrecht & Holland and The U.S.  Specifically the New York City area.

One thing that stands out immediately is the transportation.  As this is a crowded city like most in Europe, cars are difficult to find room for.  Most here are quite small.  I haven't seen a single SUV (a definite positive) and only a single minivan.  There are almost no American cars.  I spotted a couple of Fords, but that is about all.  There are also quite a few makes I've never heard of.  Since cars are not common, the primary mode of transportation is the bicycle.  There are dozens of bikes everywhere you look.  There is an enormous line of bicycles every morning going in the direction of the Universities.  It's quite a sight.  I got one for myself.  A used bike, for around $35.  And I got a good lock and chain to go with it, as bike theft is a very common occurrence, especially in the downtown area a mile or two from my room.  They're stolen by junkies, who then sell them to get their next fix.  The government either doesn't want to stop them or doesn't care.

The food here is different from what I was used to seeing.  Cheese and fresh breads are very big here.  I have a bakery down the block from me, where I buy fresh pastries for breakfast every morning.  There are some American-based companies selling here, but not many.  I have to buy many things by the picture on the package or the shape of the container.  Also, there is almost little by way of "health-conscious" foods here.  I've seen nothing marked fat-free, and the only diet item I've seen is "Coke Light" which we call diet Coke.  As you may have surmised, body image is not a major concern here.  I've yet to see a single obese person here.  There are also very few people that you would say are too skinny.  Some people may have a little extra padding, but most you would consider normal.  This is probably due to the more energetic lifestyle here.  It seems to be more healthy.  Another thing about the people is that a lot of people are really tall.  Many are blonde, and naturally so, unlike in the U.S.

The money here is called guilders, and you get about 2.5 to a dollar.  This is much more than the recent past due to the strength of the dollar.  Consequently, most things here are quite inexpensive by U.S. standards.

I'm working in an optometry division of a college.  I'm teaching two hours of lecture a week, along with six hours of clinic and what seems like a million hours of lab but is actually more like 20.  The schedule gives me a day off every Friday, in addition to the weekend.  I expect to do some significant travelling in the near future.

Meanwhile, I get flashbacks everytime I go to the stores, because there are at least two Pearle opticals in this city.  The fixtures are all the same, as are the chairs, carpets, etc.  I'm NOT looking to work there, however.

I will write more here periodically.  Until then, I can be e-mailed at [email protected]

13 September 2000

Luckily the weather has been nice for the last couple of days.  It rained every day for the fist ten that I was here.  From what I understand, that's just life around here.  You need an umbrella handy at all times.

One thing I have started to notice is how much life back home is geared toward convenience.  There is little here by way of take-out food.  There is no such thing as delivery (much less for free.)  Dry cleaning isn't generally done.  At least not yet.  I will find someone that does it.  I can't iron my own clothes and look decent.

I was told before I came here that everyone speaks English.  That is not entirely accurate.  Most younger people speak English, but they are not necessarily fluent.  That includes some of my students, who must have a really tough time in classes taught in English.  Many older people and immigrants do not speak English at all.  I have picked up about 60 Dutch words.  I will be fairly competent in the language before I leave, I imagine.  One thing you notice right away is the more harsh pronunciation of letters.  The "ch" sound found in Hebrew is very common in Dutch.  According to Berlitz, the closest language to Dutch is English.  Some of the words are pronounced the same.  It still sound similar to German to me, probably because they are from the same language family.  People here don't like to hear that, however.

I'm trying to pick up all of the names of my students and colleagues, in addition to the system here and some of the language.  Add in some long days and my brain is on overload.  On that note, I will leave and continue again at another time.