September is around the corner, and so it is a fresh start for new students. How are they preparing for it, saying goodbye to family and friends? Let's see how our blogger Juan is doing!
Photo: The other "Danzantes" and I (the one on the left) ready to dance at our village festival
“Summer time, and the living is easy…”
Or at least it used to be. I have the feeling that summers are similar to Christmas: when you are young they are magical, you have no worries, there are long days to enjoy doing what you want, but once you grow up it is just a period of the year when you have to do your duties no matter how hot it is and how sweaty you are. That is when you realise that Santa is your parents, and that summer can be hell, literally.
Nonetheless, this year I have been lucky enough to take a trip to the Far East (not so far nowadays), and to spend a couple of weeks in China, finding out how nice Chinese people are and how much they love Peppa Pig. This, plus packing again for a new destination, have made this summer kind of magical.
How will you say good-bye to your current city?
I am not very good at saying good-bye and I am no fan of big events to do so. Maybe that is because I am used to spending time abroad - I need to be on the road - and, in my opinion, what really makes my town beautiful is the feeling that I have when I arrive. As someone said: “It is pretty exotic to come back home”.
Photo: Catedral de San Antolín de Palencia, my hometown (credit by Carlos Delgado)
What are you packing for Amsterdam?
That one is easy: I am going to recycle my baggage, since it is half-packed from China. I will add some rain and sports clothes, some books, a laptop and maybe some Spanish food. I will share, don’t worry, but hurry up!
What are your plans during introduction week?
I have seen the schedule for master students and it is very interesting. The activities look great and it is a good chance to discover the city and meet my new classmates. Another thing that I keep wondering about that week is choosing of my bike: Will it be shiny? Will it be rusty? Will it be one of those that look like a Harley Davidson? I am a bit nervous about learning how to ride through those streets plagued with bikes.
Share your experience about Amsterdam if you have already visited it
Do I have to? Really? OK… I visited Amsterdam once, during my Erasmus year. A friend and I went for a week to see another friend who was studying in Maastricht. We decided to visit some other places nearby, which was a good idea right up to the second day. We wanted to party but also to see places in the morning and Amsterdam was the last place on the list. Logically, by that time, we were tired, but we still wanted to go, so, since we got there almost in the early evening, we decided to party and the rest is history. You can imagine that my idea of what Amsterdam is or can offer is vague, because we had to leave the next morning, but I am not as much the party animal as this last part makes me look.
Tot de volgende keer!