Zero Hour...

...it's 5:31 a.m., Local Leiden Time...Steef, our program director, is coming in an hour and 29 minutes to check me out of "mijn kamer" (my room), the place I've called home for the past 4 months. This last week has all sort of just rushed together, and it's a bit strange knowing that I'm going to be home in 23 hours. Today, I thought to myself "this is the last time I'll see Leiden in the daylight...at least for a long time." It was such a strange thought to me. My college years aside, I've grown up in the same house since I was born, and that's been my home for 21 years. Then 4 months ago I plunged myself into a foreign culture 5000 miles away from home--and this shift back home is feeling as abrupt as the first one.
Don't get me wrong: I'm ready for home, but I also have a bit of a home here. The guys in Ak-Al call me "vriend" now. I didn't really buy into the whole "reverse culture shock" idea, but now (and granted, maybe it's the 5:37a.m. in me talking) I can kind of see what Pieter was talking about during our last class. Looking back at where I was 4 months ago, I've come amazingly far. It amazes me because it never really soaked in until now, and I think it's because those things just seemed so natural.
This last weekend all of the students got together and when to the "Pannenkoekenhuis" (Pancake House), which is where we all had our first meal together the night we arrived. I can remember sitting down in that place, and having to ask Steef so many questions--because I couldn't read word of the menu! "Spek? Kaas? Slagroom?" (don't run off to your pocket Nederlands-Engels dictionary, that's "Bacon, Cheese, and Whipped Cream" respectively. This time around, I had no trouble ordering my pannenkoek met "Ham, Kaas, and Ananas" (pineapple). Yeah, that's right. A pancake the size of a medicine ball with ham, cheese, and pinapple inside...mooi lekker!
I should wrap this up, as my early-morning flight looms ever closer...despite my skepticism, this place has changed me, more than I really expected it to. I don't think I'll really know how much until I go home and try order my french-fries with mayo (which actually isn't that bad once in a while...)

Last Lessons in Leiden

Well, this is it. My last day. And what a doozy it will be:
First I've gotta go pick up some developed film, then swing by a couple of shops to double-check what time they open (probably around noon or one), go get some other developed film, finish putting together my photography portfolio, finish studying for my Dutch final, take my Dutch final, and then run around to tie up loose ends before the big end-of-the-semester get together tonight.
I've uploaded a couple of pictures from Norway, but I need to get more up (I had to dash to class after the first batch). Not sure if I'll get them done or not before I leave for home (which is less than 24 hours from now--and that blows my mind). Oh yeah, and I found out that CentralMania, the online newspaper at Central, has put up a few of my photos, and that means two things:
1. Someone at Central reads my blog! Woot!
2. You can click on www.CentralMania.com, and check the right-hand side of the page to see some photos (all of which are also available in my album) paired up with some fantastic poems by Kristin Clague--another KHS graduate and Central student.

Home Sweet...errr, Leiden...

We're back from Norway--which was undescribably beautiful...I'll have to let the pictures speak for themselves, but I probably won't get them uploaded until tonight at the earliest...We got back safe and sound, no thanks to EasyJet announcing that our gate was closing a half-hour early, causing us to sprint across Stansted airport...(and without playing Ultimate Frisbee the past 4 months, I was in no shape to be running...especially on no sleep for 22 or so hours...)
Speaking of which: my papers are done! (Mom or Pieter, if you're reading this: they were done WAY ahead of time)...(everyone else: well...you know how it goes with me...) :)

There's a fjord outside my window...

...okay...that's a lie...I don't have a window...but if I did...there'd be a fjord out there. It's 6:46 in at the Dorm.no hostel in Norway, which is where Allison and I are crashing for the night. We had a long day of traveling, and it's finally coming to an end. The sun (evidently) sets around 4:00 since we're so far up north, so right now it feels like it's 11:00...not to mention I feel like it's 11, having lugged around enough layers all day to keep me warm for the next 4 days...my head is pounding--but this is still a really beautiful place to be. The papers aren't done yet, so you may have to wait a while for pictures...it'll be worth it though, I promise.

An actual substantial update...

...Will not happen any time soon (as if you were expecting it to). I literally just spent 11 hours in front of a computer doing research and typing, only to get about a third of the way through one of my two papers that needs to be done on Monday. This wouldn't be so bad, except that Allison and I go to Norway at 7am on Thursday. This leaves about 36 hours with which to finish my combined 4500 words of European reports. In other news, I have what...16 days left here? I honestly don't know where the time has gone (other than to these papers)...I still feel like there's so much I want to do, but at the same time I miss all of my family and friends (that's you guys) so much. I'm ready to come home. I really am. I'll miss the Turkish Pizzas...(and don't think for a second that I'm not planning on how to imitate them once I'm home)...I'll see you all soon.

Katwijk Beach

Great news:
Allison and I found the beach just fine yesterday, and we made the (incredibly smart) decision to take the bus there instead of biking. After about a half-hour wait, we found ourselves on a path toward the strand (beach) of Katwijk, a nearby town. It was about 3:30 when we arrived, and the tide was out so we had a long, sandy walk down to the coast of the North Sea...the sky was absolutely beautiful, and we took lots of pictures...we thought we had seen the best of the sunset so we decided to lug our freezing cold bodies back up to the bus stop and wait for a ride home. We got all the way back across the sand and up the slope that leads to the road when we turned around and saw an absolutely gorgeous sun coming ever closer to the horizon. The scene we originally saw was no doubt beautiful, but it didn't hold a candle to what was happening right then. Cameras in hand, Allison and I dashed (as best we could) back down the sand and started snapping pictures of what was undoubtedly one of the top 3 sunsets I've ever seen...you can find pictures at http://www.schwanebeck.com/gallery/Katwijk-Beach.

Better late than never!

As promised, I finally put a few new pictures up...but they're old pictures, actually...they're pictures from London. Ah, and my new photo site is:

http://www.schwanebeck.com/gallery/albums.php

I'll try and remember to throw up a link on the right side of the page, so you can keep up with my (what are quickly becoming weekly/biweekly) photo updates...It's hard to believe that I've got such little time left here...Allison and I are going to try to find out way out to the beach right now, while there is still daylight out (wish us luck!)...I swear that sometime I'll finish my fall-break and other stories...and tell you about the fire that woke me up last week at 4:30 am...ah, the fun never stops here!

At the speed of light!

Hey everyone,

Just a quick update to let you know that I'm still alive and kicking over here...I've got some great stories to tell, but I've also got photography class in 4 minutes...make that 3 minutes...okay, rather than host a countdown to class, I'll fill you in on a bit of fantastic info: Last week, Allison and I found cheap(er) tickets to go to Norway. We'll be flying to and staying in Bergen, which is just south of Norway's largest and deepest fjord. This place is supposed to be one of the most beautiful places to travel to...I'll take lots of pictures!