It's Rarely Sunny in Amsterdam, So Embrace it While You Can

This past weekend brought weather practically unheard of in Amsterdam, especially in October: it was 75 degrees and sunny the entire weekend, which meant that everyone was outside picnicking and sprawled out across city parks.  On Friday, some of my friends and I soaked in the scrumptious weather from a little boat that we rented...SO COOL!  We biked over to the rental house, paid our deposit, and we were off with no instruction other than to "follow the signs" and "take the plastic off the engine if it starts to rattle."  Our first two captains--who shall remain nameless--were seemingly fearless and definitely brave to take the wheel, but we decided that, after hitting the canal walls several times and accidentally crashing into a house boat, it was time to pass along the captain hat to Aaron.  He definitely got the "hero of the day" award.  We had such a pleasant 3-hour cruise around the city; there is really nothing like seeing Amsterdam from the canals, so I highly recommend this to anyone who visits!  Our pre-packed sandwiches and assortments of snacks made the ride only more pleasant, and we got such a kick out of the whole experience.

Happy Camper #1

Aaron, our hero.

Only in Holland...this is a wooden clog shoe boat actually parked in the water.

Hannah's turn to have the bean bag.

Chilling out so hard.  The best. 

I couldn't resist adding this one, which documents Kyle's attempts to slow our crash...whoopsies.

After our boat ride, I couldn't quite seem to pull myself away from the sun, so I spent a couple hours reading outside.  Josh and I are reading Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard together, and it is already one of my favorite books.  Her writing is beautiful and the way she describes every little detail of nature while somehow also relating it to larger questions about life and relationships among living beings is incredible.  Definitely the perfect book to read next to a canal under the setting sun :)

The evening was equally lovely: we made quesadillas for a potluck with the rest of the dorm and chattered away as we watched the stars come out and the duck family (they live right outside our windows) come home to sleep.

I woke up on Saturday to yet another blue sky, and let the warm air pour through my window while I ate breakfast and read more of my book.  Kyle, Adrienne, and I then biked over to Vondell Park for a picnic and some great people watching.  Everyone and their second cousin was there, and I saw more adorable babies than I could handle.  We also had the opportunity to observe a blue heron for twenty minutes, debating whether it's strange minimal movements were trickster, battery-operated motions or real life action...it was real.

This was the perfect chance to update my "Reasons Why Studying Abroad and Being in Amsterdam Rules" list.

My magnetic attraction to the grass continued in the afternoon, so I spent several hours reading for class under a tree, tucked away perfectly so I could see lots of boats going by, but I wasn't visible from the street.  These pics are of poor quality because I took them with my computer camera, but they are a pretty good depiction of the serenity that continued throughout the afternoon...goodness, I had a relaxing weekend.

...And Sunday was the peak of a truly vacation of a weekend.  I just wasn't into doing my homework and felt guilty being inside when I knew it would be the last nice day for the rest of my time here.  Obviously, the beach was the logical alternative.

When we arrived, we were the opposite of speechless: we repeated, over and over, "Oh my gosh, this sand is so soft," and, "Guys, we're at the beach...in Amsterdam."  One of those moments when disbelief dominates but you don't question the magnificence.  I spent the next four hours basking in the sunlight and collecting little shells along the water.  And more reading (WOOOO) and lots of people watching.  And napping.  And being so happy.

Look how many cool shells there are!! 

Sun kissed and smiley.  

I was so proud of my ability to let go of the work and stay present for the whole weekend, and I don't regret my recent lack of sleep and intense work days to make up for it.  Speaking of which, I need to be up in 5 hours so I'm going to cut this short but more to come so soon!


Dutch phrase of the day:
Ik hou van mijn zus, Sarah, meer dan iets anders. = I love my sister more than anything else.  (Miss you, kiddo!)


Dutch word/phrase bucket:
Het is herfst, maar het weer maakt het gevoel dat het is zomer! = It is fall, but the weather makes it feel like it is summer!
Ik hou van de koffie in de ochtend. = I love having coffee in the morning.
Elke dag, heb ik een broodje met heerlijk kaas voor de lunch. = Every day, I have a sandwich with delicious cheese for lunch.

groen = green (Mijn fiets is groen = My bike is green)

geitenkaas = goat cheese (Geitenkaas is mijn favoriete voedse! = Goat cheese is my favorite food!)   

fiestpad = bike path
keo = cow
koffie = coffee
regendruppels = raindrops
goedenacht = goodnight

Shanah Tova Uit Amsterdam!

Shanah tova from Amsterdam!  It's safe to say that my Rosh Hashanah experience this year was unlike any other I've had.  After calling my family and Josh on Wednesday evening, I turned all electronics off and then cycled over to the Portuguese synagogue, which is a mere four minutes from home.  During the continued conflict between the Dutch Republic and Spain during the 16th and early 17th centuries, the Spanish Jews who had fled to Amsterdam to enjoy freedom of religion began referring to themselves as the "Portuguese Jews."  During the mid-1600s, the three Sephardic Jewish communities in Amsterdam merged into the Sephardic community that exists today as the Portuguese Jewish Community.  Their 17th century synagogue exists today in fairly good condition, and looks beautiful when lit up by candlelight, as it was on Wednesday night.

While I knew that services at this synagogue were bound to be different from those I am accustomed to, I wasn't quite prepared for the effect that the mechitzah and its specific construction would have on my experience.  I met Marisa, a dear friend from Brandeis who is also studying abroad in Amsterdam, outside the synagogue before services.  Upon entering, we had to show our I.D. and answer several questions about where we are from, the synagogue we attend, and our rabbis' names.  After Lea, a woman Marisa met on last Shababt led us into the sanctuary, I picked up a siddur for myself and we took seats in the balcony with all the other women.  Not only was the women's balcony situated what felt like two stories above the men's section, but there was a fence-like divider that blocked a clear view of the Rabbi and other congregants.  I was immediately so offended and overcome with a feeling of angst; never have I felt so marginalized within a part of my own identity.

Judaism has continuously played an integral role in my life, from my Torah School years at Adat Shalom (my home synagogue) to the indescribable euphoria and near perfection at Camp JRF, and my amazing BRO (Brandeis Reconstructionist Organization) community at school.  I am fortunate to have grown up in a series of communities that not only accept, but also embrace and encourage every member to play an equal role in prayer and community life, regardless of sex or gender.  Although I have acknowledged this gift and ability to be a female Jewish leader in the past, I suppose such a privilege is easy enough to take advantage of.  I sat confused and astounded at the disconnect I felt; the service was more foreign and uncomfortable to me than any other I had attended before.  While I respect tradition and the religious practices of the women who continue to pray and engage with religious Judaism in this way, I cannot help but to give extra thanks for the liberal nature of my home communities and their profound acceptance of the engaged Jewish female.  One of my closest friends here grew up Modern Orthodox, and she felt entirely differently about her experience at this synagogue the following morning; for her, the service felt normal and comfortable, like those she grew up with.  Neither of us were offended at our different reactions and religious preferences, but it was so interesting to me that we had such widely different experiences growing up in the same religion.  My reactions and reflections have taken me back to a conversation I had with a rabbi during my Maimonides program at Brandeis this past semester.  We talked about the essence of Judaism: is it a religion, a culture, a practice, a framework for understanding the world we live in, a peoplehood?  He offered the possibility that Judaism is about relationships: how do we engage with one another using the Torah as our guide and model for how to act, and how do we use our relationships with one another to engage with the rest of the world?  The relationships that I have developed as a Jewish girl and now a woman have largely been defined by my own acceptance within the community and consequential involvement in religious and communal practices, so this service was just really different for me.  I hope that, when I raise my own children, I am able to show them this way of practicing and being Jewish with the simultaneous exposure to alternatives within Judaism.

After services, my night took a turn for the better.  As we were leaving, I met someone who was born on the street I lived on in Cleveland this summer...go Hessler Road!!  This past summer only confirmed a developing deep love for the midwest, so it was really exciting to meet another Clevelander here.  Marisa had also been invited to join Lea's family for dinner after services, and I was the lucky friend who got to tag along.  After the hectic process of seating everyone around the table, we began our 3-hour (plus) meal, full of life and energy.  Lea is from Israel but has lived here for 14 years; she came here after marrying her husband, who is Surinamese.  They have four wonderful sons and are an incredible family.  It was so unbelievably wonderful to be welcomed into their home, and I really appreciated the homemade challah and other delicious Jewish food.  After reciting traditional Sephardi blessings over dates, pumpkin, carrots, beets, leeks, apples, and honey, we blessed the wine and challah and continued on with our chatter for hours.  I was stuffed to my maximum capacity by 11:15 p.m. and very much in need of sleep.  As I said goodnight, Lea welcomed me to come back to her home for Simchat Torah and Sukkot, and any Shabbat for which I am in need of a home.  Reconnecting with the communal part of Judaism, the humility and hospitality (not to mention the over-stuffing with scrumptious food) was fulfilling beyond belief and a great way to welcome in the new year.

As I mentioned, I decided to keep my phone and internet shut off for the first night and day of Rosh Hashanah; I really wanted to push myself to reflect on the past 12 months and do some goal-setting for the new year.  I spent the night journaling and reading in my room, without worry about where my friends where and what they were up to for the night.  Among my goals for my time in Amsterdam is to grant myself alone time to read books for pleasure and write more poetry for my zine, to take quiet walks and to really get a breather from my normally insanely busy routine.  Especially as I was reflecting on how I have done in following my goals, it felt great to catch myself in the action of succeeding at just being.

Yesterday morning, I adventured over to Beit Ha'Chidush, a progressive-religious Jewish synagogue that's founded upon Jewish Reconstructionist, Renewal, and other contemporary Jewish cultural movements.  I had read about the synagogue online and Wednesday night's experience was certainly a motivator to give something different a try.  The 17th century building was easy enough to find, and I was greeted with welcoming smiles.  The woman who showed me the service room handed me a Kol Haneshama siddur and a supplementary music sheet for Avinu Malkeinu...I was right at home.  Because the service was conducted solely in Hebrew and Dutch, I was fairly on my own to keep up and find the right pages.  Luckily, my Hebrew is pretty good, and I just learned Dutch numerals, so I actually knew what pages the Rabbi was calling out!  The melodies and harmonizing voices sang me right back to home, and I felt so blessed to be called to the Torah for a "newcomers and visitors" aliyah.  I had to sneak out a little early to make it to my Dutch language midterm, but was able to stay through the blowing of the shofar.  It's pretty incredible how powerful song and words can be, especially when they are imbued with memory and personal significance from many years.  As we sang L'dor V'dor, I couldn't fight a few tears as I thought about my family, and mom in particular... Yes, mom, I'm emotional too.  And when we got to Avinu Malkeinu, G.P.'s attempted rabbinical chanting sounded in my ears, right along with the choir from Adat Shalom.  I missed home and my Jewish communities very much on Thursday, but also felt more connected to them than I would have thought possible.

Starting this new year in Amsterdam has really given me the chance to reflect on my past year and the hopes I have for this new one.  Despite personal challenges in the last year, I feel so strong and stable here, and feel continuously refreshed and fully energized.  To all my family and friends, shanah tova u'metukah; may this be a sweet, happy, and healthy year for you that brings only challenges worth facing and many moments that evoke fun and laughs.      

Dutch phrase of the day:
Het is herfst, maar het weer maakt het gevoel dat het is zomer! = It is fall, but the weather makes it feel like it is summer! (The regendruppels have momentarily ceased to fall on us, and the sun has been showing off continuously for the last two weeks...it's been in the 70s and my shorts have magically reappeared!)

Dutch word/phrase bucket:
Ik hou van de koffie in de ochtend. = I love having coffee in the morning.
Elke dag, heb ik een broodje met heerlijk kaas voor de lunch. = Every day, I have a sandwich with delicious cheese for lunch.

groen = green (Mijn fiets is groen = My bike is green)

geitenkaas = goat cheese (Geitenkaas is mijn favoriete voedse! = Goat cheese is my favorite food!)   

fiestpad = bike path
keo = cow
koffie = coffee
regendruppels = raindrops
goedenacht = goodnight

My Family! Hamishpacha Sheli! Mi Familia! Mijn Familie!

Surprise! I spent the last week with three of my favorite people, and couldn't have been happier with their visit.  Mom, Dad, and Sarah arrived on Friday, September 16 and there began our days of double-digit miles of walking and exploring Amsterdam together.  Their visit began with laughs: I agreed to meet them by the apartment they were staying in so, when I arrived, I parked my bike and waved at the suitcase-lugging folk of mine as they walked down Prinsengracht (their street) in my direction.  It was only until we were a mere five feet away, though, that they realized it was in fact their daughter waving at them... Dad thought I was their host, waving them down to welcome them to the apartment.  We laughed and hugged and they congratulated me on looking too European to recognize me from down the road.

One of many bicycle photographs from the trip...

After settling into their place, I began leading them around Amsterdam, pointing out places we would visit later and important landmarks to remember.  The jetlag was certainly present and gravity seemed to be tugging especially hard on their eyelids, but their excitement sustained them until after dinner.  We had a lovely Shabbat together, which I really missed.  At home, Shabbat is a defining and crucial part of my week.  As my friends from home know, I spent every Friday night dinner at home and only started going out after dinner later in high school.  At school, I have a great group of friends who enjoy making Shabbat dinner together, which is such a blessing to have.  Since I have come here, though, I haven't made Shabbat, so you can imagine how happy I was to tie together my week with the fam.

We spent the next few days touring the "must see" places, and also strolling around and enjoying the city's seemingly endless beauty.  Among our art explorations was a visit to the Van Gogh museum, where we struggled to weave our way through the massive amount of people inside but enjoyed his works, nonetheless.  On one of our walks, we wandered into a small art gallery near Prinsengracht and discovered an incredible artist named Rennsen who uses Picasso as his stylistic inspiration and other artists' work as models for his own pieces.  Luckily, the gallery was hopping and the artist happily introduced himself, leading us through his work and method.  This was especially exciting for Sarah, who has recently flourished in her art ability and is amidst compiling her portfolio to send in with college applications....WOO!

Another required trip was to the Anne Frank house, which is located right on the Prinsengracht canal, right next to the Westerkert (western church), where Queen Beatrix was married.  (I mentioned this in one of my first posts.)  Otto Frank's old office, where Anne hid, has been preserved incredibly well and the exhibit does an unbelievable job of retelling her story from a historical perspective through excerpts from her diary.  I learned about the Holocaust extensively during my years of education both in pubic and torah school, but there really is nothing that compares to walking through a piece of history so directly tied to those years of horrid events.  From the moment we entered the exhibit, everyone was silent and walked slowly through each room of her hiding space.  It's hard to believe that eight people remained in so few rooms for two years, and I can't even imagine how difficult it must have been for the young children to experience their own physical and emotional development indoors, confined to so few rooms, without any external contact.  As emotionally challenging as the tour was, I am so glad that the space has been preserved well and is open for visitors so her story can continue to live on for generations to come.

We also went to the Jewish History Museum and wandered through the old Jewish district for a while.  I was so impressed with how much ground we were able to cover, and how much of the city my family had the chance to see in just a few days.  By the end of their week in Europe, they walked over 80 miles!  Super champions!  Although the museums and memorials are important to see, our agreed upon highlights were certainly the simple pleasant strolls around, letting ourselves be in awe at the quaintness of the canals and bikes.  We also became true allstars at bakery hopping...I now have a massive list of bakeries that are well deserving of my euros.

Champion traveler :)

New favorite cheese shop, and my Dad exhibiting his true character.

Sarah became an exponentially happier camper with the purchase of this hat...the real, goofy sis I know comes out :)

It's hard to express the feelings I had when my Mom and Dad decided to rent a bike on Monday morning...I was both excited to be a part of their experiencing Amsterdam by bike, but also fearful for my Mom's safety.  After a couple accidents and far too many scary health concerns, it is understandable to be nervous about Mom hopping onto bike lanes in Amsterdam, which can easily feel like the fast lane of a highway.  My parents' extensive years of tandem riding together, followed by a bicycle hiatus for my mom and recently a hilariously awesome purchase of recumbent trikes have left my mom out of contact with a single, upright bike, for over 20 years.  My jaw nearly fell off when I rode up to the bike rental place to find mom giggling as she rode around...by herself...on an upright bike...in Amsterdam.  I definitely had to bite my tongue a lot to keep in what feels like much validated and understandable angst about her safety but was, at the end of the ride, filled with an overwhelming sense of joy.  My mom never quite ceases to amaze me with her enduring strength and bravery.  Riding a single bicycle was a huge step for her and definitely boosted her confidence in her ability to, quite literally, get back on [that kind of] bike.  Dad was also, as expected, incredibly excited with her comfort in the ride.  Look out, rainbow tandem, they're ready to make you work again!

Tuesday brought a different adventure: we traveled to the Hague with my CIEE group to watch the Queen parade in her Golden Carriage to read the Dutch form of the state of the union ("the Speech from the Throne").  The queen doesn't actually have any political power, but it is her role to read out the plans for the coming parliamentary session.  The carriage belongs to the Dutch royal family, and dates back to Queen Wilhelmina's royalty in 1898.  Prinsjesdag ("princes day") is mostly exciting because everyone comes together in huge masses to watch the crazy parade go by, and wave at the queen as she rides to her palace.  It was kind of a lot of traveling for just a few moments of excitement, but definitely a unique experience worth taking advantage of.

She's waving!

Incredible

People watching was extra fun...

And where would we have been without our handy dandy guide, pointing us in the right direction??

Mom, Dad, and Sarah headed to Paris on Wednesday morning, leaving me to my work and friends for a few days before Sarah returned on Friday for the weekend.  I played homework catch up and rewarded my productivity with a day of unbelievable bike riding on Friday.  Hannah, Stephan, and I left at 2 p.m. for what we expected would be a 3-hour max. ride to Marken, a supposedly beautiful island to the north of Amsterdam.  Instead, we rode until 8 p.m., but every minute of the ride was absolutely worth the achy knees and grumbling tummies.

I swear, the happy cows and sheep just dominate here. 

Hannah at her cutest.  

True pro, total champion.

We finally made it to Marken!

And, of course, it was too adorable for words.

 My favorite part of the day was, beyond just getting away from the city and finding endless space to breathe, right around when the sun was beginning to set.  We were on our way back to Amsterdam, riding into the falling sun, each of us silhouetted against the light, and next to us galloped three perfectly hazelnut brown horses, neighing and playing with one another as they rode alongside us.  It was one of those moments when I didn't even know what to think or how to react but laugh at the beauty life has to offer.  Nothing mattered at that moment except for the five of us racing into the last moments of daylight, and it was truly a heaven on earth.  Shout out to Camp JRF pals: I hummed a little ma'aseh vereishit, a blessing for natural wonders.

Once we reluctantly crossed over the bridge that brought us back to the developed city area, we made our way over to Amsterdam Centraal (the train station) to pick up Sarah, who had just arrived from Paris.  Boy, did she get quite the special treatment: We strapped her rolling suitcase to my bike, gave her backpack to Stephan, and she hopped on Hannah's bike.  We all rode one handed, balancing and keeping hold of our various additions, but it worked great and we made it home safely.  (Only one minor fall, and it was greeted with laughs.)  Kyle, Hannah, Sarah, and I made a delicious Shabbat dinner and said the brachot before digging into the challah Sarah brought back from Paris.  Yummy!  We took it easy for the night, and really enjoyed just talking into the wee hours.  On Saturday we worked at a great cafe for a little, and then spent the night out on the town... When Sarah and I decided to come home at the end of the night, it became evident that it was my time to learn how to ride her on the back of my bike.  Despite a little wobbling at first, we were totally successful and it was SO fun to ride through the streets of Amsterdam with her late at night.

Before Mom and Dad got back on Sunday evening, Sarah and I wandered throughout the city, hitting markets and bakeries that seemed to have a magnetic attraction to us...okay, maybe the other way around :)

We spent our last family night chatting about the week, sharing stories and adventures, and hugging lots...I won't see my family until the end of December, which is kind of difficult to accept.  I've never gone that long without seeing them, and I'm spending my first Rosh Hashanah ever without them.  Growing up can be exciting and scary all in one, but it's so great to know I have such an awesome home base.  Since I graduated high school, I have really struggled with the concept of home.  Since the end of my senior year, I have not spent more than two consecutive weeks at home, and my visits have been far less frequent than I would like.  I've lived at camp, college, in Cleveland, and in Amsterdam and making each of these new spaces more "homey" is a must.  Still, my real home remains with my family, beside a cherry blossom tree in Bethesda.  I miss home so much, but know that it's always there for me when I'm ready to return.  Until I next make it there, I'm so lucky to be in Amsterdam, surrounded by continuous beauty and wonderful people.  The history and contemporary social policy here is beyond fascinating-there is so much to soak up every day.  Plus, the weather has been absolutely incredibly scrumptious for the last two weeks, and the sun is definitely getting to me--things are wonderful over here!

Dutch phrases of the week: (I have a midterm tomorrow, so wish me luck!!)

Ik hou van de koffie in de ochtend. = I love having coffee in the morning.
Elke dag, heb ik een broodje met heerlijk kaas voor de lunch. = Every day, I have a sandwich with delicious cheese for lunch.

Dutch word/phrase bucket:

groen = green (Mijn fiets is groen = My bike is green)

geitenkaas = goat cheese (Geitenkaas is mijn favoriete voedse! = Goat cheese is my favorite food!)   

fiestpad = bike path
keo = cow
koffie = coffee
regendruppels = raindrops
goedenacht = goodnight