In Which A Blog Post Can Be A List If I Want It To Be

I have been living in The Hague for about two weeks. In that span of time there have been many surprises. Here is a list of most of them:

1. It is possible to become desensitized to the sight of a gorgeous canal. Two weeks ago I gasped when I saw my first canal. Now I barely acknowledge their existence, as if they're a fire hydrant or a pigeon. I miss the wondrously exciting days of my youth (two weeks ago). What a time (two (2) weeks prior to now) that was.

2. I knew in Europe it was custom to serve bottled water as opposed to free tap water in restaurants. I did not know that at some restaurants, even if you ask for tap water they will deny it. I know they have it. I know they have to clean those dishes somehow. Let me drink your free water. I will clean the glass if I have to. I will bring my own glass and fill it in the bathroom sink when you're not looking. I am not above bathroom sink water.

3. You can ride a moped in the bike lane, or the car lane, or the sidewalk, or seemingly anywhere your heart desires. This is a rule specific to mopeds.

4. Dogs can hangout in the bike lane if being walked by someone riding a bike.

5. Dogs being walked in the bike lane gotta run though, it's no place for walking.

5. People cannot walk or run in the bike lane.

6. People can and should run in the bike lane if they wander into it by mistake and are about to be hit by a bike.

7. If you are 20 years old (2 years above the legal drinking age) but you look like a middle school athlete, bartenders will ask for your ID. Often, when going out with a group of people, they will ask only you for your ID. This does not get any less embarrassing each time it happens.

8. There are no squirrels here.

9. People here love American music. At orientation two men on giant platforms made to look like they were wearing enourmous red coats sang "American Pie" as all of the international students exited the building. The existence of these men was never explained by any tour guide or faculty member.

(a picture I stole from Ben - thanks Ben!)

10. Cold stroopwafel is good, hot fresh stroopwafel is even better, hot fresh stroopwafel covered in chocolate is the best, and hot fresh stroopwafel covered in chocolate served to you by an old man wearing a jaunty neckerchief is just the pinnacle (this happened yesterday in Amsterdam).

On a more serious note - people here are ten times more environmentally friendly than in the US, cities are all beautiful and clean, transportation is easy to use and always on time, giant trucks and SUVs are virtually nonexistent, everyone brings re-usable bags to grocery stores, almost everyone is bilingual and I've met people here that know more about US politics and the current election than I do.

The Hague has been very kind to me so far, aside from all the people who have almost hit me with their bikes, but I probably had it coming.