It's fine to talk to your beer, It's bad when the beer talks back.

Happy (late) Valentines Day everyone! I was lucky enough to spend the weekend in Bruge, Belgium a city well known for its beauty. The city lived up to that expectation without a doubt. It was like I spent a few days in a real life fairy tale.  I traveled there with a large group of international students and the basic focus of the weekend was to party (& we did plenty of that) but aside from the nightlife we went on a beautiful canal tour of the city Saturday morning and then during the afternoon I spent my time going to a chocolate museum and exploring the city.  And since it was Valentines Day I was able to spend it with two of my loves, chocolate and beer :) It was quite nice. Sunday we went on a brewery tour and then headed back to Groningen.

Welcome to Bruge

The Chocolate

Yep, that is me

Hahahahaaaa

Of course the Beer

The brewery tour

Our sassy, dry humored tour guide finished the tour with the explanation that it is justifiable if you talk to your beer, but when your beer starts talking back then you have a real problem. 

Cheers! 

Why would I buy practical shoes?

Getting used to European shopping :)

A nice running path

I like the view

Ate some pancakes on the Pancake Ship!

WATCH OUT: Baby on Board

I went to the supermarket once....

All Aboard
Central Station

Parking Ramp.. Just for bikes. 

Getting Settled

After orientation week I moved in with my family, I have been living in my home for a week now and I already love it! My host family has been extremely welcoming, making the adjustment to The Netherlands very smooth. Keeping an eye on me is my host mom, Hanneke, and her two kids, Nikoli (17) and Tara (15). They have done a great job getting me acquainted to living here. Tara has been especially helpful in exposing me to the good candies and shops. Yesterday we spent the day in the city center together and went shopping! I am looking forward to all the adventures I have planned with them.

My lovely home

Mode of transportation

Tara & Nikoli
(because they found my phone and took selfies)

"International Orientation" or Party until 5:00 a.m.

Just a few pictures from my orientation week, it was filled with meeting a bunch of other students, eating, and drinking.... mostly drinking. Needless to say the first week was a lot of fun! Below are pictures of my group and I. 

 Proost! (Cheers) 

Bikes, Bikes and MORE Bikes

I had few expectations coming to Groningen but now that I have begun to settle into the way of life here, I already love it.  Up until last night I was staying in a hostel in the city center.  I was a good way to get familiar to the space.  In the center all of the shopping, eating and bars are located. The unique thing about this city compare to the ones at home, everyone is biking and walking as the means of transporation.  It is actually quite difficult/you just can't drive in the central part of the city, if you want to drive you need to stay on the outer edge.  So that's where all the bikes come in, since the city is so compact the main way of getting around for everyone is usually by bike. Instead of having areas to park cars there are bike racks all over the place, there is even a parking garage for bikes at the central station, all very different from the grand issue of parking in the states. I was able to attain my bike from my host family yesterday but it needs to be fixed so I will take it to the bike repair shop this week. I am a little hesitant to go biking here since i'm not used to the rules, the street signs are in Dutch and it seems rather chaotic. At least on the bright side of things if I get in a bike accident it should be less detrimental than if I were in a car accident, unless I get hit by a car then i'm toast.