Category: Netherlands

De Daktuin, De Uithof, Utrecht

2014-06-02 18.51.20

De Daktuin, or the rooftop garden, opens every June and September on the top floor of the giant parking structure next to the library.

It’s student-built and student-run, and it’s got this kind of “green” and “sustainable development” vibe to it. They’ve got hammocks set up and seats and booths all around, with plenty of room to breathe even during peak hours.

You can find fancy organic dishes for sale (lots of couscous dishes), and when it comes to the drinks you can get craft beers on tap (like De Leckere, but I imagine it rotates each year) and craft sodas made with ginger and exotic fruit that definitely don’t grow in the Netherlands.

In the middle of the day it’s filled with people taking a coffee break. And if the students have something to celebrate (say, the end of an exam), then perhaps an early beer will replace the coffee. By the evening, De Daktuin is popping with students.

“Wesley, I think this is the first time I’ve seen you outside of class!”

Sometimes De Daktuin will host an activity in-between. Yoga workshops, live football matches on a projection screen, live concerts performed by students. A Dutch rapper came by once.

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De Daktuin is one of my favorite places to meet up with someone. The rooftop affords a great view of the campus, and with the amount of people coming in there’s a good chance you’ll bump into someone you know.

There’s a lot of ambient noise from all the other students chattering about, but it’s not overwhelming that you can’t hear your conversation partner. You’re in a lively public place, but you and your friends can also retreat into your own cozy spot if you’d all like.

(Come to think of it, it’s a nice spot for a casual date).

When the month of June is over, the rooftop garden packs up and closes, just like how the students pack up and run off to places sunnier than the Netherlands. But no worries, de Daktuin will return once again.

Casa Confetti, De Uithof, Utrecht

Source: http://architizer.com/projects/smarties-uithof/
Source: http://architizer.com/projects/smarties-uithof/

The story goes that the architect Marlies Rohmer wanted even more colors on the Casa Confetti, but the city said no.

De Uithof, or the main science campus in Utrecht University, has a reputation for having lots of blocky, grey modern buildings. The Casa Confetti was a response to that. It’s got so many colors that it’s even called the “Smarties” building, after the candy.

It’s a residential building, but only for Dutch students. I’ve been inside twice — once for dinner and board games with my project partner, and once for a haircut.

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The Casa Confetti and its less colorful neighbor, the Unnik building.

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“Do you like gambling?” said Sebastiaan from downstairs in the student bar. “The Casa Confetti has haircuts for only eight euros.”

That’s because the first floor of the Casa Confetti is actually a hairdressing school. The professor and the student take turns cutting your hair. I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m not a gambler, but like any good cloggie, the idea of a bargain had seduced me.

“I’ve never cut Asian hair before!” said the student hairdresser. (Apparently Asian hair is a lot thinner than the average European’s). The students there are nice and enthusiastic. Most are fresh out of high school.

I ended up getting an unintentional bowl cut, but it’s hard to gather sympathy from complaining when I only paid eight euros.

broodje rookworst

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What you see is what you get.

I used to be obsessed with the broodje rookworst. The HEMA next to the university library sold them for two euros each. I ate them as a good-luck charm before exams. I ate them as a reward after exams. I ate them whenever.

Ben, who lived right across the bridge from me, is a fellow broodje rookworst enthusiast. He used to say that he eats two of these each day after rowing practice. It’s easy to see why — they’re so simple, and so delicious.

The ingredients:

  1. brood, or bread. Hence, the broodje, or sandwich/roll.
  2. rookworst, or the type of Dutch sausage. One bite and all the juice starts squirting out. HEMA is famous for it.
  3. [optional]: mustard sauce

It’s essentially a glorified hot dog, but I ate them so often that the women working at HEMA would recognize me in bars out in town (hey, aren’t you that guy?) and would know my order before I even opened my mouth.

“neuken in de keuken”, and other ways to say hello in Dutch

photo credit: janwillemsen via photopin cc
photo credit: janwillemsen via photopin cc
Neuken in de keuken actually means “fucking in the kitchen”, but some young Dutchies like to say otherwise to unsuspecting newcomers.

It’s just a friendly way to say hello! they’ll say. The Dutchie will then tell their trusting friend to go repeat the magic phrase to the next stranger approaching on the sidewalk. Now, a request like that just smells fishy, like a barrel of hollandse nieuwe haring (delicious as it is).

I’ve seen this deployed on multiple occasions, but have yet to see it work.

Better to let the words sink in and let them come out on their own, naturally. But then you’d risk missing the show: the reaction from the recipient, and the red face of the person, who, just a minute earlier, thought they were one step closer to mastering the Dutch language.

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Swear words are appealing when learning a new language. They’re easily digestible, and by memorizing a few naughty words you can feel like you’ve accomplished something. Not to mention the thrill that comes with spitting out lines that gets laughs from the lads and glares from your grandmother.

In this context, the Dutch are easy to please. Anything a foreigner says in Dutch will sound funny to a Dutchie. Extra laughs for salty language.

If dank je wel (thank you) and alstublieft (you’re welcome/here you are) are the most memorized phrases among the international students, then neuken in de keuken will probably be #5. Top 10 at least.

san jose vs utrecht: the weather

Here’s how a conversation would sometimes start while living in the Netherlands, especially if I met a new Dutchie:

-Where are you from?

-Oh, I’m from California.

-California?! Why would you go here?! 

Then they would flap their arms about, or put their hands on their head, as though I had swapped a sunny paradise for a place with constant rain and no hill in sight (and because the weather is a safe and sure topic when meeting someone new).  “I didn’t come here for the weather” would be my standard response.

Weather predictions for the same day, August 8th, 2014.

Screenshot 2014-08-08 00.06.52

Screenshot 2014-08-08 00.07.22

Marc says I’m missing a spectacular rain storm in the Netherlands — the kind that messes up the sewer pipes and floods the old neighborhood. Spectacular to witness, but not so spectacular when those sewer pipes are underneath your doorstep.

Joke’s on California though. The entire state is going through a drought.

 

Weather forecast from Google / The Weather Channel.

flight MH17 & the Netherlands

About a week ago the Netherlands held a National Day of Mourning for the civilian plane that was shot down over Ukraine. My flight back home was on that day.

Utrecht University released the names of some of the victims. I didn’t know any of them personally, but the Netherlands is a small country, so there’s a good chance I’m only two degrees of separation away from them.

Curiosity led me to search them up on Facebook. Turns out I’m only one degree of separation away — we even study in the same buildings. Privacy measures prevent you from looking at much else other than their profile picture and cover photos, but it’s easy to imagine them as one of your friends or classmates.

Coming home after a year abroad

It’s been nearly a year since I’ve seen Mom and Dad’s face. (I can see my brother’s on Facebook). We would Skype together throughout the year, but the connection would always go to to their land line instead of the computer.

I haven’t forgotten what they look like, but it would be interesting to see how (and if) they have changed from what I remember. Marc says they’ll probably have less wrinkles since I’ve been away from home (ha ha).

And how have I changed? I won’t know the full extent of that until life starts to settle down.

In terms of outside appearances, I have some facial hair growing on the bottom of my chin (hooray!), but not nearly enough to tickle someone. Dad will probably tell me to shave it off.

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Anyways, it’ll be good to see the folks back home.

a few thoughts before running my first marathon

In about ten hours I will be running my first marathon. My good friend and neighbor Brian will be running his first half-marathon. We’ve been training for months, but there’s still that sense of nervousness and anticipation. (Or: butterflies in the stomach, so to speak).

Good for motivation. Not so good for sleeping.

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I’ve never been to Amersfoort before. It’s about 30 km away from Utrecht, and I hear it has a gorgeous city center.

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It’s our last month here in Utrecht as exchange students. Running the marathon would be (or at least I thought at the time) a good way to end the year well. One more personal challenge before heading out.

Our good friends and neighbors said they would come watch and support us while we ran. That’s a warm feeling, to know that someone is cheering you on.

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I’m a bit worried about nipple chaffing, especially after seeing some photos from Google Images. But I will worry about running the race first.

My goal is to cross that finish line. A good meal with good company afterwards would be lovely, too.