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I said when I finished reading "Case Histories" (the prequel to this book) that I wasn't sure if having seen the TV programme had ruined the full enjoyment of the book or not. Now I've read this one, having not seen the TV adaptation, I think I can confirm that. Obviously there are repeating characters but I was able to push what I saw on the telly out of my mind and sink myself into the use of my full imagination.
This book is a continuation of the life of Jackson Brodie, ex-army/police turned private investigator. This time, instead of having 3 individual mysteries to solve, all of the mysteries are intertwined with one another, creating a web of coincidences for Jackson to work through. The main man himself recognises the significance of Russian Dolls which keeps cropping up throughout the book. Stories within stories turn a straight forward mystery into an investigation of half a dozen individuals whose recent activities lead them to stand in Gloria Hatter's living room not quite being sure what to do next or why in fact they're all there.
It did take me a while to get through this book but I'm putting that down to moving house in the middle of it. It's the kind of book that you can read long passages of at once and still want to keep reading. It's not tough on the brain and yet it gets you thinking and guessing. I'd heard from a few people that One Good Turn is better than Case Histories and I think I'd have to agree there.
From what I've read of Kate Atkinson, she certainly knows how to throw a story together and I will definitely be reading the next two Jackson Brodie novels ('When Will There Be Good News?" and "Started Early, Took My Dog") at some point in the future.
This book is a continuation of the life of Jackson Brodie, ex-army/police turned private investigator. This time, instead of having 3 individual mysteries to solve, all of the mysteries are intertwined with one another, creating a web of coincidences for Jackson to work through. The main man himself recognises the significance of Russian Dolls which keeps cropping up throughout the book. Stories within stories turn a straight forward mystery into an investigation of half a dozen individuals whose recent activities lead them to stand in Gloria Hatter's living room not quite being sure what to do next or why in fact they're all there.
It did take me a while to get through this book but I'm putting that down to moving house in the middle of it. It's the kind of book that you can read long passages of at once and still want to keep reading. It's not tough on the brain and yet it gets you thinking and guessing. I'd heard from a few people that One Good Turn is better than Case Histories and I think I'd have to agree there.
From what I've read of Kate Atkinson, she certainly knows how to throw a story together and I will definitely be reading the next two Jackson Brodie novels ('When Will There Be Good News?" and "Started Early, Took My Dog") at some point in the future.
The more observant among you will have noticed that I've not exactly kept up my plan to continue writing a blog after returning from Amsterdam. Now I have a new plan and it's anyone's guess how long this will last.
You may or may not be aware that I had an agreement with myself to see how many books I could read before I graduated and the resulting list can be viewed by continuing to read:
So now that I've graduated this list is complete. However, I do plan to continue reading because I still firmly believe that reading is cool. And that is the new purpose of this blog, to tell you about what I've read. I don't read a massive amount, so don't expect too many updates, but I'll do it when I can and I'll tell you what I think of the books that I read.
You may or may not be aware that I had an agreement with myself to see how many books I could read before I graduated and the resulting list can be viewed by continuing to read:
1. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier (10)
2. Peter Pan - J.M. Barrie (7)
3. The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse - Robert Rankin (7)
4. Lucas on Life - Jeff Lucas (9)
5. The Complete Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne (10)
6. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee (10)
7. Helen Sloane's Diary - Jeff Lucas (8)
8. What's So Amazing About Grace - Philip Yancey (6)
9. Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank (8)
10. Notes from a Small Island - Bill Bryson (6)
11. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott (9)
12. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (6)
13. Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt (8)
14. The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis (7)
15. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 - Sue Townsend (8)
16. The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde (6)
17. The Irresistible Revolution - Shane Claiborne (5)
18. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - John Boyne (10)
19. Run Baby Run - Nicky Cruz (6)
20. The Toyminator - Robert Rankin (9)
21. Remember Me? - Sophie Kingsella (7)
22. The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith (6)
23. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame (5)
24. The Shack - William Paul Young (9)
25. The Reader - Bernhard Schlink (5)
26. Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis (9)
27. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien (8)
28. Lucas Out Loud - Jeff Lucas (7)
29. A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer (6)
30. Ollie - Steve Venables (8)
31. High Fidelity - Nick Hornby (9)
32. The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (10)
33. Starter for Ten - David Nicholls (7)
34. The 19th Wife - David Ebershoff (5)
35. Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson (8)
36. Frenchman's Creek - Daphne Du Maurier (7)
37. A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess (10)
38. How to be Good - Nick Hornby (10)
39. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGreggor (9)
40. Knots and Crosses - Ian Rankin (9)
41. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ - Philip Pullman (6)
42. The Scapegoat - Daphne Du Maurier(9)
43. Making History - Stephen Fry (9)
44. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet - David Mitchell (8)
45. Death and The Penguin - Andrey Kurkov (4)
46. Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides (9)
47. Amsterdam - Ian McEwan (9)
48. Case Histories - Kate Atkinson (9)
So now that I've graduated this list is complete. However, I do plan to continue reading because I still firmly believe that reading is cool. And that is the new purpose of this blog, to tell you about what I've read. I don't read a massive amount, so don't expect too many updates, but I'll do it when I can and I'll tell you what I think of the books that I read.
One of the things I got for my birthday this year was a list of "500 things you have to do in a lifetime" and I've only just actually sat down and read them all, seriously busy couple of weeks. It's safe to say that I've probably done less than a quarter of them already but I suppose that's better than nothing... They range from the mundane "See a firework display" to the extreme "Climb Mount Everest" and it includes most things in between. Some of the things I will never do because it's not possible for me to do and most I will never do because I either can't afford to or I'm too scared (and lazy).
I'm getting to the stage where I really need to seriously think about what I'm going to do when I graduate. I have a few ideas but nothing concrete. This is one of those things that I've always known I had to do but always assumed that things would just fall into place and I'd know exactly what I was going to do when the time was right. Turns out it's not that simple. I actually have to think about this. I'm not so much thinking in terms of a grand career plan but perhaps something to do for a year or two, gaining experience and money more than anything. Ideally I'd do some fantastically exciting job where I got to travel round the world lots and see as much as I could, that or just stay in Canterbury as either will make me happy. That might be a tad unrealistic though. I'm sure I'm far more likely to graduate and get a job in Tesco.
See the trouble I have is that there are so many things I want to do but I realise that I can't possibly do them all so I kinda don't bother to try and do any of them. I need to learn to take more risks, to do exciting things, things that I know that I'll love and not put them off due to laziness or a fear of disappointment. As far as my plans once I graduate go, that's going to take a lot more thinking and perhaps a few trips to the career advisor (the first one is planned for Monday). I'm sure things will fall into place at some point down the line, I have faith that they will. God will be with me so there's nothing really to fear. I've got to be patient and learn to pull my finger out really. It's like a wise woman once said "You can't do God's job and He won't do yours".
God Bless x
I'm getting to the stage where I really need to seriously think about what I'm going to do when I graduate. I have a few ideas but nothing concrete. This is one of those things that I've always known I had to do but always assumed that things would just fall into place and I'd know exactly what I was going to do when the time was right. Turns out it's not that simple. I actually have to think about this. I'm not so much thinking in terms of a grand career plan but perhaps something to do for a year or two, gaining experience and money more than anything. Ideally I'd do some fantastically exciting job where I got to travel round the world lots and see as much as I could, that or just stay in Canterbury as either will make me happy. That might be a tad unrealistic though. I'm sure I'm far more likely to graduate and get a job in Tesco.
See the trouble I have is that there are so many things I want to do but I realise that I can't possibly do them all so I kinda don't bother to try and do any of them. I need to learn to take more risks, to do exciting things, things that I know that I'll love and not put them off due to laziness or a fear of disappointment. As far as my plans once I graduate go, that's going to take a lot more thinking and perhaps a few trips to the career advisor (the first one is planned for Monday). I'm sure things will fall into place at some point down the line, I have faith that they will. God will be with me so there's nothing really to fear. I've got to be patient and learn to pull my finger out really. It's like a wise woman once said "You can't do God's job and He won't do yours".
God Bless x
It has recently been bought to my attention that I'm getting on a bit in years (Thanks Florence). And it's true. I'm now 22. Yesterday was my birthday and despite the fact that soon I'll have to have my food mashed-up before I can eat it, I rather enjoyed my special day!
Mum and Dad came over late morning to bring me presents :) and then take to me to Nando's for lunch :) and then buy me books :) So that was all pretty awesome! Then after they had left it was action stations as the house had to be prepared for the evening's activities - my murder mystery dinner party!
It was SUCH a good night! Murder mystery dinner parties are quite stressful to organise, it turns out, but so worth it. It was very very amusing and I didn't realise I had such theatrically talented friends. I'm proud of you all. The food was lovingly prepared mainly by my housemates with a few additions from other guests and was, quite frankly, amazing. Again, some very talented friends!
Once we'd discovered that Lucy and Amy H were the murders then we head off to Spoons for even more fun and (apparently) very deep discussion from certain members of the group.
It seems hard to believe that it was over a year ago that Nicole, Allison and I were sat in 'de taart van m'n tante' having cake for lunch but it's true, it was. I seem to be so blessed with amazing birthdays! Some are shocked that I still get to childishly excited by my birthday but can you blame me?
God Bless x
Mum and Dad came over late morning to bring me presents :) and then take to me to Nando's for lunch :) and then buy me books :) So that was all pretty awesome! Then after they had left it was action stations as the house had to be prepared for the evening's activities - my murder mystery dinner party!
It was SUCH a good night! Murder mystery dinner parties are quite stressful to organise, it turns out, but so worth it. It was very very amusing and I didn't realise I had such theatrically talented friends. I'm proud of you all. The food was lovingly prepared mainly by my housemates with a few additions from other guests and was, quite frankly, amazing. Again, some very talented friends!
Once we'd discovered that Lucy and Amy H were the murders then we head off to Spoons for even more fun and (apparently) very deep discussion from certain members of the group.
It seems hard to believe that it was over a year ago that Nicole, Allison and I were sat in 'de taart van m'n tante' having cake for lunch but it's true, it was. I seem to be so blessed with amazing birthdays! Some are shocked that I still get to childishly excited by my birthday but can you blame me?
God Bless x
The end of Week 3 is fast approaching and the work level is still pretty ok! It's so good to finally be back in an actual routine, actually having something to get out of bed for in the morning. I still don't like getting out of bed in the morning but at least I have a reason to do it!
I've got some interesting modules going down this term (or at least I think so) in the form of Theoretical Perspectives in Social Anthropology; Visul Anthropology Theory; Sex, Evolution and Human Nature; and The Evolution of Hominin Behaviour. All very different but all good so far. Like I say, the work load isn't crazy at the moment. I'm back to reading around 8 articles a week at the moment but there are some pretty hard article to get through. I very much dislike theory in anthropology, I would be much happier reading ethnography all day. But ho hum, it has to be done.
My thoughts at the moment are very much edging towards what I'm going to do next year. After previously saying that I have no idea where I'm going to be this time next year, I thought I'd actually try and come up with some ideas. I'm still pretty much none-the-wiser but I have come up with some new plans! It's hard to plan that far in advance at the moment as I don't know where I'll be able to live once the summer rolls around and location is a pretty key part of deciding what to do. Nevertheless I shall keep thinking, and praying, and hoping that I get some inspiration, all in the faith that it will work out just fine. This year is definitely a test of faith and trust, in some ways even more so than last year, but I have confidence in myself because I have confidence in my God.
On another note, I'm really starting to notice my advancement in years. Yes I'm still pretty young but it would be long until I'm 22 and the realisation that I'm now the oldest at Student Cell/Meal doesn't help me much there. Also, the fact that I have some lectures and seminars with 2nd years (who will be around 19) is a pretty frightening concept. But talking of Student Cell/Meal, it's got off to a great start this year with some great new blood and the introduction of the Cell Group to Thursday evening festivities. This year is going to be a good year in that department, I'm sure of it!
Anywhoo, must be off. Got a seminar of French Structuralist Anthropology to get to (biggin' up the Levi-Strauss)
God Bless x
I recently received an email that I had written to myself a year ago via the website futureme.org. In it I told myself to update Hamsterjam so I thought I would. Trouble is, I don't have much to fill it with. I had such an amazing start to the summer that this second half of doing absolutely nothing has left me bored out of my brain. On a more positive note, however, I have now moved back to Canterbury and will start my final year on Monday. I'm really looking forward to having something to do, to having structure in my life again!
So Canterbury hasn't changed too much. There's a few new faces and a few old faces which have disappeared but it does feel like I never left. Which is very strange because so much has happened in the last year, I suppose that perhaps I expected myself to have changed more than I apparently have. It may also have something to do with the fact that Amsterdam feels like a lifetime ago.
Earlier this week, whilst doing some unpacking in my room, I came across my old map of Amsterdam. This was a free map which I received on what must have been my second day in the city. This map then proceeded to live in my bag for pretty much the entire year, going with me wherever I went. It was quite an emotional moment when I stuck it on my wall (I've even risked the no blu-tack rule for this map). So whenever I'm sat at my desk I can look up and remember all those places.
I'm also now in the weird position of being able to say that I USED to live in Amsterdam. I spent so much time beforehand thinking about far away into the future my year abroad felt that I can't believe it's actually over. I have a vague memory of being about 8 and discussing with a friend that one day I would like to live in another country, even if it was just for a few months. Well I've done that now. It's over. That is now a past chapter in my life. It's the strangest feeling in the world.
Despite all this, my Amsterdam experience has definitely become part of me. Anything I ever experience in life shapes who I am. I wouldn't be who I am today, and who I will be in the future without Amsterdam. It will always mean a lot to me, will always be full of great memories and will always be a top holiday destination! And the same is true for Canterbury. I am so glad to be back, to catch up with old (mainly now graduate) friends and get stuck back into life on this side of the Channel.
And who knows where I'll be this time next year when my next futureme email arrives...
God Bless x
So Canterbury hasn't changed too much. There's a few new faces and a few old faces which have disappeared but it does feel like I never left. Which is very strange because so much has happened in the last year, I suppose that perhaps I expected myself to have changed more than I apparently have. It may also have something to do with the fact that Amsterdam feels like a lifetime ago.
Earlier this week, whilst doing some unpacking in my room, I came across my old map of Amsterdam. This was a free map which I received on what must have been my second day in the city. This map then proceeded to live in my bag for pretty much the entire year, going with me wherever I went. It was quite an emotional moment when I stuck it on my wall (I've even risked the no blu-tack rule for this map). So whenever I'm sat at my desk I can look up and remember all those places.
I'm also now in the weird position of being able to say that I USED to live in Amsterdam. I spent so much time beforehand thinking about far away into the future my year abroad felt that I can't believe it's actually over. I have a vague memory of being about 8 and discussing with a friend that one day I would like to live in another country, even if it was just for a few months. Well I've done that now. It's over. That is now a past chapter in my life. It's the strangest feeling in the world.
Despite all this, my Amsterdam experience has definitely become part of me. Anything I ever experience in life shapes who I am. I wouldn't be who I am today, and who I will be in the future without Amsterdam. It will always mean a lot to me, will always be full of great memories and will always be a top holiday destination! And the same is true for Canterbury. I am so glad to be back, to catch up with old (mainly now graduate) friends and get stuck back into life on this side of the Channel.
And who knows where I'll be this time next year when my next futureme email arrives...
God Bless x
Wow an awful lot has happened since I last chatted away endlessly here.
Firstly, I've left Amsterdam, sadly. I had a last good couple of weeks with Mum and Dad, showing them the sights and seeing some new places. Due to the excitement of other events I shall natter on about very soon, I shall keep this bit brief. Highlights include climbing up some rickety ladders to the top of Edam church tower, introducing the 'rents to ice tea (they now love the stuff) and the Corrie ten Boom Huis in Haarlem. That last one is a definite must see if you're ever in the Haarlem area - truly and a very blessed experience.
When I got back to England I had a couple of very busy days including a Saturday in London for commissioning. I didn't actually know anyone being commissioned this year but it was nice to see people from across the territory, I happened to know a few people in the Army here don't you know.
Then on Sunday it was the day of birthdays and so it was a chance to meet up with Mum's side of the family. We had a lovely pub lunch down by the Thames with Granddad and Pat, Nic and Learne, plus the kids. It was really nice to see them all again as it happens so rarely. It is difficult when everyone's in different countries though. Zeke didn't actually remember me this time but but I'm holding out hope for the next time!!
So swiftly after that I headed off to Sweden. I was volunteering at the Salvation Army's World Youth Convention in Stockholm. It was basically around 1200 young Salvationists from across the globe gathering together to meet each other, to learn more about God and to spend some amazing time in worship. Everyone was just so happy, singing and dancing whenever they felt like it (which was pretty much the entire time). Several times I heard it described as being just like heaven. The experience was just indescribable and I feel so privileged to have been a part of it. I'm also so humbled to realise how little a part of this world wide movement I am but also proud to be able to call myself a Salvationist. The after effects of this weekend are going to be felt for a very long time, there's no doubt about that!
Once that was sadly over (although I was relived to be able to get some sleep!) I headed with Jonathan, who was also in Stockholm, to Norway for a few days. Unfortunately the ridiculously hot weather of Sweden (which I was just getting used to) was not so present in Trondheim. It was about 10c lower and pretty much drizzling all the time. Still, I had a lovely couple of days and was still able to appreciate the town and the surrounding area.
And now finally I am back in England for the foreseeable future. I am going to keep rambling on at you whenever anything interesting happens (or I get bored) but I'm sure that it won't be as regular or as interesting as the beginnings of this online journal.
As ever, check out the photos on facebook because I will definitely keep updating them!
God Bless x
Firstly, I've left Amsterdam, sadly. I had a last good couple of weeks with Mum and Dad, showing them the sights and seeing some new places. Due to the excitement of other events I shall natter on about very soon, I shall keep this bit brief. Highlights include climbing up some rickety ladders to the top of Edam church tower, introducing the 'rents to ice tea (they now love the stuff) and the Corrie ten Boom Huis in Haarlem. That last one is a definite must see if you're ever in the Haarlem area - truly and a very blessed experience.
When I got back to England I had a couple of very busy days including a Saturday in London for commissioning. I didn't actually know anyone being commissioned this year but it was nice to see people from across the territory, I happened to know a few people in the Army here don't you know.
Then on Sunday it was the day of birthdays and so it was a chance to meet up with Mum's side of the family. We had a lovely pub lunch down by the Thames with Granddad and Pat, Nic and Learne, plus the kids. It was really nice to see them all again as it happens so rarely. It is difficult when everyone's in different countries though. Zeke didn't actually remember me this time but but I'm holding out hope for the next time!!
So swiftly after that I headed off to Sweden. I was volunteering at the Salvation Army's World Youth Convention in Stockholm. It was basically around 1200 young Salvationists from across the globe gathering together to meet each other, to learn more about God and to spend some amazing time in worship. Everyone was just so happy, singing and dancing whenever they felt like it (which was pretty much the entire time). Several times I heard it described as being just like heaven. The experience was just indescribable and I feel so privileged to have been a part of it. I'm also so humbled to realise how little a part of this world wide movement I am but also proud to be able to call myself a Salvationist. The after effects of this weekend are going to be felt for a very long time, there's no doubt about that!
Once that was sadly over (although I was relived to be able to get some sleep!) I headed with Jonathan, who was also in Stockholm, to Norway for a few days. Unfortunately the ridiculously hot weather of Sweden (which I was just getting used to) was not so present in Trondheim. It was about 10c lower and pretty much drizzling all the time. Still, I had a lovely couple of days and was still able to appreciate the town and the surrounding area.
And now finally I am back in England for the foreseeable future. I am going to keep rambling on at you whenever anything interesting happens (or I get bored) but I'm sure that it won't be as regular or as interesting as the beginnings of this online journal.
As ever, check out the photos on facebook because I will definitely keep updating them!
God Bless x
So I have like 3 weeks worth of stuff to update you all on. Sorry about that! But too be honest, there's not a lot to tell... stupid essays.
First of the three weeks... Meg came to stay and it was officially awesome! We went to see Sex and the City 2 (so very bad that it is so very good), visited the sights of Amsterdam by foot and my boat, and basically had a lot of fun! It was really good seeing her again but I'm glad she came later on in the year, it made saying goodbye easier! I'm so looking forward to being roomies with her and Sam again next year (but we're going to miss our Fish a lot)
The following week was full of essay work but I did get to have one day of joy... the trip to Haarlem on bikes :) I couldn't go home without having ridden a bike this entire time so Amy and I hired some and set off for Haarlem. It took us a little while to get going (seeing as neither of us had ridden a bike in quite some time) but once we got the hang of it again we were off like the wind! It turns out that riding a bike is like riding a bike. Ho ho ho!
The journey there was fairly uneventful, except for one goat that really needed to get rid of some milk. We didn't get to spend too long in Haarlem itself, because we didn't want to be late back with the bikes, but from what I saw it was really lovely. A very pretty place indeed. Hopefully I'll be going again when Mum and Dad come over so I can visit Corrie en Boom's house.
The journey back was slightly more eventful but mainly for me. I had a couple of issues involving a bush of stinging nettles and parts falling off my bike (apparently they just don't make them like they used to) and we got back just in the nick of time (we had about 5 minutes to spare). I'm really glad we did it (although my bottom was no so appreciative) mainly because I can now say I did it and can rest assured that I'm not too bothered about not having bought a bike. It was quite frightening going through the city, there was just too many people and craziness. I think if I'd had one I wouldn't have made the most of it anyway.
After that, the essays commenced again (amongst much procrastination and one presentation) until yesterday (Wednesday). A few weeks ago me and Amy had decided that we would book an exciting adventure away to Germany. So we did. Yesterday was the day we chose. We'd booked our train tickets for nice and early and we could have a whole day there. And off we went to Cologne (check out how the German's pronounce it... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co
Highlights from the day include... being really quite scared as our little cable car rocked over The Rhine, the chocolate museum (although not as much free chocolate as I would have liked), and the view from the top of the Panorama building.
The journey home took a couple of hours longer than it should, due to the train company not alerting us of the fact that the station we arrived at was not the station we would need to depart from. Still, we got back eventually safe and sound and the nice man didn't make us buy new tickets (that would have cost over €100)
So today I finished my essays and had my last songster practice here. We actually only sang about 3 songs and then watched the football. I actually had fun, but then I wasn't really watching the football... Still, the Netherlands won so everyone was happy!
Mum and Dad arrive tomorrow and then I leave the Netherlands in two weeks. It's bloomin' scary how quickly this has gone. I'm not sure when my next entry will be but I am going to try and keep this going post-hamsterjam (might have to change the name) but obviously my life in England won't be as exciting. So if you didn't like this then you won't like it once I've left Amsterdam!!
God Bless x
First of the three weeks... Meg came to stay and it was officially awesome! We went to see Sex and the City 2 (so very bad that it is so very good), visited the sights of Amsterdam by foot and my boat, and basically had a lot of fun! It was really good seeing her again but I'm glad she came later on in the year, it made saying goodbye easier! I'm so looking forward to being roomies with her and Sam again next year (but we're going to miss our Fish a lot)
The following week was full of essay work but I did get to have one day of joy... the trip to Haarlem on bikes :) I couldn't go home without having ridden a bike this entire time so Amy and I hired some and set off for Haarlem. It took us a little while to get going (seeing as neither of us had ridden a bike in quite some time) but once we got the hang of it again we were off like the wind! It turns out that riding a bike is like riding a bike. Ho ho ho!
The journey there was fairly uneventful, except for one goat that really needed to get rid of some milk. We didn't get to spend too long in Haarlem itself, because we didn't want to be late back with the bikes, but from what I saw it was really lovely. A very pretty place indeed. Hopefully I'll be going again when Mum and Dad come over so I can visit Corrie en Boom's house.
The journey back was slightly more eventful but mainly for me. I had a couple of issues involving a bush of stinging nettles and parts falling off my bike (apparently they just don't make them like they used to) and we got back just in the nick of time (we had about 5 minutes to spare). I'm really glad we did it (although my bottom was no so appreciative) mainly because I can now say I did it and can rest assured that I'm not too bothered about not having bought a bike. It was quite frightening going through the city, there was just too many people and craziness. I think if I'd had one I wouldn't have made the most of it anyway.
After that, the essays commenced again (amongst much procrastination and one presentation) until yesterday (Wednesday). A few weeks ago me and Amy had decided that we would book an exciting adventure away to Germany. So we did. Yesterday was the day we chose. We'd booked our train tickets for nice and early and we could have a whole day there. And off we went to Cologne (check out how the German's pronounce it... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co
Highlights from the day include... being really quite scared as our little cable car rocked over The Rhine, the chocolate museum (although not as much free chocolate as I would have liked), and the view from the top of the Panorama building.
The journey home took a couple of hours longer than it should, due to the train company not alerting us of the fact that the station we arrived at was not the station we would need to depart from. Still, we got back eventually safe and sound and the nice man didn't make us buy new tickets (that would have cost over €100)
So today I finished my essays and had my last songster practice here. We actually only sang about 3 songs and then watched the football. I actually had fun, but then I wasn't really watching the football... Still, the Netherlands won so everyone was happy!
Mum and Dad arrive tomorrow and then I leave the Netherlands in two weeks. It's bloomin' scary how quickly this has gone. I'm not sure when my next entry will be but I am going to try and keep this going post-hamsterjam (might have to change the name) but obviously my life in England won't be as exciting. So if you didn't like this then you won't like it once I've left Amsterdam!!
God Bless x
Ok so I've been REALLY bad at updating this lately. I've done so well for the past nine months, I must keep going for the last one and a bit.
So what's been going on? Well one exciting thing that happened was me nearly being arrested. This was due to a spontaneous trip to Brussels and a forgotten passport. The nice policeman on the train let me off though and we didn't get checked on the way back. So yeah, we went to Brussels. It's such a nice city. I think the word we settled on was 'handsome' (and then decided that this word really needed bringing back). We couldn't have asked for a better day, weather-wise, the sun was shining and it was lovely and warm, but not too hot. We explored the city in the same that we explore every town and city - we walk around, taking in the sights, and paying as little as possible. Why spend money going indoors into loads museums when you could stay outside and see so many more wonderful sights.
The thing that really stuck out for me that day was the view from the Palais de Justice. As you may or may not be aware, I have been desperately missing hills whilst being over here. It's something that I never thought I'd miss but I seriously do. I don't miss climbing them though and I'm sure that after just a couple of weeks living back in Canterbury (at the bottom on Elliot footpath) I'm going to wish I was back in the land of super flatness. However, when you don't have any hills, you don't have any views. You have to find a large building and stand at the top of that - which just isn't the same - and they don't really exist in great quantity here. But in Brussels, the Palais de Justice stands on a large hill which over looks most of the city and I have one word for that view - WOW. I'd put up a picture but they really don't do justice to it. So I suggest you go there yourself one day and soak in that phenomenal view of Brussels. Just for some reference, it did actually put me in mind of being up the Eiffel Tower.
So apart from that little trip, not a lot has been going on. The weather hasn't been great lately, unfortunately, but when it has been good I've been doing my best to get out and enjoy it. For example, last week the weather was really nice. I had quite a bit of work to do so remained indoors on Saturday doing that so I could have a work free Sunday in the sunshine. I decided to go off for a bit of a walk to the Amstel. I didn't have a set route in mind but thought about exploring a few of the parks around South-East Amsterdam. However, that didn't quite happen. What happened instead was me walking along the banks of the Amstel for a few hours. I worked out that I went about 7 miles in total. It was highly enjoyable actually. Every time I came to an option about my route, I just picked one and hoped for the best. I did have a map in my bag so figured that whatever happened I'd be able to find my way back eventually.
And then on Monday I went along to Amstel Parc to see the Rhododendronvallei which pretty much does what it says on the tin. They were so beautiful and I did, of course, take loads of photos. They're on facebook if you're interested. On thing I couldn't capture, however, was the smell. Oh my word that was lovely. It's funny because in one of my courses this period - Ethnographic Monographs - we've been talking about how to describe things like smells and the general conclusion is that it is difficult. So yeah, the flowers smelt really pretty but I'm not sure how else to describe it! Maybe if you just imagine a large amount of rhododendrons in one place then you'll get the gist of it? Good luck with that.
Another great experience I've had lately happened last Thursday. In Ethnographic Monographs, again, we've been studying a book that we have to write a review on. We had two to chose from and the one I picked was 'Knowledge in the Blood' - a look at a post-apartheid previously white university in South Africa by Jonathan Jansen (who happened to be the first black dean in this university). Last week, Jansen was actually in The Netherlands so our lectures organised a meeting with him. So there was about 15 of us - some of the students from the course and other various people from the department - were sat in this room with a man who normally speaks in huge lecture halls to about 3,000 people. It was an amazing experience. He is such a phenomenal guy - so humble and welcoming. He was willing to listen to any question and answered it in such a personal and understandable way. He didn't try to sound intelligent, in fact he advised us never to try and sound pretentious but to write from the heart. He also told us to always stay curious, to always ask questions and try to learn more. It was truly inspiring. I was able, at the end, to go and say hello (and get my book signed) and he spoke to me just as if I was his equal. The book itself is also touching, I would recommend it to anyone, even those who aren't anthropologists. It's easy to read - in the sense that it's well written, some of what is written is hard to digest due to the subject matter - and is just a really good book.
The final period of my time at the Vu is now over. I had my last lectures last Friday. Now all that's left to do is write a lot of words in the form of two book reviews and one research paper and do a presentation. Oh and Meg is coming to visit this week! She'll be arriving in a few hours and staying until Friday. I suppose I'd better get on with tidying my room so she has somewhere to sleep...
God Bless x
So what's been going on? Well one exciting thing that happened was me nearly being arrested. This was due to a spontaneous trip to Brussels and a forgotten passport. The nice policeman on the train let me off though and we didn't get checked on the way back. So yeah, we went to Brussels. It's such a nice city. I think the word we settled on was 'handsome' (and then decided that this word really needed bringing back). We couldn't have asked for a better day, weather-wise, the sun was shining and it was lovely and warm, but not too hot. We explored the city in the same that we explore every town and city - we walk around, taking in the sights, and paying as little as possible. Why spend money going indoors into loads museums when you could stay outside and see so many more wonderful sights.
The thing that really stuck out for me that day was the view from the Palais de Justice. As you may or may not be aware, I have been desperately missing hills whilst being over here. It's something that I never thought I'd miss but I seriously do. I don't miss climbing them though and I'm sure that after just a couple of weeks living back in Canterbury (at the bottom on Elliot footpath) I'm going to wish I was back in the land of super flatness. However, when you don't have any hills, you don't have any views. You have to find a large building and stand at the top of that - which just isn't the same - and they don't really exist in great quantity here. But in Brussels, the Palais de Justice stands on a large hill which over looks most of the city and I have one word for that view - WOW. I'd put up a picture but they really don't do justice to it. So I suggest you go there yourself one day and soak in that phenomenal view of Brussels. Just for some reference, it did actually put me in mind of being up the Eiffel Tower.
So apart from that little trip, not a lot has been going on. The weather hasn't been great lately, unfortunately, but when it has been good I've been doing my best to get out and enjoy it. For example, last week the weather was really nice. I had quite a bit of work to do so remained indoors on Saturday doing that so I could have a work free Sunday in the sunshine. I decided to go off for a bit of a walk to the Amstel. I didn't have a set route in mind but thought about exploring a few of the parks around South-East Amsterdam. However, that didn't quite happen. What happened instead was me walking along the banks of the Amstel for a few hours. I worked out that I went about 7 miles in total. It was highly enjoyable actually. Every time I came to an option about my route, I just picked one and hoped for the best. I did have a map in my bag so figured that whatever happened I'd be able to find my way back eventually.
And then on Monday I went along to Amstel Parc to see the Rhododendronvallei which pretty much does what it says on the tin. They were so beautiful and I did, of course, take loads of photos. They're on facebook if you're interested. On thing I couldn't capture, however, was the smell. Oh my word that was lovely. It's funny because in one of my courses this period - Ethnographic Monographs - we've been talking about how to describe things like smells and the general conclusion is that it is difficult. So yeah, the flowers smelt really pretty but I'm not sure how else to describe it! Maybe if you just imagine a large amount of rhododendrons in one place then you'll get the gist of it? Good luck with that.
Another great experience I've had lately happened last Thursday. In Ethnographic Monographs, again, we've been studying a book that we have to write a review on. We had two to chose from and the one I picked was 'Knowledge in the Blood' - a look at a post-apartheid previously white university in South Africa by Jonathan Jansen (who happened to be the first black dean in this university). Last week, Jansen was actually in The Netherlands so our lectures organised a meeting with him. So there was about 15 of us - some of the students from the course and other various people from the department - were sat in this room with a man who normally speaks in huge lecture halls to about 3,000 people. It was an amazing experience. He is such a phenomenal guy - so humble and welcoming. He was willing to listen to any question and answered it in such a personal and understandable way. He didn't try to sound intelligent, in fact he advised us never to try and sound pretentious but to write from the heart. He also told us to always stay curious, to always ask questions and try to learn more. It was truly inspiring. I was able, at the end, to go and say hello (and get my book signed) and he spoke to me just as if I was his equal. The book itself is also touching, I would recommend it to anyone, even those who aren't anthropologists. It's easy to read - in the sense that it's well written, some of what is written is hard to digest due to the subject matter - and is just a really good book.
The final period of my time at the Vu is now over. I had my last lectures last Friday. Now all that's left to do is write a lot of words in the form of two book reviews and one research paper and do a presentation. Oh and Meg is coming to visit this week! She'll be arriving in a few hours and staying until Friday. I suppose I'd better get on with tidying my room so she has somewhere to sleep...
God Bless x
Ok so it's been a little bit too long since I've updated this and quite a lot has happened. Ergo, this is either going to be extraordinarily long or it will contain no detail whatsoever. I'll try and find a happy medium for you.
So, thinking back, the first thing I suppose I should tell you about is Dodenherdenking (Remembrance Day). This takes place on 4th May - the day before the Liberation of The Netherlands is celebrated (quite a nice idea, I think). The two minutes silence happens at 8pm and there are numerous services around the country. I went with Laura and Amy to Dam Square to be amongst the crowds and have a chance at catching a glimpse of the Queen. Now most of you probably don't know what unfolded that evening but I hope this youtube video will give you some impression...
So basically, for those of you that don't understand Dutch, some random nutter started yelling and everyone thought we were under attack so started running. To be fair, last year some other nutter tried to kill the Queen on Queensday so the fear did still remain somewhat. Fortunately, we were stood on the opposite side of the main chaos and whilst the running did spread as far as we were, there was no casualties around us. It was pretty scary though, my heart hasn't gone so fast before I don't think, but also pretty exciting!! The ceremony went on and we even calmed down enough to enjoy a good Chinese afterwards!
Moving on to Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day), Amy and I headed into the city to experience all the fun and joy that was promised to us... The city did not deliver. Still, we found a nice little French Cafe and the poshest Albert Heijn ever. We were hoping for fish and chips but apparently the one fish and chip shop in Amsterdam, that we only just found out existed, closed down and has been replaced by a Subway. Not happy.
Things picked up a little on Saturday when the Giro d'Italia sped through Amsterdam for the opening stages. We managed to catch the end of proper racers but really went to see the public and their 'wacky' bikes. Once more, we were disappointed. People really didn't put the effort in that we hoped. We did get to watch an interesting incident involving a coach unfold though. We still don't fully know what was going on there but it was pretty fun to watch. After the racers finished there was an event at the Olympic Stadium. It was my first time there actually and all I have to say is that I imagine London's 2012 Stadium is probably going to be a little bit more impressive. To be fair to the designers of the Amsterdam Stadium, it was the 1920s and I imagine the number of spectators would have been a lot less.
Thinking about it, that was probably my first ever Olympic Stadium experience. Unless I'm wrong, we didn't go into the main stadium when we visited the Olympic site in Sydney and I've only ever been to Wembley conference centre. Hopefully, I'll get to visit the 2012 stadium at some point, though, if not during the Olympics - that would be cool!
The rest of my week has been a lot more dull, unfortunately. I've had an awful lot of reading to do this week and as a result have barely left my room except for one lecture, brunch on Tuesday, Zumba, and to buy food. I don't think I've missed much though, the weather has been downright miserable. I want to know what's happened to spring...? It was here a minute ago...
Well I think I managed to keep that short enough. Loads of other things probably happened that I've just forgotten about... I will do better in future.
God bless x
So, thinking back, the first thing I suppose I should tell you about is Dodenherdenking (Remembrance Day). This takes place on 4th May - the day before the Liberation of The Netherlands is celebrated (quite a nice idea, I think). The two minutes silence happens at 8pm and there are numerous services around the country. I went with Laura and Amy to Dam Square to be amongst the crowds and have a chance at catching a glimpse of the Queen. Now most of you probably don't know what unfolded that evening but I hope this youtube video will give you some impression...
So basically, for those of you that don't understand Dutch, some random nutter started yelling and everyone thought we were under attack so started running. To be fair, last year some other nutter tried to kill the Queen on Queensday so the fear did still remain somewhat. Fortunately, we were stood on the opposite side of the main chaos and whilst the running did spread as far as we were, there was no casualties around us. It was pretty scary though, my heart hasn't gone so fast before I don't think, but also pretty exciting!! The ceremony went on and we even calmed down enough to enjoy a good Chinese afterwards!
Moving on to Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day), Amy and I headed into the city to experience all the fun and joy that was promised to us... The city did not deliver. Still, we found a nice little French Cafe and the poshest Albert Heijn ever. We were hoping for fish and chips but apparently the one fish and chip shop in Amsterdam, that we only just found out existed, closed down and has been replaced by a Subway. Not happy.
Things picked up a little on Saturday when the Giro d'Italia sped through Amsterdam for the opening stages. We managed to catch the end of proper racers but really went to see the public and their 'wacky' bikes. Once more, we were disappointed. People really didn't put the effort in that we hoped. We did get to watch an interesting incident involving a coach unfold though. We still don't fully know what was going on there but it was pretty fun to watch. After the racers finished there was an event at the Olympic Stadium. It was my first time there actually and all I have to say is that I imagine London's 2012 Stadium is probably going to be a little bit more impressive. To be fair to the designers of the Amsterdam Stadium, it was the 1920s and I imagine the number of spectators would have been a lot less.
Thinking about it, that was probably my first ever Olympic Stadium experience. Unless I'm wrong, we didn't go into the main stadium when we visited the Olympic site in Sydney and I've only ever been to Wembley conference centre. Hopefully, I'll get to visit the 2012 stadium at some point, though, if not during the Olympics - that would be cool!
The rest of my week has been a lot more dull, unfortunately. I've had an awful lot of reading to do this week and as a result have barely left my room except for one lecture, brunch on Tuesday, Zumba, and to buy food. I don't think I've missed much though, the weather has been downright miserable. I want to know what's happened to spring...? It was here a minute ago...
Well I think I managed to keep that short enough. Loads of other things probably happened that I've just forgotten about... I will do better in future.
God bless x
