The icecream shop

Who would have known that something as simple as an icecream shop would save me from getting very lost!

I talked to Justin this morning and he told me to go on an adventure and get out of the house, so I did. I asked if I could go biking and I was given maps of the area and set loose. I found the centre of the town I'm living in, but its small so I decided to bike farther, about a half an hour to Leiden just a little north of where I am. It took me a few attempts of looking at the map and retracing my steps to find my way to Leiden but i managed. When there I was a little overwhelmed because it is a city, not just a small town like where I live and the bikers are nuts. We had seperate lanes and I even went through a traffic circle only for bikes and there was a stop light seperate than that of the cars. There was the regular traffic lanes, the bike lanes and then the side walk. Its actually insane how people bike here. I am much more scared of bikes than of people because I haven't a clue of what all the signs mean so its a little scary at times.

On my way home after coffee and shopping for some necessities like toothpaste shampoo, conditioner and hair jell I tried to return home. I found my town back just fine but then I had no idea how I had gotten from my house to the edge of town. So I just biked and hoped I'd recognize something... but I didn't and felt like I had gone too far so I stopped and turned around. On the way back I was going slower and just really looking around for any signs of familiarity. Then there was the Icecream shop I had gone to the night before. I was so happy to see it... and even happier when I remembered how to get home from there. Oh the adventures. Next time I think I'll take the train because then I just have to remember stations and how to get to and from the station, but not a million street names that are too small to appear on the map!

So that was nuts.

Tonight I learned a little more dutch. We played tag and it was so much fun. I learned how to say, I'm it, or you're it... haha and then at bed time I got to read sara her nightime book so we read the word book they had given me when I arrived. I would point at a picture and attempt to sound out the word, and then if i was wrong she would say ne.... and then repeat it correctly. For some words i started to teach her the english words as well. We are sharing our knowledge with eachother and she's only 3. Who knew i could learn dutch from a 3 year old.

Also tonight I started to feel a little more at home. I didn't just hide out in my room after dinner but I went and talked with my "parents" and there was CSI on Tv followed by Bones which is one of my favorite shows ever. Although I didn't really watch because it was too quiet and we were busy talking it was nice to feel like I am atleast in the same universe! And there are still my detective shows on! And with dutch subtitles so maybe if I pay attention i'll learn a little more to read and such.