Love & Liefs: Getting Yelled at In Dutch

Goedeavond Sara!

(I hope I spelled that right! 😉 )

I can’t believe you are going to a Presidential Summit this weekend. That is incredible! You never cease to amaze me. I am so proud of you!

Isn’t my desk cute?? These are the flowers I got yelled at about btw.

Let me begin by explaining the title of this letter. I have been yelled at SO many times in Dutch since coming here. I am the type of person who is very sensitive to people directing anger towards me so this has definitely been a challenge. I have had to grow a thick skin very quickly. Here is a (somewhat hilarious) list of things I have been yelled/gotten in trouble for:

1. Not getting on the train quickly enough.
2. Getting on the train TOO quickly (I was freaked out by #1) and not letting the woman with a stroller off first (I had no clue she was getting off).
3. Leaving through the door that the lady in the stroller exited from (apparently because I don’t have a stroller I am not allowed to leave through that door).
4. Forgetting to signal on my bike when I was turning (whoops).
5. Checking out with a lot of groceries only to find out that my card was not accepted at that store (even though I had used it before at the same store in a different location?!?)
6. Losing my bike key and then getting a lecture from my hotel about it.
7. Touching the flowers (that I was going to buy!!!!!) at the flower stand.

I have come to realize though, that I can’t take a lot of these things personally! I am growing and learning and evolving (luckily I have learned the words “I’m sorry” very quickly).

I have also quickly realized that actually studying during study abroad is very challenging. I want to just explore and travel! It has taken a lot of self control to get my assignments done.