Dear Sara,
You have started your last semester at Wellesley! I am so excited for you. I hope this past week hasn’t been too stressful and has been filled with lots of friends & lake walks. I miss you, and being in different time zones is hard–especially since over the summer we talked every single night.
I am having such an incredible time, it is hard to even put into words. There is just something about zooming through cobblestone streets next to quiet canals on my bike and feeling the summer/early fall breeze through my hair. It is my favorite feeling. I am really taking to this bike thing. It is so fun and way faster than taking the metro! My legs are so sore, I am going to come back with strong thighs. I can’t believe people here don’t wear helmets though, even the little kids.
My favorite time of the day to bike, when the sun is setting over the canals.
I had my first weekend adventure to Belgium! What a beautiful and cool place. I was able to visit both Brussels and Brugge and really loved it. It is so fun to be able to travel so quickly from country to country in Europe.
Brussels, Belgium
This week I started classes at Vrije University. It is very different from Wellesley. First, we only take two classes at a time which so far I am loving! It is at a quicker pace but it really allows me to focus all my energy into those two courses. Then, at the beginning of November, I will start my other two courses. I am also one of four women in one of my classes of 63 students and one of five women in the other. Granted, I am studying computer science which is a field that isn’t very gender diverse but it is just interesting being in a classroom that is coed (and mostly male) after my courses at Wellesley.
I bought a museum pass which was 59 euro and through that I get free admission to so many museums throughout the Netherlands! I am really excited about it. This week I visited the Van Gogh museum (post cards below) which was beautiful. It was surreal to see these paintings in real life that I had only seen in books or on posters.
“The Bedroom” by Van Gogh
Then, the highlight of the past two weeks is that I TURNED 21! A lot of people mentioned that they felt bad because it wasn’t the “typical 21st birthday experience” but honestly, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I started my morning with a croissant and rose lemonade from a cute little store nearby. Then, I went and bought myself a few flowers. After, my friends and I went into the city center, did some shopping and got sushi! To end the night, I met up with some friends where I am staying for the semester and we all hung out. It was a lovely day.
Birthday treats!
I hope the fall weather kicks in soon at Wellesley, that is my absolute favorite season there. You have to send me lots of photos! Miss you lots and hope all is well.
Love & Liefs,
Shannon
More posts from this series:
Shannon’s posts:
LOVE & LIEFS: GETTING LOST & EXPLORING THE CITY
Sara’s posts:
THE START OF SOMETHING NEW // LOVE AND LIEFS
NOT-SO NEW BEGINNINGS // LOVE AND LIEFS
