It is astonishing that in less than three weeks it will be time to go home. It doesn’t seem so long ago since I sat down at my laptop in my new room in Nijmegen to begin writing my first blog. I can remember not knowing how to begin to write a blog and now it’s like second nature. I can’t wait to make the remaining time here unforgettable. Over the next few weeks there is lots of fun activates planned to celebrate the remaining days of Erasmus 2012.
The weather this week has been very peculiar to say the least. At times, I’ve felt like I’m living in a tropical rainforest. One minute the sun is shinning and the next it’s raining with the sky roaring with thunder and lightening. However, I cannot complain as when the sun comes out, it is delightful, with temperatures hitting 24 degrees. On Monday due to the fantastic weather a group of our friends decided to have a barbeque down by the canal and it was great fun. I have officially had my first barbeque of the summer. We ate lots of food, played games and toasted marshmallows until it got dark. I could get used to this life-bliss.
Enjoying a barbecue by the canal
Thursday was a public holiday in the Netherlands. It is commonly known as Ascension Thursday, Holy Thursday, or Ascension Day. This day commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. It is a universally celebrated across Christian churches. It is traditionally celebrated on a Thursday, the fortieth day of Easter. To celebrate classes being cancelled, we decided to plan a picnic on a local beach. Rachel baked up some delicious pasta salads for our trip. Rachel is now commonly known as the ‘mummy’ of our flat as she is always cooking, cleaning and looking out for everyone in the flat.
At the Ascension day celebrations in Nijmegen town centre
On the evening of Ascension Day a celebration was held in the centre of Nijmegen. Not knowing what to expect we went along and I’m glad we did as we had a great night. There was a large stage and bars set up along the main shopping street of Nijmegen and people where all dancing, drinking and soaking up the atmosphere. It was a whole family event with everyone relaxing as they enjoyed the remaining hours of sunshine before dusk. I have noticed the Netherlands regularly organise free events within their towns, which I think is wonderful. Free events like this are not as regular at home.
Taking the boys on a cycling tour of Nijmegen
Rachel’s boyfriend and mine travelled out to see us this weekend. We had a lovely weekend and I was happy that they got a last opportunity to see Nijmegen. We spent one day in Nijmegen and a day in Amsterdam. It was nice showing them around Nijmegen and showing them our University campus and town centre to give them a taster of what our day to day life is like in the Netherlands. We even managed to borrow bikes for them so that they could tour Nijmegen the traditional ‘Dutch’ way. Surprisingly, they both loved the cycling, both suggesting that they want to buy a bike when they get home. In Amsterdam we made a visit to Madame Tussauds and the Amsterdam dungeon.
In addition, it was a good opportunity to send some stuff home with the boys as I have noticed the extent of clothes that I have gathered up over the last few months, dear knows how I’ll mange to get it all squeezed into one suitcase home.
Dinner with the boys
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