We are all eavesdroppers. That is to say, without realizing it, we all taking in and usually chose not to consciously recognize conversations all around us everyday -- the clerk and customer in front of you in line, the person next to you on the bus, the mother and child walking next to you on the sidewalk. We listen without knowing we listen. Add to that the text that surrounds us -- street signs, billboards and other ads, shop names and sale signs, newspapers -- we read them all without usually thinking about it. Until you can't.

This is the first time I have left the United States. I have never been any place in which my native language was not THE language. I am lucky in that almost everyone in Holland speaks English. They learn in in primary school and because this is a major tourist port (and always has been), they are use to foreigners like myself. Yet, unless directed at me individually, all other conversation around me is in Dutch. In addition, virtually all (95% at least) of the printed matter is in Dutch. I can not even pronounce most of what I see, let alone understand it. There is something in the experience that makes one feel like a small child. Yet, even a small child usually understand conversations.

It is the little things that are the most difficult. Grocery shopping is a quite a headache. I don't cook often and when I do, it is rarely for myself. They have us housed in the small dormitory like apartments with small bathroom, kitchen and main room with tiny bed, desk and wardrobe. The kitchen includes dishes, a small refrigerator and stove. No oven. Which means what I can cook would be limited even were it not for the fact that I can not read most of what is in the stores. Even when we figure out what something is -- the instructions are in Dutch. And they do not have the variety in the stores here that you find in the U.S. And since I am on a pretty tight budget, my options are limited and I try not to eat out too often. I am eating a lot of cheese and salami sandwhiches.

The public transit system here is fabulous. There are trams (trains) and buses everywhere. Even more amazing, every street has specially made and divided bike lanes. It is the most bike friendly city in the world. And they are everywhere. I am glad, because driving here looks difficult even if you could read the signs.

Amsterdam is a beautiful city. You probably know my love of San Francisco -- well, Amsterdam is comprable in beauty and style. The canals are everywhere. Both the apartments we stay in and the university downtown are next to canals. I hope to go for a boat ride sometime while here. The buildings are older and more ornate. The streets are narrow and often brick -- including posts to tie your horse too. The place is full of shops and restruants. Candy stories and bakeries are very nice. Only problem is that almost all shops close promptly at five and many are closed on Sundays. Which makes it hard to shop when you are in class all day. I have managed though (big grin). Inbal drags me off shopping as much as she can. We went to a combination farmers/flea market on Saturday where we bought some clothes. Food, except cheese, is more expensive here while clothes seem less expensive.

At night there is quite a lot going on. True to its reputation, the city is very sexually explicit at night. There are sex toy stores, sex shows and protitutes in windows throughout the "red light" district. Strange to see things so blatant. The prostitutes sit behind glass windows in little rooms and wait for customers. The sex toys are displayed in the front windows (day and night). I found myself in the strange position of tour guide with some of the other students. Even though I have never been here, I knew the purpose of much of merchandise displayed. Inbol and Danielle were a lot less familiar with the sex toys especially the fetish items. I hadn't realized how much more I knew than most women of such things. With my peers in SF I am not so unusual.

I am torn between my desire to read and learn as much as possible and my desire to explore while here. On one hand it is a unique opportunity to work with Herdt and other scholars here and other the other, I want to enjoy Amsterdam. I probably would have stayed in my room studying all weekend if it were not for Inbal. She drags me out every day. It is fun to have someone so motivated to share things with. We are planning to visit the Ann Frank House while we are here and some of the museums. Meanwhile, when I am alone, I read constantly. I am having a little trouble concentrating to write -- but there is nothing new in that.

Dawn