My Housing & Campus Activities

Concerning internet connection: there seems to be a problem with my room, in combination with my laptop. My roommate is able to get online in our dorm, but I CAN’T, while elsewhere on campus my laptop works perfectly on wireless internet. The repair store couldn’t find any internal errors, so je ne sais pas… Looks like I need to go to the common areas or other dorms every time I want to get online … Talking ‘bout dorms…

MY DORM
I’m almost settled down as to housing. Changing rooms is no more at issue (at least not for this semester), since I didn’t feel really welcomed at the Making the Mark program; as if the people didn’t appreciate my enthusiasm about living with them and participating their programs. Yeah, it’s a pity. I felt sorry anyway for my roommate to ‘leave her’. She’s nice, watches ‘House’ (Crime Scene Investigation-like serial) on her laptop all the time, and is very neatly! I’m so grateful for not having a messy roommate! We virtually separated our room in two parts; therefore we each enjoy some personal space and privateness. I’ve now totally personalized my area, with a little carpet (a bath rug actually), a beanbag, a cushion seat, a juggle seat (like the banana swing seat from Ikea we used to have at home: it’s so much fun!) and posters (the maps of Amsterdam and Jakarta, which I will decorate soon with your pictures!). I’ve also created a cozy corner, perfectly situated to do my prayings. At first I was too mad about my ‘wrong’ placement, therefore exaggerated a bit about my conditions. Now I do feel comfortable in my room. I always learn/chill/hang out near my window which faces South, so I get a bit of morning sun and enough daylight to brighten me up!

THE LIVING/LEARNING CENTER
So I live in the Living/Learning Center which is a complex that consists of A, B, C, D and E buildings, though all connected through walking bridges and a center common room called ‘Fireplace Lounge’ (yup, there’s a fireplace), where also the mailboxes are located. Each building then is divided in columns; ‘Low’, ‘Middle’ and ‘High’. Each column usually has a small common living room (not very livable though: quite empty), a kitchen and a laundry room.
It is REALLY cool, I mean, REALLY awesome, I just love the L/L Center! It’s like a hotel or something; we all got our own rooms, but also common areas, and whenever I feel bored or something, I just go to my friends’ dorms in the other buildings… wearing pyjamas! Under the Fireplace Lounge is the Marche (supermarket and take out restaurant) and Alice’s Café, so we got it all! I’m enjoying it so much, just walking from one place to the other, meeting friends on the way…
The only thing I regret is, how simply unfair it is how they placed other international students together in the same building or column or suite or even room (though I ‘prefer’ a local roommate), while I’m the only international in the A-Low column. It really makes me feel ‘lonely’ sometimes, because we internationals are pretty close with each other. My suitemates are pretty nuts, in a fun way. Megan across the hall, also studies Anthropology, so that’s definitely a plus. It’s just that they’re all anime freaks, and I’m not. They’re cool, but it’s not like we go out together (yet), unlike other suitemates do. And it that way I’m not satisfied about my housing… But at least my roommate is tidy!!!







MOUNTAINBIKES ONLY
In a way, Burlington doesn’t differ that much from Amsterdam: in here they cycle too, but mountain bikes only! My campus is quite big, and I’m not planning to walk the whole track all the time: I need a bike! Besides, I am a real AMSTERDAMMER ☺ Recycle North store is the best! I got a bike for $10! For that price in Amsterdam, you’ll get a freshly stolen bike from a junky in the middle of the night. I repaired the brakes (very important!) for $35 and got a lock for $10. By the way: one thing the Dutch are bigger at: chain locks! It turned out they only sell these small, frail chain locks here…
Anyway, so I got my purple mountain bike now, happy and set… have I mentioned UVM is on a hill (Universitas Veritis Montis = University of the Green Mountains)? So I had to cycle UP HILL from downtown… I’m embarrassed, but must confess I couldn’t make it at once… It’s so tough; I’m all sweaty every time I get home … So all the people who warned me about getting fat: I think there’s no need to worry, we’ve got hills! BUT… An alternative for not exercising: the buses provide bike racks on their frontages! And some even have these, ehm, aid equipments, ehm, ‘elevators’ for the handicaps. Public transport in Burlington is really good, and free for me! But of course I cycle as much as possible, though sometimes I’m confused whether my place is on the road or pedestrian path. I often choose the last one, the safest one. And pedestrians don’t even mind to share the path, unlike in Amsterdam (mad people!). But if I go to the University Mall for example, I cycle on the main road, which really feels like a highway…! Scary to have these huge trucks riding next to me, but also very exciting, ‘cause I enjoy a liberating ride in a green environment.

CAMPUS ACTIVITIES
During the first weeks of school there are a lot of (free) activities in and around campus. Like this karaoke night! And if you’d bring your own bowl and spoon and had patience enough to stand in this really long que, you’d get free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream at the Fireplace Lounge! Vermont is Ben & Jerry’s paradise! I’ve been trying all the flavors this last week, like now: Chubby Hubby, ‘Fudge Covered Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels in Vanilla Malt Ice Cream with Fudge & Peanut Butter’!! OMG, indulging!!!








Free baseball game: Vermont Lake Monsters against…? I really enjoyed, not the game, but the whole scene. We arrived too late, but it didn’t matter. There seems to be no focus on the game itself, it’s a real family happening, with all kind of (kids) entertainments and announcements between the ‘matches’ (I didn’t really understand the rules). It’s really cute to see the kids getting on the field and play these little games. And they sing songs: God Bless America (we all did had to stand up)! And there was so much food (and ice cream)! And people bring their own chairs and seats, and blankets! It was a really cool experience!
There was also this comedy performance of N*W*C (Nigger Wetback Chink) about the position and (mis)perceiving of the largest minority groups in the States, Blacks, Hispanics and Asians. The two-hours act (!) was good and really funny, followed by the ‘Q&A’ (question and answer), which made the show distinctive, because it allowed discussion about this topic between the actors and audience, whom were mostly White.





A ‘cruise ship’ trip; for $5 (including food!) it took us around the lake. Good fun!