life outside the community

contrary to appearances, i do actually have a life outside the community. however, that part of my life seems a bit dull - and thus has received limited blogging time.

but as most of my major errands in moving are done (bike bought, registered to live here, health insurance obtained, social number obtained, and student card received) and i'm adjusting to life in the community (i know most of the people here and i have a fairly regular schedule), my focus is returning to the primary reason i've moved to Amsterdam: to study.

thankfully, things have started off fairly slow. i only have two classes right now - both seminars. in both of them, i've had to write a research proposal concerning what i'd like to write my thesis/ dissertation on. as the proposal(s) have been fairly short, i've been thinking about my research for months already, and i've already written a proposal and parts of a thesis, it hasn't been that difficult to produce the proposals.

but things are moving forward. a friend (i've been here long enough to have friends from school now :)) and I have made plans to study German together (which I'm sure will do nasty things to my fledgling Dutch grammar). now that i have a library card, i've taken the key books on Jeremiah's confessions out of the library (and read parts of them). so i'm starting to actually do research again. and starting next week, i go to the VU (Vrije Universiteit) twice a week. I'm planning on doing outlines of the Confessions - and have been given freedom to use the computer program that will help me with that. i'm hoping to take a linguistics class soon. and i'm resuming work on my thesis.

i've been thankful for the slow start - and the quiet adjustment to a new place (and normal full-time studies). but i'm also glad to be starting back into it. i think i kind of miss doing Hebrew.