Amsterdam!

I made it! Finally, I'm here!  And I can't believe it. I'm still not sure it has sunk in. Last night we (fellow staff members/volunteers) went bike riding. We passed canal after canal, beautiful building after beautiful building. We went to the public library and at the very top admired a gorgeous view of the city.

So arriving in Amsterdam was a little tricky. I was flying out of Pittsburgh to JFK and then onto Schinpol. Well, New York was hit with a huge blizzard and my first flight was canceled. Onto plan B. I called the airline and was rerouted through Detroit at 7:25 that evening. So I spent the whole day at the Pittsburgh airport (btw, Ben & Jerry's have excellent smoothies). I made it to Detroit with an hour to spare till my next flight. Then, to Amsterdam. A very long plane ride. Screaming baby and all.

Arriving at the airport was such a relief.  Navigating it was another story....for one their exit signs look like this:

I made it to the right baggage carousal after wandering around a bit just in time to save my suitcase before it was carted off somewhere else. I made my way out to the train station. It was very confusing, so many entrances and exits, escalators leading to different trains... I found a ticket booth, somehow managed to buy a ticket to Amsterdam Centraal and went  down to a dock to wait. I asked someone if that was the right train and they said yes. Meanwhile, there is a overhead message playing over and over again in Dutch. I eventually figure out that the regular train to Centraal station is under construction and I have to take a different train. So I head over to the correct dock. I fight my way onto to the train, suitcase and all and take off. Now, what I'm worried about is "will there be someone there waiting?" I sent an email saying that my flight was canceled and gave the new arrival time, but hadn't received a response. When I finally made it to the station there were sooo sooo many people. All shoving and pushing trying to get out.

I made my out to the station and into the city. The first thing that hit me was smoke. Everyone was smoking kids, adults, everyone. Then it was the bikes, everywhere zipping by you, laying on the ground.  I headed over to the Victoria Hotel which was the appointed place to meet. No one was there. So pulled out my phone and called the house. A girl came  a picked me up and we walked about 20 min over cobblestone, through tiny streets, by canals, to the house. Finally, I had arrived.

Wow (in a good way), is all I can say. These next few months are going to be amazing. I can't wait to learn, grow, and serve the Lord. I've had so many good conversations already. Met people from all over. This is going to be  a great adventure!