Updates from Amsterdam, Brussels & Leiden

The trip to netherlands has been fruitful and fun thus far. Went to check out Rembrandt's house, and explored the lesser known areas of Amsterdam. Avoided the red light district at all costs, although there is that sense of curiosity (and maybe it's the flesh??) to find out whatz the hype all about. Will be visiting Van Gogh museum and Anne Frank House for free during the exchange, cool!

Took a 3-hour train ride to Brussels to meet up with a good friend of mine who happened to be in Belgium while on his Euro backpack tour. He has gone to about 15 countries so far (even to Slovakia!) through really budget airlines (at 1 pound!) and surviving on bread and ham with his travel bud. We went to check out the statue of the peeing boy, the comic strip museum, the European Union building (which I happily gave them a 45 minute lecture on its history.. ha), belgium chocolates shops, before settling down in a bar with hoegarrden in our hands and our eyes fixated on the football channel to see France beating Brazil 1-0. A lot of belgiums are francophones, so many throng the medievial-like city area after the match to celebrate. Had our fair share of fun just basking in the atmosphere.

Went back the next day to prepare for the exchange itself. Met really interesting people! My roommate is a dutch who got a degree in maths and just completed his masters in ancient asia studies. Talk to an Austrain who did chinese studies in Vienna, and even went on an anti-terrorist boot camp in Israel. He told me he fired an Uzi in Israel and asked me what weapons I've handled. I told him Singaporeans generally use non-soviet weapons such as the M16 and the M203. Kinda really funny to talk about army in such a cross cultural setting. There is another Singaporean too in the exchange who studies law in LSE; so its good to break into singlish with her once in a while.

I think the exchange has given me some ideas on what to write for my ISM and thesis, and also maybe my post-graduate plans. Well, I won't say the exchange itself has exactly shaped my post-grad perspectives; but I think when you are abroad and alone, God speaks in a clearer and more tangible voice. Since coming back from Korat, I've been considering more home-based careers such as MINDEF, MHA and even MOE, after having spent much of my last 2 years contemplating a more travelling sort of life with MFA. I don't know...maybe God has shown me just enough that I won't exactly enjoy that kind of life?

So it has been good so far, will update anuder time! Time for dinner..