End of the Program

Saturday we took our last finals. The 2nd largest Gay Pride Festival in the world was in full swing all around our school, so needless to say the techno beats and cheers pulsating through our walls made it difficult to make a detailed analysis of the refugee process for admittance to a country. Unfortunately for me, whenever I hear a lot of people having a good time, I feel excitement well up inside and a compelling urge to join in. That may not have served me well on the test, luckily its pass/no pass for me. So, as soon as the test finished we ran into the crowds to watch the best canal boat parade ever. Pretty much just random boats with people in costumes dancing to varying techno beats. When you're at a parade with a large number of very tall men, it makes it ever so difficult to actually see, but it was still an awesome experience. There was an portable DJ station playing techno tunes in competition with the floats playing techno so that if one were a little bored from the parade one could get their dance on. Here is a little taste, several images are actually movies, you have to click on the slideshow to watch them.

Here is that little car I had previously mentioned (smaller than the smart car). Apparently there are issues with people tossing these cars into canals, I imagine it's kind of like the thrill of cow tipping. Can't say I haven't been tempted.

Here are some photos of our 'End of the Program' party:

So I moved out of the dorms, said good bye to all but one friend, and now I have moved into my new room for the last five nights of this adventure. I found the place on craigs list, just a room in an apartment owned by a younger Spanish woman and her daughter. I hiked up the five sets of spiral staircases (that's how they roll here) to an attic room that looks out at the peaked roofs of the city. It. is. awesome. It pretty much just looks like a beautiful little yoga studio. It's located in the Jordaan neighborhood next to some top notch street markets like the Monday flea market that American antique dealers will travel to for purchases. There is also the Saturday market of which you've seen pictures in an earlier post. The problem with this place is that I do not want to leave. I want to sit in my little sunny peaked roof attic with orange/red floor boards and huge windows all day long. Alas. I should probably go see some damn museum or something, as Joshy would say; I've got to at least appear respectable.