Library Life

Hi everyone,

I am up bright and early this Tuesday morning hoping to get a head start on a long list of readings and class preparations. After a good cup of strong Dutch coffee and a brisk 15-minute bike ride from the city centre, I have planted myself in a seat in the stunning library building on the main Uithof campus. Yes, I feel a little bad for cheating on the perfectly lovely Law library just around the corner from my house in the city, but sometimes it’s better to get as far away from home as possible to get a solid day of work done.

Not to mention, the library on the main campus is a thing of beauty. With unconventional black walls, floor-to-ceiling windows pouring in light and an open-concept spacious six floors, it is the perfect study spot. The building is equipped with private study rooms, computer stations on every floor, silent areas (for the especially focused), printers, lockers and benches to lounge on.

Still, as beautiful as it is, why would I choose to spend my day off class in the library? The answer is simple: absolute necessity. Oh, and reading, lots of reading. Before you start to feel too sorry for me though, let me explain how the Dutch system works.

The academic year is split into four different ‘blocks’, with each block consisting of about 10 weeks. This means there are two blocks per semester and each block has a fast-paced, rigorous program of two classes (three for the particularly brave).

This isn’t as daunting as it seems on first sight. The class schedule is set up so that there is plenty of time for self-study. I have a total of 7.5 hours of class time a week between my two classes. This may not seem like a lot and it certainly isn’t the class hours I was used to in my undergraduate degree, but it is meant to give me time to do the readings and preparation necessary to come to class and participate. On average, you’re expected to do approximately 16 hours a week of reading per class. Don’t worry, it is still possible to enjoy being an international student in this amazing city, it just takes a bit of good time management.

Let’s jump back to that word Dutch academics love: participation. The university system here is based on the ‘Polder model’ (working together) and places great emphasis on group work and participating. It is much better to speak up than to be a shrinking violet. For those who are really shy, there are sometimes other ways to participate such as bringing in relevant news articles.

The classes are divided into two types: ‘hoorcollege’ (lectures) and ‘werkcollege’ (tutorials). This means you’re not just being lectured to, but also working on specific problems and hypothetical situations with your classmates. This Friday, I will have my first work group consisting of a hypothetical law problem we must interpret and argue. Time to put that Polder model to the test!

Until the next time/ Tot de volgende keer!

Erin

Hi Everyone

Let me begin this first blog by introducing myself. My name is Erin Jackson and I am a 24-year-old Irish Canadian. The Canadian part comes from being born and attending university there whereas Ireland is where I was raised. So how did I end up in the Netherlands?

I first discovered Utrecht in early 2012 when I came on Erasmus from my university in Canada for five months.  I couldn’t get enough of the Dutch culture, way of life and the amount of bikes. Needless to say, when I went back to Canada to finish my degree I started to look at the Master’s programs Utrecht University had to offer. I couldn’t wait to come back!

Now, I’m just at the beginning of what will be a year long adventure, studying at Utrecht University and discovering (or rediscovering) this beautiful medieval city. I am enrolled in the Human Rights and Criminal Justice LLM, a significant departure from my undergraduate degree in Journalism. What better place to start studying international law than here, where class trips bring you straight to the International Criminal Court in the nearby city of the Hague?

With this new adventure, I am taking on a new set of labels: Master’s student, law student, expat, international and Dutch-speaking-wannabe. Settling in to Utrecht requires some must-haves such as a bike (an absolute essential to fully experience the Dutch way of life), a Dutch bank account and a registration permit with the city.

Luckily, the university is able to offer a helping hand for incoming, slightly lost international students (and yes, there are many of us). My introduction week included an international student orientation, a law faculty orientation and finally a programme orientation. Aside from getting the proper forms I needed to complete the above checklist of must-haves, I also got to familiarize myself with school buildings through a walking tour and to mingle with other international students. Even though I know the university offers many programmes in English, it wasn’t until I was sitting in a room filled with new Master’s students from over 70 countries that I realized just how international Utrecht University is.

My programme orientation was in the beautiful ‘Academy building’ in the centre of Utrecht. It is the same building where I will (fingers-crossed) graduate in one year. Our programme is small, just 15 students in total, with people from all over the world including Spain, Turkey, Uganda and Mexico. For an LLM focused on Human Rights, it is the perfect combination: small enough for in-depth discussion and with a broad range of people to cause heated debate.

With introduction week over and the start of classes underway, I feel as though I have my feet on the ground but there is no time to waste. With only nine weeks of classes per ‘block’, there is plenty of reading and work to be done right from the beginning. With that in mind, I think there is some reading I must get to!

Until the next time/ Tot de volgende keer!

Erin

Dutch Retreat

Later this week I will submit my thesis, marking the end of my academic year at UU. Hard to believe! Looking back on the year, to quote Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…” – A Tale of Two Cities 

The best of times? Making new friends, studying, working, and partying with amazing people from all over the world. Living in the Netherlands, in the heart of Europe, the biggest little country who could – and still can! Studying an exciting, vibrant and fresh area of law, in the very place where it is all unfolding. Having easy access to The Hague, with the Peace Palace and its incredible international law library, and the international tribunals and courts. And, living in Utrecht, the best kept secret in the Netherlands; old enough to know better but young enough to do it anyway, ever smiling!  

The worst of times? The sheer volume of information to be absorbed, assimilated and then written about with some semblance of authority. The demanding intensity of the study load given the short timeframes of the quarter system. The utter loss of confidence as you struggle with beginning anew, as an expat, with an area of law and way of life far beyond your comfort zone. Long dark nights studying, doing research, writing, fretting about deadlines, and, in the winter, well, very long dark nights! 

But after those “dark nights of soul,” the “Dark Knight Rises.” That film, which borrowed liberally from Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities,” ends with Bruce Wayne being espied, alive and well, in Florence after being presumed dead. It was the Batman series swan song for director Christopher Nolan and actor Christian Bales, but of course it will continue with a fresh perspective. Likewise, this is my last study blog, but next fall another student will begin afresh! 

Between submitting my thesis and graduation in late August, I will have time to relax, enjoy a visit from my son, travel a bit, and reflect both on the past year and what comes next. Whatever comes next, I am pretty sure you will find me in Utrecht. I’ll admit, what began as an infatuation has ripened into an abiding love. Where else can you dine on a medieval werf, watching the sublime and the ridiculous drift by? Opera singers, “mooners,” not to mention the odd person falling into the gracht. Where else can you enjoy carillon bell concerts from a 600-year-old tower that include Pink Floyd’s The Wall? (This year’s conclusion to the summer concert series). Where else do large teapots suddenly appear on top of shopping malls? 

So, I conclude with advice from Dickens: “The most important thing in life is to stop saying ‘I wish’ and start saying ‘I will.’ Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities.” ―  David Copperfield. Take care, and watch out, as you may find me cruising around Utrecht on my bike, pinging right behind you!   

Tot ziens!

Going Dutch (Advanced Version)

As you near the one-year mark of living in the Netherlands, you realize that not only are you accustomed to living Dutch, you ARE Dutch. How do you know?  
 

You understand there is no description more dismal than “ongezellig,” and (bonus point!), can pronounce this word using proper fricative g’s and accompanying note of disproval.  

You understand that “leuk,” and “lekker” both mean nice, but that lekker means nice to the senses, such as tasty, warm, or luscious, and should probably not be used to describe your colleague or your boss. Bonus point, you can use the words “leuk,” “lekker” and “gezellig,” properly nuanced, in one sentence.  

You appreciate the economy of using one word, “snoepen,” to refer to the act of eating sweets and perhaps doing so on the sly.   

You routinely add the diminutive “je” to everyday words. Bonus point, you can ask for a “mesje” (knife) and not be misunderstood as asking for a “meisje” (girl). Important if you happen to be near a red light district!    

You no longer giggle when you see the street names “Fockstraat” and “Kockstraat,” and can say the words “uitvaart” and “rondvaart” with a straight face.   

When shopping for cheese, you understand the difference between “jong” (young) and “belegen” (mature) and (bonus point!) understand that “jong belegen” is not an oxymoron.   

You can distinguish between yogurt and kwark. And, (bonus point!) you prefer kwark.  

You have an Albert Heijn bonus card and always have your own bag handy.   

You think of “haring hapjes” (raw herring) as Dutch sashimi.   

You understand that “half seven” is 6:30, not 7:30.  

You can say “24” as “4 and 20” without thinking of blackbirds baked in pie.   

You are no longer surprised when traffic comes to a halt so that the bridge on the road can lift up and let several boats go by.   

You stop mentally placing the word “death” in front of the Dutch word for stair, “trap.”    

You think Douwe Egberts, not Starbucks.   

You continually complain about the weather and, (bonus point!) have referred to it as “hondeweer” (dog weather).   

You believe that bicycle traffic signals are only suggestions.   

You can lock your bike to just about anything, can locate it when you get back, and (bonus point!) can extricate it from the dozens of bike parked all around it without knocking most of them over.   

You can drink coffee and text while riding your bike, (bonus point!) sometimes both at the same time.    

You understand there is no arguing with “dat kan niet.”   

You buy fresh flowers just because they are so pretty and (bonus point!) so cheap.   

When inadvertently making eye contact with people through curtainless windows, you smile and wave and they smile and wave back.   

You can identify drop (black licorice) by sight, and (bonus point!) you like the salty ones.   

You know that animals speak Dutch, too: cows boe, frogs kwaken, pigs knor, birds tjilpen, and chickens say “tok tok.”  

You can read all the Dutch subtitles on English TV programs and (bonus point!) have learned all the important epithets in doing so.   

You can no longer imagine living anywhere else!

In the Pink!

From my garden in Utrecht I hear the Saturday noon-time carillon bell concert, this week featuring the Village People’s YMCA, ABBA’s Mama Mia, and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. Venturing out I find the city center is closed to auto traffic and the streets are festooned with pink balloons, rainbow flags, pink unicorns and hearts, and packed with pink-clad revelers. A flamingo-themed dance stage at Neude, live music stages in the Dom Square and behind the town hall, a student stage at Janskerkhof, a kid’s area with a bouncy castle, puppet shows and its own DJ, the large crosswalk on Lange Veitstraat painted in rainbow stripes, and rainbow flags fluttering on the Dom tower along with the national flag. Yes, it’s Pink Saturday in Utrecht! 

 

Meanwhile, back in the USA, this week the US Supreme Court issued two much-awaited decisions: one striking down a federal law, DOMA, denying federal benefits to legally married gay couples; the other striking down a California law, Proposition 8,  prohibiting gay marriage passed by voters just months after the California Supreme Court held such marriages were legal. However, the latter was not a ruling on the merits of the gay marriage ban but on a technicality; the State of California refused to defend Proposition 8 and the group defending it had no standing to do so. That decision thus affects only California. So, the long and short of it, in the USA, legally married gay couples are now entitled to the same federal benefits as all married couples. But gay marriage is legal in only thirteen states, now including California, and the rulings have no effect on the remaining states, 29 states of which have outlawed gay marriage. And now in California, as thousands of gay couples rush to marry, backers of Proposition 8 are making another emergency effort to block gay marriage. 

 

In contrast, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize gay marriage in 2001. Well before then, gay sex has been legal since 1811, openly gay people have been allowed to serve in the military since 1974, are protected by anti-discrimination laws in employment and the provision of goods and services, and can legally adopt children. Pink Saturday was originally a gay protest held on the last Saturday in June of 1977 against the US anti-gay campaign led by hate-monger Anita Bryant, and quickly became an annual event held in a different city in the Netherlands each year. However, what began as a protest is now an annual celebration of diversity, equality and love. 

 

This year Utrecht is, as ever, the hostess with the mostest! Music, celebration and revelry both indoors and outdoors into the wee hours, Pink sporting events, Pink camping, everyone involved, I even spotted a Dutch Government Pride banner with the insignia lions in purple holding a rainbow shield. After all the heated controversy, commentary, and drama from across the pond this week, Pink Saturday descended like a cotton-candy cloud of lightness, cheer and goodwill. Politics and legal debate wilt as the sun glimpses through the summer clouds, and for once this June, nothing is raining on this parade!

Flood, Sweat and Beers

It’s summertime, and the living is cheesy! Summer in Utrecht is rather like having one summer in two cities: on the one hand, Mark Twain’s damp, chilly San Francisco, “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco;” on the other, damp, steamy New Orleans at its sultriest. And in between, some perfect L.A. moments of bright sunshine with a light, cool breeze (but no smog!).  

Of course, this changes by the day – if not the hour – so be prepared! Be mindful of Cheever’s famous last words, “It was a splendid summer morning and it seemed as if nothing could go wrong.” But it can also be a dismal rainy summer morning and seem as if nothing could go right – yet it does! The longest day of the year was such a day, beginning with dreary morning showers but ending with a barbeque celebration in a lovely garden, dancing to lively South African Swing, accompanied by clear skies, a full “super moon,” and a sunset just after 11:00 p.m. A midsummer night’s dream!  

So, what are some signs of summer in Utrecht?   

You never do shed your coat on that Sunday afternoon picnic and you bike home shivering in a sudden downpour.  

The very next day finds you in shorts and tank top, getting so hot and sweaty in your upstairs workspace that you decide to go to Albert Heijn to pick up some groceries just to get out of the heat.  

Putting on sunscreen is a secret signal for the clouds to roll in; if the rain does not wash it off, you will sweat it off the minute the sun comes back out. Naturally, then you get sunburnt.

It makes no difference whether you run on an indoor treadmill or outside in the rain, either way you are soaking wet in minutes. At least in the rain you get in your shower at the same time! 

Outdoor seating at pubs and cafes spills out onto the streets and wharves, every seat taken, with empty, forlorn interiors. That is, until it starts raining and a sudden gust of chill wind sends everyone scurrying indoors!   

You get sick of pulling weeds in your garden and decide you rather like that wild, natural look.  

 

You no longer bother trying to figure out which festival or event is behind random spontaneous musical or theatrical performances or displays of art; like toadstools in the moist summer air, they just appear out of nowhere and sometimes include elves!  

The bike lanes in the city center are clogging up with sight-seeing pedestrians and tourists on rental bikes who abruptly stop or turn right in front of you, causing you to lose a shoe trying to skid to a stop. Luckily, you have learned some handy Dutch epithets and they have no idea what you are muttering!  

As the tourists come, many of your classmates are leaving to complete their theses in far-flung places. A scant month to deadline, your thesis can wait as you go to a series of farewell gatherings to review the LLM year: a flood of memories, a great deal of sweat, and a steady flow of beers! A toast to the departed, may your lives be as complete as your theses soon shall be!   

Ever drifting down the stream —
Lingering in the golden gleam —
Life, what is it but a dream? 

Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass, Epilogue

 

Sauce for the Flanders

When it comes to dining, Utrecht features a vast array of choices. There is leisurely fine dining, with diverse international cuisines and wine lists. There are also many charming, homey cafes for faster and lighter fare; and even faster, some very tasty take-out in interesting combinations such as Indian/Surinamese and Thai/Vietnamese, not to mention pizza and shoarma kapsalon. But for a truly fast guilty pleasure, one needs look no further than the nearest Vlaamse friet stand. Flemish (Belgian, not French) fries, served in paper cones, fresh, hot, and salty. But the best part is the sauce. In the Netherlands, there are nearly as many types of friet sauce to choose from as there are types of black licorice – and that is going some!  

The basic sauce is, of course, mayonnaise. However, there is also official “frietsaus,” which, as far as I can tell, is just a lighter version of mayonnaise. And, you can, of course get ketchup if you must, or even better, curry ketchup! But beyond that, there is chili sauce (chili and mayo), cocktail sauce, piccalilly sauce (mixture of pickles, turmeric, crunchy vegetables and mustard), mustard sauce, green pepper sauce, garlic sauce, Samurai sauce (sambal and mayo), curry sauce, Andalouse sauce (mayo, tomato paste and paprika), tartar sauce, Joppie sauce (this is some sort of secret sauce that seems to include mayo, curry, and onions), and sate sauce (peanut sauce). You can also get a “Frietje Speciaal,” consisting of fries with mayo, curry, ketchup, and raw onions), or a “Frietje Oorlog” (meaning “fries war,” referring to the messiness quotient!), consisting of fries with mayo, sate sauce, and raw onions. And, the newest sauce featured at Mannenken Pis? “Wietsaus” – yes, weed sauce, marijuana flavored (no, not Alice B. Toklas fries, as regrettably, it contains no THC!).  

Still not fast enough for you? Well then, time to hit the wall – the ubitquitous Febo Automatiek! A wall on the street with rows of small square compartments with clear doors, each with a ready, hot snack inside; you can peruse the selections on foot or even on your bike. A veritable red light district of junk food! What’s on display? Frikandel,  a sort of minced-meat deep-fried hot dog. Or Bamischijf, a square disk of breaded, Indonesian-style fried noodles. Kaassoufflé, cheese in a puffy pastry, and gehaktstaaf, a rod-shaped meatloaf made of mystery meat, probably a combination of beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables. And then there are the krokets, crispy cylinder-shaped deep-fried rolls, including sate krokets, filled with chicken and peanut sauce, and vleeskroket, filled with meat. There is crispy kip corn, which is chicken breaded and fried in corn meal, and kip krokant, spicy fried chicken. A broodjebal, i.e., a meatball on a bun, and numerous burgers to choose from, including a grill burger, a cheesy grill burger with “unieke grillsaus,” a double grill burger, and even a Samuriburger with, you guessed it, Samurai sauce!  

Available all over the Netherlands, what is sauce for the Goois is also sauce for the Flanders! Partake at your own risk!