September 28

After making a test for Musicology (which turned out to be rather simple) I went to see a ballet performance. I'm really disappointed actually... It just couldn't move me. That's a shame because the trailer that I watched weeks ago promised so much! I guess I was just too tired to enjoy this evening.

(the theatre itself was beautiful though)

September 27

 Since my old bike didn't turn up again, I had to buy a new one. This time I bought a heavier lock so that people would have a really hard time if anybody tried to steal my bike again.

On my new bike I went to the dam, where I gave some old bread to the birds. I'm sure they loved it.

Then, on my way home, I saw 10 black birds picking a dead bird. ...that's what I thought first, but at a second look I noticed that the bird they were picking was still alive and trying to escape! I quickly biked over there and the black birds flew away. The dove that they had been picking stumbled into my direction, it seemed to see me as it's savior. He hid between my feet and was bleeding. I did not know what to do and watched the bird for a minute. When I tried to pick it up he would get scared and jump of again, only to crash down with it's broken wing. I almost gave up when I noticed a blue piece of cloth laying near me. I wrapped the bird in it and then carried it home. There I called the animal-ambulance who took further care of him.

September 25

morning mist

The day started of good with cheerful activities around the church. It was fun hearing opinions of other teenagers and even more fun playing games with then.

The rest of the day was filled with music, pleasant weather, and more music.
When I arrived in Zaandam in the evening I saw that my bike was no longer where I had put it last week. I could not find it and had to walk the last part home. I think it has been stolen..

September 24

As next week brings 3 separate tests for European history, musicology and music theory, I'm reading a lot of the assigned material. In the meantime I helped out in the garden to my mothers delight.

September 23

In the morning I went to the dentist: 3 holes.
He started drilling in my teeth and I had to give a sign when it hurt.
Then in school I had fun practicing music and rhythm with my classmates. They are smart and enthusiastic so it's a great group.
And in the evening I went to the countryside again to see the family :D (it's nice to come here once a week). We had fun with some modern sort of knex.

September 20

Last year in Sweden I performed 'Hang with Me' with my classmate Anna. I'm so damn proud of it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_1lE9shej8

September 18

Our Japanese guests made sushi for us =D I ate and ate and ate... it was so good!

 

September 16

Today I saw people I hadn't seen for a long time. Our Japanese exchange student from three years ago was in Holland for a holiday, and with her we visited some old friends. 'twas fun =)

September 15

Now that school has started I also try to paint something everyday. For many months I have been working on this small painting of Joanna Newsom, and I intend to finish it one day. Here's how far I am:

Also, the guy that I work with at school is studying Architecture, and today he showed me some things he had designed. He said he was inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci and it certainly looked equally amazing.

September 14

Today a good friend of mine cooked for me at her place in Osdorp.

September 13

I was happily surprised when I noticed that the public library of Amsterdam pays some attention to Björk and her latest project:

September 12

When I left home yesterday my bag broke for the 2nd time. I remembered that the public library of Amsterdam sells shoulder bags for 2,5 euro, so I decided to get one of those.

September 10

My cousin has decided to live the live of a nun, and she'll be doing missionary work in Canada for 3 years. She's leaving soon so today we came to say goodbye. We quickly got a tour through the monastery that she'd been living in for the past months, and with this we saw all the souvenirs the nuns had taken from their far-away journeys. Snake skins from Africa, carvings from India, etc.
Something that caught my eye was a large book showing an old style of notating music. According to my cousin this was how they noted music centuries ago for the Gregorian songs.

September 9

At today's lesson I discovered that I'm already at an advanced level of music-theory. This feels really good because at many other things I've done, like living in Sweden, or last summers job, I had to do something completely new. Like learning a new language or learning how to work. But with these lessons I already know almost anything =)  I've also made a new friend and we teamed up to work together.

The friend with whom I organize the Taizé-thing had a look at yesterday's poster and gave me some tips to make it look better. This is today's version: 

September 8

I was in such a hurry this morning, and while I was biking my bag broke. With the broken bag in my hands I raced to the ferry and made it just in time! (And there, I kinda repaired the bag).

In Amsterdam I met up with an old friend to get to work: we are going to organize Taizé-services in Amsterdam. Together with another person we brainstormed and came up with some nice ideas. I've worked out a poster we can spread through Amsterdam:

This is just the idea but I really hope it will turn out like this. The big red word 'Taizé' will hopefully catch the people's attention.

Then I hurried through the rain to my next college: music-theory. I'm really glad that I already know most of it: If I hadn't I would start crying in that college. The teacher storms through many chapters of music-theory while there are some students in the class that have just started to read notes..

And then in the evening I went to a classical Japanese concert for music and dance. I noticed this when I looked at the conservatory of Amsterdam: they organize concerts daily and they are free to enter!

The concert was wonderful, though it sometimes hurt my ears. I had never heard music like that before: completely different from the Western kind of harmonies. So it was beautiful in a strange way. See picture below!

greetings. 

September 7

Today I talked with my neighbor in the classroom about living on your own, and I told him that the owner of my room cooks for me too. He looked at me with big eyes, then turned around and said to his friends: "This guy's owner cooks for him!" Then his friends gasped for air, saying things like: "No way! Awesome! Lucky Bastard!"

September 6

Aaaaallright, school started!

In the morning I had to use a lot of power in the biking because there was so much wind. I was all sweaty when I got into the ferry =P But luckily I was in time for the introduction.
We were in a big theatre. Several music-teachers were sitting in front of us like the Harry Potter characters. In the middle of them was one silver-bearded guy: Dumbledore.
Actually, his name is Rokus the Groot. He's old and wise, and has done many things in the world of music. Next year he will be fired because he is too old for this job, but luckily he'll be teaching us in this last year.
One by one the teachers talked about their subject. One teaches Analysis, one Musicology, one History of Jazz, History of Classical Music, etc. To me it all sounded very exciting.

Then, in the afternoon, we had our first lesson. It was European culture history and these lessons are given in a church (see picture). I was talking with the guy next to me about the rain outside and after a while we discovered something we had in common: both our fathers are priests. It was fun talking about this!
Then our lesson started. Some of the things the teacher said were: 'Culture can unite and separate. When somebody does something very unexpected, we talk about a cultural revolution.'

He gave an example: Madonna. On her 'confessions' tour she portrayed herself hanging on a cross. In the background a growing number was displayed: the number of Aids-victims in Africa.
So why was this of such cultural significance? With this performance she both united and separated. The Madonna fans vs. the angry catholics. It was a cultural revolution: she did something shocking that hadn't been done before.

This first lesson of the year was definitely interesting.



Then through the storm I went back home where 2 salami-pizzas were waiting for me. Fred has been cooking for me every day, and it looks like he will be cooking for me for the rest of the year. It's without doubt, fantastic to be here.

Greetings from me and the dog.

September 5

School starts tomorrow and I decided to pay the school a visit in advance.
Actually, there is no school. I just get lessons in 3 different locations around Amsterdam. They were hard to find so I think it was good to have done this.

Something weird happened when I was biking to the ferry. I was biking through a tunnel and saw a group of teenagers standing there. I think they were talking Arabic, it sounded that way. When I was passing them on my bike I heard the sound of someone spitting, and then I felt something on my right cheek. I think of those guys actually spit on me! Well, there was not much else to do then continue biking.

After I had visited the 3 locations in Amsterdam I payed a quick visit to the public library. According to Wikipedia it's 'the largest public library of Europe'.
I have no words to describe this place and so I will not try it. But one thing is for sure: I'm going to spend many hours in this library!

greetings.

September 4

Today I've been to the centre of Zaandam with uncle Fred. I was amazed by the design of the new-buildings: reviving the old style. I'm sure that especially the Japanese tourists go crazy for this!
After that we went to the fair and I rode one of them big-wheels that go 150 km/h. It was fun in a morbid way!

greetings.

September 3

First day in Amsterdam today. It's been a beautiful warm day, probably the last of this year.
I bought so many things in they city that I feel completely guilty about spending all that money. I bought some things impromptu, like the cd of that awesome live performer with his sampling device... Have a listen below:

http://soundcloud.com/gerben-groeneveld/white-light

Later on I bought 'Musicophilia' by Oliver Sacks. I've been looking for a book like this: tales of music & brain.
After this I planned to arrive in time for the Evening song at the cathedral; it never started. However: a guy my age from Argentina started talking to me and we had a wonderful conversation about the catholic church and it's view on the use of condoms. His opinion was, if I'm not mistaken, that f*cking with a condom means that you just want to satisfy yourself, and this is wrong. I thought this was all really interesting though I'm still fully supporting the jolly use of condoms.

Then, on my brand-new second-hand bike, I tried to find my way home. It was great to cross the water by ferry, and the clouds that covered the sun where breath-taking (see picture). And even though I had some trouble finding my way, I arrived just when I didn't expect it.

When the sun went down, I watched the city with gramps from the top floor. It was perfectly warm and perfectly beautiful.