update

I've been absent from the blog for a while, given finals, a quick trip to Amsterdam, and then work and packing. The trip to Amsterdam was for a medical anthropology conference at the University of Amsterdam, and one of my papers was accepted to it. I ended up not having to present anything, so I just enjoyed two days worth of interesting (to me) talks. I also met a lot of people, one of whom will be very helpful to know in Tanzania.

I also got to see some of the city, both touristy and non-touristy. I went on a canal boat tour (very touristy), stood in the wrong line in the airport (twice), walked through the red light district at night (yikes!), ate at local cafes (bread and cheese, bread and cheese), got lost on the trains and trams in the middle of the night, asked for directions at least 20 times (stupid, bumbling American tourist!), and bought lots of chocolate. Oh, and I bought airport gifts. How lame can I get?

The getting majorly-lost story involves several trains & trams, and the Hague (the city I stayed in for the nights). Luckily, Holland is relatively safe, even at 10:30 at night, and the Dutch tend to be very nice and helpful when giving directions to lost Americans wearing Canada jackets and hauling suitcases around. Good thing the Dutch speak English, though I suppose I might have been able to get along with German. But probably not.

And that was my first experience traveling in Europe alone.