We've finally started to do school work on this study abroad trip and let me tell you, I did not think that was going to happen. The first week was fine and the classes seemed manageable but I'm thinking that was just because it was syllabus week. The only class that I do not enjoy attending is the Math 308 course. I know that everything is getting settled with the webcam and figuring out the teacher's tendencies since he's only a couple thousand miles away, but it really feels like I'm going to have to teach my self in that class. The tutor has helped but I'm still reluctant.
Friday, we went to Aachen. The cathedral was beautiful. I had no idea how much Charlemagne still meant to the people of Europe and Aachen in general. I remember in school going over him but I just thought of him as another historic figure, nothing of super great importance. Boy was I wrong. The shrines and relics that the treasury and cathedral had were breath taking. The fact that Charlemagne's throne could have been made out of the floor that Jesus walked on blew my mind. This trip still doesn't seem real to me. It feels like one day I'm just going to wake up and not be in Germany anymore. I really am enjoying it here.
After the Cathedral, we went to Enmodes to meet with the device design people. The project that we are going to be working on is very impressive, but what was even more impressive was that guy's voice. I have never heard anyone talk that deep before. It was like a scene from Jack and the Beanstalk. But back to the project, it sounds like its going to take a lot of work but I feel like it will be worth the hard work and dedication that I'm about to pour into it.
After the end of the meeting with Enmodes came my first excursion of many yet to come: Maastricht, Netherlands. Who knew that Amsterdam wasn't the only thing that the Netherlands had? The main attractions we went to see were the Fort of St Peter and the caves. The fort was pretty cool but the only time it was ever used in battle, it was taken over. I thought that was pretty funny. The caves were super dark and they were created during the mid-evil times. In the 1600's, the miners began to hire artists to come decorate the caves to turn it into a tourist attraction. We ate a lot of good food. If anyone ever is in Maastricht and they want to know where to eat, I would tell them Cafe Sjiek. We waited for 2 hours to get a table but hell it was worth it.
Side note: since Rahil and I were the only guy on the trip and the main thing to do in Maastricht is to go shopping, Rahil and I burned off a couple thousand calories by walking around the city for about 3 hours. So you will never be lost in Maastricht with Rahil or I.
Time to commence week 3.
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