Drops of Jupiter

This New Year’s, listening to the distant booms of fireworks (the Dutch go CRAZY for New Year’s Eve), has me reflecting not only on the past month but all of 2023. One of my friends told me that I will feel much more than one year older after this experience, and even after four months I already do. Let’s narrow in on December, where I experienced the start of my first northern winter. Light, grey skies hung in the air and gusty winds blew onto us weary bikers, our hands numb even beneath gloves. The cold coupled with shortened days convinced me that I was on another planet: how San Diego and Utrecht share the same earth is beyond me. However, the Christmas wreaths and hanging street lanterns illuminated these winter days and made them magical. My dorm even bought a little 3 foot (0.9 meters, haha) Christmas tree to put in the kitchen, adorned with plastic ornaments and a homemade paper star. Half of the roommates also took a two-hour train to Aachen, Germany to experience the most magical Christmas market I have ever seen! Mulled wine and hot chocolate were served in artsy mugs, and each wooden stand stood beneath the towering cathedral. It was as if I was in a time warp, where elements of Narnia, Harry Potter, and Disneyland collided. To keep the festivities going, we spent one of the nights crafting Christmas cards for our families back home, and by some miracle, it began to snow! The flakes were light and didn’t stick enough for anything larger than a little snowman, but it was the perfect gift from the otherwise unforgiving skies.

It felt incomplete to miss out on ice-skating while being in the Netherlands (unfortunately not on the canals), so a few of us bundled up and tried skating. It was terrifying. The older Dutch men and women zipped around in jumpsuits and long-blade skates at mach speeds, and nearly everyone looked like they were practicing for the Olympics. I literally got yelled at for skating too slowly, but I was too scared (and frankly unable) to move any faster. One lap was enough for me! One of the girls who came with me was also from California, preparing to finish her study abroad semester. Saying goodbye to my semester friends felt like the end of an era, and for them it was. Being one of the rare few staying for a year was like being left behind and having to restart again. Part of me wished that I could return home to sunny California, where everything is comfortable and easier. I have clarity, though, that there are still memories to create here, and I am infinitely grateful that I get to be here for another six months.

After finishing a few stressful assignments and hugging the roommates goodbye for the holidays, it was time to celebrate Christmas… in London! My roommate, Elaina, and I took the Eurostar from Amsterdam for four hours, jamming to Taylor Swift’s “London Boy.” Our anticipation quickly wore off once we made it to our hostel, though. Drug addicts grouped in front of the narrow entrance, and three TRIPLE decker beds stood at us as if screaming: “You wish you were home, don’t you??” When one of our bunkmates screamed on the phone until 2am (technically Christmas day at this point), we knew we couldn’t stay another night and booked a new hostel. Immediately after paying, I realized that public transportation and grocery stores would not be open on Christmas day. The new hostel was a four hour walk, and we thought we may also starve without any restaurants open. At least it will be a memorable Christmas! Like a Hallmark Christmas miracle, we ended up scheduling a taxi and arriving at the magical new hostel. There, we celebrated by watching Harry Potter with other hostel guests and feasting on cold, overpriced pizza. Although it was emotionally charging being away from family, how could I complain? I was in London! We were able to explore a lot in three days: Camden Market, Picadilly Street, Cecil Court, Buckingham Palace, which was especially exceptional. I kept thinking about how Princess Diana walked here before and was starstruck by the glossy black taxis that she frequently took. I FaceTimed my brother, Ben, when the Big Ben was gonging. Taking the underground was easy, and I loved being able to chat to anyone in English; the environment felt like a European version of Washington DC.

As enriching as London was, I was most excited for New Year’s because my best friend, Syd, was visiting for the week! We reunited at Schipol airport on New Year’s Eve and immediately headed to Basel, Switzerland. Poor girl had been traveling for 30 hours straight, so we headed to bed early and explored on New Year’s: what a way to welcome 2024! The most notable part of the trip was seeing Lucerne, which looked like the Switzerland I had always dreamed of. The mountain range, jade waters, floating bridge, views-words cannot do it justice (see the photos I snapped of it below). When we made it back to the Netherlands, I was so proud to show Syd around MY Utrecht. I took her on a tour of the castle and made sure she brought home Tony’s chocolate and postcards for our friends back home. When she met a few of my roommates, it felt like worlds colliding. It was strange how easy it was to catch up after four months, and she was the perfect substitute for not being able to go home for the holidays.

This New Year, I am anxious to make the most of the rest of this adventure. I have already bought vitamin D to face the rest of the brutal winter, and am infinitely appreciative for all I am experiencing here. It is so special to know that this is a year I will never forget.

To a dazzling 2024, love always,

Katia