Thanksgiving and Whatnot

Just the smallest of updates today, post-midterms and after a busy day of visiting people, both in relation to Thanksgiving and completely unrelated.

Earlier, I had what qualified as a "Thanksgiving," specialty sandwich at a restaurant in Utrecht. Though the sandwich did not resemble Thanksgiving foods in the least, it was really really good, and I had a great time meeting up with folks and socializing. It was my first time in the center of Utrecht, and I fell in love. I'm definitely putting the city on my list of exploration destinations. If I'd had more time this afternoon, I would have stayed and wandered the streets.

I could not, however, because I had an evening engagement back in Amsterdam! A completely unrelated group, none of whom are American, had a get together tonight, and I spent the entirety of the late evening to almost midnight with them. I have socialed more today than I have for several weeks combined...possibly for several months. Fortunately, I'm reaching the early stages of friendships, and finding the right people to hang out with to recharge my social battery even while satisfying my need to socialize. So, though I'm physically exhausted, my social meter is back to being completely full, AND my social battery is recharged. A win-win situation.

Find those people who recharge you, wow.

Here are some lunch pics:

Though nothing about this was Thanksgiving, it was a banger sandwich (there's bread under there)

Also not a typical Thanksgiving desert, but once again a banger.

Domkerk is stunning, and I cannot wait to return and actually tour it!

Possibly my favorite feature of Utrecht Centraal: the big ole bubble shapes!

Completely unrelated, I also bought new earrings and wore them today. Hooray!

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I am happy to report I've passed my midterms again! That's the entire update for academia today. Nothing much to say other than phew!

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I kind of thought the first holiday away from the US would be more difficult, and I'd have more emotion to sort through. But really, I'm grateful to be somewhere I feel safe, and able to enjoy that feeling. I miss my family, of course, especially because we'd be getting together today. But to be honest, since losing my mom a few years back, holidays have taken on a grayer hue regardless.

Someday I'd like to continue the tradition of cooking the Norwegian food my dad and I make on Thanksgiving. Of all things, it's spending the day with him and flipping lefse while meatballs bubble away that I miss the most. That and cracking open a can of radioactive-looking gelatin cranberry sauce and getting it to shlorp out of the aluminum onto a plate as one solid, unnervingly-jiggly tube.

Oh, cranberry sauce tubes. How I miss you too.

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And with that, I send this post off to publication! I don't have an excuse for the delay this time: I quite simply forgot, between midterms and the holiday this week. But thank you as always for tuning in and stopping by, and I hope the season treats you well! Keep your loved ones near and dear, and be kind to yourselves.

Big hugs from through the screen, and I'll see you in the next one!

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