The Rough Life of an Exchange Student

Graduation in Texas, triathlon in London, geology field trip in Germany, and vacation (within a vacation) to Rome all within 5 weeks leaves me with little time to share with you what I've been up to - exchange student problems! Oh wait, I have exams now too. So, I will prioritize by writing you a blog post.

I was initially not going to write about graduation, since it's not exactly happening abroad, but I've changed my mind. I think it's fun for my friends here in Delft to see what a Texas graduation entails!

First and foremost, you must dress up like you attend Hogwarts:

Hermione pouty-face

Make sure your cap doesn't all off!

Take a picture with your lovely sister.

Next, sweat outside in 95 degree weather (35 Celcius for the Europeans, oh wait, everyone else besides Americans. USA, we need to convert!), especially when you're not used to the heat. All your makeup runs off your face, suddenly you hate Texas and want to be back in chilly, rainy Holland, you really don't feel like hugging everyone since your black polyester gown is trapping in all the sun's radiation, and all you want is a snow cone. Why is Communication's graduation taking so long? It's Engineering's turn now, let us inside before this newly-turned-Dutch girl faints in Texas heat! Okay, that's a bit dramatic, but I really was not used to it.

During the ceremony, regret that you did not sneakily conceal your iphone in your robe so that you could text/FB/tweet/whatever during the 3 hour ceremony. If you're smart, you'll try to be the very last person to walk across the stage, because you're guaranteed to have the biggest applause when they call your name (shout out to Clay)! Man, these people are as excited to leave as they are to see you graduate!

Blur of graduates

Where's Becca?

The professors' robes are even more fun.

After the ceremony, attempt to find your friends & family (note, without a phone). The best solution: climb up the wall and yell your sister's name. Worked like a charm!

Found me at the wall!

Next, take pictures with people who are proud of you.

We match :)

Proud parents

Note: I am taller! These wedges are awesome.

Have a graduation party with your friends...

The Ladies - so happy to see them and very blessed to have such great girlfriends

My bestie

And another party with your family...

Half of my wonderful Houston family

Can't ask for much more

Okay there you have it, a very abbreviated guide to a Texas graduation. Now, back to Europe.

In June, I joined the WAVE club for another exciting event - the Idea League. This time we needed our passports! I didn't realize England required your to show your passport when you travel there from within Europe. All the other European countries don't make you show it when you cross European boarders. I guess they kept the Pound too. Jolly good!

I was especially excited about this trip, because we would be doing a "triathlon" at Imperial College, London, where my Dad and Grandpa went to university way back in the day. I mean, WAY back. Just kidding, Dad. Apparently not much has changed, because he used to hang out in the same student bar that we hung out in each night. Crazy!

Imperial College student union area.

Dad, I had a one of these here in your honor.

I put "triathlon" in quotes, because it was the most noncompetitive sporting event I have ever seen in my life. First of all, we got in trouble for asking questions like "Can we wear a wetsuit? It's faster." and "What kind of bike clips do the bikes have?" before the event, because that attitude is just too competitive.

For the race, we swam in a pool, each university had its own lane for their 5 athletes, and we weren't allowed to start biking until everyone finished swimming, so we had 20 minutes to change into dry clothes and warm up on our spinning bike. Yes, a spinning bike, and they gauged how far we went with cadence, not power, so take off all of that resistance and let those legs fly baby fly!

TU Delft ladies warming up

Then we had to walk to the gym door, and start our 5K run outside - 5 laps around the block. Look out  for the old ladies and dogs, you never know what you'll run into.

Okay maybe I was a bit sarcastic about the event, but it was a lot of fun and I was seriously sore for 5 days, which might be a record! I blame the 0 resistance on the spinning bikes. So, the reason this race was not as competitive as most triathlons was that the entire Idea League event is about meeting students from other universities in Germany, France, Switzerland, and of course Imperial College, London. Unfortunately, the French didn't turn up, which is funny because they are the closest to London. Anyway, each night we had a party and got to know each other with dance-offs and such. Most importantly, TU Delft placed 1st in women's and men's triathlon. I'm sorry, but you can't stop triathletes from being competitive, it's in their blood!

"Played in the spirit of the Games" was the slogan,

following the London 2012 theme.

No time to dilly-dally, onward to Germany.

This was a week-long geology field trip, looking at outcrops all over Germany. I don't have too many pictures, and I bet you guys don't think rock pictures are as cool as I do, but here's a few.

Trekking to our outcrop

aka secretly humming "the hills are alive with the sound of music"

View of a cute German town from the hill

Jia & me

Wine tasting at a vineyard!

What a conveniently located outcrop.

Henk found a slug and natually wanted to pet it.

Henk, Praveen, & Iwan -- aka syndicate boon-boon (??)

In other words, they were my group this trip.

All you geologists out there, tell me about this...

No, he's not kissing the rock. It's the Darcy test. 

10 points to the first person who comments on what that is!

Cute German town

Walking the streets...

Typical German buildings (I think)

It's not that far!

I will have to save Rome for next time since I have an exam tomorrow. As a head's up, I'm leaving on Saturday for Bilbao, Spain to meet with the fabulous Sarah Hill and walk the Camino de Santiago (Nothern route) for three weeks together. Only 3 days left in Delft, 1 exam, and lots of good-byes. Time sure does fly.