Yep, I have passed! I got my marks for the Strategic Management block, and I passed my oats and my course assessment! Now, I no longer have to worry and wonder. Except I have not received my marks for my IC and Dutch finals… so I still have my fingers crossed. The IC exam was okay, but the Dutch exam was tricky. I feel like I am on the borderline (as languages go) where I am almost able to understand but cannot express myself as much as I would like. Let’s just say Spanish is still #1.

I have enjoyed staying indoors during my small break. It’s gotten colder here and the sun doesn’t seem to exist anymore. I have become dependent on my cool-looking gas candle and some others my boyfriend brought me from home. Christmas is in the air here. We sort of skipped Halloween and I am betting they don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving here. I bought a (small, fake) Christmas tree (while it was cheap and not bought out) and some decorations.

Here, they celebrate Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet. Sinterklaas’s birthday is the 5th of December and so it’s like a Christmas on the 5th and the 25th. Sort of to separate the commercialism from Christ’s birth on the 25th. Sinterklaas visits the Netherlands to put presents in the children’s shoes - which are placed by the chimney/heating appliance. Children leave carrots for his white horse (which replaces the American Santa’s reindeer and sleigh). I have learned this from my IC class. Supposedly, Sinterklaas was born in Asia Minor and lives in Spain. Each year, he travels to the Netherlands by steamboat on a white (sometimes black-spotted) horse with his Zwarte Piets. It’s a big event for everyone - but especially the children.

Like Dr. Owens was trying to explain to our class, in the olden days, the parents would say if the children were bad then they would go on a list and Zwarte Piet would take them and put them in his sack back to Spain. I didn’t get it then, but I do now! Thanks!

Tomorrow is the first day of my second block, European Business Studies (EBS). Let’s hope it doesn’t rain on my bike ride to school!

Also, Happy Guy Fawkes Day Britain!