Amsterdam is absolutely gorgeous. Right now, although it's snowing and freezing, everything is so charming. I've been here in the city for a couple days now and I'm still trying to get my bearings. I get lost probably like 5 times a day but in the end it all works out. The city is shaped like a giant U with all the canals arching towards the center. I live right on the Prinsengract canal in a really nice neighboor called Joordan. The Anne Frank House is just a block or so away.
I love my bike. I bought it from a 2nd hand bike shop so that I can try my best at blending in. It's all black and extremely easy to ride. Having a bike turns 20-30 minute walks into a short ride. At first, I was really intimidated to take to the streets and ride with the Dutch cause they definitely know what they are doing and will ring their bell like hell if you get in their way. But it really wasn't too bad if you just stick to the side and keep an open eye out.
99.9% of Amsterdamers speak English fluently so I haven't had much of a problem with communication. The hardest part is that some street signs, food, and products are all in Dutch. I went to HEMA yesterday (the Dutch version of Target) and got some necessities. Only problem is that everything is in Dutch, so I can't really figure out how to program my new alarm clock cause the instructions are zero help. Oh well. Good thing I'm a morning person anyway.
I haven't really gotten my sleeping schedule down yet. It's about 9am over here and I've got to head out in a bit to get my Dutch residence card. I registered as a citizen of the city of Amsterdam a couple day ago, but I have yet to be granted temporary residence in the Netherlands. So I've got to grab some breakfast and find the building, which is always fun...
Here are some pictures of the city, my bike and my view from my room:
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