Allow me to introduce myself

Recently I was accepted to study my Masters at the University of Amsterdam. I write this not to brag, (if you think that's impressive enough to merit admiration, then thank you anyway) but to set this blog off in the direction I'm wanting it to take immediately. Because after the few minutes of excitably bouncing around to totally blank looks from my family, I realised a) that they'd inexplicably typed the wrong name on the acceptance email and b) I had no idea what to expect from the approaching year.

After having cleared up the former, I set about educating myself on the latter.

Nothing.

No forums, no message boards, no facebook groups full of people to offer friendly advice on accommodation, restaurants, travel, the courses, the buildings. Like I say, nothing.

So I am writing this blog to set right this tragic wrong. In this modern age, when everyone's face is being pushed ever closer to the luminescence of some computer screen, why should I be left in the dark? Alas, it must be so.

From now on, I will document my experiences as a postgraduate student in Literary Studies at the University of Amsterdam - from living abroad for the first time and making my way around a strange city, to what type of bread to buy and which pubs serve up best liver damage for your dollar - through photographs, quick paragraphs, long essays and interpretive dance videos (maybe). All in the faint hope that someone will pick my lowly blog up and get a better shot at this than the running leap I'm taking, learn from my mistakes etc etc.

I am due to travel out to pick up my keys mid-August and move out for good at the start of September, so although I won't be able to provide much of a first-hand account as of yet, I think the preparatory stage is probably just as, if not more important.

On top of this, somewhat inevitably as I am indeed a literature student, I intend to share any ponderings, opinions or ideas in whichever form I may choose, verse or prose, as that is the price you are going to have to willingly pay for my sagacious words.

Fare-the-well for now.