Guerrilla Advisory Committee

We're back to Dutch weather, although we had an anomaly for about a month in which it felt like Barcelona weather. There were days I forgot where I was living. But now that it's rainy and cloudy again, I feel reoriented.

One thing I've created recently while doing my studies is the Guerrilla Advisory, which aims to go to interesting places or get insight into certain systems or products, subsequently offering unsolicited advice about how things can be improved. The idea stems from the fact that so many people around us have loads of creativity and drive, yet simply don't know where to begin. This provides an opportunity to be creative and to think about things in new ways without the immediate pressure of realizing those suggestions. If an institution likes our advice, hopefully they'll work with us to realize those improvements. Otherwise, it's a good excuse to get out and see new things.

Only 6 more weeks of school. The year has gone by so fast.

The Netherlands - Reloaded

Greetings everyone! :)

I hope you all enjoyed Easter and the Easter break.

As time goes by, the spring already came and the weather became nicer. Even the fact that last week was an examination week did not spoil the effect sunny weather has on me J On top of that, due to the spring time and the nice weather I finally went on sightseeing in Amsterdam. The Netherlands’ capital really amazed me – beautiful architecture, lots of museums, nice atmosphere, and of course, lots of tourists J I was really astonished by the Royal Palace (Koninklijk huis) if you haven’t seen the Royal Palace (Koninklijk huis) and you are in the Netherlands, no matter due to studying or as a tourist, this is a “must see” destination.

Last week, together with a number of other students, I visited the Keukenhof – another “must see” destination. I can definitely state that this is the most beautiful (huge) garden I have ever seen! It is actually opened for just two months during spring, so if you don’t want to miss it – act :).

With the weather getting warmer and sunnier, the walks around the city of Utrecht are a wonderful idea as well. Of course, lots of people have already found that, so the city center is crowded, but as Chris mentions in his posts, the city center is not the only place one can have a walk in Utrecht. Generally speaking, the spring gave me the opportunity to explore and enjoy a whole new perspective of the Netherlands.

As time goes by, of course, not only seasons change – study periods change as well. The fourth (last) period of this academic year just started today. There are so many interesting courses offered in this period, that I even made the decision of taking three courses, instead of two. On one hand, this will require significant amount of my time. On the other, I will not regret that I did not take a particular course J. Of course, by the middle of July I will know if my decision was adequate.

Pulitzer

Two weeks ago or so we finally hosted TEDxUtrechtUniversity at the Louis Hartlooper Complex, focused around building a sustainable future. It was a really nice day, and I think the push towards incorporating these very important thought processes was strengthened, in very small part, because of the continued focus and emphasis on these issues.

The Storm Masters Committee of Sustainable Development has a temporary space in the Janskerk (small white building that's part of the church). Come and stop by and get involved in some cool projects or start your own and get people interested.

Jake Bernstein and Jesse Eisinger recently won the Pulitzer for their reporting on the financial crisis and investment strategies still corroding our system. Check them out here, here, and here.

Everyone's apparently on break right now so I think I might join them. Enjoy the beautiful weather!

Spring Time in Utrecht

Anyone reading my posts consistently will know that I often promote the idea of walking around, perhaps with a coffee and a notebook, and generally enjoying beautiful weather. It's not particularly revolutionary suggestion, but it's worth noting that this city is quite beautiful, and as Spring really 'comes into bloom', the city really comes alive--people are populating parks and outdoor cafes, laughing, soaking up the warm air.

Walking around the center of town, however, especially on a Saturday, can be a nightmare. There are so many people in the shopping district (the area just around the Winkel van Sinkel), that it feels as if you're waiting in line to move forward. My suggestion is to get out of the center of town; there are so many great places in the outer parts of the city, and I find that every week I familiarize myself with a new area of town, each with its own feel and architecture. Some of my favorite parts are just above Wilhelmina Park (and the park itself), the Utrecht Train Museum and the area surrounding it, and just northwest of the city center following the canal.