Wooohoooo!

 I love Ultmate.   For those of you who don't know, Ultimate is an amazingly cool team sport that is played with a frisbee.     Alas, due to my travels, I haven't been able to play for 8 months.

Last night, in a gym outside of Tilburg, I got to play.

Wow.  It was sooo much fun!   Between points, sweating and trying to catch my breath, I stood on the goal line with my impromtu team.   I thought to myself: "This is amazing-- I am traveling the world, doing my art, learning a new language, and playing ultimate!  Does life get any better?!"  

It was also a definitive Dutch cultural experience.   I had come with pure Netherlanders Abby and Job from one Dutch town to yet another.  Everyone was speaking Dutch.  Everyone was working or living near by.    And everyone was super friendly and helpful!   There's nothing like being locally immersed in a great group to speed up one's learning!

Its been about three weeks now of Dutch practice and I am proud to say I was able to make my first public joke!   We had to go around a circle and introduce ourselves, and share our favorite type of cheese.   You know you're in Europe when that is the ice breaker question!   Everyone was listing fancy stuff-- Job said something about cheese with walnuts and an aroma of honey.  

I stammered:

"Ik bin Russell.  Lik een goede Northamericanish, ik likker eider kind om kaas als hut is op ein hamburger!"

"I am Russell.   Like a good Northamerican, I like any kind of cheese as long as it is on a Hamburger!"

At least a few people understood my bastardized attempt and laughed!   

To top off a fantastic evening, I've been invited to join the team and play in a tournament in Amsterdam on Sunday!   

Wooohooo again!