Rock of Ages

Even though I'm still pretty sure that this is vacation and that I am certainly not going to school, classes have surprised me with a sneak attack. They started bright and early this morning (8:30 a.m.?!). However, the first day went remarkably smoothly. I reached each class on time, and had no difficulty finding the buildings. The topics (Healthcare in Northern Europe and Health Beyond Borders) are similar enough that they compliment each other nicely, and there are several people in both classes.

The actual buildings where classes are held are very old. The classrooms feel like sitting in a building in colonial Williamsburg or in old Philadelphia. The glossy paint coats the floor squeak when you slide your chair back, the windows with thick glass panes seem to be painted shut as the result of restoration and maintenance, and the stairwell up to the fourth floor is twisting and rickety - it felt like going down a slide and one misstep could have sent you down on your back. And yet there is something so charming about these less than state-of-the-art facilities. It is part of the charm of studying abroad and of being in a medieval city - stuff is old.