I did a cost-benefit analysis for the monthly bus pass (maandabonnement). A 15 strip strippenkarten (the thing that has the strips on them) costs €6.70 (the 45 strip one is €19.50), and the monthly bus pass for travelling through 2 zones costs €59.55. If I got the monthly 2-zone bus pass (I toyed with the 1-zone pass since it costs only €35.10, but after the experience in the previous post, having developed a small blister on a toe and my heel starting to hurt, I decided it was too far to walk on a regular basis), I would need to use 4.4 strips a day to equal my opportunity cost. On a weekly basis, this would boil down to 33 strips a week, or 5.5 trips in or out of De Uithof. So in the end I bought it (I'll be happy rather than indifferent even if I only break even, since I save on transaction costs). Veblen would be proud.

I spent €93 on 2 textbooks. That's roughly equal to what I would pay in Singapore - only in Euros. Since the term is so short here (I'm here for 2 terms, one of which ends early April) I figured waiting for the books to come would take too long, so I'll just order the cheaper versions for next term. Anyhow I bought them from the students' society, so they were slightly cheaper than if I'd bought them off the shelf.


There are no seats in Hoog Catharijne, the big shopping centre next to the train station, so I've to walk all the way to the station to sit down. I am pissed off, naturally. Maybe this is for the same reason why a certain someone's friend speculates they play elevator music at night - to deter the homeless people from sleeping there (they have to leave it open at night because it's a thoroughfare to the city centre from the station), though come to think of it, I haven't seen homeless people yet, probably because I'm not often out after dark.

I don't understand how people of both genders can stand wearing a sweater or pullover indoors, in a room where the heating is on overdrive. Even if they're not as sensitive to heat as me, surely they feel hot inside? Maybe they're too lazy to remove their winter wear, or fear that removing their sweaters will ruffle their hair or the clothes underneath (if they're not already rumpled - another reason to conceal them) or cause the latter to ride up. My favourite theory, though, is that they're concealing what they wear underneath so they can wear the same top for days on end. [Someone: maybe they are from nus @science faculty] I really should get something to wear under my coat that needs to be zipped up (and thus is easy to remove and put on), but winter is ending, and I rather freeze than bake, so.

Air-conditioning still seems essentially unknown in Europe. If there's a repeat of the 2003 heat wave I'm seriously considering flying back earlier.

I see a lot of masochistic people eating ice cream. Maybe they're like the Russian ice hole swimmers. Or it's the "tuina/massage principle" - you get whacked so hard, you forget the original pain and then think you're cured.

I don't know why most Singaporeans are so beholden to Singaporean food.

Some Dutch have American accents. I blame it on the media - they watch films and TV shows in their original language with Dutch subtitles. I also blame this for their level of English proficiency (too bad the same didn't happen with me and Chinese).

At least at one school location, photocopying costs €0.05 a page and printing on the laser printer €0.03 a page. The world is going crazy. Maybe I should find a scanner and scan in stuff I want to zap, then print it.


"What you need to do if RSI interferes with your study progress?

It is important that you first and foremost contact your general practitioner... what measures can be taken. Examples can be:

- Better spacing of exams
- Oral exams in place of written ones
- Alternatives for papers and the like"

Wah. I wonder whether NUS will accept this (the above is subject to approval by a board, though, of course).


Booklet on getting a job:

"Chapter3 What happens when you have worked?

Of course you are going to get paid, 'cause that's the main reason you will be working"

Gah.