White-washing picket fences

This is normally the point where I'd say "Why's it gotta be white?" to try to create an awkward racial moment... But I'll refrain.

I've been here a week now and I'm starting to become a pretty quick bed maker. I can take out the trash, spray down windows and sinks, and vacuum and mop floors with the best of them. (Don't tell my mom)

The weird thing is I'm enjoying it. It's like I'm one of those kids who was convinced by that one guy that white washing picket fences is fun.

I think there's two reasons I'm enjoying being a cleaner in this hostel:

1) The location. Amsterdam is a beautiful city. When the lights reflect off the canals at night it's particularly nice. (I'll try to do pics soon)

When I first arrived in Cuba last year, every little thing I did seemed exciting because it was a new place. So when I played basketball or shopped at a market, it wasn't just playing basketball and shopping. It was playing basketbal and shopping... IN CUBA! Or when I went to Peru a couple years ago and volunteered at a local school, in my mind it wasn't helping out at a school everyday. It was being at TA... IN PERU!

Get what I'm trying to say? The mundane things, for me, become exciting when I'm in a new place.

2) The people. The staff here is composed of mostly college aged volunteers from around the world. Seeing as though it's a Christian hostel, they're all Christians but obviously the same isn't true of all the guests. It's been cool to talk and hear different people's (staff and guests) beliefs and stories about how they ended up in Amsterdam.

One week in and I'm already a little sad I'll only be here another 3 weeks. I'm starting to realize that when I travel I think I'd rather be in one place for a while and really get to know it rather than see a lot of places for short amounts of time. Plus I feel like I'm "part of the family" already. Everyone's been super nice and fun to hang out with.

The point of all this I guess is that when you're white washing fences in a new and beautiful city with a bunch of cool, interesting new frineds, life isn't so bad.