Counting down...

I am almost at the half of the very last stay in holland. (no matter what happens, i doubt anyone can make me stay here) I cannot take this dutch superioty feeling against foriegners and this amatour teaching quality.

Why?I am taking 3 courses now (practicaly I am following 3 master programes, if I did it for the whole year, not only for september, i would have 3 diplomas):

The Strategy Process (MSc in strategy management): What the hell is this course? nothing to do with business. I would even say that strategy is a really far concept from the course. It is kinda philosophing about the meaning of strategy and has no practical approach. The literature is written in such an English that sometimes i do not get the point!

International and strategic human resource management (MSc in Human Resource).This course is a joke. Structure and quality could be one of a course in high school. Demanding, but only because it is ill structured. and how international the course is? what is 'local' in the literature, is 'dutch' on the class, what is 'international' in the literature is 'foreigner' in the class. (So we do not study the local companies international business practicess, but dutch companies operations abroad, and vice versa). Also, you gotta stop speaking in dutch completaly on a master course, it is in english because there are international students, and not to enhance the dutch students' language competences. (Btw, there are some nice girls on this course :-)

Strategy of Innovation (MSc Innovation Management)The only really interesting course, which btw makes sense. It is a petty that there are way too many readings. But it is realy enjoyable, eventhough not too focused on innovation and sometimes the class is really slow.
Anyhow, doing 3 courses, first class practically was on 6 September, the last will be on 28 Sept, total of 16 ECTS credits, one ECTS stands for 28 hours of work (preparation, groupwork, etc), that mean 448 hours of work in a bit more than 3 weeks, which is funny, beacuse in theory i have 2,6 hours a day out of 24, for my private things (sleeping, eating, commuting), so i am studying 21,4 hours a day. Once more, RSM, congratulations, you got a really viable system here.

There is, nevertheless, a very positive thing, which i am quite impressed by. And this is the kindness of Dani, Alex, and Mariska. The previous two rented me their rooms for september, solving a major problem for me. the room belongs to alex, who did not even know me beforehand, still rented the room, and they are extremely nice, and kind, and help a lot. Mariska is great too, making my stay a lot easier here (she waited me with food 2 weeks ago when i arrived). Incredible, such stand up guys here, in this shit of misorganized place. But thx a lot, guys!!!! Really!

Btw, still no news about the job in milan... And i am getting certain doubts now. Maybe i should not take that job, maybe i should go somewhere else. Maybe i am not that determined.
I was just thinking, now that I spend my time, from 9 am to 9 pm at the uni, that it would be great to do this very hard month in Lisbon. Uni is open 24/7, and you got nice people at the uni (yeah, Joao, believe, I prefere studying there, where people show some emotions, unlike here, everyone is like a machine in this room, i feel pretty much like i was the only person in this huge room now).

Anyhow, way too long post, and way too many things i still need to do.
So, guys take care!!!And Thao, update your blog more often pls! ;-)
Ciao!
ps: well, some 'dutch' photos, as usual :-)

Incredible, this part is taken from MyYahoo weather forecast, from all the places that count to me, Rotterdam has the nices weather now!

The uni campus

This is Amsterdam...

That friggin famous bridge in Rotterdam