The Arnhem TOEFL
To get accepted into the University of Melbourne as an exchange student, you need to come up with a form of proof to show that you’re proficient enough in the English language to be able to follow English lectures, communicate with others, etcetera. For this the TOEFL has been developed (TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language).
Today it was my turn to take it. So I woke up around 6AM and took a train to Arnhem, the only place in The Netherlands where you can take the test. (You’d think they could pick a place that’s a bit more centrally located in the country, but noooo.) Of course I arrived late, because the Dutch Railways are profoundly skilled in delaying travellers. Luckily the TOEFL people didn’t make too big a deal out of it, and sat me down behind a computer.
They tested me on several aspects: listening, structure, reading and writing. In the beginning I had a hard time concentrating on the questions actually, due to a severe lack of sleep, too much caffeine in my system, and an empty stomach. But I did the best I could, and am quite convinced I passed. Another step closer to my semester ‘down under’! 
So after about three hours of testing I was finally done and left the building. Without any other obligations for the day, I decided to hang around in Arnhem for a bit, since I’d never been to the place before. “Why not” I figured.
And I’m glad I did that. Arnhem is quite nice I must say. It has a cosy city centre which reminded me a bit of Haarlem. The architectural mix of old traditional Dutch houses and modern building is quite intriguing. It’s much more of an old/new mix than the city centre of Amsterdam. This probably has a lot to with the amount of bombs that fell on the city in World War II, but to be honest, my history knowledge really doesn’t extend that far.
For an hour or two I walked around, sniffing up the sights and sounds that the place has to offer. I ate lunch in the city park while enjoying the sun… I always enjoy exploring new places on my own, - and to my own surprise - even in my own country.
James
