New beginnings

So I've been really bad at updating this.  I'll try and do better in the future. These last few weeks have been full of new beginnings and there are more to come.  I've begun new classes, new friendships have begun, I've begun life in a new town and soon I will begin a new internship
I've finished my first week of seminary classes and started my second week, which means I've had all of my classes at least once.  Most of them are pretty good.  There is one in particular that is a tad on the overwhelming side, but I'm sure I'll make it through (and it's not Greek!).  A couple of them are even fun and we get to do fun learning activities to help us learn about learning. Today in that class we got to play with a toy truck. Last week we talked about alien abduction.  It's classes like that that make me wonder why I wasn't an education major. :)
I'm getting used to living in Holland.  From my perspective, Holland is a very, very big place. Lots of places for me to explore.  Thankfully, the streets are laid out in a relatively easy to follow manner and I can easily find my way back to 13th street (where I live).  I've learned where I can see the sunset from, and where the grocery is, and where I really ought not to walk after dark, and may have even found a church home for the year.  I even got a library card!
Living in a new place does present some interesting challenges. One of those challenges is finding food that is "Joy-Friendly".  I had it pretty much figured out back in Canada and in Pella, but here it's all new. My first trip to the grocery lasted about 2 hours while I went through the entire store checking ingredient labels and searching for options.  There are apparently a few health food stores that I want to check out too, but I'm not getting my hopes up.  I'm already starting a list of things that I miss from home/need to bring with me next time I'm home (Joy-Friendly bouillon, Herbamere, etc).  I miss cheese, but I can't very well bring that across with me since it gets grumpy if it's in not in the fridge.
Another challenge is cooking for myself in a kitchen that is not my home kitchen.  I can cook, but I'm used to cooking within different parameters.  I'm used to having everything I could possibly need on hand and cooking for half a dozen to a dozen people and not having to really worry about how much food costs.
If any one has any suggestion on cost effective, Joy- Friendly cooking (if you want the complete details as to what makes something Joy-Friendly, let me know...the short list: no nuts, eggs, gluten, corn or dairy), please share!  right now we still have a farmers market twice a week so I'm taking advantage of fresh fruits and veggies and have even put some blueberries up for winter.
I should go study some Greek vocabulary words and then tonight I'm meeting with an ASL choir over at Hope to explore the possibility of signing with them this year.  Even more new beginnings. :)