Places I want to go...

It’s routine days like today that I forget where I am and how lucky I am to be here in Holland. Everyone may be jealous of my new life and home but to be honest, sometimes you lose sight of where you are and get caught up in this busy, messy and chaotic thing called life. There are ups and downs no matter where you are in the world and sometimes you just have to step back for a second and appreciate what you have.

Now Koen and I have had plenty of good times but lately, hard times seem to be more frequent. There are many different aspects of living abroad that they don’t really include in those romantic books…You know the ones about two people who fall in love and run off to some exotic place to live happily ever after. There are work permits and residence permits involved that include piles upon piles of paperwork and important documents (that you even have to get your Dad to send through FedEx Express--sorry about that). There is the constant worry that something might not be accepted and paperwork may not go through and things will fall apart at the drop of a hat. Fortunately, this continual burden has left me with a different perspective and a better sense of what I want in life. Not many people have the opportunity to see with this much clarity and if you do, I hope it is not under the same circumstances. They always say that once you lose something, that makes realize how much you needed or wanted it in the first place. Well… you could say that is something that concerns me on a daily basis and I am very certain I have everything I could have ever wanted.

Now having said that, I want to emphasize the importance of the cliché quote that one must “live every day to the fullest”. (Cheesy I know) But you can’t let the paperwork stop you. Do what you want and experience what you want to experience. For me that experience is travel and seeing the world and luckily for me, Koen and I are on the same page with this goal. 

So here is my list of places to see before I leave Europe:

Paris, France: For obvious reasons, I want to visit Paris, the City of Lights or should I say, la Ville Lumière. I want to hear French all around me. And maybe even learn a few words (“voulez vous coucher avec moi” probably won’t get me very far). I want to have a baguette and drink champagne alongside the Seine.  And being that it is famous for being one of the most romantic cities, I anticipate dragging Koen along for this one!

Prague, Czech Republic: To be honest, I know very little about this country but I think that’s all the more reason to see it, right? Like most people, I’ve googled the city and it looks beautiful.

Istanbul, Turkey: This would probably be the most exotic trip I’ve experienced being that it is the most eastern country that I plan to visit. The Netherlands is different from the US, that’s true but doesn’t have the religious influences that a country like Turkey has. There is something mystifying about the mosques and scenery--they leave me intrigued.

Japan: Now Japan wouldn’t be my first choice but Koen has really sold me on this one lately. Perhaps I've mentioned this before but about 2 months ago, Koen had the random idea of visiting Japan as his graduation present and I was completely bewildered. At first I brushed this off and thought he was just going stir-crazy in the Netherlands but later I did some research and saw pictures of Mt Fuji and Miyajima which truly seem like breath-taking places. Not to mention it is the hub for innovating advanced technologies and could be educational for me since I’m currently working in the IT industry!! Wink wink

Some more on my list: Copenhagen, Brussels, Berlin, Rome, Croatia, Budapest, and Barcelona

Meanwhile, awaiting some cash flow, good weather, and vacation time!!!  

Let the adventures begin! :)

Dutch winter in true Dutch fashion...

Well it’s that time of year again for the Dutchies. Snow has fallen and canals are freezing over meaning Elfstedenkoorts is in the air!!

Now I know what you’re thinking, what is Elfstedenkoorts and what is so great about frozen water and chilling temperatures especially when you don’t have any mountain ranges to go skiing/snowboarding on? Well let me enlighten you, dear friends.

Every year around this time, the Dutch get a sparkle in their eye when temperatures drop below 0 degrees Celsius (freezing). This is due to a chilly and excitement-worthy event known as Elfstedentocht. I have literally just been informed of this event yesterday and when I was first told that people go to the north of Holland in Friesland and skate in a 200 km (124 mi) ice-skating race through 11 cities, I wasn’t enthused. I mean what is so appealing about standing in the cold while people ice skate. Yeah, nothing.. but if there is a party involved…that changes the situation! Many people flock to the area and watch while the skaters compete and since it has been 15 years since the last event, I’m certain that the drinks will be flowing and I will be there to see it.

Side note: My favorite aspect of this whole event is the verbiage that goes along with it: Elfstedentocht and Elfstedenkoorts. Elfstedentocht literally means "Trip to 11 cities" and Elfstedenkoorts is a way of describing the hype that goes along with the event. “Koorts” means fever so if you compare it to Justin Bieber fans who have Bieber Fever, it is something similar and I have it and you will too.

Another surprising detail I’ve noticed is that the majority (and I wouldn’t say all) of Dutchies aren’t happy with snowy weather. And being that I am ecstatic any time it snows, this is weird to imagine…UNTIL we had our first big snow in Rotterdam. Lots of things go down over here that usually aren’t a problem for most Americans (depending on where you live). City-slickers may think differently but I can speak for most North Carolinians when I say that snow isn’t really bad news. Now in Holland, many people rely on public transportation to get to and from their destinations (bicycles included). It is usually a quite efficient and complex system that beats Amtrak by a mile any day but when there is so much as a snowflake, all hell breaks loose. Trains are delayed for hours at a time, some come and then you immediately have to get off and some simply do not come at all.

The waiting period during this time is what some would describe as extremely miserable. To be more explicit, what this entails is buying a hot coffee (necessary), having very thick socks, hats, gloves, etc and having the attitude that your train will never come so that when it does, you are delightfully surprised. A feeling I've experienced a lot lately with my trains to work.

Then you also have your bike to worry about (which I’ve successfully attempted to ride for the first time this morning). Riding in slush/ice is very dangerous considering how close a lot of cyclists ride next to the road but to the Dutch I guess it’s just a day in the life. Koen doesn’t seem to pay it much attention at least!

In other news, I have yet to set a date for when I make my trip to the States. Ideally I would like to come in the next few months but fiscally that may not be viable...(my excuse for all things worth over 5 euros these days) For now, “I’m living off the land” as my Dad would call it so the saving will begin soon. Either way, I know Katie is planning to visit in June so I have that to look forward to! It’s only a matter of time before more of you guys cave and purchase a ticket to explore all the wonders that Europe has to offer as well as visit Koen, me and my cat. Miss you all!

If you want to know more information about Eflstedentocht:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elfstedentocht

Here is an article about it as well:

http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/9104/Het-weer/article/detail/3378556/2013/01/17/Weerbureaus-denken-al-aan-Elfstedentocht.dhtml