Life in Holland seven months ago...

I was silent for awhile and not posted something here. I am quite busy for my biking adventure. No wonder if my brown skin is now a "yummy-brownish cake" :-). I am also frequent in the kitchen satisfying and spoiling my stomach delights. I am looking back of how I am now of being in my new home. I am now more than a half year here...still very fresh from thoughts of my native home seven months ago...

Foto last June 30 at the picnic park.

Time flew so fast and I am looking back how the past months grow inside me. There are many things changed. Many things happened aside from being planned and many that are less expected. Every moment of my days are having different emotions...it can be feeling of happiness, sadness, excitement, surprise, dissapointments, tears of joy, fear and worries.

All of these were rolled for the past few times and maybe for the times ahead. However, I would list down here any things that happened, my experiences and observations up to unexpected circumstances:

( Noted not by chronological order but as per remembered only.)

1. I got married of course! This is first in mind. ( I left Philippines having a single status...I'll come back "double" :-)
2. I had touched snow :-) ...and ever had my first white Christmas.
3. Watched the movie Da Vince Code here...Ice Age 2...March of the Penguins...Narnia...The Promise...Memoirs of the Geisha and the latest was Pirates of the Carribean 2 and classic dvd films.
4. Having a new loving whiteblond family here. ( I'm the only J Lo skinned...hehehe!)
5. I encountered 48km/hr wind right in my side...
6. People talked, laughed, joked but I don't understand...
7. Sleep with a man all night long...
8. My first ever attendance of my man's family reunion :-) and met around 30+ family guest. Now I can imagine how my husband's feeling before when surrounded by my family in the Philippines.
9. Always burned by hot water in the tap.
10. Learned and speak beetje (little) Dutch. This adds to my English, Visayan, Tagalog, and Hiligaynon language archive. Thanks that I already forgot my Spanish lessons not to add...
11. Attended Dutch church service with an english translator headfone.
12. Attended the Philippine Independence celebration here...wow! estimated 5,000 Filipinos. I wonder where they came from this part of the lowlands.
13. I witnessed how fast the weather switched from time to time...
14. I eat a lot of potatoes...
15. I exposed myself to the sunrays often...forgetting about umbrella.
16. I bike.
17. My transport: Train is my fastest confidante, tram (city train) and metro (like MRT) are just a hand away, bus is my constant deliverer, bike is my closest friend and car with a loving chauffer is my intimate date :-)
18. I meet few Filipino friends.
19. Many times got lost. I was like in a maze inside of the centrum & even inside the toilette room. Finding my way-out. Hehehe!
20. Attend Filipino church service.
21. I realized how wonderful spring is.
22. Saw naked bodies.
23. Get wired of long distance calls.
24. Started to blog and do trial and error method...digging up the cyberworld. I'm not a techie person...no idea of htmls :-)
25. Studied Dutch language in Leiden. Applied for masteral study in Leiden University. I'm admitted but setting the plan aside.
26. We wandered in Paris...got closed with Monalisa, Marie Antoinette,Voltaire and Rousseau.
27. Heard French language from actual speakers. Hahaha! It's like bees buzzing in my ear.
28. Knew the difference of snow from snowflakes and hale.
29. Got in touched with the historical museums, Mesdag and Vermeer are famous Dutch painters.
30. Seeked job, vrijwilligers werk (volunteer work) but not succeeded.
31. Sometimes I become a photographer...once in a while a painter...most of the time a schoonmaaker (cleaning aid) :-)...
32. See many ducks and birds as my constant neighbors :-)
33. Experimenting in the kitchen. I cook for the past 7 months, today and tomorrow.
34. Always hear the magic words "alstublief" (please), "tot ziens" (goodbye), "dag" (good day), "dank u wel" (thanks), "leuk" (nice), "lekker" (good/delicious), "gezellig" (cozy), and many more.
35. See tulips...just name it and I can have it :-).
36. Studied Dutch in Mondriaan School in my city and met classmates from the United Nations :-)
37. Visited many cities in Holland...forget to count the windmills, canals, sheeps and cows :-)
38. I am enrolled for a summer Dutch lesson...my loving schoonmoeder (mother in-law) is my teacher :-) Hi mom W !
39. I am looking forward to autumn.
40. Chocolates are just in the corner but I don't have a sweet tooth for it.
41. A coffee enthusiast...uhmmm...I always smell it.
42. Had upside-down mood swings.
43. Always shivered when it is freezing cold. Turned like Voltes 5 with all the heavy outfits :-)
44. I miss my family and friends in Davao. I miss mountains and hills too.
45. Cheered for the Nederland football team...inffected by the "orange virus" but not immuned :-)
46. I am fond of dogs and glad to see them around. I am considering to have one but not practical in a 13th high building.
47. I am jobless but busy ;-)
48. There are still many things I forget to mentioned though, just small things but new. I think one thing more, is being a wife now.

Well, all these things have different accompanied feelings and reactions. Some are just easy and light, others are difficult yet compelling. Many things to learn and adjust from things that you are used to, to the things that are new. It is exciting to learn and fun to realize mistakes and bloopers :-).

I took this foto around 5:00am in our front view. An inspiring sunrise...

Though dissapointments strike at unexpected moment, I tried to count my blessings and be thankful to God for families and friends. I think it's still healthy to dwell in tears for a moment even fetching buckets of it. It's good to feel own's weaknesses a way to find your strenght.

Another foto took just a minute after the above shot. I always thank God for this promising sunrise.

I have a loving partner though our relationship is not exempted from tests and misunderstandings (thanks for his patience :-) hi, honey! ). There are so much in life...more chances to commit mistakes and room for improvement. I have still many things to learn since my life is just starting. I had good memories for my past 27 years and I would like to keep it. This is my destined choice. I have to live with changes, just try to do good turns and have fun out of it.