The Spring and the Uneventful!!

 Well hello everyone!! I realize I haven't written in QUITE some time! But of course that doesn't mean I have forgotten about you all ;) To be totally honest, nothing really interesting has happened around here for a few months as I am working like a mad woman to finish up my thesis! (Believe me, this gets in the way of many potential travel plans!) But there is light upon the horizon....

Last week I had my final presentation at my internship, on May 1st I will hand in my final thesis and on May 27th I will defend my thesis in front of a combined board of Hanze and Vilnius university faculty members....SO the end in nearing!  :D

The weather here is warm and sunny which keeps me motivated and up beat...Charlie too...

Aside front that...the biggest event in my life was last Tuesday when I went to fundraiser banquet with my co-workers...      and I got a hair cut...

And that's all folks! I hope everyone is doing really we'll and having a great Spring! Please write me an email to let me know what is going on where ever you are! I can't be tooooooo in the loop! Love and miss you all! Take care!!

Berlin Again

Hello again everyone and happy first week of March!! Yikes!! Is that right, March already?! Ah yes, indeed it is. This is particularly terrifying as I supposed to be finishing up my thesis and graduating in just a few short months! Seriously?! On the other hand the passing time also means warmer weather and more sun is on the way! Honestly, the idea of biking soon without getting soaked in the rain excites me quite a bit.

Since my last post I have mostly been busy filling out job applications and scouting possible future employers, which although slightly stressful is also immensely exciting. I am really discovering a lot of possibilities in my field and find myself excited at the prospect of applying myself professionally. (Also having an income again is looking like a pretty good idea!) Oh where shall my path go?!  I will keep you all posted on where and when Charlie and I will begin our next chapter, so please send me good vibes and if anyone has any suggestions or thoughts, I would love to hear those as well!!

In more current news Charlie and I have recently come back from yet another trip to Berlin, Germany. The university was closed for a week in between blocks and I was feeling the need for some different scenery, so we took a bus to see Franziska and her boyfriend Lalith for 5 days. It was very relaxing and productive at the same time (how often does that happen right?!) for me, while Charlie spent his days primarily avoiding Lakshmi, Franzi’s massive cat. Luckily despite her size, the cat is also a bit of a scardy-pants, and the two mostly just avoided each other. Franzi’s neighbor lent me her bike for the week and we did a fair amount of exploring the city.  While Franzi was working Charlie and I ventured on our own… or napped…but hey nothing wrong with that right?! ;)

Even though this was indeed my third trip to Berlin, a few things still stand out to me, one of which is the amount of broken glass everywhere! I know perhaps it seems such a trivial thing to notice in such a renowned city, but really…it’s a lot…and its like everywhere! Although it gives the city somewhat of a “hip” vibe, I was quite worried about Charlie’s paws. Other than that we were lucky to have such nice sunny dry weather to facilitate our outdoor fun.  We also took advantage of being in such a large multi-cultural hub by eating Chinese dim sum, Vietnamese curry and Israeli hummus platters all within a few days. So yummy!

It was really a nice break and good trip! Thanks Franzi, Lalith and Lakshmi for having us AND entertaining us for the week. Good luck with everything in the coming weeks (interviews, USA trips, applications and theses!!!).

As for me, it’s back to restructuring my thesis, more job applications and normal life again! Wish me luck! Until next time! xoxo

The Start to 2016

Hello again everyone! Sorry it's been awhile, but to be totally upfront 2016 started off decidedly mild, which I believe to be a good thing. Charlie and I started off the New Year at Gerben's parents house where the whole family got together to play board games, eat "oliebollen" (typical Dutch New Years food....aka deep fried ball of dough-sometimes with raisins-drenched in powdered sugar. Yum!) and ring the tower bells at midnight. On New Years Day we all went to the coast to watch Gerben's sister do the Polar Bear Swim which was quite a sight! We ended up spending the whole weekend there just enjoying the quiet atmosphere and relaxing. So. Nice. :)

After New Years, it was officially time to get back to my thesis and "normal" life; however, Mother Nature had another plan! For 3 days, the whole city was shut down due to snow which turned into a thick ice sheet covering the whole city and extending our holiday vacation. There were people curling and iceskating everywhere in the streets and it was almost impossible to walk on the side walks! It was crazy, but oh so fun! :D After all, who doesn't love a good snow/ice day?! Charlie was less amused, but we sure enjoyed ourselves!
 

When all the ice melted and life actually returned to normal, my friend Miriam came to town for a visit which was lovely! I hadn't seen her since August so it was great to catch up and discuss what our next life step is...turns out I'm not the only one who is indecisive! Haha Thanks for coming Miri!! I hope I get to see you again soon! :)

On a sad note, Gerben and I are no longer dating and I recently moved in with a friend of mine.  :( Break-ups are hard no matter what the circumstances, but I believe we will adjust and continue the way best for both of us. Things just don't always go how you want them to sometimes, but that is just life. So there.

BUT to end on a more uplifting topic, I want to congratulate my two wonderful colleagues, whom last week passed their thesis defenses! Go Runa! Go Nele! YAHOOOOO!!! I am so proud (and jealous!) that you not only finished school, but did so with high spirits, high class and high marks! I hope I can follow in the same way! haha You're awesome!!!

Meanwhile in Idaho.... Yeah.....no words for that.....

Well, that's all for now folks!! You'll be hearing again from me soon as I have travel plans in the cooker! Until then I love and miss you all, like always! xoxo

Christmas in Cali

            This is another blog written from an airport! Coming to you live (not quite) from the SFO International Airport! After spending a week in Half Moon Bay with mom and enjoying the sun and sand I find myself heading back to The Netherlands to rejoin my regular life just in time for New Years! Before I get into the meat of this blog I want to send a huge thank you to Mom’s close friend Chris, who lent us his beach home in Aptos while he was away. Thank you is simply no enough. For Mom and I, week together over the holidays in such a nice place was beyond wonderful and absolutely just what we needed. I appreciate it so very much and I promise we left it just how it was.  We added oven mitts and a few odds and ends to your kitchen in gratitude, but the real thankfulness is in our hearts.  I am even taking a bit of lavender I cut from the bush outside back with me. Thank you thank you thank you for being so generous! It made our holidays better than we could have ever expected.

            SO, upon arrival at our beach getaway house, Mom and I got straight to work. We set up our tiny metal miracle tree, put lights up outside, wrapped presents and attached a bulbous wreath to the front gate. We didn’t come to mess around; we were together and Christmas was finally here! The very next day Cousin Kelly and Uncle Mike rolled into town with their suburban packed to the max with holiday baking materials. Shortly there after the rest of the Foster family arrived and we had ourselves a “good ol’ FAMILY Christmas!’, which of course included Aunt Susan in charge of the booze department, Kelly making Turkey Chili, Uncle Jim and John scheming how to sneak homemade fudge and the rest of us busy eating! We watched A Christmas Vacation , chatted, lit a fire and played board games making for a really cozy evening together. I honestly cannot remember when the last time we were all together like that! It was so much fun! Thank you all for coming to see us!  

 

            The next morning, us early-birds (Kelly and I) were up far to early, thanks in part to a hefty 9 jet-lag, and the kicked off a baking extravaganza for the ages. Between us 3 girls (Mom, Kelly & I), we must have made over 1,000 cookies in 15 hours! No joke. Maybe to some it sounds like a nightmare, but boy did we have fun! Outside it poured rain and we baked, Mike built a fire and watched movies and ran to the store for last minute items and we baked, the radio played Adel’s new album and she sang and we danced and baked! Around noon the rain broke so we did too for a quick stroll down on the sand, but when the clouds returned to the sky we returned to the kitchen to finish what we started. Finally as we were finishing up around 10pm, I thought I’d never want to see the inside of that kitchen again! We divided up the loot between us and made treat baskets for…well probably everyone we know…and their dog…and their dogs friends…

  

            The following day Kelly and Mike loaded up and headed home leaving Mom and I to plan our Christmas Eve and morning, which I might add was much enjoyed. We went to the spa, did some exploring and walked on the beach every chance the weather allowed. On Christmas Eve, the two of us went to fabulous candle light service at a church recommended to us by a local hairdresser, which we REALLY enjoyed. It was a lovely venue with a great service and before hand there was an optional short “Remembrance Service” to honor those that could not be with us this Christmas.

I was surprised to see so many people there. It reminded me that there is loss everywhere, and in some places more than others. We all lit individual candles for those we missed and Mom and I lit three: one for Grams, one for Dad and of course one for Spud. Except for Neil’s memorial I have never been in a room filled with so many tears. It sounds sad, but it wasn’t. It was cleansing and gratifying and peaceful to take 20 minutes and dedicate them to a memory we usually try so hard to avoid.

As we joined the rest of the congregation for the regular Christmas Service, I could tell who had been in the Remembrance Service. We had make-up smeared eyes, crunched tissues clutched in our fists and noses to put Rudolf to shame, but we were there. I can’t speak for all those people, but at least for me I also had a lighter heart, because I knew I could cry all I wanted, but Neil was already there with us.

 

            After the service, Mom and I headed home, made dinner, watched Alvin & the Chipmunks, played Rummicube and were in bed by 10pm. What a treat! The next morning “Santa” had come, so we had ourselves a quiet Christmas morning together and, of course, after stockings and presents we went down to walk on the beach! That is a Christmas first for me! That afternoon Patrick arrived bringing even more joy to our day! After a short reunion the three of us piled in the rental car and went to John and Kristen’s home for Christmas dinner. Kristen’s sister and parents were also there making for a completely full house! Of course the food and company were amazing and we polished off the evening with home made coffee cake (Dad’s favorite!) and vanilla ice cream.

            On our last day at the beach Patrick, Mom and I went for a final coastal walk and explored the old abandoned ship sitting at the end of the pier. I imagine it had been there a very long time judging by the sate of it, making it cool and creepy at the same time. We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting some more, cleaning up our living quarters and attempting to tetras pack all of our things into our suddenly too small suitcases…funny how that happens…The next morning we were all so sad to leave the beach house and each other, but I suppose the show must go on! It really was such a wonderful week. I couldn’t have imagined better. Good idea Mom!

            Now, in other news, I have (as usual for this time of year) gotten my New Year’s Resolutions in order!! OMG SOOOOOOO excited (as always) about that! SO here is a bit of what’s in the works for 2016 (including other things):

• ·      Take a trip to the South Pacific (Katherine, Meghan, Maiyan, Chris & Matthew here I come!)
• ·      Graduate
• ·      Find new music for my runs (suggestions please!!)
• ·      Color & journal more often
• ·      Meditate regularly (roll-over from last year…)
• ·      Pay one compliment per day
• ·      Bless my meals before I eat them

Ok everyone, that’s all for me! Did anyone else make resolutions this year? Let me know! Please shoot me an email if you have time to fill me in about your Christmas’ and New Years’ plans! I am sending lots of love and hugs to you all as always.

Take care you special people you! J

xoxo

'Tis the Season

Hello again everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are getting ready to celebrate Christmas and the New Year in style! Things in my neck of the woods have gotten pretty busy with the holidays and since the weather had been unseasonably warm and rainy if feels more like September than December around here. Sometimes I must admit the days go by so quickly that I am terrified that one day I will miss one all together!

Anywho, the Dutch have their own form of Halloween in early November called St. Martin's Day. Local children go "trick-or-treating" in their neighborhood and although they don't dress in costume, they come knocking on the door with tiny paper lanterns and sing songs to receive thier treats. It is quite adorable, even I must say.

And of course no one here celebrates Thanksgiving but that is an unimportant detail..... Why miss an excuse to bake yummy food and get together with lovely people?! Nonsense! SO I made a chicken (A turkey has NO hope of fitting in my oven!), mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and a pumpkin pie, rounded up Gerben and our two roommates and we had a little feast just the four of us. It was the first time we had EVER all eaten together and I thought it was really nice! The very next day I was invited to another "Thanksgiving" at a firends house. It was pot-luck style and everyone brought something from where ever they come from. With 13 of us, there was plenty of food to go around and although there was no traditional Thanksgiving food, Dutch, Russian, Southern Chinese, Norwegian, Itailan and German food all made for an interesting combination. It was definatly one for the books! Thanks Dania for letting us celebrate together in you adorable apartment! It was great!

Just after Thanksgiving, the Dutch also celebrate their own version of Christmas called Sinterklaas on December 5th. It is similar to a Christmas celebration but with lots and lots of marzepan! There is a traditonal gifting game that goes along with the celebration and of course what's a holiday without the treats that go along side! I was fortunate enoguh this year to be invited to 2 Sinterklass celebrations! The first was with my fellow voluteers at the Humanitas organization and the second with Gerben's family at his sister Aafke's house in a nearby city. On both occasions we had a really nice time and just enjoyed being together. 

Outside the holidays (Yes! I DO, do other things!) it has been busy as well. My Chinese class has come to an end and next semester I will take an HSK 4 prepcourse and participate in the HSK exam in March. For those of you that don't know, HSK is the Chiese language profincey test equivalant to the English TOEFL exam. I took the HSK 4 last year and failed by 1 point (ahhhhh so lame!!) so I am looking forward to having my vengence! Also my Dutch courses are continuing as normal and although I still morify Gerben with my accent and bad grammar, I think I am improving....slowly....haha 

And speaking of learning things slowly, my faithful dance partner Raouf and I are moving on to the next level of Salsa Dance after the New Year. We may be a bit uncoordinated and not so smooth, but my goodness do we ALWAYS had a good time. Thanks Raouf for putting up constantly with my too left feet! You're the best! :D

AND of course I am avidly working on my thesis! Oh yeah, that's why I am over here right?! Research is going well and I must say no one is more suprised than me, but I am actually really enjoying it! I spend 3 days a week at my internship doing communications reserch for my thesis client in the Nursing Faculty of my university. I don't get paid, BUT I have my own work space, wonderful/knowledgeable collegues, flexible timetables and my name is even on the office door. So snazzy! :) So far everything is going well with a percieved finishing and graduation date of late May. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...... (Hopefully you've all seen Finding Nemo....).

For now I am off to the USA again. This time to California to spend time with some of the pople I love for Christmas. It will be a short trip as I will be back with Gerben and Charlie for the New Year. 

It is the first Christmas without Neil and it is so odd not to have him on my gift list. I feel the hole more insensly these days and more and more realize what it means to lose a whole person, its a lot. You lose your traditions with them and who you were with them. You lose how they made you feel and I think about that a lot these days. Happy Christmas little brother, no REI card for you so my love and prayers will have to do.

Please have a safe and joyus holiday everyone and if you have time please send me an email to tell me all about it. I would love to hear from you all. Take care and Ill see you next year!! xoxoxo

Mom Comes for a Visit!!

Hello again! Once again I feel I am a bit behind in my blogging! How can I possibly prevent this?! Lately it seems that I write a blog and suddenly its 4 weeks later and I need to write another one! Well as most of you know, my dear Mother came to visit me for nearly three weeks in October. Fun is not EVEN the word to describe our activities so I’ll just say; we really had the best time together. She was able to bring her dog Savannah (Charlie’s younger sister and best friend!) and the four of us had a ball strutting around Europe together! 

First, we started our trip off in Amsterdam where we walked nearly the entire city (the pups were so tired!) including the Albert Cyup Market, Vondalpark, the flower district, The Royal Palace, central station and we even took a ferry across the northern canal to the Eye Theater for lunch in their awesome café which looks across the water back at the city. Aside from all the site seeing, Mom did ample shopping and I tested out my limited Dutch with sales clerks, waitresses, tram drivers and information office attendants, which was shaky at best, but a hoot all the same.  We were also able to have a quick coffee with a friend of mine, who recommended us all the best things to do in the city. Thanks Tuan for all your advice!

Also while in Amsterdam, Mom and I shared the first of many birthdays to come without Neil. He would have been 22 on October 10 this year so Mom and I had a beer and said a prayer to honor the occasion. We prayed he had a joyous celebration all the same and was still spreading his love everywhere as always. On the side I selfishly added that I would be much appreciative if he helped watch over me and that future birthdays of his would feel less soul crushing, but we will see. 

After Amsterdam had all it could handle of us, we hoped on a train and headed for Belgium. To clarify, when I say “hopped” I really mean boarded and waited for hours due to a suicide jumper ahead on the tracks….It was a very messy travel day filled with jam-packed trains and changing schedules, taxis, busses, broken phones and late arrivals, BUT we did eventually make it to Bruges where we stayed in a wonderful bed and breakfast in the city center. Although the pups were hard pressed to find a patch of grass in the mid-evil city to relieve themselves on, Mom and I spent the next 4 days testing Belgian cheese, beer and chocolate and taking photos of the iconic gothic style buildings. Although it was quite cold we bundled up Charlie and Savannah and visited the local brewery, bell tower square market, shopping districts and surrounding windmill farms. It was a really lovely city that I would truly recommend and enjoy returning to.

I thought after our previous journey, Mom would never get back on other European train, but after 4 days in Bruges we found ourselves yet again on the train, this time bound for my home city of Groningen. The return trip went much smoother and we arrived in the pouring rain and exhausted. Good to be home! :D

Mom rented the same apartment I used to live in for a week and a half and we really got our mother-daughter time on! We took the pups for long daily walks, hit the gym, made strawberry jam, picked rosehips on the canal, ate out, ate in, made future plans, chatted, teased each other and generally had a dandy time! I took her on a canal boat tour of the city, to high tea and to eat the biggest pancakes in town. Gerben accompanied us when he could and even hung out with Mom when I was busy, which was good because it took a few days for her to get accustomed to biking everywhere! Go Mama Go!!! :D

We were also able to rent a car for a few days, one of which we visited The Water Lily spa where we had nice massages and lunch. The last few days we visited Gerben’s parents house in Delfzijl where we stayed for a night and visited with the family. It was really a lot of fun to have Mom meet Geb's parents and get everyone together! That Sunday Geb, Nienke (Gerben’s brother’s girlfriend) and I ran the Sea Mile fun run in the harbor. The weather w as great and it was nice to run in a new place. Mom, Gerard and Marian (Geb’s parents) all brought the dogs and cheered us on from the sidelines. That evening we packed up the car and drove back to Amsterdam where we checked into a hotel for a night as Mom’s flight left quite early in the morning. Although our visit was quite short we had a great time! Thanks Gerard and Marian for having us again!        

As we unloaded Mom at the airport, I was very sad to see her go and miss her already! Now everything is going back to normal and I am diving head first into my thesis work. Wish me luck! :D