Recently in Expat Life Category
Last Monday I was on the phone for two hours with my aunt in the Lowlands, she is my friend, my 'mother', my mirror. We always seem to have deep conversations about life and lessons to learn. That day...
Continue reading: Reflection here...
I received an invitation last night from Barbara and one a while ago from Inci, both good friends and both (ex)student Graphic Design at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam where I used to work. I can't...
Continue reading: Beck's Canvas here...
I had a really relaxed weekend after a bit of an annoying week. You see; I have been trying to get some sample urls from a client for three weeks now, to see what kind of design they would prefer and ...
Continue reading: Garden Design here...
Matters from the heart today...
I received a lovely email last night from a sweet and very talented fellow blogger and friend: Ismoyo. We met up earlier this year when she came to London to work on h...
Continue reading: Sentuh Hatiku here...
I have been in deep thinkers mode lately; just too many questions in my head. A letter came in this morning from the Lowlands and it ended up unopened on top of the one that has been lying on my desk ...
Continue reading: Different Approach here...
I've been a bit out of balance lately but I guess that's just a nice way of saying that I've been slightly pissed off with some people, some situations and some attitudes. I had to think deep the mome...
Continue reading: No More here...
I guess it was bound to happen one day... I'm tagged by my friend Wen, a fellow blogger and expat living in beautiful Malta. I must admit I've tried to stay away from the tagging thing that seemed to ...
Continue reading: Perfume Tag here...
I've had many encounters with Bluebeard-like energies only to learn each time that I could not live up to their expectations, I was never good enough. I wasn't perfect therefore not tolerated, but my ...
Continue reading: My Manawee here...
There's a distance of 6100+ kilometres between our two worlds and on a good day like today there is no such thing as time, space, limitations, borders, laws, regulations, worldly matters, continental,...
Continue reading: Eternity here...
I've met up with my friend Karin yesterday. We've known each other for quite some time but while I was still living in the Lowlands she decided to move to London at some point, came back to the Lowlan...
Continue reading: Networking Images here...
If you wonder where I've been... Well besides being busy I had to come to terms with a few issues so I needed time to reflect. Things have been slightly rough again lately or perhaps they still were: ...
Continue reading: Nature's Wonders here...
I'm back from a hectic trip to the Lowlands which was absolutely draining and I'm still recovering from all the stress and lack of sleep. Friday A. and I left at 07.45 to go and pick up the van, we ha...
Continue reading: The Move [part II] here...
I'm off to the Lowlands for a few days, hopefully I will get to ride my bicycle across town on Saturday, they better keep me on a lead *hehe*
But first things first and that's gonna be moving all my...
Continue reading: Home And Not here...
I'm gonna be busy this week so no post probably [but you never know]... Had a busy Friday yesterday: visit to the hospital and meeting up for freelance work at Camden. I'll be working on some new stuf...
Continue reading: Chaotic Time here...
I received a gift from a sweetheart this morning when I woke up, one that made me smile from ear to ear! All the way from MI... The softest white fuzzy blanket you can imagine. A blanket that clings t...
Continue reading: Icing On The Cake here...
I'm still recovering from an intense Easter Sunday so I'm not sure if what I will write in my post will make any sense. I guess I shouldn't even try... Yesterday I went over to Maurice and Warren's to...
Continue reading: Easter Eggs here...
I received an email today a few hours ago which is the second offer I received in a week's time to be an editor and/or write for blogs. The first option was sent to me through email by Maurice: he ask...
Continue reading: Google Queen here...
I have had a really bad habit for years, basically because I'm not a morning person at all. I tend to be a night owl just like my dad was, my system starts to wake up at 19.00 in the evening instead o...
Continue reading: Crunchy Toast here...
Life is still busy but good lately and I have one of those days today where I feel I have all the energy in the world to get things done that I need to have done. My appointment with the dentist went ...
Continue reading: Thursday Thoughts here...
The Dutch have a saying that goes: 'Hij weet van voren niet dat hij van achteren leeft' which literally translates to, 'His front does not know that his back is alive'. Yes I know... we have some odd ...
Continue reading: Tooth Fairy here...
I'm always surprised how easy it is to start taking certain things in life for granted. And as soon as that hits me I feel ashamed because I should be grateful for what I have and count my blessings i...
Continue reading: Bless Me! here...
While I read about the winter in the Lowlands which has been cold and below zero at some point, the weather over here has been really odd this winter... I was sitting in the lounge watching a show on...
Continue reading: Spring Arrived? here...
I've been hanging out with Stuart Friday last week and yesterday which was fun. Yesterday we spent half the day walking around Oxford Street, Regent Street, Covent Garden and China Town. We went to Tu...
Continue reading: Mac vs PC here...
I spent xMas at Maurice and Warren's this year and had a great time. I went over at 14.00 and met Stuart [no not the Stuart] who arrived shortly after me and who was there for dinner as well, an ex-co...
Continue reading: xMas [2007] here...
I got a letter in last week from the NHS, the National Health Service. I'll have to make an appointment with the nurse to have another screening done. Ever since I had surgery in March this year, I sl...
Continue reading: Precious Gifts here...
Today is Sinterklaas day in the Lowlands, a special day to look forward to when I was a kid since it is tradition in the Lowlands that all children will get presents today. Mind you, children that hav...
Continue reading: Saint Nicholas here...
Today I received a most wonderful surprise from a most wonderful person. A parcel delivered to my door with a beautiful message and non-bitter, macho and orange/chilli contents... I was happy and exc...
Continue reading: Sweetest Sweetness here...
Monday I had my blood test done and for the first time, ever since I've moved here, I was confronted with the bureaucracy of the UK health system and I was not happy about it to be honest. What could ...
Continue reading: A Mystery... here...
My interview went really well yesterday and I will have to be patient for another two to three weeks before I will get my pass in. Hopefully it will be delivered on time, there has been a mail strike ...
Continue reading: The Interview here...
Tomorrow is going to be a very important day for me and when the day is over I will be able to relax, sit down and do nothing for a change [but probably not for long...]. I wrote a while ago about my ...
Continue reading: Judgment Day here...
To those who googled for 'chinese doctor' please read here how I ended up in hospital because of the herbal treatment, it took me three months to recover and I'm lucky to be alive; it caused a serious...
Continue reading: Another Friday here...
Today is Leidens Ontzet which is a day of celebration in the town I was born, I've written a post two years ago about the siege of Leiden in 1574 by Spanish soldiers during the Eighty Year's War. Odd...
Continue reading: Leidens Ontzet here...
I've decided that I will stick with the first accountant that I found online. I had an appointment with him a few weeks ago and he spent an hour to inform me. I have no clue if what I'm doing is the r...
Continue reading: Limited Liability here...
To those who googled for 'chinese doctor' please read here how I ended up in hospital because of the herbal treatment, it took me three months to recover and I'm lucky to be alive; it caused a serious...
Continue reading: Chinese Doctor II here...
The foxes have been restless for days and keep me awake at night wandering around in the gardens... I wonder what is going on, why they make such noise, I think it's probably a territory thing but I c...
Continue reading: Urban Foxes here...
I had to get up early but couldn't because I was still tired from staying up half the night while I should've been in bed asleep. But I had more important things to do than sleep so the night owl in m...
Continue reading: Birthday Maurice here...
To those who googled for 'chinese doctor' please read here how I ended up in hospital because of the herbal treatment, it took me three months to recover and I'm lucky to be alive; it caused a serious...
Continue reading: Chinese Doctor here...
I had to go see an accountant today, it was quite hectic so I took notes and wrote stuff down that I had to remember or had to look into later. He was a kind man and he took an hour to explain all the...
Continue reading: Accountant here...
I have a hangover today... (what's new hey?!) I was invited for dinner last night by Maurice and Warren. I was also invited over the weekend but wasn't feeling too well so I decided to stay home and s...
Continue reading: Home Early... here...
Last Thursday I had an important interview with J. from the recruitment agency that I found online the previous Friday. I had sent my CV along with an introduction in an email and basically asked for ...
Continue reading: The Opportunity here...
I haven't written much lately... I guess because there is too much going on at the moment. Pleasant things mostly and also stuff that needs to be done, so I ain't complaining. A. has been in Egypt for...
Continue reading: Bi-Weekly Update here...
What a diff'rence a day makes
Twenty-four little hours
Brought the sun and the flowers
Where there used to be rain
~Dinah Washington
I seem to be in some kind of vacuum after my visit to the Lowland...
Continue reading: The Pleasure Of Mini Rice Tables here...
I thought I'd left them behind when I left the country, but I guess I was mistaken... These creatures used to show up at the Vondelpark in Amsterdam each summer. It was just plain gross! And guess wha...
Continue reading: Great! ... here...
Nothing spectacular going on lately... I'm just doing my thing, whatever that is. I was supposed to meet up with Amit today but he cancelled. I met him at the Flash Actionscript course that I did. We ...
Continue reading: Smoggy Cider here...
I didn't sleep for two nights in a row. I know it would've been better if I had, especially after being seriously ill for a whole week. Monday -last week- I decided to work on my website and once I'll...
Continue reading: Live... here...
Saturday: We spent time shopping all day, went to Covent Garden again but this time I did not take the stairs, we got off at Leister Square instead. I found some really cool shoe shops in Neal Street ...
Continue reading: Mayday Weekend here...
I'm still working on my portfolio. I need to finish one online and a physical one and since I have a five years of backlog it seems to turn into a never ending story. Also because I'm working on both ...
Continue reading: Covent Garden here...
I have been invited by Kimm to come over and spent Queensday at the usual spots, Vondelpark and Cafe The Soundgarden but it would've been a last minute [therefore an expensive] decision. I wasn't real...
Continue reading: Hollandse Gezelligheid [Dutch Pleasantness] here...
We booked our flights and the rental car today for the wedding in June. I found a really cheap B&B in the same little village where the reception will be. It saves us a 12km trip to the nearest big ho...
Continue reading: Asian Cravings and Markets here...
Things have been hectic last week when I started the Flash 8 Actionscripting course. It was quite an experience and I've met some really nice people. I thought I wouldn't be able to follow but I reali...
Continue reading: Flash 8 Actionscripting here...
Things have been good for a few days now. I seem to be able to accomplish a lot more once I set my mind on it, which leaves me feeling good about myself. I try to set a goal each day and instead of no...
Continue reading: Culture Shock here...
They've taken two biopsies Thursday evening and removed a polyp from within the womb. A hysteroscopy and a colposcopy were done. This Thursday I will find out about the results. Pain is bearable but I...
Continue reading: The Aftermath here...
Well, I'm getting ready to go to hospital this Thursday and have the biopsy and surgery done. Filling out all the forms and making a list of what to bring. I'll have to do this once again on my own, b...
Continue reading: The End Or A New Beginning? here...
I've been invited by C. to another event organised by a client of the Times [where she works]. No Christies auction this time but a photography preview. So I will be ready for another evening of too ...
Continue reading: A Private View here...
How to fit your life into 21[+] categories? Well manually, one by one... It took me about three days to assign each post [638 by now] to a category. There is no other way to do this with Movable Type,...
Continue reading: Squeeze A Bit here...
I have to go to the Docklands this afternoon because I have to return a Karen Millen dress that I intended to wear at the wedding but I changed my mind. It's a beautiful strapless dress but somehow it...
Continue reading: Birthday Alex here...
Well, I managed so far, but since my other half refused to wear a surgical mask, although I kept nagging him about it, I now am victimised too. He shamelessly spread bacteria each time he had to sneez...
Continue reading: Cattle Behaviour here...
A. has been a bit grumpy for two days he has a good reason though: problems trying to get thru to some people. He tried to pay council tax by direct debit which is only possible by filling out a form ...
Continue reading: Dutch Attitude here...
I wish it would've been him [James Herriot]...
I took my mice to the vet today, both are sneezing and wheezing lately, I reckon they've got a cold. A. had the day off so we went over to the Veterinar...
Continue reading: James Herriot here...
Hell broke loose last night [A. is on standby]. All was nice and quiet till 02.00 in the morning... Then the phone rang about every hour till about 10 before things started to become normal again. The...
Continue reading: Phone Paging here...
Is this a typo or just a very nice illustration with a tiny 'L'?
A. made me dinner
GI-low recipe which was absolutely lovely! And he popped a bottle of pink bubbles... Nothing fancy, just a nice a...
Continue reading: Valentine's Day here...
Noticeable Oddities of the Day:
A. told me about BYO a while ago, a -in my opinion- strange phenomenon since I've honestly never heard of it until he mentioned it... For you out there who are as daft ...
Continue reading: BYO here...
I finally finished uploading all the pictures for the gallery, that's why I didn't publish this post earlier, so here it is... [the link to see the gallery is all the way at the bottom of this post]
...
Continue reading: Science Museum here...
And then everything went pear-shaped...
...
Continue reading: This Morning here...
I had my birthday today... Thanks Carla for your text message! Thanks Jodi, Dalton, Nicky and Inge for your emails! Thanks Uncle and Aunt, and A. for your lovely birthday cards. And thanks A. for orga...
Continue reading: A Night Out here...
Appointment 09.30 at hospital. I've spoken with the specialist for at least ten minutes before she and the nurse examined me thoroughly. Had to have a scan made, according to the scan specialist all s...
Continue reading: Alice in Wonderland here...
I wanted to take A. out for dinner because I didn't feel like cooking. There's not much choice around here and I do miss all the little restaurants situated all over Amsterdam. Nothing like that in Lo...
Continue reading: Tapas here...
Darn...
A. called to tell me that the penthouse we saw a few weeks ago has been put on the market again and is available for us... Jeez I gave up on that thought already. Advice is welcome!
See pic...
Continue reading: Penthouse II here...
A. called the hospital for me. Next week on Thursday I will have to see a specialist, I'll keep my fingers crossed but I reckon since it will be my first visit, she won't do anything freaky [just yet....
Continue reading: By Appointment here...
I have been seriously ill over the weekend, I reckon it was the side effect of the flu vaccination that I got earlier. So I ended up having a terrible cold which then turned into a nice sinus infectio...
Continue reading: New Year's here...
I have been busy wrapping xMas presents and received three parcels today, two were for me, one for A.. No I didn't touch it to see what was in there
I'm happy that my parcels came in today since one...
Continue reading: Parcels here...
We have been at Lakeside all day to buy the last bits and pieces for the family. It will be hectic in a few days since our diary seems to be fully booked with visits here and there. Friday we are invi...
Continue reading: xMas Shopping II here...
4.5 kilo in 4 weeks! Going the right way with a little bit of exercise, love that rowing machine, it's almost relaxing! Won't be able to do much today since my arm still hurts from the vaccination. B...
Continue reading: Weight Point II here...
I was on the phone with Carla tonight, she needed my personal info to arrange her wedding next year since I will be her bridesmaid, when the neighbour rang the door bell to tell A. that he accepted hi...
Continue reading: We Have a House! here...
I really need to get some sleep but I can't go to bed; the same car is sitting around the corner now, just sitting there in a spot where he is not supposed to park, must be the police or some inspecto...
Continue reading: Hectic Man! here...
Last Thursday when we came back from Lakeside there were two police cars sitting on the side of our street. One with blue flashing lights on, the other parked in front of our house. Tonight when I sat...
Continue reading: What The F@%^ here...
I'm getting tired of xMas shopping. We have been out all evening on Tuesday and tonight wandering around a big shopping mall called Lakeside. I found most of the presents and only need to get a few bi...
Continue reading: xMas Shopping here...
We wanted to get into town but ended up driving around looking for properties in nice areas. I love the townhouses in Hackney, they remind me of the Dutch houses downtown, very old, with steps up to t...
Continue reading: Penthouse here...
Yesterday we had a power failure, storms, thunder and sleet. Funny thing was, all A.'s machines rebooted themselves but my Macs were up and running when the lights went off, no problem at all... It's ...
Continue reading: Hectic! here...
We've been to the GP this morning, A. wanted me to go because I have been ignorant and in denial for quite a few years now. Just didn't want to have a checkup again. Last time I did I had to go to hos...
Continue reading: *Sigh* here...
The exhibition yesterday was slightly disappointing to be honest. I reckon I was expecting more pictures of the Northern Lights, the two pictures I posted earlier pretty much cover the whole series 'H...
Continue reading: Greenwich and Docklands here...
We are going to an exhibition this Sunday and I'm really really really looking forward to it!!!!!! I found it thru a url A. sent me about things to do in London. Here's some info:
Primarily through l...
Continue reading: Oh Yes!... here...
Noticeable Oddities of the Day:
'Holland' or 'The Netherlands'...
It's simple...
The Netherlands: a country
Noord Holland and Zuid Holland; two of twelve provinces of The Netherlands... [so no coun...
Continue reading: Once And For All... here...
I miss them you know... Internet is flacky out here and I hate it. The moment storm or rain, or both, mixed with a bit of thunder shows up, it will stop the internet hub from working and will send out...
Continue reading: XS4all here...
I had an appointment today to meet up with C. at the beauty salon nearby. I gave her a voucher to spend there and while being there, I -of course- didn't mind at all, to have a treatment myself as wel...
Continue reading: Beauty Salon here...
We went for a long walk at Epping Forest which was so relaxing. I've never seen so many fungi in one forest, amazing!!! All the different colors, shapes and sizes. Have a look at my pictures by clicki...
Continue reading: Magic Mushrooms here...
I managed to find all the info online to transfer money from the Lowlands to the UK. It's not as simple as it sounds though. You need to know all sorts of banking codes, IBAN and Swift or BIC codes an...
Continue reading: International Transfer here...
This afternoon we went over to our neighbour next door to have a look at his house which he will sell in March. It's such a nice place we both love it! It has great potential! Now that I've seen it I ...
Continue reading: House For Sale here...
No hangover today! Just really tired. We went to a giant mall called Lakeside shopping centre with over 300 stores all under one roof. I bought some DVDs so I can test my DVD burner in my G5 and copy ...
Continue reading: Lakeside here...
C. invited me to a party tonight, a farewell party for a -now- ex-colleague of the Times. We would take the bus so C. would come over to ours. Because she was running a bit late I. brought her over an...
Continue reading: Horror Night Wasted here...
We celebrated C.'s birthday yesterday at Royal China, Canary Wharf. The food was absolutely delicious! Here are a few pictures... Btw, it's me balancing those two peas, I did three too but A. wasn't q...
Continue reading: Birthday Chris here...
I've spent most of Saturday getting a bank account which is almost impossible here if you do not have an income yet. Even with A.'s history at his bank which is over 20 years or mine in the Lowlands w...