Strolling around on a Friday

After school today I walked around the city a bit. I actually wanted to find a book for the philosophy essay that we're going to write, but I had no luck at the library. Later on I went to take a look at de Bijenkorf (a shop/department store) and I found the most amazing dress from Fornarina! I fell in love completely, so I'm probably going to buy it next month when I get money.

The weather was so nice today so I decided to walk home instead of taking the tram. On my way I passed the newly opened EkoPlaza, which is a chain of grocery stores with organic foods. It was really fancy actually, felt a bit like walking into Cajsa Warg in Stockholm. The only thing I needed was actually lettuce, but in that section Albert Heijn was actually better. So, I strolled home, carrying a package with lettuce in my hand, and I got some strange looks from people I met on the street. Just another day in The Hague.

Dutch/Swedish?

To being able to wake up around 10.00 on a Thursday morning is really one of the best parts of the student life. I didn't have any lectures today, so I just chilled at home (reading of course). I needed to sleep a bit longer because of the visit at Hotel Bar Corona last night. I came home around 01.30 I think, which, however, is not that late, but still. A girl needs her sleep! It was so nice yesterday, we ordered a bottle of the house wine to share among three people. I should add here that it was actually for research purpose related to the project we're working on.

Sitting a hotel bar like that reminds me so much of going out in Stockholm, where it's much more common than here. Lately I've been trying to find a bit more nice places to go out, instead of the extremely studenty bars/clubs. I guess it's just a natural response to the homesickness. Anyway, last night felt a bit like Stockholm, which was really good! It was a very nice bar, but I think we lowered the average age with about 30 years. Too bad, but maybe there's a younger crowd there if we go in the weekends instead.

Going out on a Wednesday is also a very Stockholm thing to do. In Holland (and many other European countries) Thursday is the day in the week to go out as a student, but in Sweden, Wednesdays are sometimes called "little Saturday". It is basically the day in the middle of the week when more people tend to go out (except for the weekends of course). I've been thinking so much about typical Swedish things since I moved to Holland. I think that when you move abroad, you emphasize your nationality more. For example, I feel a lot more Swedish when I'm here than when I'm in Sweden. In fact, when I'm in Sweden I actually feel a bit Dutch. It's just the fact that most other Swedes I meet don't have the same first-hand experience with Holland as I do now, which makes me feel a bit "part of" Dutch society. I bought a Dutch issue of MarieClaire today, which I'm going to try and read soon. Reading magazines and newspapers is a good way to keep track on what's going on in the country, and practice my Dutch of course.

We actually did some "work" too...

Coffee Company

I'm now sitting in Coffee Company, reading a book about setting up communication plans. I like reading books that address us as future professionals, and that is not purely theoretical. I don't know if we have these kinds of books because we're studying in a university of applied sciences or not, but I like it! When I'm sitting here reading, I can really picture myself, working in a communication or branding agency. It makes the studying more worthwhile in a way, when you know how you can apply the knowledge in the future. We have another book though, in the course Media Theory, that I simply cannot understand. But I guess you cannot like all the textbooks! 

Tonight me and my project group are going out to have a glass of wine in a hotel bar somewhere downtown, in pure research purpose actually. Any school project that involves having a drink with friends is approved by me. The good part is that we don't have any lectures or classes tomorrow!

Of course I have a matching bow in my hair... 

Not always rainbows and sunshine

Since I moved to Holland, there has been nothing but new experiences and fun adventures. I guess that that is basically what you expect when you leave your old world behind and move to another country, school and social life. However, since this blog is about the life as an international student, I think it would be unfair if I would only write about the positive things (although they are in majority). Lately I've been having a feeling that I think everyone get (more or less) after living some time abroad. I've felt that things aren't as fun anymore, as exciting. When I get too much to do I feel trapped in some way, even though I love my life here in The Hague. This feeling has scared me lately, because I honestly don't feel that there is anything wrong with my life here. If I had to go back in time I would do it all over again, without a doubt.

So what is it then, that makes me feel down at times, and restless? Well, after some thinking I have figured that it must be some sort of homesickness, but also that I've reached the point where my The Hague life has become my "ordinary" life, and the one I have in Sweden is now exceptional. I think that sooner or later, wherever in the world you are, you reach this point. It's called the everyday life, and it's here to stay.

However, I believe that there are ways to see it from a positive side. I now know The Hague so well, that I basically have two homes in this world. Not many people have that. Also, I do love living here, and I always feel a lot better when I remind myself that I would feel like this even if I lived in Sweden, but probably more. Holland is still quite unknown and exciting to me, and there is a lot that I haven't discovered yet. Just a simple thing like picking up the Metro newspaper this morning on the tram and realize that I can actually read it can make such a big difference!

Anyway, this post wasn't meant to put people off going abroad, but to give it a more balanced view. Moving abroad is a big, scary and life-changing step, but it is never, ever, something that you will regret.

Drifting in Belgium

This weekend I went down to the south of Holland again, to the Limburg province. I had a really great time, and was busy the whole weekend: dinner in Eindhoven, coffee in Hasselt (Belgium), drifting in Lommel and cinema in Maasmechelen. The drifting was so much fun! We found an empty, big space in the middle of nowhere and drifted for a bit more than 2 hours. I had never tried it before, but after a while it actually went pretty well! The only part that was a tiny bit scary was the train tracks along the side of the area, about 1 meter below... But obviously I survived! When we were done, the whole backside of the car was covered in snow, and the car was vibrating on our way home because of all the ice and snow stuck in the tires. Now I have to find a back wheel driven car so I can try this in Sweden.

A real Swede has drifting in her DNA.                                                        Photography: Dennis Noten. 

Mercedes sign on a BMW

A bit less flat side of Holland

Three stars out of five

Today I woke up quite early actually, even though I didn't have any classes. Later, around noon, I had a meeting with a friend for our branding project. We met up at Coffee Company to have a nice cup of Chai tea, but later we moved to the eetcafé next to it, 't Ogenblik. It's a really nice place to sit, but the staff is quite rude. I've noticed lately that this blog has almost turned into a review of The Hague's bars/cafés and restaurants. Well what can I say, I like to discover new sides of the city! Tonight we're going out to the Student Extravaganza party, I'll give a full review when I've recovered from the partying! 

TASTE

Last night we decided to go to TASTE Wine Bar, a really nice bar next to Buitenhof (the area around the government building). First I wanted to go to Chin Chin, but we saw in the last minute on their website that they closed down in December. But anyway, it was really nice to go out and have a glass of wine (or two) with the girls. I can really recommend the bar; the service was great and the interior design is very nice!

We ordered two different bottles of white wine, so delicious!

It's been so cold the last few days, and I'm still biking to school every morning. Because of that, they called me "viking" this morning in class. That got me thinking, and I'll probably start taking the tram soon. My genetic Scandinavian resistance against the cold has completely vanished since I moved to Holland. And what I really can't stand is the wind here in The Hague, which makes it feel about 10 degrees colder than it really is.