REFLECHT...

So at the moment I'm taking a revision break. Tomorrow I have one of my final exams here in the Netherlands. I'm kind of bricking it, because it is 3 hours long, and I really don't know HOW I'm going to fill that time. But hey, hard work and I'll get there I hope. 

Today is also the lovely Claire's birthday, so tonight I will be cooking a birthday dinner and hopefully have a glass of wine with dinner if I work well enough today! Then tomorrow evening, to apologise almost, and to celebrate properly after not being able to go out, Claire and I are having a date in town, perhaps an Indonesian? Yum. 

I really wanted a relaxing last few weeks, enjoying everything the Netherlands has to offer, but it doesn't seem like it is going to go that way. We will see I guess. Work Hard, Play Hard. 

Let's just start with how insane the Netherlands is at partying. These couple of days involved very little sleep, a lot of dancing and also a lot of painful hobbling around... but it was oh soooo worth it.  So on the Saturday before Queensday itself, Claire, her best friend from home and I were on our way to town. I was on the back of her bike, and as previously explained, I then damaged the ligament in my foot. It was so incredibly swollen and so I rested the whole of Sunday & chatted with my ex-flatmate Mark who was also over to visit. I was really worried that this would then mean that I wouldn't have a great time while the Swedish girls were here, or limit what everyone would do, but I muddled through anyway and resisted going to the doctors hoping it would get better quickly (oh how wrong I was).

When the girls arrived, I literally screamed out of my flat window down to them 'I'm coming' and ran to the phone to let them in... when I say run, I mean I tried but instead looked like a snail trying to win a race. I was so emotional when I saw them at the front door and I just knew we were going to have a fabulous couple of days. They looked better than I had ever seen them, which is saying something cause they are 2 fineeeeee Swedish girls!  The celebrations started pretty much from the get-go. We went around to another flat for some drinks and then a BBQ. After we put our gladrags on and headed into Utrecht. All of the main squares were filled with people drinking & dancing. It really was amazing. We chose to say in the Dom square, which was just stunning. I kept looking up and thinking, is this really happening?! 

The next day we were up pretty early to go into Amsterdam all decked out in our orange clothing. Upon arrival we wandered around all of the stalls and went to a park for some free music. We kind of ended up in the coolest place ever though, all the young people were dressed in amazing clothes (none of which were orange I might add so we stuck out like a sore thumb..). We drank and danced, and then went to the Dam. On the way we just so happened to walk outside the Palace and saw the newly crowned King, his wife and kids in all their glory walking down the steps. Might I just add, he did WELL with his wife. She is bloody gorgeous. 

Then, I think you can guess what happened it being a Tuesday? Yep we went to Poema, and we had a BALL. It was so much fun. Weds we wandered around town, had our favourite salads at Walden under the sun and even got some icecream. Come Thursday morning the last thing I wanted to do was say goodbye to the Swedes. The forced me to promise I would go to the Doctors/Hospital after they left because by this point my foot looked like an elephant's, and they went off to the airport. 

Sorry that this was such a long blog post, but it really was such an amazing couple of days. I miss Malin and Rebecka so much and I can't wait to go to Sweden in the summer and see them all again. It will be so much fun. 

So this week in the flat we had 2 birthdays to celebrate. So I now feel like I am even more behind with this reading than I was before. I want a week of no alcohol, my poor poor body hates me right now.  So on Tuesday we celebrated Ryan's birthday with drinks in our flat. It was really fun, and it turns out I am actually quite talented at a drinking game called 'Pegs'. Thursday evening was spent mainly cooking. Myself and Joe cooked the flat dinner and I made brownies for Taylor's birthday. We made lemon chicken with a roasted vegetable couscous and salad. It actually was a triumph, and I will definitely be making the chicken again. The night went on with many drinking games until I decided that because I had a 9am I'd have to go to bed. I am ashamed to say that I did not make my 9am, but made it in from 10-5. It was a painful day, spent drinking coffee and wishing I was not there. Friday night was the 'Back to the Future' Party that I told you about previously. It was so entertaining, there were 5 flats full of people, each playing a different decade's music. I met so many people and danced the night away. I was surprised at how many compliments I got on my outfit, probably because most people went for the bog standard 90s denim on denim look. Also I got roped into dancing with a Dutch guy, but he was an INSANELY good dancer. Now I don't mean ordinary dancing, I mean SALSA dancing. I can't dance normally, let alone salsa. I warned him of this but he decided anyway it was worth the risk. I couldn't stop laughing, I looked like a newborn lamb not sure what to do with my limbs, but hey I had fun. 

Until next time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUpUGz6ppE8

So the last week has been great. I have made some really good friends, any guesses for nationality?...Yep they are all Swedish, Danish and Norwegian. It seems I have a thing for Scandinavians, but I am not complaining because they are fabulous people. I met them through Mirjana and we went out last Thursday to Tivoli. This night consisted of me dancing like I thought I was Beyonce, which somehow attracted a very charming Dutch boy (honestly I don't know how, because I still had a limp from my foot injury...I'm acting like that was the only issue. I CAN'T DANCE.) and then I nearly cried at a police horse. Eventful to say the least.

Anyway, the guy invited me to his gig on Friday. Slight drawback though, it unfortunately clashes with a costume party that my presence has also been requested at. It'd be great to see him play but how much of him am I actually going to see? I'm guessing not much. So to the dress up party I go.

The party is 'Back to the Future' themed, so we have to dress from a time period between the 60's and 00's. I'm going to try my best to impersonate Twiggy.. we shall see how well that goes! 

I am aware that I have mentioned a foot injury that I have not explained. Well typical Alys, in gold medal winning level clumsiness, managed to get her foot stuck in a bike wheel as it was moving. I've tried to explain this to people and it really needs a diagram to dictate how it happened. I have only just got over the hobble, and I am finally back on my bike! I also realise that I have not written about Queensday. this must and will be done soon. I promise, but now I must get back to the 6 books I have to read between me and my finals. 

I feel sick. Not with illness, but with the prospect/excitement/fear of going home. Slowly but surely everyone is returning home after their year abroad. I'm in that in between period, like I was at the start, where everyone is finishing up and I'm still going. Every time I go on Facebook it seems to make my stomach churn, so I've attempted to stay away from it as much as possible over the past few days. I guess perhaps there are other things on my mind too.  7 weeks seems like such a short time, but at the same time seems so far away. It also appears that a lot has changed since I have gone, even my house has been redecorated. Will my dog even remember me? Now that is the real test haha! 

So after the all too recent passing of Ruby, my ex-beloved bike, I have a new bike! I have yet to name her, but I will let you know asap. She's a little rusty andddd has pedal brakes, recipe for another Alys disaster? I think so somehow. Ah well, can't live in the Netherlands and not experience a pedal brake bike!

So I have been itching to write this blog post for a couple of days now, but illness and work has unfortunately taken priority. BUT I have had a fantastic week and a half celebrating turning 21.

On the night of Tuesday the 19th March I was sitting in my room, quite stupidly watching the clock and counting down the minutes to my birthday. Darren and I skyped just after 12 and I opened his present while my flat mates slowly came into my room and wished me well. As myself and my flat sat in my room and nattered we decided to go down to Cambridgebaar. But as soon as I got in there I almost regretted it for they gave me a concoction of spirits for me to down. Impressively I managed it in one and shocked Joe and even myself! We went back upstairs and at 3am on the morning of my birthday I was sat alone staring at the ceiling drunk wondering what on earth possessed me to drink the lethal blend. 

During the day I went for coffee and cake with Mirjana and my flat cooked me dinner. Was a really lovely day! On the Thursday evening I went out with everyone to Tivoli and partied hard to say the least. However, I had to go to a 9am come the morning... it's safe to say the predictable happened and I did NOT manage it. 10.30am I did, much to my tut group's humour, they laughed even harder when I opened my mouth to talk and all that came out was a husky tired noise. Later in the day my family arrived, and so ensued a weekend of fun and family outings. 

On Wednesday of this week 2 of my best friends from University arrived in the Netherlands. We had the best time, I've honestly never laughed so much in such a small space of time. It really was fabulous. I showed them around Utrecht, went out to Tivoli and then went to Amsterdam. A fantastic couple of days. 

So this week has been rather busy! Had a couple more lectures than was originally scheduled and I've been knuckling down to work. Yesterday, I had a practical on insurance. I've never met a man so slow at explaining how to use excel, it was like we were 5 years old! But from the last 8 months here, I have realised I'm better at doing something than the Dutch.... using excel. If only I could say to my secondary school; "well done and thank you, I can finally outshine these ridiculously clever and freakishly tall people". The freakishly tall bit, is a direct quote from one of the guest lecturers I had this week. He is Dutch but now works at Gent University (in Belgium) and said he realised 3 things on going to live in Belgium, one being how tall the Dutch are. And he is so very very right, every time I go shopping in the supermarket I do think 'I wonder if they think I'm a child getting my food for my Mum?'. 

I have 2 exams coming up, and then it is my birthday! So there may well be a rather large gap until my next post...sorry!  x p.s. A HUGE thank you to Rosie for sending me tea..to Kathryn for sending me the BEST postcard and just for him; 'hi Jordan'. 

I have very little time to procrastinate today with 2 assignments to finish and a tonne of reading but somehow I keep getting drawn to tumblr. My usual source of distraction (facebook) seems to not be getting to me today. I think its because I'm partially avoiding it for other reasons. 

On a lighter note, I've realised that I have even more of a reason to go out tomorrow night - I only have 4 hours of lectures on Wednesday!!! Gerrin there. Still have to wait and decide, but I do miss Poems. 

Babs, the housing officer came around just now, I do now regard her has a pal. Conversation even got onto the weather the other day...a break through I think? Haha. However, at the time I had a very red embarrassed face, perhaps something to do with her bursting in on me in the kitchen making coffee and belting out a rendition 'My Heart Will Go On'... Seeing as Joe is now nicknamed Taylor Swift, I'd rather not be nicknamed Celine Dion, so I won't be doing that again any time soon!

Yesterday I had the most lovely day in town: had a bit of retail therapy, lunch and coffee (at Simon Levelt) with Mirjana. We went to Walden for lunch, which really has become my favourite lunch/coffee destination. Its just so cool in there, and the food is yummy. Very glad we found it all those months ago. In addition, the waiting staff are very easy on the eye and so friendly, makes the whole experience that little bit better! Will definitely need to go there in the evening for drinks at some point too. If you are in Utrecht and have never been, I highly recommend it.

When shopping I was loving the fact that there was the new Spring collections in the shops, such lovely bright colours again after this winter. Tempted me into buying some spring colour nail polish from Hema. The variety of colours is just amazing, and so far the quality seems actually really good having been so cheap (2.50Euro a bottle). It was cold in town, but it has been feeling more and more like spring lately, so the last thing I expected to wake up to this morning was more snow! But I did. How ridiculous! Ever since I did my back in the other week from slipping on it, I've now decided, no matter how pretty it looks, I highly dislike it. 

Coming up this week? Coffee with Dutch friends, possibly Poema (I'm starting later on Wednesday woop woop), lots of work and possibly a visit to the Hague if the weather gets better!  I will post soon! 

This seems a very fitting song for this week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dX3k_QDnzHE