Well, the title says it all.. my blog is getting boring and repetitive. I just don't have the umph to make it interesting.. bare with me though guys.. i will try my best to get on top of it, maybe even add a little humour if i may?
Tot Ziens!!
Last night i met up with Kathrin, we met at five PM outside Centraal Station. We hit it off straight away (well at least, i think we did, maybe she would have a different view!!!) and went to the American Dreamz cafe.
I ate the Nachos (obviously) and Kathrin had an egg roll. As we were finishing up a group of American 40 somethings came in. Now, in this cafe you can buy a burger for 45 euros (only!!) which weighs 1250g. Now, if you eat this burger, along with all the crap that goes with it in under half an hour then you get your money back plus the chance to win a holiday in Florida. Not bad hé! (oh.. did i forget to mention that last year only two people managed to accomplish this?) Anyway, so we spent the next 20 minutes trying to persuade them to do it, failed miserable, got invited to sit with them and drank for free the rest of the evening!!
Winner!!
I have started a peice of writting and would really appriciate some feedback on it. Chapter three is about to begin so if you would like to be a kind citizen and proof read the first two chapters for me then either comment or email me and i shall send them too you.
Please please help me!! Both good and bad feedback would be more than welcomed!
I guess this is kind of following on from my last post.
As I am sure many of you know, several years back a little boy was taken from his Mother at a local supermarket. He was kicked, punched and worse. Paint was smeared in his eyes and he was left on a railway track to die.
Those of you who do not know this story will be shocked to hear that this was done by two pre-teen boys.
There 'punishment' for this is a new identity and home in Austrailia.
Now, could someone please explain to me what repulsive person gave these boys a second chance? When they so violently comminted this crime they were roughly (I dont know the exact age) 11 years old. Now, correct me if i'm wrong but when i was 11 years old i was quite clear on the difference between right and wrong. Weren't you? So why, now these boys are 18 have they not been punished?
A young boy (when i say young, i mean 3 years old) had his life stolen on that day. A mother lost her child. A grandparent lost her grandchild. A sister lost her brother.
Isn't it that we should treat other how we would like to be treated? Surely the answer to this question is Yes, therefore why have these disgusting people not been punished?
We are all intitled to our own opinions, do you agree with the courts decision?
Friday night somebody got shot at Zuidplein. A 20 year old male to be precise.
Somebody woke up Friday morning and felt it his duty to take a life and destroy a family.
What made this man think that it was acceptable to do this? What could the victim have possibly done to deserve this sort of punishment?
I guess we will never know.
Yes, it is official. Yesterday morning at approximately 7.30 I fell down the stairs.
Blimin well hurt.
I am currently struggling to sit on my right bum cheek and cannot move my neck more than 40 degrees without calling for help.
Now, before I start this post I want to make it clear that I am not sexist. This is in no way a sexist post and therefor the content does not apply to all men. However, I would also like to add that what I am about to write would not have occured if I was a Man and the bloke involved was a woman. Woman do not do / say this sort of thing. So, I guess, that does make me a little sexist, on this topic anyway.
Saturday Evening on the Metro
As you know, Saturday evening I went into Rotterdam for mine and Jacks St Patricks Day celebration. As it happens, Jack was working so I had to make my own way into town to meet him.
So, all is good, I got the bus from Ridderkerk to Zuidplien, waited patiently for the Metro and got on.
All is still good, until I notice a group of lads leering over in my direction and muttering amongst themselves. Now I am in no way boostfull of the fact they were looking at me, infact I really wish they weren't. Anyway so they all got off the metro, all except one, who decided to come and sit opposite me. OK, so apart from the eyes trying to burn holes in me he wasn't doing anything wrong. Until a friend of his comes onboard too, sits next to him and starts the muttering all over again. By this time I am starting to get quite angry but chose not to say anything.. until he starts to talk to me that is.
To start with, I just ignored him, but he was persistant, so I told him I dont speak dutch and turned away (hoping this would shut him up.. oh how wrong was I) So he continues to tell me his English is good and asks if he can sit next to me.
The conversation went something like this..
"Can I sit next to you"
"No"
"Where are you going?"
"Whats it to you?"
"Well, I'm coming with you"
"No, I really don't think you are"
"Yes, I am, Tell me where your going"
At this point the Metro arrives at Stadhuis, my stop, so I get up to walk to the door. He walks with me, stands right up against me and continues to talk.
"Tell me where you are going, I am coming too, I like English girls"
"Can you please just step away from me?"
"Why? What is wrong?"
"Look, I asked you to leave me alone, now will you please just do that?"
"I am coming out with you"
"Just F**k off and leave me alone!" (Sorry Mum)
At this point the doors open to the station, me presuming I am OK now, until he starts to walk off the Metro with me and follow towards the escalators, By this point I am quite convinced that actually, he is coming with me. Until he turns back towards the Metro that is. Phew! That was a tad scary.
OK, I have a question. Why is it that people (I am careful to use the word 'people' and not 'men') think it is OK to invade someones privacy and personal space like that? I want to make it clear that I was not dressed like a hooker, and even if I was, they still do not have the right to talk to me the way they did. Nothing they said was particularly suggestive or aggressive. However, it was intimidating.
You know, there is nothing wrong with talking to a girl, even chatting her up, but No means No right? No matter what the question? But hang on, sorry, there was no question! "would you mind if we joined you this evening" is close to acceptable, but ''I am coming with you'' I would say is a little threatening? Agree?
OK, so i have been slaking a little lately when i comes to my blog.. So heres the lengthy post to update you on the Wonderful World of Rachel.
Lets start with Thursday.
Hannibal Rising
Thursday Evening me and Jack went to see this very fantastic film. Now I love the thrill of watching a horror but am very easily scared. However, this was not so bad. The film in itself was incredibly good, the story behind why Hannibal Lectar became who he did, it is actually quite sad!
Anyway, What I found far more disturbing than the film itself was the fact that I got asked for I.D. Please could someone explain to me what that is all about!! I know I look young for my age but i am 19 next month!! The film is a 16!! Anyway, I am sure I will be more than happy about this when i reach 30 and am still getting I.D'd to enter a club. Wahoo for me.
St Patricks Day
This is a day I have never ever celebrated, haven't the foggiest who the ever-so-famous St Patrick is, however, seen as I am no longer a resident of one of the 4 places that make up the UK i felt it my duty to represent Ireland (OK, so i am not technically Irish, in fact i am no way Irish.. but work with me..) So me and Jack made ourselves look pretty and paid O'Sheas Irish bar a visit. It. Was. Packed. However it was well worth it just to hear some English voices. So that was saturday night. How fantastic.
Church
Now, i haven't been to church since leaving England. And really haven't been looking. However, Austin is leaving next Sunday and asked if i would go along with him to the Sunday morning English service he attends at the Beurs World Trade Centre. So i did. Along with 7 others. Yes, just seven. And 6 of those 7 were Dutch!! However, I enjoyed it. Everyone was really nice and welcoming. Infact, i went to lunch with Austin and 2 others. Very nice, had a spicy chicken wrap. Super.
I then spent the remainder of my Sunday sitting around Coconuts, eating, drinking and reading.
Lovely Jubely.
So i guess thats my update, not so exciting after all.
..Well, not exactly.
Me and Jack were walking through Zuidplein Metro station when some guy in a white bommer jacket starts talking to me. Well, to be fair I think it looked very much like he was selling something (considering he had Chipkaart stamped all over his back, one would naturally presume they were advertising, well.. erm.. chipkaarts). Anyway, so I looked at him, stated that I don't speak Dutch and hurried on my way.
Oh.. its not over yet.. So me and Jack are very innocently waiting on the platform when 2 guys (in the white Chipkaart bommer jackets) turn up along with the 'Metro Police'
So they ramble on at Jack in Dutch, insist that He show them our strippenkaart to prove we have paid and then start rambling at me. (At this point I really have no idea what he is talking about and just pressume he is doing a routine check of all tickets.) Anyway, so Jack informs them that I am English and therefore do not speak Dutch. Too which the 'Metro Police' guy completely ignores. So I very innocently look straight at him , carefully pronouncing every letter and repeat what Jack had said previously (in English, of course) I DO NOT SPEAK DUTCH THEREFORE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. Well at this he looked quite taken aback and continued on his merry way.
Well as it happens. The guy I mentioned earlier (the one in the white bommer jacket who I thought was trying to sell me something) actually happened to be a ticket inspector who of which I blatantly ignored and turned my back on. Him, therefore presuming we haven't paid, leading to the (not-so) high speed chase on the platform.
Leading me to my next point of people who blatantly ignore the obviouse. When I state that I do not speak or understand Dutch, I do not say this for the pure humour of the situation. It is, in fact, true. So please, please, if I ever come across you in the street and you proceed to talk to me in your mother tongue, after realising I do not understand you, do not continue to talk.
P.s. the guy at the metro station was not the only person to do this, it seems to be a habit of a select few.
I have created a link on my side bar. Please click it. It will take you through to the breast cancer website on which is a 'Donate FREE Mammograms' button.
Surely you didn't fool yourself into believeing these woman woke up looking like a cover model did you?
Now, I am presuming that you have these same adverts in England and possible the States; you see, they really make me smile.
I don’t know about you but i really dislike the media and the image they portray about beauty.
To me, beauty is so much more than having a skeleton like figure and a gleaming white smile, (OK, so this may be a porky girl talking) but its true. OK so i would love to lose a few pounds, who doesn’t? But you know what? I am me. And actually, i quite like that fact.
The media is full of beautiful woman. Size 6 beautiful woman. But do they realise beautiful woman come in all shapes and sizes?
Well, as it happens. Dove do realise this. There advertising bilboards feature a number of beautiful woman. Curvatious beautiful woman.
How refreshing.
These Dove adverts are about inner (and quite obviously) outer beauty.
They prove that you do not have to fit into a size zero to be beautiful.
Make the most of what you have.
Let your inner beauty shine through.
I have posted an advert for Dove that i found on youtube.com
I have been reading a blog this week that has kept me so engrosed to my screen. One of the posts this certain blogger produced was a list of 100 facts about her.
Now i am pretty certain that i will not be able to come up with 100 but i shall see how far i get..
I'm sorry, i do not care what anyone says, i am not an irresponsible person. I look after my belongings and take care in what i do.
Let me explain my sequence of events. Maybe you are able to pick up on the moments when i could have in fact miss-layed my key. Bike key that is.
Tuesday was the last time i used my bike. I cycled into town (accompanied by my key) . Dismounted my Bike, locked it up and went to H&M followed by the post office. Unlocked my bike (therefore i must have still had my key by this point) Remounted my bike and cycled home. Now, when i unlock my bike i slip the key back into my coat pocket. Every time. Without fail. So why, may i ask, when i slip my coat on this evening, retrieve my bike from the garden shed and wheel it into the house, do i place my hand in my pocket to find an empty one? No, i don't know either.
Any suggestions?
Every Thursday and Friday afternoon a small group of students are taken from there lessons to be taught a spot of English. From none other than moi! Well, sort of. Austin helps out at the school for 4 hours a week teaching English to kids between the ages of 9 and 13. However, as i have mentioned in my previous post, Austin is returning to the States in a couple of weeks so i shall be taking over, my first lesson Tomorrow!!
As i am not entirely sure what stage the kids are at i have prepared 2 worksheets (cos im cool like that) A getting to know you work sheet, fill in the gap stylee and a tenses work sheet as that is what Austin was working on with them this week.
Wish me luck!!!
Last night I had a lengthy conversation with Ineke about accents and the way in which people (of all ages) present themselves with the way they speak.
You see, I just have an English accent. I don't have an accent from any particular part of England such as Birmingham or London or Bristol (Thank God). However, because of this I have grown up with the word 'Posh' thrown at me all the time. You see, the way I see it, I am not posh. I speak nicely. What is so wrong with that? Parents spend their life time trying to teach there children to pronounce there T in WaTer and so on. So why, when a child does this (i.e. Me) do I get the finger pointed at me for being the 'posh girl'. To be honest, it used to bother me when I was younger but as I have grown up and matured I have realised how nice it is to speak well. I am so grateful to my mother for bringing me up the way she did.
A few weeks back I took Morten and Caroline to an adventure playground down the road. There was a group of lads there who must have only been a couple of years older then Morten, maybe 9 or 10. The language that was coming out of there mouth was repulsive, not to mention the trail of spit they left behind them. If my children ever turn out the way those kids are you can forget 'Super Nanny', 'Orphanage' will be more the word.
Having friends.
I was just looking at some Myspace pictures from my friends and it made me sad.
Don't get me wrong, I am lucky in so many ways, the opportunities I have had in the last few months don't happen to everyone. However, friends are important.
I miss going on big nights out with my friends and returning in the early hours of the morning. I miss having girly chats about stupid little things. I miss being able to pick up the phone and make last minute plans.
All I have here now is Jack. I mean, if I could pick only one person to have with me it would be him (apart from you Mum, your cool too.) so I am lucky in that aspect. However, it is tough. Jack has his own life too, his own friends, his own family. It can just be lonely sometimes.
I am not complaining. Please do not think that. I have a fantastic life, friends and family who love me and an amazing Jack who is there to pick me up when I fall. I have a fantastic job and live with a wonderful family. My life really isn't bad. Sometimes it is just a little lonely.
I guess I just haven't had a great number of opportunities to make friends.
There are a couple of aupairs at the school, Austin, but he leaves the end of the month and another girl who also leaves soon.
However, I am joining a gym on Friday, so hopefully could meet a few people there.
Most of this is down to the language barrier. It is just hard to get talking to people who don't speak your language. I mean, I speak a little (very little) Dutch and most people speak a little English, I just need to get over the fear factor of speaking what I know.
Also I am starting a Dutch language course in May so will hopefully meet a few nice people there..
Please keep your fingers crossed for me!
Carolines sick. Well, was. Tuesday evening we were all minding our own business whilst tucking in to a rather scrumptious meal when Caroline lets out the most unbelievable belch! Seriously, you have never heard anything like it. She is four years old. Yet what came out of her mouth had surely been brewing for a fair few years longer than that. And that's not all. To follow the most unbelievable belch came a ridiculous amount a fluid. Poor thing. I really hate being sick, the taste it leaves in the back of your throat is really gross, I can't imagine what it must feel to be that young and feel so poorly. Not that I was never ill as a four year old. I just can't remember it.
Anyway. So that was that, Wednesday Caroline stayed off with me and Ineke. Oh, yes, I worked yesterday and have tomorrow off!! Which is actually quite nice!!
Last night Jack took me to the Pictures and followed it up with the most lovely meal in Dream.
We saw 'Blood Diamond' This was an amazing film, very heartfelt but very true. Make sure you have the tissues!!
Now, Dream. This is were me and Jack went for drinks last week. We sat upstairs this time and had such a wonderful evening. The food was so good, maybe even better than 'Zin', where we went on Valentines Day. I had Steak and Kip Fajitas. They were cooked in a sweet chilli sauce and served with rice, so yummy!! and Jack had the mixed grill, which was also very lovely.
So here I am. Sitting in front of the computer, waiting to head over to Jacks.. for a 3 day break - Lekker hoor!!!
