We finally indulged on a glass tea pot with strainer. I don’t think we will ever be able to drink tea from a tea bag again. What more can I ask for with a steaming cup of jasmine tea and some fresh tulips on our dining table.

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On 12th January Haiti was struck with a destructive earthquake the majority of city’s population under rubble and a possible 100,00 casualties. I feel so helpless as to how I can be the most help to the people of Haiti. So many of the charities have large administrative expenses and a huge chunk of each dollar doesnt reach the people who need it. However through the help of www.charitynavigator.org I was able to make an educated decision on how best to send our donation.

What is happiness? This question has often jumped out of unknown places without cause or warning. Why is it that I am never quite satisfied. I just came back from a wonderful vacation and all I can think of is my next vacation. I am enjoying a restful weekend and my thoughts drift off to my next weekend. The people of Haiti don’t have basic human needs (food, water, first aid) some are still trapped under rubble, family members lost…and I… how much do I have?

This morning I wake to a warm comfortable bed with my best friend by my side and the thoughts of meeting good friends for an early lunch. I have fresh running water, a working heater, fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies in my cookie jar, and a fridge full of food. I am truly blessed, why am I  always looking for happiness, how can I possibly ask for more, when happiness has been sitting right next to me the whole time….

Have you been searching too?

This year so far as been filled with many surprises, disappointments, and achievements. Neel and I sold everything we owned (furniture, most books, clothes, etc) and brought only our most important possessions to this foreign land.

In less than a year we have made amazing friends and find that with the way the work culture is, our friends have time to hang out on a regular basis! We are able to travel to other countries in a blink of eye. We have spent weekends in Brugge Belgium, Paris, Stockholm, Antwerp, and Brussels. We have had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and from all sorts situations.

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Today I went to the Den Haagse markt near Hobbemaplein. This market consists of 500 different booths where you can buy everything from computers to kiwis! They also have ready made food such as fritas, Turkish pizzas, and sandwiches. Basically enough distraction to keep you walking slowly through these booths and see everything the market has to offer. I bought Lychees for 2.50 euros/kilo and they are delicious! The closest thing to this is Haymarket in Boston.

I’ll have to go back and browse a bit longer next time.

Today I went to the Den Haagse markt near Hobbemaplein. This market consists of 500 different booths where you can buy everything from computers to kiwis! They also have ready made food such as fritas, Turkish pizzas, and sandwiches. Basically enough distraction to keep you walking slowly through these booths and see everything the market has to offer. I bought Lychees for 2.50 euros/kilo and they are delicious! The closest thing to this is Haymarket in Boston.

I’ll have to go back and browse a bit longer next time.

Today I traveled to the beautiful city of Delft to see if I could sign up for some intensive Dutch classes. Unfortunately it will not start until February 23rd, sigh…so until then I will have to study on my own.

I look forward to these classes as I am already itching to return to a busy schedule. I know I can only stand being on an extended vacation for so long.

At first I thought being licensed in this country might be enough to continue practicing physiotherapy but it has become apparent that I need to polish up and learn Dutch as fluent as possible. So I suppose I get to explore this city until the 23rd, make the most of my free time I suppose.

Today I traveled to the beautiful city of Delft to see if I could sign up for some intensive Dutch classes. Unfortunately it will not start until February 23rd, sigh…so until then I will have to study on my own.

I look forward to these classes as I am already itching to return to a busy schedule. I know I can only stand being on an extended vacation for so long.
At first I thought being licensed in this country might be enough to continue practicing physiotherapy but it has become apparent that I need to polish up and learn Dutch as fluent as possible.

So I suppose I get to explore this city until the 23rd, make the most of my free time I suppose.

Oh boy!! Decision day has arrived. We packed everything the night before, woke up early and set off to the meeting with the owners.

The meeting went alright enough, he was an investor and supposed want to be ensured that his valuable investment stayed as such! We signed the papers and got the keys to our apartment!

Neel rushed off so that he wouldn’t be any later to his first day of work and I went to our new place and decided how I was to purchase all the little things we would need to get through the next couple days…plates, some food, cleaning supplies..

Of course Holland’s rainy weather didn’t disappoint us on this particular day and it made travel a bit wetter than I would prefer. Oh well, all part of this experience I suppose!

So I went to this very useful store called BLOKKER, its kind of a Walgreen but larger. There I was able to buy brooms, and a water cooker (to make tea), toilet paper, etc. Anyway as the woman was checking me out she spoke the entire time in Dutch and I smiled and nodded and at the end I replied, “Denk u wel” and left. I thought, wow I just had a conversation in Dutch!!

Early in the morning we received a phone call from the real estate agent stating the owner agreed to the lower rent price but he was persistent that he meet us before we sign any paperwork. However he would be away in Belgium until Monday morning!! We only had the bed and breakfast until Saturday morning!

What if he didn’t like us….what if he changed his mind…where would we go after Monday? Do we rent a hotel for a couple extra days in case things don’t work out?

The uncertainty of not having a roof over our heads in a few days created some stress between us. I think it really hit both of us how important it was for us to stick together and think rationally over our dilemma.

We were to see a furnished apartment that afternoon and another on Friday. As we waited for the real estate to call back and explain our situation we decided to keep our options open and see the other two apartments.

That evening we found out from the bed and breakfast folks that we were going to be able to stay until Monday early morning. We saw both apartments and didn’t like them at all!

Sigh…ok now hopefully everything with the apartment will work out! There was nothing left to do but wait until Monday and make the most of our time together before Neel had to start work.

We visited many furniture stores and decided that Ikea had the best options for us (price, quality, and availability of inexpensive delivery service)

However we couldn’t buy any furniture until we were sure we were going to have a place to live. So we eventually decided to buy a small aerobed, a blanket and some sheets to get us through the next couple days until we could acquire some furniture.

Early in the morning we received a phone call from the real estate agent stating the owner agreed to the lower rent price but he was persistent that he meet us before we sign any paperwork. However he would be away in Belgium until Monday morning!! We only had the bed and breakfast until Saturday morning!

What if he didn’t like us….what if he changed his mind…where would we go after Monday? Do we rent a hotel for a couple extra days in case things don’t work out?

The uncertainty of not having a roof over our heads in a few days created some stress between us. I think it really hit both of us how important it was for us to stick together and think rationally over our dilemma.

We were to see a furnished apartment that afternoon and another on Friday. As we waited for the real estate to call back and explain our situation we decided to keep our options open and see the other two apartments.

That evening we found out from the bed and breakfast folks that we were going to be able to stay until Monday early morning. We saw both apartments and didn’t like them at all!

Sigh…ok now hopefully everything with the apartment will work out! There was nothing left to do but wait until Monday and make the most of our time together before Neel had to start work.

We visited many furniture stores and decided that Ikea had the best options for us (price, quality, and availability of inexpensive delivery service)

However we couldn’t buy any furniture until we were sure we were going to have a place to live. So we eventually decided to buy a small aerobed, a blanket and some sheets to get us through the next couple days until we could acquire some furniture.

Early in the morning we received a phone call from the real estate agent stating the owner agreed to the lower rent price but he was persistent that he meet us before we sign any paperwork. However he would be away in Belgium until Monday morning!! We only had the bed and breakfast until Saturday morning!

What if he didn’t like us….what if he changed his mind…where would we go after Monday? Do we rent a hotel for a couple extra days in case things don’t work out?

The uncertainty of not having a roof over our heads in a few days created some stress between us. I think it really hit both of us how important it was for us to stick together and think rationally over our dilemma.

We were to see a furnished apartment that afternoon and another on Friday. As we waited for the real estate to call back and explain our situation we decided to keep our options open and see the other two apartments.

That evening we found out from the bed and breakfast folks that we were going to be able to stay until Monday early morning. We saw both apartments and didn’t like them at all!
Sigh…ok now hopefully everything with the apartment will work out! There was nothing left to do but wait until Monday and make the most of our time together before Neel had to start work.

We visited many furniture stores and decided that Ikea had the best options for us (price, quality, and availability of inexpensive delivery service).

However we couldn’t buy any furniture until we were sure we were going to have a place to live. So we eventually decided to buy a small aerobed, a blanket and some sheets to get us through the next couple days until we could acquire some furniture.