Ik spreek geen Nederlands

(Translation: I don't speak Dutch). How long will I get away with saying that? (Mind you I am not saying that, I say it in English). I currently trying to figure out my plans for learning the language here in the Netherlands. I am consistency asked " do you plan to learn Dutch?". I have been really considering that question in the past few days. I begin language lessons with a tutor on Wednesday. I need to understand what are my expectations. I don't really think I can become fluent in 2 years ( I could be wrong).
I have realized that me not speaking Dutch is a hindrance in making connections outside of work (a really big goal for me right now). I love my co-workers. They have been very welcoming, but I really want to make friends outside of work.
A big issue is that most people here speak in English, so it is really easy to get away with not learning the language. However I think at some point I need to move past being a visitor and tourist to resident (which by the way, I am officially a Dutch resident now, I have a card and everything).
I think I will focus on vocabulary and get some basic conversation skills (small talk). In addion, I think I will soon ask that my co-workers stop using English with me....

If they are reading this.....please let me get a couple of weeks of lessons under my belt, and be patient. I am practicing my "g" and "h" sounds and don't get me started on "v" versus "w"

Paleis het Loo (more to come)

This weekend's trip was to Paleis het Loo (www.paleishetloo.nl). First let me say, it rained all day and I fell in a hole (story to follow), but other than that it was an enjoyable day.

www.flickr.com rhoyalblu's Het Loo photoset

These are a few of my favorite things...

One of the big things I have missed from the US is magazines and newspapers in English. I can read news updates on the internet (when I have access), but it is not the same. On Sunday morning, I want see down to brunch and read the paper. When I deep in "thought" in my private WC, I want a magazine. I can get magazine in the Zwolle train station, but they have a limited selection and it will cost me at least 7 Euros ($11). Today I got 6 magazines and a Sunday newspaper from a co-worker in town from the US. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. I got them at work. It took everything in me not to flip through them at my desk. I asked for a mix of guilty pleasures (gossip rags) and more "intellectual" mags like Time and Money...guess which ones I am gonna read first........
So for all of those friends and family members who plan to send me care packages...any reading material in English will be appreciated

Gadget Girl strikes again

So I have not had a mobile phone for the last 6 weeks. And surprisingly it has not been that hard..I first thought I may die, being so unreachable . Especially since I am a "gadget" girl. I had a smart phone in the US. I loved it sent hundreds of text messages a month, checked my email, synched my calendar, and maintained by finances... So when I got here I had to decide how much phone did I need. I knew I would not have many calls (friends and family can reach me via the magic jack (internet phone with a US number)). I figured I will get the occupational co-worker call or text and need a personal contact number. So I should get a basic phone...that would be the sensible thing to do....(I am soooo sensible)
I decided I need minimal minutes but I would have to have internet access on what ever mobile I get so I could run Skype on the phone. That way friends and family could call me when I was not at my computer (internet plans , actually all mobile phone plan in general are pretty reasonable here)....
I was resisting the desire to get a I-Phone (which I new would be available in NL soon). I bought a Mac book prior to coming to the Netherlands, and if I got anther smart phone I would want to be able to sync to it....Knowing the cost of the I-phone in the US, I decided on a Treo....However I found out the basic internet plans I was looking at would not be fast enough to run Skype...I could just get a basic phone or spurge on the I-Phone.
Sensibility is now almost completely faded. I had decided the I-Phone was much cheaper than I expected it to be (cheaper than the US). Plus it had the faster internet (G3), and was Skype compatible...
I-Phone was available in the Netherlands on Friday July 11. I rationalized that if there was not a line at the City Center T-Mobile (the only carrier in the Netherlands) on Friday morning I would get the I-Phone....
There was a line (small for US standards, but I knew they did not have enough phones for everyone there). I left, phone less...
I continued to stew at work that morning....I had been bitten by the gadget bug...I had to have it. With the help of a co-worker I order the phone over the net (I will have it in 6 weeks)....I got a prepaid phone till it comes (borrowing a co-workers unused phone ---NO ONE ask me why I could not continue to just use this phone)

Urgh - Still no Internet

I have not had internet at home since Friday (I am posting from work)....urgh. Once I am back up I will post pix from my trip to Den Haag (Saturday) and share any other new adventures....

Den Haag (more to come)

Me and a co-worker Mariana (here from Argentina for 3 months and my new tourist site buddy) headed to Den Haag as a kick off our Netherlands tour. We plan to alternate between locations close to our town (Zwolle) one weekend and further locations on the alternate weekends. Den Haag is two hours away on the train. We left bright and early (about 8 AM). First thing that happened on the trip, we end up in Rotterdam instead of Den Haag (apparently our train split at one of the earlier stops, and we were not in the half going to Den Haag). I am getting pretty good at navigating the trains so we quickly found a train to Den Haag and were only delayed a half an hour. When we arrived in Den Haag the big decision was do we pay for a tour or do it on our own. We decide we could figure it out on our own and skip the tour.
We saw the following:
Panorama Mesdag
Noordeinde Palace
Madurodam (www.madurodam.nl)

www.flickr.com rhoyalblu's Den Haag photoset

Dutch Rap?

So I am watching videos and I see this. It is the Dutch band Leaf

So I have been in the Netherlands for about 4 weeks...

Here are the things I love about the Netherlands:
1. Very helpfull and friendly people, who ever very understanding of the fact that I speak no Dutch
2. All prices (restaurants, stores, etc.) include taxes - you know right away how everything things cost
3. Public transportation goes everywhere and is very reliable (although it can be expensive)
4. Intermissions during movies - no more missing the critical part of movies because I bought a soda
5. Gummy Candy - need I say anything else?
6. Stroopwafels - If you haven't had one, see me when I come I home ( I will have gummy candy also)
7. Friday and Saturday market in the city center (it reminds me of a mix of the Madison Farmers market and the flea market)

A few things I could do without
1. It stays light out entirely too late -I will feel opposite in the winter, when I will only have 6 hrs of daylight
2. Expensive clothing and shoes -comparing to the US, prices are ridiculous here (not to mention big size numbers)
3. Stores close too early - EVERY CLOSES AT 6PM!! (and nothing is open on Sunday). Most stores are open late (until 9) on Thursday, this requires tons of planning. I am not that organized
4. You need an appointment for everything - I am now waiting a week to get an appointment to open a bank account (mind you they needed all of my information to get the appointment--JUST OPEN THE ACCOUNT)

I wonder if these lists will change the longer I am here. I expect I will change....