It's like I never left

I can't believe that today is my 8th day in Holland already!
On one hand the time goes incredibly fast, but on the other hand it feels like I have never left!
I have realised that Holland really is my home. Not in the way that I can't live anywhere else, but in a way that everything here makes sense to me. A lot of people here have the same attitude to life than I have and a lot of people find the same things important.

So far I have been extremely busy, which is great, but I'm happy that today I can just bum around while everyone else is at work.
After writing the blog last week Tuesday, I took the train to Delft and had dinner at Dorinda and Daniel's place. After dinner we rode our bikes to the city centre to have a tea/coffee.

On the bike!

Only just remembered how to use it!

white umbrella march
The next morning I joined Dorinda on the white umbrella march in Den Haag. This march is held all over the world under different names. I believe that in Australia it is called something like 'walk together'. The aim of these marches is to raise awareness for refugees all over the world and to celebrate the protection they are receiving in countries like Holland.
Before we started to walk we listened to a few interesting speeches. One was from a former refugee who had to flee Iraq years ago. She talked about how she didn't want to leave her country and she felt like she didn't fit into the dutch culture.
Another speech I found very interesting was presented by a woman who I don't know the name of. She addressed the fear among society. She also addressed the issue that people are accepting of refugees if they are willing to leave their own culture, and everything that belongs to that, behind and embrace the culture of the country they live in now. However, if the refugee has anything critical to say about the country they now live in, or hold on to anything of their own culture, then all of a sudden people believe that they are not 'real' refugees and that they don't deserve to flee to another country.


It felt very special to me to walk the white umbrella march. People who know me a little bit, know that I can get extremely angry at the way Australia treats refugees and the way politics, media and therefore the broader Australian society views refugees. Although things in Holland are not perfect, the way refugees are seen and treated is SO much better! They are actually treated like human beings who have experiences traumatic events and need support and protection.
Because of this it was very special to me that I could walk along side a lot of former refugees and other dutch people, including my sister.

White umbrella - not for the rain, but as symbol for the protection refugees are receiving

Front of the march

the wedding
On wednesday afternoon, I started the long journey to the other side of the country (which takes 2,5 hours by train). I took the train from Delft to Almelo, so I could finally see Ruth! We first went past the house that Ruth and Arjen bought 6 months ago and they showed me their spare bedroom that I can sleep in when I came back to visit them again!
I stayed the night with Ruth and her parents and on Thursday we did some last minute stuff for the wedding. I was surprised at how calm Ruth and Arjen stayed throughout the preparations.
On Thursday night I also stayed on Ruth's side and Friday it was finally the day of the wedding!
I joined Ruth and her sister Esther at the hairdresser to take photo's of them while they were getting ready. After we got back from the hair dresser we had about 30 minutes to get ready. We tied Ruth in her dress and while we were still getting ready, Arjen arrived in the most amazing wedding car.
He had to wait for about 10 minutes until Ruth was ready. Ruth, Arjen, the photographer and I left the house and went to a few different locations to take photo's. Ruth had asked me to come along so I could take a photo for the thank you cards that would be handed out at night.
At 12 o'clock we arrived back at Ruth parent's house and about 50 day guests had arrived. We had lunch in the garden and at 1pm we all drove to the town hall where Ruth and Arjen got married.
After the ceremony we went to the location where they party would also be held at night and we ate cake, took group photo's, listened to plays, had dinner and got ready for church.
At 7pm the church service started and it was amazing! We sang some beautiful songs and hymns and Ruth's family played a few songs as well. The highlight for me was when Ruth's opa sang a prayer for his (grand)children to them. It was a beautiful prayer and Ruth's opa has an amazing voice!
At 9 pm we arrived back at the location where we were during the day and the party could start!
At first there were still a few plays, but from 11pm onwards there was dancing. It was extremely gezellig and everyone had a great time! I think we all left at 12.45am.
Another friend of mine, Carina, was also there the whole day. Ruth, Carina and I went to school together and it was great to catch up with Carina again. I also finally met her boyfriend! The have been going out for 4 years already, but I have never had the change to meet him before.

beautiful couple!

photo for the thank you card

Coming out of the town hall as Mr and Mrs Verschuren-Pleiter

Can't believe we are getting old - I feel like we should still be in high school!

This proofs my point!

How can you not fall in love with this car!?

One of my favourite songs!

Ruth's young brother Bas, doing an amazing job with scripture reading

Made by Esther - Ruth's younger sister

Good looking siblings!

Gezellig!

  
the weekend
That night I also stayed at Ruth parent's place and Anton picked me up the next morning. We weren't really sure what we were going to do that weekend, but I wanted to catch up with a few people in Ommen and Bergentheim. These two towns are in the east part of Holland, where the public transport is not as great as in the east part (but still about 13343 times better than the public transport in Australia). While we were in the car we quickly rang a few people to see if we could come past that day or the next day.


We first went to Bergentheim to visit my oma's grave. My oma passed away in January. At the time we could see the funeral via skype, which was great, but it still wasn't 'real'. When I stood near my opa and oma's grave, it still really hit me and I was surprised how hard it was to be there. I'm so glad I went out of my way to go there. Now I also have photo's of the grave which I can take with me.


The plan was to go to Mrs Kalis in Dedemsvaart next. Mrs Kalis has been one of the many oma figures I have had around me while growing up. I love listening to stories from when I was very young, because besides my parents, there is no one in Australia who has known me for more than 4,5 years.
On our way to Dedemsvaart we come through Hardenberg and thought that we might as well pop in and say hi to the Tempelmans. Mr and Mrs Tempelman were home and so were Alina and Vincent. It was great to have a quick chat to them, but after 20 minutes we really had to keep going.
We stayed at Mrs Kalis for about an hour. After that we drove towards Ommen.

Looking at old photo's. From left to right - Anton, Gerwin, Annette, Jantina, Marianne (cousin) and Dorinda.

Mrs Kalis and I

Ommen is the town I have lived in and around for 18 years. We drove past the house I have lived in from when I was 1 till when I was 9. They have completely renovated the house and it really doesn't feel like our house any more.
Our first stop in Ommen was the Janine Holtvluwer's grave. Janine went to school with me, but was involved in a car accident when we were 14. It is crazy to think that it all happened already 9 years ago! While we lived in Holland I didn't visit her grave very often, but just a few weeks ago I had the feeling that I really wanted to go back there and I'm thankful that I had the opportunity.
 

On the way back into Ommen we came past Ekkelekamp and we couldn't help ourselves. We had to buy an icecream! Ekkelekamp is a place where they sell the best soft serve icecream of the whole world!
In summer time we would sometimes walk from our house to Ekkelekamp (which took about 20 minutes) and have an icecream for dessert.
While we were sitting there eating our amazing ice creams, Anton reminded me that a friend om my mum has recently opened a shop in Ommen. It's called 'the nicest cake shop' and you can buy everything that you need to make amazing cakes. As soon as we walked into the shop, Brenda recognised us and it was great to see her again and to quickly catch up with her and her husband.

Ice cream!

Gert & Brenda

 Our second last stop for the day was Mrs Wijnbergh's place. Mrs Wijnbergh is another oma figure that I have had in my life. She lives in a beautiful house just outside of Ommen and her house is surrounded by bush. Mrs Wijnbergsh loves dogs, but her health has not always been great. I used to ride my bike to her house on saturdays and go for a nice long walk with her 3 dogs. The oldest 2 dogs have now passed away, but she has got 3 new ones. So in total she has 4 dogs now.
It was great to catch up with her again and have dinner there. If Mrs Wijnbergh and Jamie Oliver would ever do a cook off, Mrs Wijnbergh would win hands down. She is one of the most amazing cooks I have ever met!
At 8pm it was finally time to go to our last stop for the day. My uncle Johan and aunty Truus in Bergentheim. Anton and I were both pretty tired by then so we didn't mind it at all that soccer was on that night! It was great to see my family again and I also met my cousins wife for the first time.

Mrs Wijnbergh in her beautiful kitchen!

On Sunday we drove back to Ommen (about 20 minutes) to go in Ommen to church. It was a pity that they had a different minister for the day, but it was still great to sit in the church where I have grown up, received all my catechism instructions and have done my profession of faith 3 months before we migrated to Australia. After church we had quite a few people coming up to us to ask how we were doing and who was living where.....that's always an interesting question...
After the service we visited our old neighbours. Arjen was home by himself and it was great catching up for a few hours! Arjen is 1 year younger then I am and we always played together with some other neighbourhood kids while growing up. Arjen is now dating my high school friend. They met each other at my good bye party which was held just before I came to Australia. I expect a VIP wedding invite! :)

Arjen & I

Anton & I in front of our old house. I lived her from when I was 10 till 18.

 We drove back to Bergentheim to have lunch at oom Johan en tante Truus and after lunch we went to church in Bergentheim. My oma used to go to this church and it is also the church where the funeral had been held. It was really strange to sit in that church again. The minister we had that afternoon was the minister who has baptised me 23 years ago, so that was quite funny.
After church we went to my other uncle and aunty, Gertjan en Wilna. They came to Australia with their 4 sons and my oma about a year after we had moved there. They showed me the photo book. It is amazing how much easier it is to talk to someone who has been to the same place as you have been. After lots of talking and playing wii againg my 12 year old cousin who was way better than me, it was time to say good bye again.
 

Playing the wii

Anton drove me to Delft that night and I stayed at Daniel and Dorinda till this morning (tuesday).
Yesterday Dorinda had an appointment in Amsterdam. I went with her to Amsterdam and after we had lunch together I just walked around for 2,5 hours while Dorinda was at her appointment.
I loved just walking around the city and going into different shops. I even found a shop where they sold an amazing collection of games! They had sooo many different games! Dominion, Agricola, Ticket to ride, Stone age....and HEAPS more! The only game they didn't have was rood, wit, blauw....so I need to keep looking for that one!

As you can read I've had a pretty busy week! I'm glad that I can just chill today. It's now nearly lunch time and I will slowly be making my way to Rotterdam to Hans and Jantina's place. They are both at work, but I have their key, so that works out great! This week I'm hoping to catch up with a few more cousins and friends. The plan is to pick Julian up from the airport on saturday morning, to spend the weekend in Almelo with Ruth and Arjen and to go to Paris from Monday till Wednesday.
This holiday is going so extremely fast! I'll be home before I know it! Thankfully I have been able to enjoy every single moment of it so far! (except the moments that I need to contact uni again regarding my exams...and i'm still not sure what's happening with them!)

I hope everyone is