The final chapter...

While I realize that I am writing the final piece to my exchange experience almost a year later, I feel it is still important that I end this blog with a certain sense of satisfaction. Annalise and I spent five days in Greece together before I went back to Tilburg for one more night before flying out of Amsterdam and back home to Toronto. When I last wrote on this blog, I was sitting in an expensive Internet cafe by the port in Athens waiting to board our midnight passage with Annalise. Once midnight rolled around we starting walking toward the boat which we had just learned was the SLOWEST ferry boat in Athens. No wonder it was going to take us nine hours to get to our island!

We climbed our way up to the open deck level and watched the labourers board all sorts of timber and supplies in the bottom of the boat. We set up our sleeping bags and soon saw the lights of the port fade away as we sailed into the darkness underneath an open Mediterranean sky of stars. At first it was hard to fall asleep on the cold metal floor but after a while the constant humming vibrations of the boat and the passenger playing his Spanish guitar created a sort of lullaby and we soon fell asleep.

Hours later I woke up to one of the most beautiful images I have ever seen. A rising sun over the Aegean sea... It was one of those moments where you stand up, look around, and have to pinch yourself to believe that you are where you are. As the sun rose in the sky Annalise and the other passengers started to wake up and get ready. The sun because hotter and hotter and by 10am, the full impact of the blue started to hit me. It was around this time that we met three English blokes (as I called them) who were vacationing before heading to military school.

These guys were pretty hilarious and it was really cool to chat and share stories of travel. We were actually headed to the same hostel on the same island so it worked out really well. When Annalise and I arrived at our hostel we couldn't believe the luxury we got to stay in for roughly $15 Cdn a night. An entire circular clay cottage to ourselves with two double beds and direct view to the beautiful beach! It was paradise!

At that point I was really feeling the Greek vibe and we spent the rest of the afternoon doing what all people should do in Greece.... lie on the BEACH! I felt like I was in a living postcard, the white buildings in the background, the white sand at my feet, and nothing but blue sky and water ahead. I ended up with a killer burn but in all honesty, it was worth it! That night, Annalise and I had dinner with the Brits and enjoyed some excellent pizza - although I'm not sure Chris feel the same way, it was "rather spicy" for him. We decided to head into the main village of Ios and spent the night checking out these amazing little bars around everything nook and cranny. It was so wild - the town wound up a large hill and it all connected as if it was one giant structure.

That night was also the night of the infamous "stick". Those who know the story know that it is best told in person (sorry Ed!)

The next morning Annalise and I decided that it was time to do a little touring and the two of us managed to figure out the rural bus system enough to make it to the pier where we first arrived on the island. We had noticed several four-wheeler/motorbike rental places. This was probably the most memorable thing about Greece - renting a four-wheeler and just cruising to undiscovered places around the island. Two of us fit on one and since I forgot my license, Annalise was the official driver and I the official passenger. Looking spiffy in our helmets (later realizing NOBODY wears them) we headed for our first stop - food! We bought some delicious eats for a picnic lunch and then headed off to the wild!

Ending up in a place we were totally not meaning to go, we stumbled upon an ancient historical site - get this - Homer's burial site! The famous Greek writer of Odyssey had lived on the island of Ios and was buried right beneath us. The history and awe of Greece was seeping in. Once on the road again, being the kind of gals that we are, we decided to "off-road" it into a rugged looking beach area. Eventually, our bumpy ride led us to our own personal beach out in the middle of nowhere! An entire paradise all to ourselves, we had some lunch, had a nap, and even went for a nice dip.

By the time we awoke from our naps, we realized we had better head back as sunset was only hours away. This is where both of us got really quiet.... we couldn't quite figure out how to get to the main road, everything was looking very desolate, and we were very much alone. The path got steeper, I had to get out of the RV and give it a few pushes. Then, like a miracle, we found the road! Both of us let out a huge sigh of laughter and broke the nervous silence. We had both been extremely anxious and it was so relieving to be back on track.

With the sun setting and the wind whipping through our hair, we found one final ancient ruin on our ride back to town. This place had been some sort of old fortress and winding stone steps took us to the most amazing views. I don't think Annalise and I will ever forget that incredible four-wheeling adventure.

Our last night in Ios was spent with the English folks and Ed got out his guitar and played some tunes for us as we chilled on the beach. There must have been a million starts out that night. Before going to bed we played an intense game of 'cheat' with the most interesting cards. Annalise and I left the next morning to Mykonos and bid the boys a farewell. It was sad to say goodbye to new friends but we know we'll all meet up again someday - that's just the way travelling works!

Taking a speedy fairy, we arrived at our hostel on the island of Mykonos by late afternoon. Settling into our little cabin (the size of a garden shed) we then scouted out this MASSIVE hostel. The skies weren't looking too friendly and we experienced some slight rain. To cap off my final night in Greece, we got some ice cream and enjoyed the lounge chairs on the beach. After a nice long talk and lots of reflection about our time in Tilburg, we went to sleep.

The next part of my travels will only bring up some painful memories so here's the long story short:

Took an expensive taxi ride from the hostel to island's airport. Airport on severe island time and over 2 hours late making my connection in Athens late. Finally get to Athens and spend over 8 hours in delays, finally board plane to Munich but plane to Munich is 30 minutes late causing me to miss flight to Amsterdam. So I'm stuck in Amsterdam for the night but on the plus - airline pays for awesome hotel room and free dinner! Next morning get to Munich airport again and finally get to Amsterdam. Phew!

From here, the last day in Tilburg is all a blur. There was lots of goodbyes, many tears, and one final sleepover with the Irish and Scottish crew. My beloved Italians had already gone home and it was so sad to say goodbye to the remaining roommates of Floor 52. Walking down the stairs of Verbernelaan for the last time, I left among promises to see everyone of my roommates again...someday.

There really isn't word adequate enough to explain what this entire experience has meant to me. It was truly life-changing in so many ways. Holland became a home to me and the exchange students my family. I cannot wait to embark on more adventures to revisit the people I grew to love in their own home countries.

xoxo Cheryl

My Big, Fat, Greek Vacation

Hey everyone! Don't have that much time to write (stupid, expensive internet cafes!) but I wanted to drop a quick note to let you all know that I arrived safely in Athens today with my buddy Annalise. We are going to board our overnight ferry in an hour which will take us to the island of Ios - basically I am going to wake up to an open air Greek Island sunrise on a ferry...

Having a lot of fun so far despite some very difficult farewells yesterday.... It was the last time I saw some of my wonderful flatmates (until the next time!) Annalise and I were not without a few tears on the way to the airport last night. After a less than restful night sleeping there, we finally made it to the hot weather and palm trees of Athens.

Can't wait to see you all soon!

The countdown begins...

I'm sitting at my computer right now after another night of studying about two hours later than I should thinking that it's been quite a while since my last blog. The last week as been an emotional roller coaster as reality is sinking in and slowly my room is becoming more empty as I start to pack up. There isn't any exciting excursions or visitors to write about this time but this week has not been any less meaningful by any standard.

Lately my mind has been so incredibly busy that it's been keeping me awake at night. I keep running through all the little errands I have to do before I leave Tilburg (gasp!) next Thursday in less than a week. Buy my train tickets, close my bank account, study for and write two more exams, clean out my room find the time to properly say goodbye to the new and wonderful people who have touched my life. The problem is I write exams up until the very last day I live in Tilburg so it is incredibly stressful to find the time to enjoy my last moments with people when I should be studying instead. The dilema is that when I study I'm too distracted to give 100% and when I'm spending time with friends I feel too guilty for not studying that I can't enjoy their company 100%.

I'm just realizing now how fast time has blown by. I wish I could just hit a pause button somewhere so I can find my bearings. So far I have been able to hold things together fairly well. At any point now various people will just randomly burst into tears if something too funny or too good happens - we all know we are going to have to say goodbye to all of this in such a short while. I have been able to hold my tears in superbly - even at the final gala last friday - I was determined not to cry. But then today with the arrival of my yearbook - reading through everybody's quotes, favorite memories - the seal was broken and I have to admit I shed a few. The good thing is that if one person starts crying at least two other people will start to cry too and then laugh at the same time.

I don't want you all to think that this is some sort of really depressing time for me as the above might sound - not at all - in fact quite the opposite. I am definately ready to come home again and don't dread the idea at all. I miss my family, I really miss Howie and can't wait to see him, I miss my friends back home, and a clean kitchen for a change. Living in Tilburg is something that is both wonderful but also tiring at the same time. I am always doing something, going somewhere and have too many things to do. It will be nice to simplify my life again.

As one last 'adventure' before heading home my Aussie friend Annalise and I booked flights to Greece for my last week before heading home. Annalise is going to stay in Greece for three weeks but I'm just going to join her for her first four nights. I'm hoping to soak up some sun and relaxation time so I can come home well rested and tanned! We fly into Athens on June 1, take a ferry to Ios and after two nights in Ios we take a ferry to Mykanos so I can catch my flight off that island and back to Amsterdam. I have one and a half days left in Holland to tie up any loose ends - and pick up some souveniors (whoops - shouldn't have left that to the last minute!)

So wish me luck in my exams and please pray for my safety and sanity these last two weeks of exchange...

Mom and Dad in Holland!

Sorry for the delay in this post - I've just gotten into the middle of exams! But now I will no further delay the day my dad has been waiting for: to be in my blog!! As a lot of you know - my parents went on a 25th anniversary trip for ten days at the beginning of May. First they went to Paris, and then they came to Holland!

While in Holland, their plan was to spend Wednesday at the Keukenhof (tulip park), Thursday with me and then I'd go back with them for one night in Amsterdam, and then they had Saturday to see Amsterdam some more and Sunday to go to Bleiswijk. Since Thursday was my day to entertain them, I wanted to take them somewhere really Dutch - so I decided to have them meet me in Gouda - the cheese town. Of course, whenever you need to get somewhere in time those are always the days when you get held up. As luck had it, three illegal immigrants just happened to be right next to me, just in a huge fight with the train staff, and we were delayed 40 minutes while security staff held us up at the stop just before Gouda - whew!! But finally I reached Gouda to find Mom and Dad waiting for me in the station. It was so good to see them again and I think Mom was just a bit teary - but come on, they hadn't seen me four months! The longest time ever I had not seen my parents.

We had a really nice stroll towards the centrum in Gouda catching up and they told me about their time in Paris. Unfortunately, since spring came about 4 weeks early here they said there was only about 5% of the tulips left in Keukenhof but it was still nice. I pointed out various things to them like how never to walk in the red bike lanes - a few of my friends had learned that lesson the hard way. Some blue sky had begun to show which was lovely - I was starting to feel bad that up until their arrival - we had experienced over two weeks of non-stop sunshine - but as soon as they arrived - it was nothing but rain and wind in the forecast.

We took some nice photos of the canals, the city hall, the gorgeous church with long stain glass windows and of course the weighing station. Inside the cheese musuem/weighing station mom and dad were able to try some cheese - now I think they were really starting to feel like they were in Holland! As I discovered and Mom explained as we watched Dad - he liked to tell people about his Dutch ancestory - apparantly this started at the Keukenhof. Who can blame him though? Mom and I found great entertainment in this. At the cheese museum we saw a video about how the Dutch cheese was made - this was very good information but I have to say the highlight of the cheese museum was when mom and dad posed for the ultimate Dutch photo.

Luckily the Thursday market was on so Mom and Dad could see what kinds of food and goods are sold at local markets. Dad said he wanted to find some 'gebakies' that were like the ones Oma used to have on Sundays. At first I didn't know what he meant but then as we were looking through the bake stand I realized he meant 'gebaktjes' - or literally - baked goods. Although we couldn't find the specific ones he remembered - there was plenty of other nice Dutch treats to buy. We picked some up for later and Mom also got some nice old Dutch cheese - you can't come to Gouda and not get Dutch cheese!!

After this we sat down for some lunch. I wanted to make sure to pick a place where we could get some traditional Dutch kind of food. Of course - we get probably the least knowledgable waitress ever to exist and apparantly the one restaurant in Holland where you can't just get a plate of fries with mayo. As frustrating as that once it just became another funny story but we thouroughly enjoyed the bitterballen and toasties while Dad had 'Oma's Meatballs'.

From Gouda we headed to Tilburg where my parents could see my living conditions for the past four months. I conveniently had to go grocery shopping and wouldn't you know it? Mom and Dad kindly offered to pay for them!! (There are some advantages to having your parents visit!) They really enjoyed the shopping centre - it's quite different from North American ones - the cheese, bread, fish, meat and bread places all have their own stores.

Back at my apartment - they were able to see my room, our disgusting kitchen, and meet some of my room mates (Cheryl, Una and Paolo) They remebered Paolo as the one who never cooks which was quite funny. We didn't stay long at my place and went out for some dinner at an Irish pub in the centrum. From there - we headed back to Amsterdam to spend the night in their fancy hotel!

Now Thursday was definately not my day for trains - at least this time Mom and Dad were there too. As we were sitting and talking the man next to us blurted out, "I can speak English too you know.." After he found out we were Canadian we began an extremely long and drawn out discussion about how as a Native, he was treated so badly by the US government. He went on and on dispite the fact that we just agreed with him. He asked us if we saw love in his face and we were thouroughly creeped out. At the next possible stop we quickly ran out into the next train car - whew!!

The night in the hotal was very relaxing. It was brand new and very modern looking. We had a great view of the harbour and Mom and I had a good chat while dad went down to the sauna. Luckily, there was no other naked men in there like he had last time! (That's Europe Dad!) Although the couch was very comfortable my dad's snoring was quite overpowering - I've just gained so much more respect for their marriage that night - 25 years of that every night and they are still together!

Friday was unfortunately quite cloudy and we had a bit of rain. It was a good day to do the museums though. We went to the Anne Frank house which was such a moving experience and then we went to the Rijks museum where we saw the famous Rembrant paintings. All of us were quite impressed by the artwork there. By mid-afternoon it was time for me to go though. We didn't want me on the trains alone too late at night after our experiences yesterday!

I waved goodbye from the trains and watched my parents get smaller and smaller on the platform. Although it was sad to go - it wasn't as hard as in Januray because I knew I would see them in just three weeks! I've heard from them since that their Sunday visit to Bleiswijk went really well! The couple's son and daughter-in-law were there for Mother's Day and could speak English so my parents were able to communicate really well. Also, they were able to visit with Ome Koos which was very nice for them. My dad could apparantly remember a lot more Dutch than he thought!

Bevrijheid! Celebrating Freedam Day!

This past week has certainly been a week for national Dutch celebrations. Just five days after Koninginnedag in Amsterdam I join four girlfriends to Ede-Wareningen where the big Freedom Day festivities were taking place. May 4/5 was the weekend that everybody in Holland celebrated the liberation of Holland in WW2. In Canada, we have our Remembrance day on November 11 every year. I have to say, I was so impressed and intrigued by how the Dutch people celebrate this day. Back home, November 11 is always a very somber time, a time where quiet reflection and services are held to remember and honour those who fought in the wars. In Holland, the feeling is very different. Freedom Day is a much more lively, celebratory day where verterans are honoured in parades with thousands of people cheering for them. Of course, there is a moment of silence on May 4, but the feeling is no where near as somber as it is in North America.

Danni, Cheryl, Heather, Marjo and I took a two hour train ride to meet up with Danni's boyfriend and his friends in Ede-Wareningen. Like Koninginnedag in Amsterdam, there were various stages set up in the town for people to enjoy lots of live music. The town was incredibly picturesque with lovely cobblestone roads, stone buildings and a nice river. Apparantly this town had been a very strategic place during the war.

The highlight of the day was of course the big parade that went through the town. There were lot of old army vehicles and band and of course veterens. I was so excited to cheer for the Canadian veterans that were participating in the parade. It was incredible to watch how the crowd responded to the veterans - they were like celebrities. It didn't matter which nationality these soldiers were - all received an outstanding amount of cheers and applause. There were veterans from Britain, United States, Canada, Australia, Poland and of course Holland. I was so proud to see people in the crowds waving Canadian flags!


It must be a thing to give away a lot of free hats during celebrations because like Koninginnedag - we got more free hats! These ones were from an old children's TV series called Ome Willem - the hats had nothing to do with Freedom Day but Rene was really excited to see them!

After the parade we made our way back to the main stage to meet up with Rene and his friends. Now the saga continues of just how much Dutch people love their corny folk-like songs. Rene was so excited because the Sjonnies were performing that day. Apparantly the Sjonnies are one of the really popular 'oh-doh-dah' singing type kind of Dutch bands based out of Amsterdam. I was horrified when an old flashy man appeared on stage with sideburns to his mouth dressed in a metallic gold suit. He had the strongest Dutch accent I have EVER heard and his songs were incredibly hilarious.

The great thing about Dutch songs is that you don't really have to know the words. As long as you can loudly mumble some sort of Dutch type sounds you fit right in. We were all having a great time yelling and singing to the music. This act became even better after Rene and his mates told me what the lyrics meant in English. Some of my personal favorites were: 'I'd rather stay home with my mother than go on vacation with you' and 'If you have dandruff, use this shampoo; if that doesn't work, shave your whole head off.'

Wow..... at least I know what soundtrack to get my dad for a souvenier.

Koninginnedag 2007 in Amsterdam

Happy belated Queen's Day everyone! Wow.... I went to Amsterdam with almost all of the other exchange students to celebrate one of the most popular holidays in the Netherlands. Queen's Day, or Koninginnnedag takes place every year on April 30th to celebrate the birthday of the Queen. Now here's where most people get confused... April 30th is not the birthday of the ruling Queen Beatrix, it is actually the day of her mother's birthday, Queen Juliana. Queen Beatrix was smart however and realized that Queen's day wouldn't be much fun in January (her actual birthday) so when she took the throne she decided to keep her mother's birthday as the national holiday.

Now that you've had your history lesson, I'll get into the details of the actual celebrations. On this day, people have the day off of work and of school (whoohooo!). Most families will get together and have celebrations together but a large percentage (usually young peoples like me!) will go into the main cities to celebrate in street party style. Amsterdam of course is where the biggest parties are but Utrecht and Den Haag also have really good celebrations. Basically every city however, including Tilburg, will have their own celebrations outdoors.

The party begins on the eve of Koninginnedag and not wanting to be left out, I also started my celebration on the night of April 29th. A bunch of us exchangies went into the centre of Tilburg where a big stage was set up in the middle of the square and everybody had a great time dancing the night away. I can't wait to get home and show all of you the new "cool" jump dance that is all the craze right now - it works perfectly with techno music!

By 9am about 50 exchange students made it to the train station to Amsterdam! We had good intentions of trying to stick together throughout the day... but that was just IMPOSSIBLE!! As far as the eye could see there was people, people and more people! I swear the entire population of Holland was in Amsterdam that day! What made things even more confusing was that 99% of these people were all dressed in orange and the other ten in the red, white and blue of the Dutch flag! Don't worry, I made sure to wear my amazing Holland outfit as well!

We had made no plans as to what to do in the city and just allowed the day to take us wherever! In almost every square and intersection some sort of stage was set up blaring Dutch tunes and techno music. In Dam's square there was carnival rides set up and everything! Periodically throughout the day we met up with other students and just went from square to square, party to party enjoying the Queen's birthday. We were able to score a lot of free hats and things. Open markets and venders were selling every possible Holland related souvenir one could want. One particularily interesting venders was selling chainsaws!! The wildest things I saw that day was the canals..... they were absolutely PACKED with people dancing away on the party boats - at one point - I couldn't even tell that a canal was a canal because the water was completely invisible with all the boats!

The grand finale of the day was when somehow, all of the exchange student were able to meet up in the large grassy area for a live concert by the Van Gogh museum. Because the partying (and beverage consumption) starts quite early in the day for many people - the festivities die down by early evening. Only the truly hardcore tend to celebrate late into the night. I however, was ready for bed and enjoyed the relaxing train ride home. It was one of the most fun days I have had in the Netherlands so far - Happy Birthday Beatrix!!

Feyenoord voetball match!

If you are my dad, my grandpa, or any of my uncles, try not too get too jealous as you read the following about my amazing experience at an authentic Dutch soccer game. I had the privilege of going this past Sunday with my roomie Danni and her Dutch boyfriend Rene. Now if you ever want to meet a stereotypically Dutch guy... you have to meet Rene. He is about 6'9", blond hair, blue eyes and very nice. I had a great time spending the day with them.

What was really good about this day was that because I was going to a soccer game with a true Feyenoord fan, I learn so much about the Dutch soccer league. It worked out really well that Danni has a Dutch boyfriend because you actually can't get tickets to a Dutch National game unless you are a member of the team. Rene has been a fan of Feyenoord for years and because he's a member, we could get tickets. I was a little nervous I had to admit because you hear such crazy stories about the fans getting involved in brawls and riots. Rene said he's never personally seen a riot, but the fans certainly do get a little crazy. There are a number of measures in place to keep the peace among the fans though.

For example, you can only buy tickets from the team you are a member of. The opposing fans will never cross paths at a match. You cannont access the areas of the opposing fans. Gates, snack stands and all of that is separate. If you are a fan of the visiting team, you will board a bus at your home stadium to the visiting stadium about an hour before the home fans are allowed to arrive. In the stands, the visiting team fan section was glassed off from all the home fans! It was wild!

The Feyenoord stadium in Rotterdam can hold 30,000 fans which makes it the largest stadium in the Netherlands. Also, the team will turn 100 years old in 2008 which was pretty cool. The colours of Feyenoord are red and white and of course, Rene had a jersey to wear. The game had sold out and it was really exciting so see all the people getting so pumped up. To my horror - they all started singing the Dutch football songs that my dad has on his cd back home!! Oh no!! On the bright side, the songs didn't bother me that much - I think it had something to do with the fact that I was listening to them while I was actually at a Dutch football game and not in a car with my dad.

After the first half of the game the score was still 0 - 0. By the second half though things were getting very intense.... there were a couple of really big mistakes on the referee's part - NEC (the other team) just pummelled one of our guys and there was no card! The crowd started to sing a really rude song about the ref's mother. Feyenoord came back though and scored a goal! The place went wild and the Dutch soccer songs were at full force.

By the end of the game the score was 1-1. Feyenoord tied which means that this weekend - they have to at least tie their game to go on. I definately plan on watching the game on TV.