It's been a while since I've posted anything. Things have been REALLY busy. I now work for SEVEN families, which is fantastic and keeping me very busy. Bart and I have also been working a lot on applying for my visa, but should only have two major hurdles to go. As of Wednesday I'll be officially awaiting my Dutch residence permit, and that will alllll behind us - THANK GOD. As for the Fulbright, even though I think about it all the time, I'm still just waiting. They sent a all of my medical clearance paperwork to my mom's house, so I'm waiting for that to get here so I can complete my fullllll physical and after that hopefully be told WHERE in Germany I'll be going. That will determine a lot of things, because...
Bart might come with me! It all depends on how soon we can find out where I'll be placed, ie how much time we'd have to arrange everything. But it all depends on where in Germany I'll be, since it could be really close (in which case he would most likely stay here). So we're just waiting!
The last few weeks have been hectic with work, but also with lots of play. I was house-sitting a very nice house in my favorite neighborhood in Amsterdam for the last two and a half weeks, so it ended up being our "vacation home" in the city for two four-five day weekends in a row. Easter weekend we stayed there and Bart's sister Renske came to hang out and go with us to a big show. It was sooo much fun and Bart and I spent the next day (Easter) enjoying the PERFECT weather in the city (and eating Easter candy of course). The weekend after that was another big, long weekend because it was Queen's Day -- the BIG national holiday here. Renske came again and so did friends from Switzerland and we had sooo much fun. (Lots of pictures on facebook. ;))
A couple days after Queen's Day it was... SARAH AMELANG day! (International holiday, coming soon.) We went home then and as much as we'd enjoyed our "vacation home" it was so nice to be back in OUR home. I got a visit from Bart's mom that day, which was great, and enjoyed a lovely birthday with Bart. Later in the week were more Dutch holidays! May 4th is Remembrance Day for Dutch soldiers from WWII to the present, and there was a lovely ceremony and two minutes of silence at 8pm for them. It was really great to see, I think that's very important. Then the next day, May 5th, is Liberation Day (the day the Dutch were liberated from their Germany occupation) and it's a big party! We met up with my friend Jo from Switzerland (she's Canadian but was also an au pair there while I was) and she and I had a lot of fun and met another American girl.
And finally, this weekend was Mother's Day of course! And actually on Saturday while Bart and I were out I randomly met a girl from HOUSTON who is here with her Dutch fiancé, so that was nice! We're meeting for drinks tonight. So anyway, yesterday Bart's mom, step dad, and Renske came over to our house and we had a really nice day here. I made chicken fajitas with all the trimmings for them, and they LOVED it!!! We had nice weather, so we grilled the meat and it was delicious. It was my first time making everything from scratch, so I had a lot of fun (and was reminded of my own grandmas and mom as I was constantly busy in the kitchen!). I missed my family yesterday for sure, but it was a really nice time with my Dutch family -- and my sisters will be here in ONE WEEK!!!! I can't wait!!!!! But anyway, it's been great spending so much time with Bart's family lately. We really get along and it's been great getting closer to them. In two weeks I'll go with Bart's mom and Renske to a very typical little Dutch town where we have to go by boat, and we'll have a picnic. I'm excited and I'll definitely have to write about that. :)
Well, that's what's been going on lately! Now I'm very much looking forward to getting the visa overwith this week and then having Laura and Elizabeth here next week! It's really going to be so great, I can't even describe how excited I am. We've never done anything like this before... It will be amazing! And I think in general I'm just very much enjoying having OUR place and hosting our family and friends. So... come visit me! ;)
lots of love from Amsterdam xoxo
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