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Published: February 20th 2011
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Another eventful, and constructive week. The weather was bloody fantastic, with me bringing all the rays up from South Africa; my claim-to-fame in Holland so far.
Sunday (13/02/2011)
I visited the local hockey fields to see if perhaps I might have the chance of doing some coaching. I thought it might be a fun way of further involving myself in the community. It’s pretty intimidating just walking into a bar and asking who the right person to talk to is. First of all, everyone is staring at me as an outsider and secondly I had no idea who to talk to. I eventually found the right lady and sent her an email later that afternoon.
The afternoon was filled with me trying to skate a forest path decked with moss and water. Slipping and sliding was fun, but my jeans and cushion-less behind took a beating. Yes, sorry Mom, but there’s a winter sale and my first pay-check is coming; I’ll try look decent by March again.
That evening the two landlords and me went to visit some very old friends (both in age and in time of acquaintance). Opa and Oma stayed for their Sunday bridge
game and I left after a few cups of coffee and a nice long chat.
Monday (14/02/2011)
My valentine brought me tea in the morning and opened the curtains to another partly-cloudy day. It was a lazy morning with me finishing off some post and performing the arduous duty of pouring the coffee. There was a tense moment at lunchtime as Opa didn’t know whether to eat salami or ham on his second sandwich. The wisdom of the 8-ball was put to use; ham it was.
That afternoon I took the time to cycle to Valkenswaard. It was quite a long cycle and I got quite a fright when a motorcycle screamed past in the cycle lane. Apparently their allowed on the cycle paths if they stick to 40kmph, but that’s horse-poo.
I witnessed a very shady drug-deal in the back-roads of Valkensw and took the forest-route back home. When I realised the road-bike’s capacity to deal with the adverse conditions of the forest-route was at its limit I steered myself back to the road-route. I would just have to deal with the biker gangs screaming along the side paths. Thank goodness for common sense. However,
I now know an absolutely lovely route to take...in summer.
Tuesday (15/02/2011)
I got a call far too early in the morning to notify me my appointment with the TempoTeam placement agency was to be moved to Wednesday. An open day presented ample opportunity for more adventure and exploration. I headed into Eindhoven, parked my bicycle and took one helluva stroll. I can safely say I now know my way around Eindhoven. For lunch I treated myself to a ‘lekkerbek’ – a piece of fried fish, om nom nom.
I decided to go and take a look at the TU (Technical University) campus. With lekkerbek and map in-hand I headed in the wrong direction. When I stopped chewing on the map and reading the lekkerbek (approximately of the same consistency) I regained my bearings and immersed myself into the student realm. I felt so out of place. Engineers surrounded me with faces more pale than I thought possible. These were the true pale-masters; beings who enjoyed long hours behind flat screens and metallic contraptions. They stayed well-clear of the bearded, sun-kissed foreigner who dared to stride with purpose and an upright back.
To my utter amazement
they had a sports-complex at the back of the University (obviously for the exchange students) with a river running past it. As I was walking along the cycle path, I spied an orange blob floating against a branch on the opposite river bank. I slooowly made my way around after finally finding a bridge to cross. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it was a soccer ball!! I got on my hands and knees in the dirt (drawing more glares and confused stares) and fished out the brand-new ball; fully pumped (me with excitement, and the actual ball) and still usable! It was amazing that no-one else had seen it, but that’s wasn’t surprising as the round-shaped sports object was most probably more of a foreign being than I was on the campus.
I was smiling and kicking the ball all the way back to my bicycle. The only bummer of the day was the downpour I chose to cycle through. The sun came out just as I was home; still gotta get used to reading the weather.
Wednesday (16/02/2011)
I had a really fun skate in the morning making full use of the sun
and my ever-increasing control over the moss, twigs and dog crap lying on the forest paths. It was my big day with regards to interviews and training for the catering company I now work for. I cycled to Eindhoven just after lunch and was greeted at the Tempo Team with the promise of work to come. I then went to JMW for my catering-training. It was all the basics, carrying 4 plates, setting a table, buffet etiquette and set-up, carrying trays with drinks and just their ethics and code of conduct. The first bit of work will be this coming Friday at a Municipal gathering. Thereafter I’m working at the PSV Eindhoven match in one of the boxes. I’ve promised Daniel to spike the Ajax player’s water cooler if possible; I get his house if I succeed.
Training went well and I look forward to the experiences I’m going to have travelling around Eindhoven and working at various companies and events. I was however told to be clean-shaven with gelled hair, no armbands and clipped nails...that’s a big commitment on my part!
I made my way home feeling triumphant at the prospect of work to come. The Van
Twisk household greeted me with a cold beer, ready-laid dinner table and two smiling grandparents. Needless to say the smile on my face just grew bigger.
Thursday (17/02/2011)
A lazy morning followed the constructive Wednesday. I went for some more forest adventures and after lunch headed into town to try on the JMW work clothes. I had to reluctantly purchase the hair gel on the way home. This big step into Dutch-dom has been accompanied by a more loose scarf on the cycles home, less layers of clothes (and socks), my throat suffering less everyday and I’ve realised I even count in Dutch when filling out forms. Eish.
I cooked supper that evening to the delighted grumbles of Oma’s stomach. I’m getting used to the drum and bass played here at home by the grandparent’s various guttural means. Supper was filled-pancakes with mushrooms, onions, feta and curried chicken covered in an Italian tomato sauce. Could have been a bit warmer, but next time will be perfect!! This weekend I’ll be trekking into Sittard/ Germany to spend some time with Daniel and his mates.
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