Christmas time in Amsterdam

December – one of my favorite months of the year! And ofcourse it’s because of the Holidays, everything is in the atmosphere of celebration!
As Christmas time is coming up, everywhere around the world people start decorating. Inside and outside houses, yards and streets are in Christmas Style. In Amsterdam, buildings and streets are filled up with lights that make the city shine at night.
Even when we are lucky, it starts snowing in winter, and then the city will get beautiful covered in white. Unfortunately this year the weather has been too soft for snowing. Like usual, it is constantly raining this time of the year. With some cold wind, it is an ugly winter overhere. (But for me, it does make me feel more like Christmas then in California, where people are playing beachsports with Christmas hats! And, as a born and raised West-European, listening to Christmas songs while enjoying the warmth of sunshine won’t bring me in a Christmas spirit..;) ) And as a surprise we had no rain on both Christmas days, it was not that cold, and even the winter sun showed herself on a beautiful afternoon! Perfect weather to take some beautiful pictures!

Christmas will always be my favorite time of the year. Christmas is all about having a joyful and wonderful time with family, and so we did. Drinking Christmas coffee (from Starbucks!), playing games, laughing when bringing up old memories, dining on a large table with the whole family, and -like tradition- gathering around the Christmas tree where we had some small gifts for eachother.
Still I think we are missing out on Thanksgiving, so I cooked the Thanksgiving meal for my family, which I ate 25th of November – Yes, I stuffed a whole turkey!
Second day of Christmas, we had a nice buffet and drunk some good champagne.
(no partying this weekend, but instead watching All You Need Is Love on the sofa next to the fireplace!)

These warm days of spending time with family, made me think of families who are suffering from a loss last year. Unfortunately we’re not the only one to have some empty places around the table. For some of us death came sooner than ever thought. My heart goes out to all of those who have been missing a mother, a father, a brother, a sister or a friend!

Here are some pictures of the lovely days I spend with my family,
enjoy the rest of your holidays and may your hearts be filled up with happiness!

Yo Yo Yogurtland!

Nederlanders opgelet, ik MOET jullie iets laten zien! In Amerika zijn er talloze take away’s en fastfood chains - van Panda Express (chinese food) tot In ’n Out burger, Taco Bell tot Carls’ Jr.. Allemaal even ongezond en gevaarlijk verslavend, maar gelukkig typisch Amerikaans - het zou nooit passen in ons gezonde landje..
Zoals de meeste van jullie weten is Fastfood niet mijn guilty pleasure, maar toch deed ik an a-ma-zing discovery in California. Een voedselketen waar ik maar geen genoeg van kreeg, en die ik MET ALLE MACHT naar Nederland zou willen halen: YOGURTLAND.
De naam verraad het al, it’s literally a land of Yogurt. Een winkel waar ze ruim 45 (!) verschillende soorten Yoghurt-ice cream hebben!! Natuurlijk is het all self serve – you rule the portions, the choices and the scene. Het enige waar je voor betaalt is de grootte van je ‘cup’ en het aantal gram Yogurt dat er in zit.
Je hebt keus uit de meest uiteenlopende smaken: New York Cheesecake, Toasted coconut, Dutch Chocolate Mint cookies, French Vanilla Wafels, Lemon Lime Tart, Juicy Peach, Kona Coffee Blend.. en dan hebben ze ook iedere maand nog een paar exclusive seasonal flavors: Snowflake Mint, Pumpkin Pie of Oatmeal Cookies.. en dan heb ik het alleen nog maar over de Yogurt die je –Ja, net als in de Febo- uit de muur kan halen! Daarnaast kan je namelijk ook nog vers fruit toevoegen en het afmaken met heerlijke toppings van Peanut Butter Cookies, Cheesecake Bites, Mochi’s, S’mores, Walnuts, Coconut Flakes, Oreo’s or Rainbow Sprinkle’s.. (en dat is nog lang niet alles!)
Zie hieronder een filmpje about the journey to your own culinary Yogurt-creation!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imr-zsc1c-0

Ook van de reclames loopt het water je al in de mond: ‘hey, that’s a real pistachio in your pistachio yoghurt!’ ‘Yes, ‘cause Yoghurtland is keeping it real with all fresh ingredients!’ ‘Flavours and toppings chance according to season and availabilty.’

Iedere keer als ik er voor bij reed kon ik mezelf niet inhouden en moest ik naar binnen om weer een nieuwe smaak te proberen. (We hebben zelfs meerdere keren sample’s aangevraagd voor een ‘Yogurtland presentation in class’ ;) ).
Dit zou dus echt naar Amsterdam moeten komen. Dit zou precies passen in ons gezonde Hollandje - het is beter dan fastfood, een geniale fruitige verslaving.

voor meer informatie, check it out at www.yogurt-land.com !

California Dream became true

Maandagochtend 05/12/2011 08:15 stond ik weer met beide benen op Nederlandse bodem. Alhoewel, voor zover ik niet omver geblazen werd. Wat een weer!!! OMG! Waar ben ik in terecht gekomen?! Storm, wind en regen.. Where is the blue sky, where is the sun, where are the palmtrees? OMG! Help, I’m in Europe!!!
But as depressing as the weather is, my heart fills up with sunshine as I look back at the past three months..
September 18th I departed from Amsterdam to Los Angeles, where I started my American Adventure. I went to EF International Language School In Redondo Beach, Los Angeles. Three months of studying English, making new friends and traveling around in California really has been a lifetime experience. When I came back this was the last story I posted on my weblog. I wrote it in the airplane, Sunday the 4th of December. It’s a short review about my last three months, which actually is impossible to keep short because there are so so many stories to tell.. - but here an attempt to write an overview about everything I’ve done, and how I was looking back on what I’m so thankfull for.

Sunday December the 4th, looking back on three months living in California.

All the things I’ve done and places I’ve been, I feel so lucky and blessed to have experienced it! It has always been my dream to be there for a long time, to live there, to do everything I did last months. First of all: OH YES, I can really say that it was a dream coming true .

Shopping at the Grove, Melrose Avenue, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, working at LA Fashion week, dancing in Hollywood, partying in Hermosa, surfing and playing beachvolleybal on the beach, Universal Studios, House of Horror, Crazy Halloween, four amazing days in San Francisco, Halloween again in Hermosa, Hiking to the Holywood sign, beautiful sundays in Huntington Beach, celebrating Thanksgiving (even twice!), Tailgating at the USC and watching the footballgame, the Grammy’s, Laguna and Newport beach and so much more…! - while having the most funny moments in class, chilling in Bo’s office, enjoying the best dinners, relaxing in jaccuzi, watching amazing sunsets, going to cinema, enjoying my daily Starbucks, going to Yogurtland, doing groceries at Trader Joe’s, eating delicious grapes from Albertsons and having so much fun!

Just thinking about the moments we had SO much fun in class, laughing about eachother and teachers who are the most funny persons I’ve ever met – without knowing it of themselves. Really, you have made my days. I miss Tyler’s ‘Ana Montana’s’ so much already!! And also Charles who always thinks ‘we’re too looouuud’ in iLab. It’s great to have teachers who just say what they think out loud – DO NEVER STOP DOING THAT PLEASE! Pandas are so cute! (And the best thing – they were even partying with us!)

But the most important: the things I’ve learned from all the Amazing people I’ve met!! I’m so happy with all my new friends from all over the world! From the first day until the last – all the people I’ve met are amazing! (Yes, I love you ALL!) - and I want to give my special thanks to everyone from YWAM, who taken me to church and learned me so much! You are all beautiful people and have inspired me a lot!!!

- like Bo said to me in the beginning: ‘it’s not the things you learn at school, but the things you learn in life. The best lessons you learn from the people around you.’ That was completely true.
American people are the most POSITIVE, honest and enthusiastic people I’ve ever met. They always seem to be happy, looking at the brighter side of life. ‘We don’t think in problems, but possibilities.’ (we can learn so much from their point of view, really!) In California is a very mellow atmoshpere. ‘Live in the present, cause living in the past and future is not real. Enjoy the moment.’ Life in California is about having fun. And of course it’s because of the beautiful environment and the good weather that there is such a better atmosphere. People are more relaxed and more helpful as can be. No worries dude! (Europeans are helpful and positive too, but can get really serious and stressed - I think people here should have a little but more fun )
So much POSITIVITY and JOY has came my way, I’m so thankful for that! There were moments I felt so happy, I (almost) didn’t know what to do with myself.
- I’ve learned so much about other cultures. I even speak a little bit Spanish, Danish and Icelandic.
- I found out that walking through the MacDrive is not succesful, they won’t help you unless you are in a VEHICLE.
- I can do handlebar rides without falling from the bike.
- I can surf, for a bit. (still really funny to see me on a surfboard, but at least I kept trying!! And some day I will be really really good )
- I can play the guitar! And I can’t wait to continue it here at home.
- I can write a book about dating Californian guys..
- And there are so many many more things I have learned, but can’t think of it right now..

Unfortunately there was one thing I’ve never learned – opening the door from our apartment. I really don’t understand the American doorlocks. No logic at all.

So, as far as I already was, I've completely fallen in LOVE with everything in California.

God Bless America!

Starting my own blogspot

As I was in California , I wrote a weblog. Friends and family could all read about my adventures in America, and so I wouldn’t still have to tell them everything when I came back. Also, it was a good way for remembering all the special moments I have experienced. My weblog got updated at least twice a week. Just as a dairy, it was all fresh in my memory and the emotions and feelings were documented right away. By writing them as a story, my adventure was all complete.
As I was writing this blog, many people reacted on it and liked my stories. Lots of people followed my weblog! I always loved to write reports or columns, but I never published some. Now I had the chance and a good reason to do so. All the positive feedback inspired me to write more, and one of my dearest friends who I met in LA showed me her blogspot. Now I’m back I don’t want to stop my weblog, but instead it all got me stimulated to publish more. I’m full of inspiration and ideas to write more and keep you updated with my interests - I wouldn’t see any reason to quit, my adventures at home can also be as interesting and worth to share! ( especially for my friends from America, this is a great way to stay in touch and keep eachother updated about our lives back home  ).

Back from California, I am full of inspiration and my head is still full of ideas to write about. To share my great ideas and to continue writing, I start my own blogspot here to publish my columns.  Some of it will be in Dutch, some of them in English. So welcome, and I hope you’ll enjoy!