February already!

Hi loved ones!
Miss you bunches! Life marches on here in the Netherlands, busy as can be. The new job is a struggle for a type-A nurse that likes protocols, procedures, rules and respect. Although on the flip side, I never knew my heart had enough room in it for so many tiny munchkins! The commute of almost an hour each way is proving to be a little more wearing than I had expected, but I refuse to drive a car here, so that is the price I pay. For those of you that don't understand the driving refusal, let me explain: While I enjoy the independence it affords, I hate driving in the first place. I got my license at age 17 after failing my drivers test twice. I am nervous behind the wheel, especially when there are other people in my car. While I've never had an accident with another car (knock on wood), I have caused surprising damage to my former vehicles with encounters involving: a garbage can, a garage door frame, and a small retaining fence. Now, with this Calla hates driving foundation in place, take into account my new surroundings: tiny narrow roads that require often having to decide whether you or the oncoming traffic must pull over to allow the other to pass, strange roundabouts unlike any American road phenomena, countless buses, trams, and bicycles carrying not only adults but anything from children and the elderly to brand new babies and antiques. The bicyclists are so close to the cars they could reach out a hand and touch them at any time. Learning to ride a bike here was scary enough, I refuse to put myself behind the wheel of anything that causes me to have a blind spot!!! Trust me, it is for the public good.

Now I'm feeling scattered so here are a few more things I wanted to tell you, in no particular order:

*I'm developing a strange fondness for (fairly ridiculous) Dutch folk music. This supports my personal hypothesis that I can find the good in ANY music.

*Ralph found my first gray hair, on the back of my head. I'm only 25. I'm trying to blame genetics but this didn't happen to either one of my parents. It's probably just an outward sign of all the wisdom I've attained at my young age...

*I now attest to the healing power of fresh squeezed orange juice. I was SO sick last weekend, and Ralph's mom brought me some. By Sunday night I was feeling human again, and by Monday I was back, full of energy, ready to munchkin-wrangle.

*Doing your taxes from another country is a pain. You would be amazed how hard it is for American companies to put a foreign address into their computer databases (so that you actually receive your W2's and 1099's).

*Spring is already in the air here. Can you believe that? I saw bulbs pushing up out of the ground on a walk yesterday. After surviving so many North Pole... I mean Minnesotan winters, this feels like cheating! Just imagine how it feels to be a snowbird. Wow, those retired people have it all figured out, don't they?!

*I miss American food. I'm so excited to come back for Hannah's graduation and gorge myself.

*I have come to the realization that I am a fairly horrible photographer. I just don't have an eye for it. However, I do promise to start taking more pictures so that you can all see more of what it's like over here. If I were a better photographer I would do a project about the Dutch use of bicycles as primary mode of transportation. It's truly amazing to see the Dutch bike culture. It used to make me drop my jaw on a daily basis; now it's just weekly...

*For months I have been missing my Pandora bracelet and several pairs of earrings. Certain that they had fallen off while I was riding my bike, by chance last week I happened to go digging in a small purse pocket. I realized there was a small hole in the corner! This little hole had been the culprit of my missing things! Inside my purse lining was my bracelet, earrings galore, and a surprising amount of loose euro change. Nice!

*Today I have a fairly scary required meeting at city hall to discuss (by myself, in Dutch) whether or not I have to take a Dutch integration course and exam. I'll let you know how that goes...

Ok well that's all for today. Love you and miss you all!
xoxoCalla