Six month update

We have reached the six month mark living overseas. Where has the time gone? When I think back to the moment when Ryan first approached me about moving to The Netherlands, it seemed so far out into the distant future like it would never come. We then spent months getting the house in order for renters, packing up and storing what we didn't sell on craiglist or at the yard sale, tying up loose ends, and looking ahead into the mysterious unknown. And now, after living in Holland over six months, the unknown has become quite familiar.

I thought I'd never learn my way around this city. Ryan was born with an instinctive sense of direction; I on the other hand was not, and am a bit more challenged in this area. Yet, as time has gone on, I have adapted to my surroundings and seem to be flourishing in some ways in my new home. I have never considered myself very independant. Even while living in Ballard, I rarely went out by myself when Ryan was traveling to just explore. Here it is a different story. I regularly take the dog out, ride my bike leisurely through a park, attend dinner parties with colleagues, ride the tram to work and take the slow walk home. I even plan to do some volunteer work - without Ryan! I can barely believe it. I guess I am becoming more courageous as each days passes, trying to supress fear and doubts, and just let go and get the most out of this experience!

A few people have remarked that we have become "quite Dutch." What they mean is that we no longer really appear like foreigners or tourists. We've assimilated into the culture. We ride our bikes everywhere - to the market, out to meet friends, and evening Mass on Sundays. You can regularly find us on our bikes riding through the city with bags strapped to our handlebars. After purchasing a new laptop, Ryan made his way back on his bike carrying an enourmous box while dodging pedestrians, other cyclists, strollers, trams, buses and the occasional car. Now that is truly Dutch!

We've also grown to really appreciate what the Dutch call "gezellig." It is a word used for cozy, nice atmosphere and togetherness. It is one of the most difficult words to translate into English because although it is commonly used as an adjective to describe something, it's also a feeling. Even having coffee with someone is gezelling. Gathering with friends and family is gezellig. The cafes here are very gezellig - soft pillows and blankets to keep you warm on a cold day. The word transcends everything and really encompasses the Dutch culture. Everyone wants to make their homes cozy here. The amount of stores carrying candles, pillows, flowers, and any home decor you can think of is astounding. We love their style and have gotten some great decorating ideas.

We have started to make our apartment more gezellig. A houseplant, a few candles, a lamp, some cozy pillows, a few new pieces of furniture here and there. Our next project is to make our balcony a cozy, serene place to enjoy a warm evening outside. We've put up a bamboo screen for some privacy, planted some herbs and plan to buy some patio furniture with lots of cushions and pillows. This is the Dutch way!! And the best way to truly experience "gezelligheid" is to spend it with others and invite people to your home to share some wine and enjoy the company.

The Netherlands has the most dense population per square mile in all of Europe which we have observed in many different situations. Walking outside on a Saturday afternoon we encounter people and more people everywhere. People seem to walk straight into you if you don't switch course and move out of the way. Bicyclists do not give way to those on foot and so we have learned to pay close attention so that no one gets hurt! The grocery stores become packed, with little room to walk the aisles. If you pause to look over the varieties of rice, their will surely be six hands reaching in front of you grabbing for items off the shelves. If you get the store too late in the day, the bakery section is completely wiped out. And the trams! In the morning I wait for the Number 1 to pull up on the Spui, push my way on with everyone else and grab the nearest pole to hang on!

I find myself becoming more Dutch as the days go by. I hope during my visit home to Seattle I don't get too agressive at the supermarket or shove my way down the sidewalk. :) It sure will be interesting to come home and see what comparisions we make. But with the differences aside, we are adapting much better than I could have imagined moving so far from home. Maybe you'll notice some differences in us as well. Given all that we have experienced these past six months, I know I have grown and will continue to in the months ahead. We can't wait for a visit home. See all soon!