My 2014.

Hello,

The end of the year is nearing and that can only mean one thing. So grab your mirror, look into it, stare yourself in the eye and reflect on all the amazing and less amazing memories you have made this year. 365 days, spent differently by everyone. Endings, new beginnings, losses, gains, death, birth and so on, 2014 has had it all.

Reflection, for me an important part of the last days of the year. Throughout the year I try to keep a diary, take lots of pictures and for two years now I have a memory jar. It's this simple glass jar, nothing special about it really, that I decorated. Whenever I do something fun or I am just having a decent/ great day I write that on a piece of paper which then get's folded and put in the jar. Over the year the jar fills up and on the 31st of December I open it and go through all the notes that are in it, reliving the year and looking back on all the amazing memories I've created. After reading all the notes in the jar I burn them. The reason behind that burning ritual is quite simple. The notes contain certain memories, moments that have special meaning to me personally and by simply burning them they will stay that way. Special memories of mine, forever.

2014 has been an amazing year for me. I have learned a lot about myself, the world, the universe and life itself. That sounds pretty deep but not without reason. You could say that I have found myself in 2014. This year I have set goals, things I really want to accomplish and everyday I think about those goals and the long way that stills lies ahead of me. The fact that I now know what I want in life gives me hope and gives me the energy to wake and get up every day to get a little closer to achieving those goals. 

On December 31st of last year I set a short list of goals that I wanted to achieve in 2014 and I can happily say I achieved. The goals were:
- Do more of what makes YOU happy.
- Start college again.
- Get my drivers license.
- Travel to different places.
- Make that trip to Brasil happen.
- Start that damn blog!
And last but not least one of the most cliché goals ever:
- Stay active.

Even though it "were just seven goals" I am super proud of myself for achieving all of them. Besides these goals there is much more I have achieved today. I don't feel like talking about all those things yet so sorry about that. 

2014 has been one of my best years so far and I am more then ready for everything 2015 will bring. I have set some goals already but the list isn't finished yet.

These are my 2015 goals so far:
- Continue uploading a blog (weekly).
- Successfully finish my first year of college.
- Finish the 25 km walk on the 21st of march.
- Do more of what makes YOU happy.

That's all I have for now.

I hope you all have had a wonderful year and may next year be even more wonderful for every single one of you!! Happy new year!

Love you lots!
ThatDutchGirl96

Happy Holidays!!!

Hello you lovely people,

That time of the year is finally here. It's the holiday season and Christmas has taken over most of this planet. Whether you live in a country where it's hugely celebrated or not, Christmas is everywhere. A festive storm has passed all over this tiny planet and left a trace of Christmas trees, baubles, tinsel, mulled wine, stuffed turkeys and what not?! 

Tonight is Christmas eve, tomorrow Christmas day and within a few weeks most of the festivities the storm left will be put back in boxes up the attic, or for the tree and the turkey been burnt or eaten. A short period of time in which we all become a bit nicer and more giving. Even though the weather isn't ideal and the cold is horrible and calls for immediate hot chocolate we still love this time of the year. God knows why? 

In Holland Christmas isn't a very big thing yet most of us do celebrate it. I love Christmas and the whole holiday season. Where people mostly care about themselves, around Christmas they seem not to for a little while. Friends and family become more important then ever and the world just seems a little less dark. 

So I just want to wish you all a very merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate Christmas I hope you have a wonderful holiday!! 2014 is slowly coming to an end. 2015 is only a week away!!!!!!!! For me 2014 has been an amazing year and I am so ready to see what 2015 has to offer. This year hasn't been the easiest for me and for a too big amount of people in the world. If 2014 has been rough on you just know that I already am incredibly proud of you surviving up on to this point!!! You have pretty much survived the whole of 2014, 365 days, 8760 hours, 525600 minutes, 31536000 seconds and how amazing is that. 

To everyone out there right now I hope you have the most wonderful holiday season ever and enjoy every minute of it! 

I love you all! Have a wonderful time!

Lots of love, ThatDutchGirl96

Slenderdolls.

Hello!

This blog won't be some sort of story-like thing or gathering of deep-ish thoughts. No this is something that happened to me about yesterday and let's say it crept me out. So yesterday I finally went to see Mockingjay part 1 at the theatre and wow what a great movie it was. I am so stoked for the next part now!!!

So after driving through some small city streets looking for a parking space, my little sister and I were discussing our expectations of the movie (which it definitely lived up to). Finally I found a little space, perfect for my little car so I parked it there. We both got out and were ready to go as I noticed something. At first I thought there was just someone standing on their balcony, casually enjoying the bright night sky and all the stars in it. It wasn't until I looked at "her / him" again that I noticed he/she had a friend on a little flat roof that was just under the balcony. Now that is where things started to get weird. 

You may already have guessed he/she wasn't a real person and neither was their friend, they were bloody dolls. Bloody wooden life-size dolls, like the ones they use in art classes only a couple of times bigger. They looked like freaking slender without the suit. After those clever deductions..... my sister and I quickly walked out of the street and towards the cinema. Slowly forgetting about the slenderdolls that would probably be waiting for us as we got back. The film made forgetting a bit more easy yet as we approached the doomed street again afterwards the both of us knew what would be there.

I was already relieved that the car was still there and it somehow calmed me to see the dolls were in the same position as we had last seen them. We took a deep breath and quickly got into the car which had gotten pretty cold during our absence. This meant nothing but one thing, we had to wait until the car had heated up a bit and the windows were clear again. Yes as I am pretty new to the whole driving and car circuit this seemed to be the only solution for me. Just wait, being scared to death to get eaten by a couple of slenderdolls who were still casually watching us.. Great.

Eventually the car heated up and I left the parking space. Yessss!!! Bye slenderdolls, we won. Just as I had gotten out of the parking space my sister thought it would be fun to say "slendy, slendyyyy" in the most creepy voice ever. At that point I got a little bit scared for my life again and almost hit a car on the other side of the road. Great thanks, sister.......
Eventually we got home in one peace and not murdered nor attacked by the creepy dolls.

So yeah that was my terrifying experience of last week. Hope you had a better Sunday!

Lots of love, ThatDutchGirl96

The wonders of the rain.

Hello!

This week winter has turned back to autumn. Rain, rain and more rain. From small drops, to huge waterfalls and hail. (solid) Water hitting you in the face and creeping it's way down your spine as you cringe at the cold feeling of it. Every time you decide to go outside or you simply have to go somewhere the weather pleases itself by turning just a little worse. No slow drizzle for you! Here have some thick raindrops. And I'm not sure although I feel like the weather has quite low self-esteem because every time you have to go out and you are finally happy with the way your hair falls down or whatever it decides to turn that slow innocent drizzle into a bloody flood. Yay! Way to go weather.....

So this week every time after my 20 minute bicycle ride to the train station I was soaked. Completely and utterly soaked. Coat, drowned in water, hair, ruined, clothes and even underwear, no dry spot to be found. Well done weather... Are you happy now because I'm not. And those are always the moments you realise your day has only just begun... FML

Rain isn't all bad and stupid, no no no. Every now and then (especially at times I don't have to go out in the rain) it's quite nice. In my case it's mostly when I'm on the train or in the car (except when I'm driving), rain drops landing on the windows and slowly sliding off the window again, racing against each other. The raindrops getting ahead of one an other before falling back behind. I love to watch those races making up stories in my head about what might be happening inside those drops. "HAHA goodbye Roger, I'll be there first!" "No way Susan."

Besides the racing there is also the sound of raindrops hitting the windows and rooftops. Different rhythms, intensiveness's. When it's drizzling you'll barely hear the drops fall down however when it's raining quite heavily you might hear an up beat rhythm passive aggressively hitting the windows or rooftops. Those passive aggressive raindrops compose the best symphonies, a calming sound slowly taking me to the land of dreams and nightmares, taking along the stress as they glide down the window. 

Yeah rain can be a total pain in the ass however it sometimes is one of the most wonderful weather conditions. Let's just say rain is underrated. Especially on days like mine today. A lazy day, not having to go outside, just staring through the window watching the rain drops forming puddles and racing down the window, enjoying the blur that it leaves the outside world in. 

Lots of love,
ThatDutchGirl96

Hello December.

Hello!

It is finally here! The most magical, sometimes beautiful, cold, christmassy and the last month of the year 2014. Time for more hot chocolates, more wearing onesies, Christmas trees, fairy lights, presents under the tree, fireworks,  singing Christmas songs, eating lot's and lot's of food, ice skating and hopefully a nice layer of snow. 

December, a month that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside at the mere sound of it's name. The last month before a year comes to an end and the last month before a new year can kick off. Yet there are 27 days left before the new year comes peaking around the corner. December. Yes. My magical month.

First of all, the most important part of December, CHRISTMAS! In about 21 days it is finally there. Almost a year has passed since last Christmas and that's long enough if you ask me. For a Dutchy I'm pretty enthusiast about Christmas. For us Christmas is not really about presents and Santa Claus and all that stuff. 
We have our own version of that called "Sinterklaas" also known as "Saint Nicholas". It's pretty much the exact same as Santa Claus apart from the celebration date as Sinterklaas is celebrated on December fifth.
Personally I prefer Christmas, just the whole atmosphere around it. The smells, the Christmas trees, the decorations, the fairy lights, the great times with family and friends, the sweaters and the socks and the fire lighting up in fireplaces. 
Since November first I have been ready for Christmas and now December has finally started my excitement can barely be contained. I was born ready for Christmas.

Second, snow. That rare form of solid fluids, falling from the skies in countless formations all with the same structure yet all in different forms. Some touch the ground and turn back into water immediately where others stay there for a while and make the surface go white. Despite all the struggles that come along with snow like trains being unable to take thousands of people to all the different places it still is a marvellous natural event. Last year no snow fell in Holland and there wasn't even a sign of winter around. It was weirdly warm which made winter feel very uncomfortable which nobody really cared about. Hopefully we will have more luck this time. And if not long live the unnatural ice skating rinks. 

December bring it on, I am ready for you and I am ready for everything that has yet to come after you. This year has been an amazing year and I am happy to be alive. This will be a December to remember.

Lots of love,
ThatDutchGirl96

  

Childhood dreams.

Hello!

So last week was full of preliminary examinations. It was a week full of stress, procrastination, books, studying, failing pens, stress, headaches and lot's and lot's of reading and writing. Not one of my favourite weeks (duhhhh) but I managed to pass all of them, which I am super happy about. 
Friday after getting the results of my last examination all the knowledge I obtained over the last weeks drained from my brain. 

Just a little back story here:
Ever since I was a little girl I have had this weird thing with hospitals. For some reason I loved being in hospitals, not with injuries of any kind, no, just wondering around seeing the doctors and nurses do their jobs, trying to make people better, saving them.
At first I always wanted to be a superhero like most kids. Having the ability to fly or to become invisible or to create fire out of thin air. Defeating villains and saving the city, the country or maybe even the world!!! 

As a kid I was always outside doing weird activities to find out which or if I possessed super powers. Running super fast? Nope that's not it. Creating fire? Not happening. Invisibility maybe? Neither. Super strength? Ice powers? Weather control? Flying? No, nope, not happening. So eventually after trying every super power that popped into my mind I had to accept that I was not and will never be a superhero. 

Not late after I gave up my super hero dreams I ended up in the hospital for bad dehydration. That's where my new life goal was brought to life. As I lay there I had plenty of time to watch the nurses pass by and trying to make me and the other kids better. Amazing! In the eyes of little me nurses were super hero's too. Saving people every day or at least trying their hardest to make people better. Sometimes it was just too late.

Ever since that time in the hospital I have wanted to become a nurse. So when I graduated from a school of higher general secondary education (HAVO in Dutch) I immediately applied for a nursing course. When I heard that I had been accepted my dream finally started to become reality. This first step towards my dream becoming reality started in September 2013.

Unfortunately I had to drop out quite quickly. This was a decision I had to make for my own well-being. Last year has been a heavy year for me with lot's of ups and downs. I have changed for the better and learned a lot about my self and life in general. Throughout the gap year I took I have worked at a toy-shop which was sort of a dream come true. I've had a lot of fun working there and it has been an amazing experience. All my life I have been more of an introvert so it was weird, having to socialize with customers every day and constantly being talkative. 

I must say I couldn't have wished for a better place to work and develop myself into a more extrovert person. It was great working there for a year yet I knew I still had a dream waiting for me to make it become real.

And here I am. Attending the same nursing course I dropped out last year and up until this very moment it is going great. I am lucky enough to have an amazing group of students to work with and I have passed all of my first examinations!!!!
I am happy with who I am now yet there is still this dream inside of me. A dream that is slowly becoming reality and in four years from now it might even be my reality!

Lots of love,
ThatDutchGirl96

Autumn!

Hello,

So a couple of days ago we had to change back to wintertime again. Daylight becomes a rarer thing whilst darkness takes over more and more time a day. Most days I have to leave the house in the dark and come back home in the dark as well. This pretty much sucks because whenever daylight brightens up the world for the few hours it gets, I am just sitting inside listening to a teacher's (wise) words and the talking and whispering of my classmates and other people that roam the halls of the school I attend. So whenever I have a day off and it's not raining I like to get outside, go on a walk or just enjoy the presence of daylight. 

Back to autumn. There are various reasons why I love autumn so much:

• Candles.
• The right time and temperature for wearing a onesie.
• Fairy lights.
• Autumn/winter room make-over.
• Tea & Hot chocolate.
• Leaves changing colours and making the world seem like a very warm coloured, nice and cosy place.
•  Fires in fireplaces.
• Cosy socks.
• Sweater Weather.

There are many more reasons why I love autumn so much but those were lost inside the continuous information flow that runs through my brain.

During spring and summer my room has had a sea-ish theme. I've chosen for this theme because ever since I was a little kid I've had this weird obsession with the sea and everything that is related to it. Maybe this is the explanation for me spending so much time at the river that flows in front of my house. 
Just the calming sounds of waves crashing against the rocks or on the sand. The wind blowing through my hair.
However the summer has passed I let the sea theme remain in my room with a few autumn / wintery touches like candles, fairy lights and some warm autumny colours:

The pictures above are just a few of the autumn/ wintery touches I added to my room and more have to follow (like a little Christmas tree) but I will leave those until winter has arrived. 

Oh and be prepared.... As Halloween is approaching so are the spooky, halloweeny activities I have done this year :)))

Lots of love,

ThatDutchGirl96

Let me introduce myself.

Hello!

As this is my first entry ever I guess an introduction would be the only right thing. Won't it? Well there we go then. I am a girl as you may have already guessed and I'm Dutch. Holland is a beautiful country with it's windmills, wooden shoes (which nobody really wears any more), tulips, canals and awful big amount of bicycles terrorising the public roads and sometimes even pavements. Yes I genuinely enjoy living in this small characteristic country. 

You won't find me too often in the big cities our country holds as my home is in one of the smaller villages. This village is so small it's literally never mentioned on a map. Despite it being so unknown I find it lovely to live here. It's just your average peaceful, boring, nothing ever happens here town. We don't even have a supermarket so yeah. 

That's all there is to my town. You still want to know more about me? Well let's continue then. My name is Renée (I'm not really called ThatDutchGirl96, shocker right?) and I'm currently in the first year of my nursing course. Once I graduate I would love to work with children and abroad. Hobbies? Yes I have some of those too, they are what makes life enjoyable aren't they?! My hobbies include writing, reading (English and Dutch books), watching a lot of TV-shows and sometimes movies and photography. Besides those I also like to go on long walks, learn lots of new things, sometimes hang out with friends, travelling by train and going on adventures in general. 

With my blog I hope to  create a bit of online space where I can share my thoughts, adventures, struggles, dilemma's and (fun) anecdotes with the world. Mostly I hope I can create an interactive online community where everyone feels accepted and loved.

That's enough about me don't you think. So what about you? Let me know in the comments!

See you next time.
ThatDutchGirl96