Rain, rain and more rain

It's another rainy July day in Amsterdam, and the whole rest of the week is forecasted to be the same. Everything is grey and the air looks thick and muggy. I so do not wanna walk out there in the rain, but, it is the only option as I have no car or other bubble form to enclose me from the cold wind and rain. Grrrr. Where is the nice sun n' beach weather!?!

Been having a pretty fun week and it's thanks to the increase of human contact I've had in the form of telephone chats and skype (add me: wafflerica!) Here are some of the things that made me laugh this week:

Me: He's addicted to salsa.
R: Are you sure it's not salsa n' chips?

Rob (to Max): Get off of me, I can see ur anus!!

C: A midget is any person under 137cm.
Me: How the hell did you know that?!

Me: Does anyone want this last chicken foot? *yum
Ch: I'll eat it!
Me: wtf!?
N (in a distinguished English accent): YOU bitch.

Me: Just wait til you get your face mashed by someone's lips.
A: I wish.

B: Nay... joe-gun meh-ah? hehe

CP: She has those...GOOD VALUES I would say.

oh, and did I mention, i returned home yesterday to find a huge pile of shit (literally) in my bed? Yes, it was Max. That ungrateful bastard!!!!

Dutch WCs: Odour incubators

At work, there are 2 stalls in the bathroom, both with doors that go all the way up to the ceiling and leave only a tiny crack at the bottom. Once inside the stall, there is a (relatively) strong lock that seals you inside this solitary room that fits a single toilet. Most 'WC's (water closets) are built this way, they are, literally, closets, where you are fully enclosed to take in the nastiest odours, produced by yours truly (YOU, not me, well... me too. hehe)

The toilets are structured this way for privacy's sake, something the Dutch favour highly. Since they are the most densely populated country in the world, they really like to build walls (both physically and psychologically!) If by chance you were to run out of toilet paper, you're on your own, there is no way you could ask your next door neighbour to pass you a few squares. Luckily, this has never happened to me before.

Anyway, everytime I go into the bathroom and there is someone who just came out, it is always a toss-up which door I should go into. Behind one door is a fresh, fragrant stall that has not been used for at least 10 minutes. The other door, however, is guaranteed to reek of recent rising wafts of stank from whatever the previous person was doing. The key here is not to offend the person who is currently washing their hands. So.. sometimes even though it is obvious which stall should be chosen (from listening to where the post-flush noise is coming from), I would have to go into the not so pleasant option.

...I don't call them odour incubators for no reason. *gag*

Call me Yuschenko

ahhhhh my face is changing!! somebody help me!!! its bumpy, its itchy, its red... i'm turning into victor yushenko!! have i been poisoned?? what the hell's going on!?!?!?

after a bout of deep thinking...I came to realise that I must be allergic to cats!!

See, it only started after we got Max and Kiek (meet Max below), and they have been playing around/sleeping in my room a bit, so yea, all of a sudden, I am allergic to cat dander. My boss confirmed that she also got allergies upon coming to Amsterdam, and then another Dutchie said to me that he also got new allergies when he moved to Amsterdam. So, there must be something about this city...

My stomach has a heartbeat

Sitting in front of my computer at work on this Tuesday afternoon, I realise I have just stuffed myself with a cup of chocolate vla (aka pudding), a large crisp apple, several cough drops, and 500 ml of water.. all this after a lunch of bread w/ 2 slices old cheese, fruit salad, and a cup of soup.

Feeling already like a blimp, I looked down at my pink tank top-wrapped stomach 5 mins ago to find that it was beating rhythmically in a dooown-UP!-dooown-UP! fashion. If it could talk, it would probably say "(gargle) more food, MORE!!! glub-glub-glub"

Ugh! Must. Stop. Eating!!!

Our Monochromatic Friend - Max

Max

Max likes to sit around. He is laid back, calm and quiet. He has a black triangle on his nose that makes him look like a koala. And his paws prints are perfectly inked in black. I like Max. He is our visitor until mid-August when his owner (and our colleague) comes back from his honeymoon.

Wholesome Swimwear

Watch out Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, these 3 ladies (especially Ms. Slimming Swimmer with a mullet and mustache) might take over the scene!

From www.wholesomewear.com:

"WholesomeWear is a modest line of clothing for "wherever." Our WaterWear is the first to be introduced because the need for modesty in swimwear is greatest and the supply is almost non-existant. Swimwear that "highlights the face, rather than the body" includes an undergarment with bright colours at the neck and shoulders to draw attention to the face. "

What the hell? Let's see them wear that in 30+ degree weather!

NAPOLI pt.2

Fond memories of Napoli...

• the hot sun
• the sandy beaches
• the blue sky
• the piles of garbage on the streets
• the vespas/scooters racing around
• the mini-buses
• the crazy driving
• the flirting romantic men
• the HOT men
• the Jesse Metcalfe look-alike
• the quick-melting gelato
• the half cooked pastas
• the little sauces
• the scorching heat
• wet backpack straps from our sweat :P

It was an awesome time in Naples ... We didn't do the usual tourist thing like visit all the sites and stuff, but hung out with a really cool bunch of people: the AIESEC Napoli Parthenope crew. They included Giulio (thanks for hosting us!!), Franco, Bianca, Camilla, Maria, Anarosa, Luigi & Co., etc. and I will never forget any of you! It was so nice of them to just let us tag along with them the whole weekend. :) With them, we went to downtown Napoli, a cool beach club in Napoli, Sorrento, and the island of Ischia. Me and Ching-Yin also visited the archaeological site of Pompei, where it was so hot we nearly melted into the sand ourselves.

It's true that Italian men are very romantic (*cough*horny*cough*). They don't beat around the bush and they dont' waste time when it comes to hitting on girls. If they like you (which doesnt necessarily have to be beyond surface levels), they'll tell you or show you, depending on how brash he is. It seems that in their minds, there's no use in playing those silly mind games because you're only really wasting time. Think, if everyone just said "I like you" and that person liked them back, hook-ups could happen in a matter of minutes rather than weeks. And that's exactly how it happens in Napoli. ;)

So... lesson learned: Don't waste time and just show your feelings, if you're lucky enough to have any. Hehe.

<--real Napoli Margherita pizza sold by the metre!

Fly, woman, fly!

Apparently these images are too abrasive for bank communications, due to the fact that they are: -funny, -energetic, -different, -eyecatching, -cool, -inspiring, etc.

I ask myself everyday:

What am I doing here?

NAPOLI

We are sitting in the AIESEC Napoli Parthenope office right now and just chilling out. it is amazing how similar all the aiesec offices are around the world. here there is enough space for maybe 10 people to squish, 2 computers, flags from all over the world covering the walls and ceilings, certificates, and a tshirt on the wall with the familiar line: its cool to be..its cool to be an lcp...

its been amazing the whole weekend. we hung out with 2 ceeders from germany and denmark, and a whole bunch of lc members as well and they all were so keen to take us around and party too. we went to the beach several times and oh oops our host is telling me to go now, back into the scorching sun and its time for me to get some more gelato and a nice pasta lunch.. mmm cant wait!!!!!!!! back to write when theres time.. take care everyone!

Invincible no more

You think you're indestructible, you think you're invincible, you think nothing can stop you, until you hit something and DIE.

It goes something like this: While driving, or riding a bicycle, you tend to have those 'close calls', those times when you wonder 'How the hell did I get through that small space without scraping my car on both sides' or 'woa that was close' or something along those lines. Well I had always been a lil cocky in my car/on my bike. I would go dangerously close behind cars (aka tailgating) or swerve around on my bicycle without knowing how the hell i'd get between parked cars and moving cars on my sides, truck mirrors inches from my face as I sped by, getting stuck in tram tracks, the works. Somehow, I always made it thru.

Last night, I learned I am not always so lucky.

I was carrying Ching-Yin on the back of my bike, making a left turn and I saw a girl riding her bike straight, so somehow I thought she would speed up so I could go pass behind her as she rode by, but she DIDNT, and I ran full speed into her back wheel for a full on bike collision. What happened next was a blur: The bike tipped over, I flew off and hit the pavement with my palms and left knee, I hear Ching-Yin going "are u okay are u okay????" and suddenly I'm on my back staring into the starless Amsterdam sky.

At this point I look down and see a TEAR in my jeans on my left knee (and think, o great now Sofie is going to think I copied her ripped jeans look) but how cool is that?? I ACTUALLY RIPPED A HOLE IN MY JEANS FROM A REAL INJURY!! now THATs authentic hardcore!!! :D But looking beyond the tear, I see scraped skin and some blood. :( Anyway my bike seemed to be okay after a kick in the back by Ching-Yin, and now I am hobbling around like a cripple.

I learned my lesson though, I never thought I'd actually hit anything/anyone.. but it happens. I'll TRY to be more careful.. but yea who am I kidding.. hehe.