This is what happens when ...

This is what happens when you get lazy and ask a guy to shop for veggies when he is out ...

Can anyone suggest ways to utilise them before i have to throw them away?
P.S.
- No we don't have a party this week.
- And we are just two.
- Arrrrr... Do i cook everyday??? No.
- We don't have king size diet either !

Finally....It started...

I finally had my long awaited painting lesson yesterday..... about which I had mentioned here and here.

If I were in India, I might be the eldest in such kind of class (I mean may be), so it was a surprise to me when I entered the class that I was clearly the youngest there!!

Well, the class was in Dutch (pat on my back, please) and I don’t need to mention here that how good I am with it. Hehehe

For the first few minutes I really thought to withdraw my name from lesson but then as I tried to pay attention, I realized I can actually make out what was being instructed! When I went to instructor, and just on hearing my "excuse me" he replied, you want me to translate as well right?? (Funny, I don't say it without a reason that somehow it’s written on my face ;o) hehehe)

Everyone who was there speaks Dutch so it was not possible and even practical but they all were very considerate, whenever they saw me with a point blank look on my face, someone will ask me if I didn’t get it and will explain.

I loved the way even painting lessons they were taking in couple, something I would consider for a dance class, but it’s great when you have same interests with your partner, isn’t it?

When I mentioned this to Ashu, he reacted saying ... so he can take those lessons as well, and we had fun visualizing how he would be standing there with brush in one hand looking at my face in a hope of some help which I won't offer... hehehe... I think he is better with his first love, his work and computers ;o)

Okay back to the class, They thought it was brave of me and must be very difficult to be among them when I don’t speak the language.
But I think I could understand it a bit, and painting is more noticing and practicing than theory explanations, and everyone was so nice to offer me help saying I can ask them whenever I don’t get anything, and I think it’s a bonus as listening to more Dutch will improve my Dutch too, so I think I am going to continue with it! :o)

Okay M'am, Anything else.... ???

I have already mentioned that I can be crazy at times, haven’t I? (Of course I did, otherwise how would a tag named Crazy me exist!)

Okay so it goes like this….We moved in our new house few months back and only then we realized long delivery time it takes here for any furniture we order, so after a few months of we started living here, we still do not have furniture more than” MUST” ( and by must I mean, kitchen or mattress ;o) )

Two weeks back we got Dining table delivered. It has a glass top so both of us (or is it only me?? ) are very conscious right now not to make spots on that already. Also it has to do with the fact that we still haven’t done house-warming party (we wanted to, but where guests would sit if they come???) and when we do we don’t want it to appear as if we lived here since ages ;o) hehehehe
So most of the time we end up eating not-on dining table ;o) I think it will still take some time before it sinks in that dining table is meant to be used for dining ;o)

Now we still await our couch delivery and meanwhile we made temporary arrangements for sitting, which looks like …. Ok let me share a picture to be clear…

Now it takes so much effort to make it look wrinkle-less. Today while I was cleaning and tiding up the room, after I was done I instructed Ashu;
Now don’t sit on this….
He smiled….
I gave a confused look and response came …
Ok so we don’t sit on dining table….
And we don’t sit there also….
Anything else m’am? :oD

There is a reason why I call myself crazy sometimes … or feel that with my age I am becoming Monica-ish (yeah I am talking about F.R.I.E.N.D.S)

That's how we are here ...

Yesterday it happened so that I read a few of the blogs I follow in my free time, and ironically they sounded similar ... missing days back home, family, friends.
But at the same time I see everyone (including me) passing through new experiences, enjoying them, sharing them, trying to make a place here and trusting their blog buddies enough to share how they feel.

It is fantastic the way we know each other, through blogs, through what everyone has to say about their experiences, thinking, and life over here, everyone is so different and still we all connect in a way.
I read Droomvla's post and it made me realized I haven't written much about how we are here and why we are here !

We moved here last summer, June 2008. Ohhh I think this is the wrong start; I have to rewind a bit more.

I met Ashu through common friends when I was pursuing my MBA. After 4 years we decided, this is the right thing to do and got married last year in March 2008.
Ashu is in software industry and his projects made him living in between India and Netherlands for quite some time.... flying here and there. He had offer to move here which he didn't consider at that time for about two years. After marriage, very next month he was here again. Considering the fact that normally in one year, 6 months he was staying here, we thought to give it a shot. After all we didn’t get married to live this way, half of the time missing each other.

Then came the difficult part. As this meant I had to resign from my job and start a new career here. Lots of anxiety, on would I get as good a job and company as I had, would I have to start my career all over again? Part of myself asked me if I was taking right decision, what if this is a deadly decision for my career.
But it's said love conquers all, and it did!

We moved here 15 months back. One day we were invited for a dinner at one of his colleague's place. So nice of her. While talking came to know her husband works in engineering project Management Company, and in their company they have a similar function, what I did in my last job and actually they were looking for people for that position. I applied, got call for my first interview here in Holland and that's it.
I was working again before I knew, in less than a month's time!
I felt lucky and same time felt I would have taken a break for some months, but I am happy.

It made me feel good that I didn’t have to struggle.
It made me feel good that I had a market value.
It made me feel good that I didn’t have to go through frustration period, which I would have apparently looking at my nature, sitting at home.

So this is my story... That is how I am here. Don't know how long we are going to be here, but for this moment I love it here.
We have a home here now, we have more time to do things we always wanted to and could not.

Staying here has taught me so much. I have learnt to understand and accept more of differences which come from different cultures. Most important I have learnt to appreciate smallest things, smallest joys that life brings along it.

Right now when i think about it I feel happy that we made that decision.
I am happy that we came here.
I am happy that we met, I am happy that I started blogging ! :o)

Picture Courtesy : Google Search engine

Is it just me or....?!!?!?

Okay It happened again today... i gotta write about it...

I been to a wedding today morning. At the end of the ritual, was standing in the queue to wish the newly married couple. Wished them in a perfect Dutch way. (with 3 perfect kiss-cum-touch on cheeks)

Now there stands family and relatives, I tried to observe what others were doing and yes every one ahead of me were greeting them as well. So I keep walking, I do not know what to say, and I see everyone ahead of me in the queue making a conversation.

*ahhhh*
*Come on Lopa, you can do it*
*Sigh*
*Yes i can* *No choice*
* Confused smile*

I shake the hands, say hello, wish congrats to a few and keep walking to avoid making conversation, as that is something I am worst at!
But my luck!!! ( How did i even think i can get away that easily !!)
Gorgeous lady walking ahead of me stopped. ( As obviously she was good at it, not stopping, at talking.)
So I had to stop too. (Aaaah why why why?? :o( )
I think it was groom's dad or may be uncle or may be.... I do not know. I shook hand, said hello and then unsure what to say next I stared at him, surprisingly he stared at me too.


( How?? why?? Or was it on my face that this stupid girl does not know what to say next, or may be I have a look on my face that people get confused what to talk with me, or may be I have an aura that makes other person forget how to carry a conversation!! He was perfect with all ahead of me, so definitely it has something to do with me !)

Looking at the odd moment I opened my mouth to say something... and nothing came out...

*More confused look *

That gentleman also felt it and he opened his mouth and nothing came out as well...

* Awkward smiles*

And finally he found something to talk....
He: met collega?? (English translation: with colleagues?)
Me: hmmm, ya...

* A big smile*

And thank god!! That very same moment - Queue moved.

I ran and didn’t stop anywhere till reached the open space to have some air!!

Why does that happen to me? I feel so anti-social. Sometimes it is so annoying; it is not I do not like to talk. I can talk endless. But not with everyone and not everywhere. I feel very quite when strangers around.

But I used to talk with strangers as well back home; here I think it might be language.
I understand a bit of Dutch now, but I do not speak and when everyone is talking Dutch around me I feel lost. I can understand a conversation only is it is pointed to me, one to one conversation. When everyone was talking and making laugh, I feel lost, my mind stops!

Yesterday I was talking with my childhood friend. She told me that she feels at times that she has forgotten how to make friends and that is exactly I feel now. I have forgotten how to make friends. I have forgotten how to carry conversation ahead of Hi, hello, How are you doing? So where are you from?? Aaaah nice. FULL STOP.

I wonder is it just me or it happens to others too??

P.S. From the comments I am getting on this post, it appears that everyone takes me too seriously :o)
I wrote this post in a light mood, just to make a laugh of a situation :o)
So don't worry guys, I am not being hard on me. And i am sure i will have better with my improving Dutch knowledge ;o)

Image Courtesy: Internet - Google Image

Aaaah, New notice in the office !

There is a new addition to notices for employees at my office....
Ahhhh but this one is not on a wall, to be precise on the door... yeah you guessed it right....

I found it funny and couldn't stop myself from clicking and posting... arrrrrr but i don't want to think about what prompted it to be there !!