3 years of love & hate relationship !

So it's official, 3 years of our love & hate relationship and still going strong.

Ooops yes, we did complete 3 years of our wedding 2 months back, but I meant our relationship with this beautiful country of Canals, windmills and Tulips !
Arrrr, what did you think I was talking about?

Time sure flies, just realized today is the day I landed in this country exactly 3 years back!

And I survived ! Look at me still very alive... not bad, not at all bad !

On this very special day when I complete 3 years in this country, I thought of sharing 3 things about living here.

But well, I am in very happy and generous mood today so I decide to give you more headache by giving 10 instead!
Things which I realized / learnt / experienced while living here in The Netherlands, and here you go...

1. When you are driving, if any animal slows

you down (or you end up killing/ injuring), that would most probably be ducks or ducklings or goose or alike. (You got my point, right?)

2. It is a highly competitive country, people race everyday to come office at the earliest hour to be able to be first to leave. (That’s the one thing this country couldn't change me with... coming last to the college, lecture, and office, whatever.)

3. it’s easy to talk here, no need to be innovative... just talk about weather everyday. (By the way it is unusually warm today, isn't it?)

4. When you don't understand something Dutch and are asked "how long have you been here?", it will be no fun to say 3 full years and still I don't get it! (Does that mean I will have to be inspired again to change it??? :-( )

5. Free stuff is not luck by chance but it is a way of life. Your right by the birth. (Remember the days, when everything was free as there was no super-stores and malls? people just used to produce all what they need! If you don't get it free, ask for korting/ discount !)

6. Doctors prefer to cut you than to feed you with medicine. (Being operated upon is better than taking a few medicines, any day, right?)

7. I felt relieved when a new colleague joined the company, who has been here for 1.5 years more than me and is as good at Dutch as me. It is wonderful to hear "Com'on it's ok, we don't have a Dutch partner so it is difficult". And... I love it!

8. If you discuss about others, it's "gossip". If they do the same it's "Sharing"! (BTW this one is universal I guess)

9. At office, all you should be worrying is about filling in your 8 hours, doesn't matter how it went, with coffee or peeling oranges whirling in your chair.

10. Patience! You have to be patient and wait for everything. Procedures and deliveries aah not to forget customer service! (May be more to do with... you came to us! You need it and not we!?!? Something like that?)

Ok that's my 10 for time being, for more may be we will have to wait one more year for experience ! :o)

Image Courtsey : http://www.mindsinmotion.net/index.php/mim/cartoons

Finally, a visit to the doctor in NL.

There is always a first time for everything, and it was to visit a hospital today in NL for the first time.

Well, it was scary and also totally new experience. I am writing this post right now, which means there was nothing serious involved but still I cannot help with that smile as now and then that tensed and scarred face of Ashu keeps popping up in my mind.

Ofcourse if I compare the experience with back home, India, there is a difference of ... ummm not comparable. You don't have to fill in forms as you are registered in database officially and you don't have to pay at the very same time of being treated.

Medication, that differs again, as when you go to doctor in India, you hardly rarely (may be never) ever come out without a medicine (whatever type it is!) or prescription for the same. Here even after my asking for atleast antibiotic I was denied with wait and watch!

But waiting.... cannot comment on that one as I was expecting with not a long waiting line in reception room and hospital full of patience waiting time would be better, but no... It remains the same! We had to wait even after we had an appointment, we had to wait for hours for getting the tests done and then for doctor to come to us and advice, so that part remains the same.

Life has been busy and I have been hardly getting time to write or read other blogs.

So this was just a drop in to say "Hi". Hope everyone is doing well.

I do miss blogging / sharing !

Image from : http://snippits-and-slappits.blogspot.com/2011/02/they-dont-make-cartoons-like-they-used.html