dinsdag 30 november 2010



And these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman

John Mayer - 83

maandag 29 november 2010

Foreigners...

Student to foreign exchange student in Creative Writing;

Hey, what's your overall grade?


Foreigner(anonymous):


An F.. stands for Foreigner, that's why.

Maybe one day when I travel back..




keep on dreaming.. :)

Thanksgiving!

Halloween, christmas, eastern - holidays that are much, much bigger here in America than they are back home. However, there are a few holidays that we don't even HAVE. Americans like to celibrate, I guess. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays. I've heard the word 'thanksgiving' in several American movies, but what the heck is thanksgiving really? I had no idea. So I went around and asked people in the school. The only answer I could get out of my peers was 'you eat until you drop on the floor and can't move anymore'. I realized there was probably more to it than that and asked my Geoscience teacher, Mr. Clifford. Luckily he was able to explain me that it was related to the native Americans way way back in the history of this country, that helped the immigrants through the winter by giving them food and stuff. Short summary. At the end he did add that all indeed kind of revolved around one thing; food.


And oh, I noticed! On wednesday evening, some family came over and we already had dinner with a lot of food. However, thanksgiving was on Thursday, and oh lord there was so much! Turkey and ham - the tradition for Thanksgiving, but also mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, something with vegetables and cheese (which was really good), eggs, jello, jello with fruit, stuffing or something like that to eat with the ham, and more.. it was crazy. For desert there was Pumpkin pie , which is traditional too, and homemade Dutch apple pie, haha. I have never been so glad I am a vegetarian, because I don't even want to know how much I would have eaten if I could have had everything. I did get a whole lot of other stuff to eat, though, so I kind of have to much myself this week.


The Friday and Saturday after thanksgiving were basically the same - a lot of people and even more food. On Friday, Caro and I went to St George (Utah) with Sarah, Jackie and Richard, for Black Friday. Black Friday is every friday after Thanksgiving, when the stores get crazy sales and everybody goes out to a Walmart or whatever store at 12 a.m., to get things for the lowest price possible. We didn't go at 12 a.m. (thank God), but we did spend several hours shopping. It was awesome!
Even on Sunday evening, after church, half the family came over again to eat the famous 'Chicken rolls'.

I had an amazing weekend - it was kind of busy but very nice to have so many people around, and it was a great new experience!

Counting off the days 'till christmas now..!

woensdag 24 november 2010

A penny for my thoughts?
If you really want to know what's going on in my mind
We might have to compromise
And we'll both have to realise
You won't receive if you don't give
Those who never die have never lived
It takes so much to build a town
And just one spark to burn it down

So keep your stupid penny
I want a piece of you
'Cause you will never win my trust
If you don't trust me, too

dinsdag 23 november 2010

Hoop is gearriveerd!

If you don't understand Ducth; be glad you don't understand the title. I tend to get a little dramatic sometimes.

Anywayyyy, I got home from school and found a special package! I knew it was going to come and had been waiting for it for a long time, so I'm so excited!
In the package was my wintercoat - something I dindn't really expect I was going to need, but I do because I am freezing my but off -, the BNN calander (trouw lid! haha), a little note AND something that I had been missing so so so much.. Sinterklaas candy!

I got loads and loads of pepernoten, kruidnoten, taitai, speculaas and chocoladekruidnoten. I'm in Dutch heaven. I'm going to be a good kid though and not eat it all today, because first of all I want to save it for December 4th (when Maaike, Caroline and I aka Kamp Holland in the valley are going to have a little party), and for December 5th, so I can show my host family how we do it in der Niederlanden, and second of all because it would be kind of sad to go home 20 pounds larger and having people blame the United States while really it was Dutch food that made me gain.. Haha just kidding.
Anyway, that was it for today fellas. Just wanted to share that with you.

THANKS MOM & DAD!

zondag 21 november 2010

If I could find you now things would get better
We could leave this town and run forever
I know somewhere, somehow we'll be together
Let your waves crash down on me and take me away, yeah

zaterdag 20 november 2010

Oceans away

Figure since I'm so far gone, oceans away, I can lay my sabre down today. I miss the words I love the words, you did not say. I miss the kiss you never, never gave away.
There goes the sun, oceans away

The Fray - Oceans away

vrijdag 19 november 2010

Pirate football state champions?

Nearly every high school in the United States has an American football team; something we don't know in Europe. For those who have no idea what it is, it's like rugby.. but totally different. I'm not even going to try to explain it, because I hardly understand it myself, but yeah, it's very popular here.

Our varsity football team happens to be.. pretty good I guess? I wouldn't know, but they have been winning almost every game and will play for state championship tomorrow!
Every day there is a football game, there is an 'extreme blue and gold day' in our school. That means that you're supposed to dress in blue and gold (the school colors) and just go totally crazy. Today was crazier than crazy, it was so much fun!

There was an extreme blue and gold day like always, there were posters and banners hanging around the school and the player's lockers were decorated. The football players were wearing their jerseys, the cheerleaders were wearing their jackets and so were the dancers. The classes were shorter and at the end of the day there was the pep assembly.. which was awesome!
As soon as the bell rang, the percussion people in band started marching down the halls, playing the drums, with the cheerleaders walking behind them. They led the crowd in the gym, where the rest of the band was sitting. As soon as everybody found a seat, the band started playing, the cheerleaders danced and did all kind of stuff. There was a speach, some games, a performance by dance, some more things by cheer and a whole lot of school spirit. I love America!

The game is tomorrow at Aborview High School in Las Vegas. We're playing some school from California. Don't ask me why they are playing for Nevada state championship, I don't understand it either.. But it has a reason. I hope to be able to go up there and watch. It would be so awesome if the team wins!

GO PIRATES!

donderdag 18 november 2010

Discover

Would you take my side
And feel alright
People live to learn things
And I learned to live

Discover why it rains on me
Discover why it has to be
Making some noise
To get a better choice
The only thing is a little thing
Discover why it rains on me


Di-rect - Discover

woensdag 17 november 2010

Hup Holland Hup

Today is November 17th. 'Tell me something new', you might be thinking, but it means something. I left Amsterdam on July 17th, which means that it exactly 4 months ago! 4 times 3 equals 12, and since I'm going for 11 months, it means that I'm already over a third of my American experience, which kind of scares me. Anyway, enough math for today, because that's not really what I was writing this blog for in the first place.

What I was trying to say, is that I've been here for such a long time, but never even cooked something Dutch before. Caro has made thousands of German things (she's good!), but I always complained about how every typical Dutch recipe included meat.. And I happen to be a vegetarian. Or I would say that I didn't have time, because I had homework to do or soccer practice. I don't know why I tried to keep myself away from it all the time because I used to cook a lot back home, but I got back!

I made a Dutch apple pie today! About a month ago, my parents sent me a Dutch cooking book, which kind of forced me to cook something. However, I didn't trust the recipe because it was not what I used to use in the apple pies I always made back home, so I was kind of lazy with it. Today I decided that it was about time and I started. It took me a while, because I had to convert the grams to cups, fahrenheit to celcius, all-purpose flour to self-rising flour and stuff like that, but I did it!
I put it in the oven at around 4, went to mutual (church activity), and when I came back, it was done. It smelled good haha. So we cut it up, and everybody seemed to like it.. so I guess I'll be doing that more often!

Pirates!


Our amazing soccer team. I will miss you girls!

Powderpuff football, homecoming 2010

Hmm.. well.. yeah.

dinsdag 16 november 2010

'Because I'm bigger than my body gives me credit for'

Maybe I'll tangle in the power lines
And it might be over in a second's time
But I'll gladly go down in a flame
If the flame's what it takes to remember my name


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maandag 15 november 2010

Jongens, heb je 't al vernomen..

.. sinterklaas is niet aangekomen!

The whole 'Sinterklaas' thing back home, I never really thought it was that special. I wanted christmas, like everybody else in the world. Instead, we would sing for some saint, looking very much like santa, but different. Getting help from black slaves instead of deer. And instead of getting treats in our socks hanging by the chimney, we would get it in our shoes STANDING by the chimney. It just didn't make any sense to me.

But now I'm here, and Sinterklaas just "arrived" in the Netherlands. The annoying songs we sang each year (if we didn't, we wouldn't get our candy and gifts) are stuck in my head now and there is nothing that I want more than chocoladekruidnoten right now. It's sad. Haha, no, I'm just feeling sorry for myself. I can't wait for christmas, I finally get to celebrate it like you're supposed to, but just saying, Dutch people; enjoy those stupid songs, jumping little children, and all the kruidnoten and pepernoten and tai tai that you can possibly handle.. because Sinterklaas is pretty cool. Just saying.

woensdag 10 november 2010

Long Live America

I have learned a lot of new things about both America and Europe since I got here. I have found some things about Europe I really like better than here - things that I never really enjoyed back home because I never really noticed I had them - but also a lot of things about America that we are definitely missing in Europe.
One of those things is how American people will always find a reason to take one or more days off from work or school. Take this month, November; we only have one full week of school this month. We had a few days off last week, I don't remember why but who really cares anyway, tomorrow and friday is Veterans day, so two more days off, and then at the end of the month, there's thanksgiving. I know both of these holidays are really important and go deep in the history of the country, but is definitely not something you'd find back home. We get off for fall, chirstmas, eastern and summer. That's about how spiritual we are.
Yea, I'm enjoying this. God bless America!

maandag 8 november 2010

By Pete Doherty

Every morning
I'll be singing
Like a caged bird who might say
John, Paul, George and Ringo
Help me pass the hours away

zondag 7 november 2010

De ramen van de huizen zijn net ogen..

..Die me volgen als ik slenter door de stad.
T'is net of ze zeggen, geen geintjes de rat, maar ik bluf gewoon terug ;HE, had je wat?!

Amsterdam
Niets mooiers dan de blauwbrug met zijn bogen,
Die in de lente zo opdoemt uit de mist.
Waar ik in de Amstel op snoek heb gevist,
en 's winters me naam in de sneeuw heb gepist.


Amsterdam, hee pak me dan
Amsterdam, ja als je kan.
Van kleins af aan ken ik ieder straatje, elk hoekie en gaatje van mijn Jordaan
Amsterdam! Ik moet nu gaan, m'n Amsterdam


vrijdag 5 november 2010

Time flies when you're having fun

It's almost been 4 months since I left the Netherlands - it's crazy! The first quarter in school is already over, and this afternoon might be the last soccer game we're playing at all (unless we win, we will play another game.. and if we win that, we will go to state.. but let's not look too far ahead.). Our last soccer practice was yesterday which means that next week will be when I start trying out for basketball. Basketball means winter.. It's almost christmas! And then after christmas there's new years eve, and then it's 2011. It feels like I'm almost going home. I know I'm not even halfway, but in a month and half I will be, and even though I have seen and done so much stuff so far (Las Vegas, Utah, San Francisco, Disneyland, LA), I know I'm so not ready here!
I miss my family and friends like crazy sometimes, but sorry, I don't want to go home yet. At all. It's not always easy, but I think I can already say this will be the best year of my life. I just hope that things will slow down from now on, because if it will continue going like this, it feels like I'm going to be home tomorrow!

donderdag 4 november 2010

'Teach me wrong from right, I'll show you what I can be'

Nickelback - Savin' me

dinsdag 2 november 2010

maandag 1 november 2010

Dream of Californication

That was an amazing weekend! I don't think I have ever seen so much in three days!


It started on thursday evening. Caro and I went over to the Evans, where we spent the night, because we would have to leave very early the day after. We woke up at 3.15 in the morning and got in the car at 4.15, as we started our 5 hour long ride to Anaheim, CA. The ride was actually not too bad, it was warm in the car, we had some nice music playing, made a stop to get a starbucks and slept sometimes. Then, at I don't know what time, we arrived in Anaheim!
We went to the MacDonalds to eat some breakfast and went straight to the park. It was my first time in Disneyland, I hadn't even been in Disneyland in Paris, so it was very new to me. All the disney characters were walking around, little kids were all over the place and it just seemed like I was in one big fantasyland!

We rode some rollercoasters and other rides, and also went over to California adventure, which is right next to Disneyland, where we saw a mini-musical (Aladin) and had some more rides. After that, we walked back to the hotel, where we ate pizza, watched a movie and went to sleep.
The day after, we woke up early, because the park opened at 7 in the morning. When we got in the park, there were hardly any lines so we got on the rides very fast. After some rides the Evans went over to California Adventure again, but Caro, Blake and I decided to stay in Disneyland for a bit. We drank coffee and ate breakfast at a very cute place somewhere in Disneyland, and stayed for a little while afterwards. Then, we also went to California adventure, where we hung out for a bit. After that, we decided to leave the park and went to a mall close to the two parks. We walked around a bit, had lunch, went to the hotel to grab some stuff and hung out again. At night, Caro and I went back to disneyland to hang out with Richard, Jackie, Sarah, Robert and Austin. The parade and the fireworks were about to start, so it was crazy busy, but a lot of fun! After seeing some Michael Jackson movie thing in 3D, we headed back to the hotel again.. preparing for the day we had been looking for the most;


LOS ANGELES! We woke up at around 9, which actually felt like we were sleeping in big time (and it felt goooood). We got dressed and ready to go, ate breakfast at MacDonalds again and got in the car. One car went back home, but Kevin took Blake, Tylee, Caro and me to LA! The drive to LA took around an hour. You should have been there when we saw the Hollywood sign, I'm telling you, we went crazy. We got out right next to Hollywood boulevard, walked over the walk of fame, had lunch and got in a van for a tour. We were driven around Hollywood and Beverly Hills, where they showed us big things and celebrity houses. We saw Orlando Bloom's place, some other people's houses and we even drove by the house where Michael Jackson died. Hollywood and Beverly Hills are so pretty, if you're ever looking for a new place.. and you happen to have a lot of money.. you now know where to go!
We got off the tour and went to Madame Tussauds, which was amazing as well. For some reason I had never been in the one in Amsterdam, so it was all new to me and we took a lot of pictures.
When we got out of Madame Tussauds, we got in the car and drove to West Hollywood,
where we saw the famous Tattoo store we know from LA ink! It was so cool to see that place! Unfortunately it barely closed early because of Halloween (we were like 10 minutes late.. our luck, but we could look inside and it was amazing to see. I even got to see some people I recocnized from the show (not Kat von D, but still..) so that was great!
We then got back in the car and drove to Santa Monica pier, which was so beautiful! We ate dinner on the pier, bought funnel cake (which is something American again.. weird stuff but very good) and got in the car to drive back home.

I had such an amazing time! As I said, I have seen so much in such a short amount of time.. I want to say thanks for the Evans for taking us, especially Kevin for driving us all around LA - you guys are amazing!

This year is just getting better and better..

'It's understood that Hollywood sells Californication'