Gearoid's Birthday

On Thursday June 9^th we celebrated Gearoid’s 31^st birthday. Unfortunately we missed having our friends and family around but we made due with just the two of us.

My preparations began Wednesday when I wrestled with cake ideas. We have a problem with a tiny oven that doesn’t really function the way I want it to. The way birthdays work in the Netherlands is that you supply the cake for your coworkers or you take them out for a drink. Not on their birthdays but on your birthday. You treat people on the day celebrating your existence. So, being a proud baker I wanted to make something impressive. However, culinary disasters here in the Netherlands have affected my confidence. I decided on a simple chocolate cake cooked in my loaf pan. Three hours later I had a cake that was overcooked on the top and collapsed when I cut it. 

Thursday morning, Gearoid stopped at the grocery store and picked up a couple of cakes to share with his co-workers. They rewarded the cake with a book by a Dutch author, a children’s book with your first 1000 Dutch words, a Josh Ritter CD, a gift certificate, and a bottle of the University’s beer. Yes, the university has its own beer.

Gearoid came home with a birthday boy bubbliness and I made him a special dinner of blue cheese mashed potato pizza (sounds weird but it was delicious). He opened his Martens-style (i.e. newspaper) wrapped video game and movies from me and enjoyed his birthday beer. We finished the evening with the edible parts of my failed cake topped with some Ben and Jerry’s. Small, intimate, and cozy- I do believe he had a nice birthday. 

4 Day Weekend

First of all, an apology for all of those few who actually read my blog. I strive for one a week but sometimes I’m late due to distractions such as Dutch homework or more recently my burning desire to re-read all of my Twilight books. The lack of vampires in my real life experiences has prevented me from sharing more of our Dutch adventures. Working through my addiction, here is an account of a long weekend we had a couple of weeks ago.

 I spoke to my Dad on Memorial Day weekend and he boasted to me about how they had Monday off. “Do you have Monday off? “he slyly asked. My response was something like, “Well actually, I have the entire week off and Gearoid has a four day weekend because apparently Jesus ascended to heaven this week.” And it was true. Gearoid had a long weekend to celebrate the ascension of Jesus.  For a non-denominational country, there are a lot of holidays that are because of something Jesus did. I think mostly, the Dutch like to have days off when the weather is warm so they cluster the federal/bank holidays during one time of the year and give Jesus the credit.

To enjoy the ascension of Jesus we did the following:

Thursday- We each “enjoyed” a run and then relaxed in our landlords’ pool. They were at their campsite for the weekend and asked us to water their plants. In exchange we got to use their pool. Private pools are not too common in Netherlands but it turns out that our neighbors on both sides of us have pools. When it’s actually hot outside, I usually sneak envious glares at the people enjoying the pools and wonder how I can befriend them. Turns out I just have to water the plants when they’re away.

Friday- We were invited out into the country to visit our landlords’ campsite. They have expressed that we need to spend more time outside and invited us out. It was a nice 13 kilometer bike ride and we only got lost twice. The sun was out and everything was bright and summerlike. Their campsite is actually on a farmer’s field who rents out plots to people who want to park their caravans. They are right on a man-made lake and it’s pretty peaceful. After a couple of hours we headed home only to realize our easy ride out to the country was made easier by the wind blowing with us. We rode home against the wind the entire way. The arduous journey was made more enjoyable by the views of the river and a field of Shetland ponies.

Right behind this beautiful view was a crazy busy and loud highway.

 After the bike ride to the country, we met some colleagues of Gearoid’s for ice cream and bowling. After a normal serving of ice cream (at that moment I missed the outlandish American portion sizes) we visited the nicest bowling alley ever. We didn’t just show up either. A few days earlier we had to make reservations to go bowling! Gearoid and I joked that in the States you only make reservations for fancy places- restaurants, golf, etc. Bowling alleys are supposed to be smoke filled, grungy, and greasy. So when we saw the bowling alley, we realized that it made sense to make reservations because this place was fancy! It was clean and smoke free, there was an outdoor terrace, a waitress came to our lane and took our drink orders. No pitchers of beer or fries here. Gearoid had a cappuccino before he had a Belgium beer and the menu boasted of having steak, paninis, and other non-traditional bowling alley food. The game was pretty much the same and I can say that my Wii professional bowling status has helped my real life game. Also, instead of playing by the game you play by the hour. So we were unexpectedly cut off during the middle of our third game. Overall, it was a pleasant experience.

Saturday- We started the day early again and took a trip to Rotterdam where we met up with some friends we knew from Africa.  The morning was cool and it was exciting to be standing on a train platform about the visit a new city. The trip was about 2 hours and with some promotional tickets we were able to enjoy the ride in first class which basically meant more leg room. We met our friend Ellenoor who gave us a tour around the city. Rotterdam is the most modern looking city in the Netherlands. It’s not bad but it lacks the charm you find almost everywhere else in the country. During WWII bombs practically destroyed the city and everything had to be rebuilt. We walked through retail lined streets, visited the harbor, ate lunch at the market, and enjoyed almost too much sunshine. Gearoid and I also took a tour of one of the cube houses (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cube_house).  They are quite interesting to look at but I found them small and the illusion of having to watch out for sharp corners distracted me. Gearoid thinks we could lively happily in one but I think it’s better as a one person house. After our Rotterdam tour, we spent the rest of the day visiting with friends and took a late train back to Nijmegen.  We got home even later after we had to get off the train, take a 30 minute bus ride to another station, and then hop on the train again. Of course, we then had to ride our bikes home.

 Along the harbor there was a small "walk of fame" that was created mainly in the 90s. Gearoid is putting his hands in Meatloaf's hand-prints.

People actually live in these cubes. It was like a little city in itself with cafes, shops, and museums among the apartments.

Sunday- After 3 days of nonstop sun exposure and a lot of walking and bike riding we were exhausted. I slept in and Gearoid got some work done/watched Human Target. After “enjoying” a long run, I finished a book and enjoyed my latest addiction- episodes of Castle. For an unemployed person, I really enjoy my weekends. 

I'm Not In Africa!

We’ve been in the Netherlands for almost 5 months now and I am now fully realizing a mistake I’ve been making almost the entire time. I am not in Africa! I am in a fully developed country/society. Just because I don’t speak the native language and things can be different from the States, doesn’t mean this is anything like Africa. My mistake is that I keep comparing the Netherlands to Sierra Leone (Salone). I’ve done a lot of travelling and spent brief periods of time studying/working/volunteering in other countries. However, Sierra Leone and the Netherlands are the only two foreign countries that I have lived for extended periods of time. It’s only natural that I compare them. Although, I’m finding that my survival mechanisms from Sierra Leone are not necessary here.

I think part of the problem is that I’m finding experiences that I had in Sierra Leone here in the Netherlands. Less than a block from my house is an African shop where I can buy all of the cassava leaf, okra, hot peppers, potato leaves and other food found at the marketplace in Makeni that I want.  I make almost as many African dishes for dinner here as I did there. Also, the Dutch people that I knew at the hospital I worked at in sweet Salone, live in the Netherlands! Surprise, surprise- Dutch people in the Netherlands. I guess the surprise is not that they live here but that I live here now and have an opportunity to see them again.

At the same time, it’s almost absurd that I compare the two places. I always have running water, electricity, internet, entertainment, comforts, luxuries, and the modern world at my fingertips. However, my brain always skips to Africa when something different from home comes up.

Examples

1)      Heat- The heat in the Netherlands is nothing like the oppressive oven that is Sierra Leone. Only in December and January are you likely to feel a refreshing breeze in Salone. The weather here is pretty mild. There are four beautiful seasons without going to the extreme. In the winter, it will be cold and you may get some snow but not so much that schools and businesses are closed for weeks at a time due to lack of resources. Summer is warm but comfortably so. Of course, this is all based on what people have told me as I haven’t been here a full year. However, global warming is affecting the Netherlands as well and a month ago in spring we had extreme summer weather. The flowers that were slowly waking up all popped open and sagged in the heat. For two weeks there was no respite from the heat-no rain and no air conditioning.  I had flashbacks of Salone, the worst time being at night. Gearoid and I would lie on the bed stripped to our underwear (sorry family for the visual imagine) without any blankets or top sheets. We lay just so we wouldn’t risk touching each other or ourselves with our sticky humid skin. It was just like Salone but not. It took two days before it even crossed our minds to set up a fan facing the bed because there is ELECTRICITY in the Netherlands!

2)      Rain- The weather and the seasons are mild but there is a lot of rain. When I first moved here, I wasn’t able to email any pictures because there was so much rain. Even today as I write this, there are gray skies and rain is drizzling down. In Salone, when it rains people stay inside and wait for it to pass. People are late to work and school- if they even attempt to go out- because of the rain. I kind of miss that mentality and when I see the downpours outside of my giant windows I have to push Salone aside and accept the fact that I’m going to get wet and cold as I cycle to class and arrive on time. The rain doesn’t stop people here. Another American in town I know was enjoying a rainy day inside and happened to look out her window when another downpour began to see a Dutch girl hop off her bike, pull her rain gear out of her saddlebags, slip the pants and jacket over her clothes, and ride off into the rain in a span of 30 seconds. One day I hope to be as functional in the rain on my bike rather than resort to my learned Salonean instinct of staying in when it’s raining.

3)      Cheese- Gearoid and I are lovers of cheese. As our relationship has gone on this shared passion has grown. Although he prefers the super stinky moldy kind and I prefer the soft goat kind, we both agree that we enjoy all the kinds of cheese in between.  When in Salone, we were limited to Laughing Cow original that doesn’t need to be refrigerated.  Occasionally, when we visited Freetown, a place with refrigeration, we would splurge and pick up some cheese before going home to Makeni. Once home, we would have a feast. Because of our lack of fridge we would have to consume all of the cheese in one go. We would make multiple cheese sandwiches- cold and hot- or just eat it straight from its cellophane wrapper. Only once did we invite friends over to share in this feast and it was when we knew we only had a month left in the country and would soon have all the cheese we wanted in appropriate quantities. We would go to bed beyond satisfied feeling bloated and salty and sleep off our cheese hangovers. It was disgusting but desperate times call for desperate measures. Being in the Netherlands, we’ve had to fight the urge to consume terrific amounts of cheese in one go. At first we were satiated with the ever-present Gouda. We received as a welcome gift a kilo of cheese and it only lasted a week. The next kilo was luckier and lasted 2 weeks. However, the presence of Gouda everywhere has made us miss cheddar, mozzarella, and feta- cheeses that are more present in the States. We “treat” ourselves to a block of feta for Greek inspired salads and act as if it is a precious fossil fuel that will run out eventually. We’re ridiculous. The grocery store is two blocks away and has feta, mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, and more. There is a cheese store 12 minutes away by bike that has the stinky moldy kind and the soft goat kind. We’re not in Africa! Cheese is everywhere here!

4)      Food Homesickness- Often a Friday night would find us at Ibrahim’s in Makeni sitting at plastic lawn furniture, risking ours elves to malarial mosquitoes, and discussing food we missed from home over hummus, soggy fries, and Star beers.  In the moment it wasn’t the best of times but looking back I miss our group of expats and the fun we found together. We would discuss broccoli and cauliflower, tortillas, ice cream, cakes, grapes, berries, and more. Occasionally apples would make it to town and we would pay an exorbitant price for one apple and receive with it an onslaught of other memories of food from home. To battle the food homesickness we would come up with inventive ways to treat ourselves and each other occasionally. Our house managed to make versions of pasta with blush sauce, French toast, and garlic bread. Our friends managed pancakes, pizza, pasta salad, pumpkin pie, and on someone’s birthday fondue was made from a crazy amount of Laughing Cow.  A couple of months ago, I found myself trying to recreate these reminiscent conversations. Gearoid and I met an American couple who live in Nijmegen at a café in town. Eventually the conversation came around to things we miss from home and a little bit into the conversation I started to describe this dark moist bread that Gearoid and I had discovered at the grocery store. I even nicknamed it “brownie” bread because it looks and feels like a brownie but tastes like bread. I described as if we were living in a place with limited food options and we had found this rare deliciousness. Gearoid gave me a look and reminder that WE’RE NOT IN AFRICA! There are all kinds of food here and many of them are similar to home. I looked around the café with its candles lit for atmosphere rather than to prevent malarial mosquito bites and reminded myself again that I’m not in Africa and I am capable of talking about other things than bread I found at the grocery store. 

So now that I’ve realized this mistake I have been guilty of, hopefully I will stop starting sentences with “when I was Africa” as a comparison to something in the Netherlands. I also hope to eat cheese in healthy quantities again.

Making Laughing Cow Fondue In Salone

Cheese Shop in Nijmegen

 Market in Nijmegen

Market in Sierra Leone