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Sometimes I can be very easy going about changes and what not, but sometimes I just hate when plans get made and then don't happen. If I am with friends, I don't care what we do as long as its together, but when I'm supposed to meet up with friends, but they say "I'll call you" and don't call, then I get so frustrated waiting, and eventually disappointed when all the waiting is for nothing! I shoulda just gone out tonight.

Anyway... Tomorrow I must pack for a whole weeks worth of clothing. I am going to Utrecht to hang out with Amanda and some friends for queens day! Then spending the night in Zoetermeer probably, and then spending Monday with Amanda at her place? And Tuesday I fly out (hopefully) to Rome. I say hopefully because I thought my ticket was supposed to come in the mail, but it hasn't so now I'm hoping if I just show up at the airport with my confirmation email printed it will be enough. If not I'll be pissed out of my mind!!!

Only half a week of class left after Italy, then the program is over and then I've got until the 23rd to try to figure out what to do with the rest of my summer. Crap.

I went swimming yesterday.

and then I said, "Feck it. I'm in Ireland!"

So I went to Dublin this weekend with the whole class. I fear it is my new favorite city! (sorry Berlin.) Thursday we flew there, found our hostel, ate out for supper, and went to Temple bar. In case like me you never heard of it, its not only the most well known bar in all of Dublin, but is also the name of the whole area in which most of the bars/pubs are. Temple bar was hopping and reminded me of Zwolle's vliegende paard - lots of different rooms with different atmospheres. Here's a picture of me in front of it, with some random drunk-before-1pm Irish guy who thought he needed to be in the photo...


I told the bar tender "I'll have a Guinness" and he gave me half a Guinness. I hate Guinness, but of course you gotta have the Irish experience, right? Turns out Irish Guinness is actually good. Who knew?


Temple bar turned out to be mostly a tourist bar and also the most pricey, so the next night we searched for a real Irish pub... and were somewhat unsuccessful... but the third night we found one! The guys didn't go for fear of intruding on the Irishmens space and getting their asses kicked, so a bunch of us girls went. Downstairs there was a trio-band playing Irish music - VERY GOOD!! We stayed there till closing and then stood outside talking to some newly made friends. One guy tried to impress us by doing pushups and in the process got the biggest wedgy of his life!! If course it was also his first wedgy, which I might add he "never imagined would be so public!" But it was so big he decided to try to tear off his undies. Didn't work as well as he expected, but then his muscles must have been worn out from all those push-ups, so he proceeded to burn the ends and eventually succeeded in removing his underwear while keeping his jeans on. What a night!

This is me and my Irish coffee! Yummy! (but not worth 6 euros!)

And this was some random chic giving out hugs to any random person who so desired one. I like hugs. But definitely don't understand this "free hugs" movement or whatever it is.

Now I'm back in Zwolle and had a nice big theology test and a dutch quiz here to greet me when I came home. Next tuesday I have my Dutch final exam and a ten page single space theology paper to write - with a partner! however that works... So though we only have a month left here, I think this will be my busiest month yet!

not as expected

Went to Brussels this weekend. Came back with an increased appreciation for the atmosphere in the Netherlands. People here are nice, friendly, and approachable, but not sleazy or friendly in an unwelcome way. In Brussels the men/guys reminded me of some men/guys in Mexico - if a girl so much as makes eye contact with them they start getting ideas... and even without, they aren't afraid to call out or whistle or approach a girl and blatantly hit on her. I had forgotten how annoying that is, but what was worse was that in Mexico I at least could understand what they guys were saying, but in Brussels they all spoke French. I don't know ANY French!
The city, however, had some cool buildings I guess, but didn't seem much different from other Dutch cities I've been in, except that Brussels had no canals and lots of hills! It was nice enough, I had fun, but it didn't exactly make my favorites list. Their chocolate was good though!


And Belgium waffles are to die for!!


Manneken Pis wasn't at all what it's made out to be...


But the Grand Place I hadn't even heard of turned out to be VERY VERY COOL!

(and this is only part of it...)

to anyone who cares to answer

why do people/parties running for president have to raise soooo much money? 
What do they do with it all, and how much does more money effect their chance of being elected? 

Een April (een betje laat)

I went to the longest birthday party of my life this weekend. It was of my host sister Jeanine's boyfriend. Saturday all his friends were over at his place sitting around drinking beer, doing shots, etc... I didn't drink much, but around 2.30am they found out I like Gold Strike - that 50%, cinnamon flavored, clear with gold flecks alcohol. So I had a shot with Jeanine. But since she is not particularly a fan of Gold Strike, I had to take a shot of Drop Shot with her to even the score. I hate droppies and anything black liquorish related. I agreed to take a shot only if I had a glass of water handy. So one of the guys got up, went to the kitchen and came back with a glass with some water. I had no choice now, so down with the Drop Shot and I immediately stuffed my mouth full of chips. They all laughed at me and said, "here, have your water," so I just took the glass and threw that back too. It didn't look like much, so I just took a big mouthful - a big mouth FULL of GOLD STRIKE!!! "Een April!" I was so surprised and was laughing so hard I couldn't even swallow it at first so I just stared back at everyone with my eyes round as marbles, and tearing up. That stuff is good, when you're expecting it, and when you have a regular shot, not a whole freakin mouthful!