Working on our house back in Ede

Judith came one weekend and the following weekend was with Joyce and Tessa, and it's been so great having visitors! Like I said it's continually small holidays. On the 26th of March I returned to Holland for holidays, especially to work with Philip on our house in Ede. It was nice to see what he'd already done (especially as they weren't the most fun tasks, so I didn't need to do them anymore;) think of removing wallpaper etc). First of all we went on a premarriage course/weekend. This started off with a fun test for us as we had arrived exactly on time... but at completely the wrong location, so we still had to drive 1.5 hours  to a location which Philip had already passed that same day, funfun.. oops! But it was a great weekend! A real recommendation, they also do courses for already married couples (www.prepairweekend.nl). It made us realise that we have actually talked already about all the topics which came up but it was good to focus on them once again.
After we returned the real hard work started! In one week we made sure the kitchen, hallway and living room were all painted, so that Philip's dad and my dad and brother could put in the floor on the saturday. After the floor was put in, we could move the furniture into the living room, this was so exciting! It became a real home! During that day Philip and I did a survival run for 8.5km together, hard but fun!
For the easter weekend we got to go bowling with Philip's family and spend a day with my family playing games etc, it was nice to be back and do those kind of things!
We continued working hard the following week and Jitske and Judith helped pitch in that week as well! Friday it was really nice weather and we went to find a geocache and just enjoy the sun/picknicking etc, a perfect last day!
I flew back to Madrid last Saturday afternoon. So in the end we got to finish most of the big tasks which needed to be done, all the painting is basically done except for the bathroom, and the floor is done in most of the house.
It's nice to know that this was the last time I had to leave Holland, the next time I arrive, I will stay there:) I will fly back on the 30th of May.
It's strange to be back, the weather is nice so that's a definite plus and I get to go with the Dutch girls to Ibiza this weekend so can't wait! My parents arrive the weekend after and Philip the one after that, so no complaining from my side haha. The final month May will just be studying studying studying with my fingers crossed as I really hope I'll pass my exams, but some of my teachers seem to make this impossible so I will just do my best and hope for the best!

Lots of small holidays

As you might have seen on facebook, I have been very blessed by my great friends who have come to visit me. Some people ask me if I'm not tired of it yet, but no way! It feels like every weekend I have a holiday, just relaxing and feeling at ease with people I know well. I have been able to see a lot of things in Madrid with them and also got to visit some places outside of Madrid for a day trip.
Besides these weekends with visitors, I try to fit in getting to know people here as well. I somehow got to meet lots of dutch people (a bit lame I know) and they seem to be the ones I meet up with or get along with most. I went a weekend to Sevilla with 3 of these great girls as well. The lifestyle is great here with going out for drinks, dinners etc, and the weather is just getting so good!

I must say, the reason I am here, studying at the university, is what I'm liking the least. The teachers aren't motivating, the lessons aren't challenging and most of the lessons just feel like a waste of time. Many exchange students are just shocked and frustrated at how unorganized the lessons are and how uninterested the teachers are in their subjects and their students. It makes me sometimes think: why am I here? But then it kind of helps to think it's only for 4 months, so I find that a real shame.

1.5 weeks ago I flew back to Holland to go to Winterberg with Philip for a weekend. We had an amazing weekend with great snow (luckily) so we did lots of snowboarding. The mondaynight we went to look at an appartment which Philip had already looked at and liked. I liked it as well and we decided to choose this appartment in which we will spend our first few years in as a married couple (oeeeh still sounds unbelievable). (Stationsweg 92, Ede) It's an appartment which we will rent, and it needs to be done up a lot, so we ended up getting a good deal, so we could do it up but not have to pay it all ourselves. Philip got the key yesterday and the next few months he will be working hard on that, which he luckily loves to do, and over Easter I get to help for a week as well. It's strange I'm not there for the whole process, and I sometimes find that hard, but that's why it's great getting visitors as it helps a lot!

I guess still the hardest part is not wishing my time away as I have so many exciting things to look forward to when I get back. But I'm really trying to live in the moment and love these weekends with my good friends from home or my new friends here. Judith is coming this weekend!

Madrid!

When I arrived home from Chile, I was lucky to have 6 weeks back home to just enjoy friends, family and also that feeling of just being "home". I loved it, I have always loved Christmas and that time of year so to be at home for that was just perfect. Philip and I had plenty of time to enjoy each other's company again and meanwhile also get some wedding planning done. I got to have a great weekend away with my bridesmaid and we got to celebrate it all at our engagement party. Exciting times! Then suddenly the moment I had to leave to Madrid was just around the corner. I wasn't dreading it nor was I getting excited for it, just kind of felt like, I have to do this and I'm sure it'll be fine!

I arrived on the 24th of january and my classes started on the 26th. I was planning to take some Spanish subjects, but then realised I preferred just passing my subjects and enjoying my time in Madrid then making it just a lot harder for myself and taking the risk of not passing. I tried economic policy in Spanish and he was just talking and didn't have a slideshow or anything, and it just went in one ear and out another. So I have now chosen only English subjects which include: Financing decisions, Business statistics, Production management, Organization and design and Economic policy. I must say two and almost three of these are really quite boring with a teacher speaking at monotone and it just not being very challenging but lucky business statistics and financing decision really does challenge me and makes me need to concentrate to everything he says so that's good! I could use some challenges after the time in Chile doing work which wasn't very hard, so to put my brain to work again feels nice!

My room is nice and big and has the perfect location. I only need to walk 5 minutes to the busstop, of where the bus takes 15 minutes to reach the university, but within 5 metro stops I am also in the city centre. It's a shame that the girls smoke in the house, but for some reason that doesn't bother me as much as I feel very at ease in Madrid and in my room and so far I have been pretty busy so it's fine. I live with 3 spanish girls which I thought would be a smart idea to improve my Spanish. Sadly this also means that they don't make much of an effort, whereas if you live together with international students they straight away jump up to greet you and take you out for a drink etc. So I don't think much of a friendship will be made here in my house, but still that's fine as I'm meeting so many great people! So far I have gone out for a drink or some dinner almost every night and it's been great! Tiring (and expensive) but really nice, so different to Chile! I also tried out an international church here and the young adult group, so once again a great way to meet people and they meet up every tuesday night for dinner and a biblestudy so that's awesome.

I feel so much at ease and relaxed in Madrid compared to Santiago. Barely anyone comments on me being blonde, there are less people on the streets, crime and homelessness doesn't feel as present and the atmosphere is just more relaxed. I must say though that I'm disappointed to say that I think the Spanish people are in general less polite and friendly than the chileans, in the metro's and public places etc. However the international people I meet, make up for that haha. There are also some south american or french exchange students whose spanish is better than english so that's still a great way to practice my Spanish and of course outside of university, in daily life, it still improves daily.

Jitske came and visited me last weekend!!! This was so great, as I had only been really busy with university and meeting people, so to have her over, it was a great way to get to know the city together! Together is so much more fun than alone haha. We went clubbing the night she came and yes in Spain that means you don't go before 2am and you leave around 5.30/6am so as you can imagine me, I definitely needed to take it slow the next day, as I love my sleep! But it was great, nothing like I've ever experienced! A club with 7 floors, craaaazy. We had such a lovely weekend together and we haven't had that much time together in ages, so it was perfect. Lots of sight seeing, lots of chatting, lots of eating etc.

I'm feeling happy and I think these 4 months will fly by!

My timetable