more dutch bureaucracy

The eternal dreary rainy weather here is getting to me lately...actually, I don't think its entirely that. Probably not that at all (ok, maybe 10%).

It's my job. It makes me very unhappy. There are several things as to why it makes me unhappy, but since this blog is public, I don't need to go into detail.

Since I started on Sept 3rd, everything else has sort of jumped into motion as well. The language classes started, and are two days a week for 3 hours. Yesterday I did not get home until 1030. every monday will be like that, gone from 7am-1030pm. Wednesday are even worse, I won't get home until 1130pm or later, because of basketball practice. On the one hand, yes, its good to be busy and involved and investing in myself (learning a language, exercising, and being around people). But on the other hand, I get over stressed easily by my lack of time for myself, to relax. Yes, exercise would help with stress relief, however since my ankle was injured, I can't exercise. And basketball is only once a week for about an hour (and a game on the weekend). My gym membership ended Sept 3rd as well...so no more lifting weights for me (my arms were getting muscular!)

I know that I am not the only one like this, and this is just a matter of adjusting to a new schedule. I need to find a balance. If I had a job I enjoyed going to, I'm sure my days would be more easy going though.

To make matters more interesting, M's PhD work is coming along...however the HR at the university seems to think that his contract ends THIS december of 2007, not 08, as was planned and verbally agreed to.... so he might not even get his PhD after all this work!!

His original contract 3 yrs ago states that after 1 year, after an evaluation meeting, it would be decided to keep the 3 yr contract or extend it one year more to make it a 4 yr contract. the original reason for the 3 year back in 2004 was in case he was going to come to the US ...and he could get done with it faster. So after one year, it was verbally agreed upon that it was a 4 yr contract, but apparently no one in charge put it in writing for the HR people. His salary stayed on the tract of a 4 yr contract, so he assumed it was a 4 yr. In the mean time, the new Dean of the school made a rule that no phd contracts could be extended. period. so now, when M is trying to figure out where the problem is and simply just stay on for another year to finish it as was the plan the whole time, everyone seems to be on his side and say this is ridiculous...except for the Dean and the HR people under him. So, technically, as of now, his contract ends on Dec 1st, 2007. That means he will not have a job, and most importantly, not have a PhD after all of his hard work. How can they just be so inflexible and uncaring!? This isn't just a job, its a doctorate degree. In discussions with advisors of the geography department, they gave him their word that they would work something out, but what that is, they are not sure yet. there are a few options, including having him enroll in a different university to finish his work. so, he may get his degree from a different institution.

And not only does it affect his education, his job/career, but also my legal status here. He had papers signed and given to the IND that stated he had a more than a one year contract. The university signed papers that he had a contract til 2008; now they state that those papers hold no legal power (say what?). So They seemed to know and believe that the contract was 4 years...until now suddenly. Also, similar papers needed to be signed in order for us to get the apartment we have, also stated til 2008. But apparently HR doesn't really pay attention very well and signs documents that are legal until a time comes when they contradict themselves. So, when my time comes around in Feb to renew my residence permit, hopefully he has a 1 yr contract somewhere---whether a university or a 'regular job'. Or...i don't know what will happen.

Obviously there are people working in the university system that only care about money, when one would think they are an institution that cares about their students' personal development and growth, and expanding social research and understanding in the scientific environment. Plus, they get their name out there. (Oh, yeah, they also get money too...24,000 euros for each PhD student that graduates from there....there's an incentive to keep students on!).

does sound confusing? i bet it does! i'm confused too!

More word later today on what may happen. The geography board is meeting today and this will be one of their topics, i'm sure.

Breathing fire

fire blowing
Originally uploaded by dutchlop.

The air is crisp, my bones are creaking (attribute that to sprained ankles)...fall has arrived in the netherlands. although, summer never really made an appearance, except for maybe in april. it was a constant summer of cool, cloudy days, and rain. it hardly ever got over 75 degress F. Really quite sad and depressing.

My ankle has improved, its still purple and still hurts some, but I can walk normally again. I wear a brace all day, its still quite unstable. i don't think jogging/running/basketball is an option yet. I can ride my bike fine, just not put too much pressure on my foot when starting to pedal.

Integration classes started last week- the level i was put it is 3-4, 4 being the highest level. its a bit too hard for me, and i was quite stressed and upset on monday when i entered the class, almost everyone knew everyone else from the spring before, and they are all speaking in dutch. and i can't speak much at all...i would like to be in level 2-3, and that may happen after this week. the text we read and had to answer questions on this week was extremely technical- the scientific discoveries and contributions of Huygens. Hello, I don't even understand physics and pendulum movement in English. I get extremely frustrated very easily, and I sort of shutdown. I don't want to be stressed out and nervous and always behind...especially when I have to spend 2 nights a week doing this. It affects my relationship, my sleeping patterns, and my entire life and attitude. If I am to learn Dutch, i would like to go down a level, get a better foundation of vocab and grammar on which to build upon. So, by wednesday I will decide, I'm pretty much set on going to a different class. Too bad, because my teacher is really very nice and encouraging. She's probably the nicest Dutch woman I've ever met. seriously. That's saying a lot.

So, this past Saturday I went to the coolest party I've ever gone to in my life! And funny enough, I was the one to get the invitation to it...and I hardly know anyone here! One of the girls I worked at the hostel with, lives in this 'huge' (for dutch standards) old mansion just outside of the city of utrecht....with like 12 or 20 other people (i got conflicting reports on how many people live here). Its a shared living house, so its not your typical type of people who want to be "married by 28, own your house, kids by 30" type of people (the typical american life course). Apparently, every year they throw a huge party with a different theme, and a few hundred people show up. This year it was Carnivale, based on the american tv series on HBO (I've never seen it). Seriously, it was so surreal, I felt like i was in a dream sequence of a movie. This party was part carnivale, part haunted house, part freak show. They had lights and tents outside in the back. They had a stand of people making and selling crepes. Little kids dressed up were walking around selling lollipops. They had a terot card reader and fortune teller. Bands were playing inside and out. There was a line at the 'box office' to get in - it was 5euros entrance and drinks were about 1 euro each. The band inside when we got there was from the UK! They were old and had dreads and beards and looked like a cross between Sargent Pepper's lonley hearts club band and old british sailors or something strange. there was a TREE in the living room area where the band was playing ....they cut down a tree and put it in there!! The bathroom was an entertaining adventure as well...a paper-maiche head was hanging by a rope and pulley and when you opened and closed the door, it would go up and down...and stared at you while you were on the john. Outside there were tents and bonfires in oil barrels ..mostly everyone was dressed up in some sort of carnivale/freakshow type garb. Unfortunately, I do not carry 30's/40's era- freak show clothes in my wardrobe...but I had a nice hat on.

At 1 am there was a 'procession'....they put the crazy british band up on a wooden cart, 5 people pulled it as if they were horses, and everyone had candles and torches and we walked towards the back of the property --following the fire blowers and torches. I couldn't see what happened from there, but I heard that 3 people were baptised. After that there was a huge "lightning" display...you know those electricity balls...at the science museum...but this was huge and spewing lighting like 3 yards out from the ball! there was someone on stilts. There was a guy hanging from a rope from the roof doing acrobatic movements while hanging upside down. It was absolutely a surreal, colorful dream that I was living! I left at 230, but could have stayed much longer...simply amazing.

Side-lined

Well, to further complicate problems...Saturday I was to play in a pre-season tournament with the women's basketball team I am joining. It was from 9am-2pm. Our first game was around 930 or so. I played for maybe 8 minutes, came out, then subbed back in. But that only lasted a minute...somehow, when I was trying to defend someone under their basket...I either turned too fast or stepped on someone's foot...but my ankle buckled out from under me and I hear it pop as I was on my way down. I sprained it pretty badly. Luckily some girls helped me to the locker room rather quickly and put it under the cold water faucet in the locker room. And I got some ice after awhile too. It was pretty painful. The same thing happened to me about 3 yrs ago when I was playing just a pickup game at the gym at OU..but with my left foot. It was bound to happen sooner or later I suppose with this foot. But why now!!!?? When it finally matters to be playing. This tournament was for the team selections. Obviously I'm on the 2nd team and that's ok..but I was wanting to play on Saturday! And, here I am, calling in sick on my second week of work, I feel like a complete schmuck. Instead of trying to fit in smoothly on the team, I stand out even more by my clumsy body. I practiced with this team 6 times already, played all spring with M's team, played a few times in the park in the summer...nothing happened. Now finally when I have a real team to play with, a job I need to go to...I injury myself. Sometimes I wonder if i wished this upon myself, by hoping it wouldn't happen.

So, instead of a weekend when I actually had plans and several things to go to and do...I had to stay home and sit on my butt all weekend. Saturday was not good- it was painful and I couldn't do anything. i decided not to go to the ER because apparently in Holland, the doctors don't do much of anything. They could take an x-ray, but i know it wasn't broken because it wasn't that sort of excruciating pain and I could still move my toes. Luckily M rented some crutches at a store nearby...and bought a brace so i can sort of stabilize it myself. At the hospital, they would only tape it up at most, and I could do that myself. 3 years ago, with my other foot, they put it in a cast and after a week i had a boot I could walk on it with. Here, they believe in the body healing itself apparently....So here I am, on the couch. Its still pretty swollen, and I don't have much movement, but I can put a little bit of weight on it at least now. I think commuting on the trains here with crutches is going to be a b*tch. I definitely cannot ride my bike yet. I will try to take the bus tomorrow.

So typical....

I feel like a jerk for taking off already--mostly because my boss doesn't know me and my usual work ethic...I don't want to give such a poor impression when I first start.

In any case, I won't be playing basketball for a few weeks probably. Very disappointing.

Working woman

Well, it has been a very busy week, thus no time for updates. I started my new job last Monday. The job is ok, but it is only production. I spend the entire day staring at the computer, researching if changes people submitted are valid (blocked roads, directions of the street, name changes, or points of interest like gas stations/stores/doctors/pubs, etc). This involves constant use of Google maps, Google Earth, Mapquest, Yahoo maps, and internet searches for a pub or a street name or for construction updates....its a long day doing only that. I look only at the UK submissions. Other people do other countries. It is a bit of a challenge trying to look on Google Earth to decipher which way the road is going, since they drive on the opposite side of the road as almost everyone else in this world! If the satellite images are good enough, you can make out the cars and sometimes there are arrows painted on the road and yield signs, so you can see which way they are going. I think i have a fairly good background in photo/air interpretation...and just using common sense and my geographical mentality, I can figure things out a bit better than the others perhaps...or they just have to learn how to do it, and then they'll be fine too. I just takes practice. Also, my previous job experience dealing with naming and classifying road systems helps me too to some respect. But really, this job is not geography- specific. you don't need a college degree for this work. and i think that most of the other 'worker bees' don't have a college degree. So it is a bit mind numbing...i wonder how long i can handle it! but, its money, i'm not at home alone, and its something for my resume, even if it is a step backwards, its not an empty hole. Hopefully, if i can learn dutch this year, in some time I can apply for other jobs where i can think and use my brain and use GIS as a tool. Not just 'factory work' in front of a computer.

Its kind of a weird place- i have a table as a desk. there are no drawers or anything, so i have no where to put anything. its all open, no cubicles, so there's no privacy. i don't have a phone yet. i also don't have any connection to a printer, and no one will help find one, or even show us where the printer is. the girl next to me is new too, she's from Israel originally, but has been living in Europe for 7 years now. she thinks its odd too. i think the issue is that the company is just expanding so quickly (a good thing- huge growth!), they can't keep up with the office changes. to me, with my experience of endless cubes but in precise pods of 6 cubes each at the Census...this is kinda chaotic. Since its all open, there are people who sit behind me , and i don't even know who they are. they were never introduced to me...and they don't introduce themselves. perhaps i should do so this week-- but is that too bold or overly 'friendly American'? there are also a group of 4 who sit between me and the window...there apparently are not any conference rooms available because they stand there the entire day, every day and talk - loudly-- about something that sounds so important and urgent but i can never quite follow what they are doing, even though they are speaking in english. who knows, but its very urgent by the seriousness in their voices.

On Tuesday, we had a little section meeting, but since no conference rooms were available, they booked a small conference room in the NH hotel next door to our building. That was kinda funny to me.

Commuting is an interesting thing too. I have to bike about 15 minutes to the station and lock my bike in a mad-cluster of hundreds of bikes. I am lucky if i even find an open spot to jam my bike in at a bike rack at 745am.

The train to Amsterdam leaves every 15 minutes: at 55, 10,25, and 40 after the hour. Once on the train, it is 20 minutes to Amsterdam Amstel station, the one before central. From there I take the metro about 5 minutes to the Waterlooplein exit. This is the stop I got out at back when I lived in Amsterdam in 2003-2004. So I know the area well. Its a big touristy section, since everyday there is a flea market there...for clothes and alternative things. Then I walk about 7 minutes to the Rembrandtplein, where my office is in a corner of the square, nestled in between dance clubs and cafes. Its such a good location, because at lunch time I can have so many possibilities for food (if I had money to do that)...but its so strange looking out a first floor meeting room window, and seeing signs for bars and cafes and advertisements for underwear. But the view from the 6th floor, where I sit, is wonderful. Someday I will have to bring my camera in- the view of the church steeples and old Amsterdam canal houses- wonderful.

Oh, anyways, about commuting...the 755 and 810 trains are so jam packed full of people...usually I have to stand in the doorway area, not in the actual seats. People are not very polite here, instead of standing to the sides of the doors to let people out first and then go in, they all crowd the doors, leaving only enough space for the people inside to come out in a single file. then once they are out, its take your life into your own hands and people rush inside, to find the 2 seats left open. On Tuesday I got there with about 30 seconds to spare, but the three cars I tried to get in, every single entrance was packed, there wasn't even enough space for me to squeeze in. So i had to stand there and watch it drive away with out me. That is the most annoying thing- to watch your train pull away with out you and you have to wait another 15 minutes. And usually I'm quite sweaty already, because of riding my bike there, and sometimes i jog/run to the train b/c i want to make that train. I'm going to try to get the 740 or 725 train because they are less full. it is quite interesting how much a difference 30 minutes earlier makes.

So starting this monday and wednesday i am taking the 'Integration Course', as I am obliged to take by the city of Utrecht. I signed a contract that I would attend, and they pay for all the costs. This is a pretty good deal- except that it meets on the one night in the week when i have basketball practice (wednesday). That is still being debated, on what will happen with that. I was really disappointed when i found out that this evening could not be changed, as playing and participating in a club team with dutch women is about the highest level of integration you can get....instead of sitting in a room with other foreigners learning about the world outside that you should be 'fitting in' to. everyone seems interested in what i will be taught in these classes-- aspects of dutch culture that the city or country finds important, but the average Dutchie might not even know (the words to all 15 verses of their national anthem for example)...or things that really aren't 'that' important. Of course, this will be my outlet for telling the world the important things I learn.

Last day, on to the next

Thursday was my last day working at Strowis (the youth hostel). It was the busiest day of the entire year. How fitting that it was my last day. A large group of about 20 youth left on that day, as well as a large percentage of the other guests. Which means that a lot of the beds needed to be changed and the rooms be totally cleaned after the mess left behind from a group that stayed there a long time. Usually the rooms are cleaned and done before 3pm. Today the first floor wasn't even started til 330 when I got there. Usually I would stay for my 4 hour shift, but often on Thursdays I stay a bit longer and sometimes have dinner there. I was there til almost 930pm..it was busy the entire time. It was a bit strange to think that was my last time there to work. But I enjoyed working there for the last 5 months. I wish I would have been able to have a bit more contact with the guests, like talking more to them...but it also depends on the guest themselves....some individuals are more likely to talk since they are traveling alone. Those that are more comfortable with English also talk more. The Italians and Spanish that filled the hostel in august purely to smoke weed, obviously did not talk much...due to their poor English... and being stoned. I worked with some interesting people, I learned how to make cappuccino, and I helped the continued success of a tourism business in Utrecht. I also spent my time with other people for several hours a week, instead of being alone in my apartment the whole time.

Friday night I went back already, but this time for a party- it was the 9th anniversary of the opening of Strowis. They had drinks and snacks, and a lot of the people involved in getting the place up and running returned for a good time. The party was held in the common area on the first floor, so guests were also there taking part too.

I plan on going back to stop in and visit and drink a tea every now and then. Strowis is a part of my Utrecht experience. I started my time here in Utrecht 5 years ago there...its still part of me.

Tomorrow I begin my first paying job in the Netherlands..and the first paying job in over 6 months. I'm sure it will be an exhausting week getting back to a routine.

little baby bunny

little baby bunny
Originally uploaded by dutchlop.

we have added a third bunny to the family! on tuesday night we went to eindhoven to go meet his mommy and bunny family and bring him home with us. he is really tiny, only 10 or 11 weeks old. and his ears are huge for his little head. he likes to hop around and stand on his hind legs. he also likes to pee on me. he's done it twice already in the first two days. i'm very cautious about holding him now! he's in his own cage now, but we hope to eventually bond him with rosie and japie in the coming months so they can all cuddle together. but for now, rosie, the 'royal highness', is very spastic and any time the little one hops by her cage she goes crazy. this upsets japie, and he goes towards her, but she assumes this is him going to attack her, so they end up chasing each other in circles and fighting in their cage....just because of a little bunny. he on the other hand, is quite calm and very socialable. he came from a very nice bunny family and loving human family. i felt a bit sad when leaving his former family's house, separating him from his parents and brothers and his human mom. but i hope he will be just as happy with us here.

and most imporantly, his name...we haven't named him yet. we can't decide between 2 names...but we just keep calling him 'little one' or 'kleintje' or 'stampertje' (his daddy's name)....we can't decide between Hazel (the leader in the story 'watership down') or Bram (and call him brammy or brammertje). Bram seems more fitting to me. I also liked the name Bongo, but someone else doesn't.