List of things I've learned

Some things I've come to realize over the past week:

1. This past Sunday I missed another milestone in historic American culture and life by living "far away" in a different country. I'm of course talking about Brett Favre's 421st and 422nd touchdown passes, making him the all time leader in TD passes in the NFL. I will always be a Wisconsinite-- if there's one thing I always miss, it is the fall in Wisconsin, and the Packers football season and watching Brett Favre play.

2. I am very clumsy and should not be left unattended for my own safety. This past weekend I slipped and fell backwards while trying catch little Bram before he ran under the bed. Well I fell backwards and hit my back on the corner of the bed frame. Now I have a sore back and a red and purple wound to show for it.

3. I am not a hindrance to my basketball team as I once feared/thought. Although I could not play in the first game of the new season this past Sunday, I did go to watch and 'support' them. They really could have used my help, especially with rebounding and boxing out. At least now I can tell myself that every mistake I make is not the end of the world, as they are not perfect either. For me, it was important to make as few mistakes as possible, as that way they can see that I'm serious...since we haven't all communicated a whole lot otherwise. I don't want them to think that I am dumb and slow, since that may be the impression they get of me since I don't speak Dutch.

4. There are a lot of "love migrants" in the Netherlands. Of course that is due to my situation as well and the situations I am in that leads me to meet these people (just as I met and associated with students 6 years ago). My language class consists of roughly 15 people, but several of the girls in there have come for partners. Also, some people at my job too. I met the first foreign guy to come for a Dutch girl here as well. you don't see that as often.

5. Love migrants will take whatever job is offered to them. Of these people I've met, I think a lot of them are under-employed. People would rather be with their partner than have a job that they are educated for or enjoy. I am not the only one!

6. Don't expect anything at work. That way I will be more surprised when something actually does happen. Surprised both good and bad. Good when I actually get a drawer or am told where the printer is. Bad when I have to train new people when no one ever asked or told/warned me to begin with, while my supervisor does nothing.

7. There are still people out there (my age) who still don't know how to use google maps or copy and paste shortcuts on Windows. This is amazing to me.

8. Despite my recent swing to a more cynical and negative mentality, apparently I'm still considered a 'sociable' person. Why else would the new people be put with me to train on things, and not with others who can't really communicate on a personal level....because I'm friendly. At least initially! ;-)

9. I will never understand nor get over how I think it is rude that the majority of Dutch people never say 'excuse me', but instead just run/bump into me (in a store, on the street, on the bus) and move on, or try to throw an apple away in the train when my knee is in the way. Instead of saying, 'excuse me', they still just open the container with my knee still there. Pardon me for having my knee in the way of your freedom. Just speak up and I will gladly move my knee.

10. Why don't people get out of the way of opened doors on the train or metro to let the people inside get out first? The NL is full of educated people and they have lived with public transport for a long long time. Yet they still don't understand that you gotta clear out of the doorway to let people out. You will get in faster if you get out of my way and not try to push your way in before I get out. I will start to push back.

11. You cannot resist change. It will always happen. I can resist going to my job. I will still end up going. I can resist wanting to learn Dutch. It will still happen, and I will learn it (note: I am no longer resisting it as I once did). I can try and resist biking in the rain. It will usually end up raining. I can try to resist growing up. I can reminisce about the past and how wonderful and satisfied I was with my life then. But I can't keep looking back to the past, I have to (try to) live in the present and look forward to the future, that it will be just as great and satisfying, just not in the same way (with different people, in a different place, and different circumstances).