I can ride my bike with no handlebars...

ok...Im not going to lie. I came to the Netherlands and I knew how to ride a bike...doesnt everyone?? But knowing how to ride a bike and riding a bike without being completely clumbsey are two very different things. And Im a clumbsey person to begin with so you can only imagine that riding a bike...with 2 kids on it nonetheless...was a sight to see...and oh I have had my moments of dropping the bike, more than once. and i thought it would never get better.

I saw all my friends riding around so easily...with such grace. They could talk on the phone and ride with no hands...I on the other hand lived a differnt story...if I let go of the handlebars with one hand for one second...i was all over the road...almost having a meet and greet with the pavement...there was seemingly no hope.

Then on top of it i had a friend who loved to show off his no hand bike riding skills and I could only dream of one day being that graceful on a bike. WELL im here today to tell you that the day has come...I can ride my bike with no hands peeps...its true...i made a 15 minute bikeride almost the entire time with my hands off the handlebars...and I feel very accomplished on several levels. Yes its true many people here can do it...but when i go home I will be one of few people who has the skill and expertise to say that i can ride my bike with no handlebars...no handlebars...no handlebars...the song has a whole new meaning...and be jealous people because yes I am that cool...

LOOK NO HANDS!!!

its FUNCTION not FASHION people!!!

side note before i start...I totally had to edit this blog cuz I spelled fashion first as fashoin...and it was just a lil embarrassing to leave it like that...but im not gonna be that person that got hit by a car and walks away from it like no one saw (oh dane cook...still my favorite comedian ever.) sometimes i wonder how i move from one subject to another...and i know i have said that before...but i baffle myself in the fact that i can tell 12 stories all at the same time...and thats with regulating the amount of stories im telling at once...amazing.

heres the thing...you always hear people talking about the wonderful fashion in Europe...its so 'European' whatever that means...but i have to admit people here definantly dress differently than the people at home. And you walk around and say...that coat is so cute...or look at that hat...adorable. Or even just the other day i told my friend how much i loved how she did up her scarf...and I thought wow...european fashion totally 'european'.

Then i was pondering for a moment...and it hit me...an epiphany if you will...duh the fashion is different here...its so freaking cold you cant get away with not wearing a scarf and a jacket and a hat and boots or leggings if you dont have boots...and sweaters with long sleeve shirts and layers...its not to be fashionable its to survive the winter!! And I would know from first hand experience peeps...Ill give you that maybe you see some way cute styles coming out of this functional clothing...but please...try and wear it in san diego...ull die from suffication.

And thats the problem...wearing that many clothes is necessary here cuz its so cold...but you still feel sufficated...i guess its typical when you spend ur life in a bathing suit (note to self...there is nothing wrong with warm weather year round...the cold is to visit for short periods of time...aka snowboarding trips and christmas DAY and the rest of the year should be sunny and above 70 (35 celcious for all my european friends...) and throw in a few rainy days...so we can sit inside and snuggle by the fire...but really 60 is fine for that...

Everyone warned me that I was crazy to move to the cold...and I was...and I have a new appreciation for home...or anywhere tropical...and its funny cuz my room is about 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the house...and i dream of warm places everyday. So im starting a habit of drinking hot tea and soup on a regular basis...cuz I have to figure out some way to increase my core body tempature (which is at least 4 degrees below the norm...on a good day)...and gaining weight is not an option people...so stop making that suggestion...especially cuz all i do in my free time is work out...sorry once a work out lover...always a work out lover...and it will continue to be the love of my life probably forever cuz i am a drama QUEEN and therefore have a way of ROYALLY screwing up any situation that involves a guy being more than a friend...but we are so not getting into that right now...cuz i could write an entire book on my lack of any sort of love life...and there it was my first official friday night pity party in the Netherlands...it doesnt feel the same without having Dave and Kam in the background being like...i feel a friday night pity party coming on...its alright though...Im happy with it. Just taking it one day at a time...otherwise I would freeze.

this seems like a whole lotta SNOW to me...

When I moved to the Netherlands I was told that it doesnt snow here...maybe once a year...Well just to put it out there...to me this is SNOW...and it SNOWED for three days straight...everything was white, it was really gorgeous actually...from the inside of the house...outside it was cold...and there was snow falling and I know that is such a "NO DUH" statement...when its snowing, snow tends to fall...its just the way it happens but its not necessarily the most pleasant experience for much longer than a moment...needless to say Im glad it doesnt snow everyday. Note to self...never permanetly move to a place that snows on a regular basis...or is freezing cold for that matter. I guess its buckle up and get ready for winter, cuz people its down right SHIVER ME TIMBERS here...my friends crack up as they watch me put on layer after layer after layer...and im still the first one to say...my god its cold out here. and they laugh.

So today is thanksgiving...the real day where its all family and feasting and thanksgiving day parades...and turkey soup...and pie...and the official start of christmas...and Im missing it. Im not gonna lie...Im sad...Thanksgiving is one of my favorite all time days of the year and it doesnt feel the same without friends and family...To be honest I thought I was untouchable when it came to home sickness "itll never happen to me" I said. Im willing to admit that I was wrong...Im bummed to miss thanksgiving and all that goes with it...Needless to say I am doing my best here to get in the holiday spirit. I kicked off listening to christmas music when we had thanksgiving here...and Im going out today to get christmas decorations...You know for a long time I thought I would be the person who didnt decorate for christmas cuz lets be honest we have enough decorations at my house for all of san diego county to feel the christmas spirit...and I mean its up all year round...the fake christmas tree with apples (that both my mom and sister have) has been up year round since we moved to poway...I think this will be christmas number 6 and it has still never been put away...so with all that I thought I wont ever decorate for christmas cuz I can just run home and bam feel the christmas spirit flow through my blood...I LIED...I will have christmas decorations...probably not as much as my mom...but Im going to get stuff to make our house christmasy...cuz I cant do this bah humbug we only have decorations for a tree...i mean its cold outside, I wear scarfs and gloves everyday...but that is just miserable if you dont have a warm cozy place to come home too...and I want that so Im gonna make it happen. Obviously it wont be as good as the home version...but sometimes you gotta make new traditions.

And just to let you know...I have my moms gene for baking...ok maybe not as good as her...but really who could be...the pilsbury doughboy doesnt even come close. However I made the most AMAZING cookies yesterday and wait...it was without a recipe. Yeah thats amazingness. I started thinking I was gonna make chocolate chip cookies but we didnt have all the necessary ingridients so instead of going to the store...I improvised...and man was it worth it...I call them cinnamon delights and they are absolutly amazing...a lil like a snickerdoodle...but a lot different too...and without a recipe who woulda thought.

I hope everyone has a fabulous holiday!!! I miss you lots...please eat pie for me. MUAH!!

not my funniest post ever...but its cuz im sick.

i know all of you are biting your fingernails waiting for an update in my life...cuz lets face it we all know the center of the universe has a tendency to move wherever I go...weird but so true hehe.

So on saturday morning Sinter Klaas arrived on the boat from Spain!! There was a huge party at the canal...a ton of people...crazy how they do things here in Europe. But it was cool...very fun and the kids had a great time. And side note...i gotta give props to my dad for all the times he held me on his shoulders...and all my other 8 brothers and sisters...cuz seriously its exhausting having a kid sit on your shoulders for more than about 3 minutes...even when there 3...ok even when theyre 1.5...but alas I had Mia up on my shoulders so she could see the boat with Sinter Klaas and all the Black Peters arrive...i don't feel like explaining black peters in detail right now...so i will say they are the dutch version of Santa's elves and everyone back home can have a general understanding of what its all about...

After that I played in 2 water polo games...oh the refs in holland...you think socal refs are bad...oh you havent seen anything...note to self adjusting to the refs is really not an option because they arent consistant about anything...so just score goals. I did have a good time playing...and I got kicked out more in 2 games than i did for half of a season back home...in college...wooo...tone it down maybe a little...or just play with the boys...which I do in practice...great times.

Following the games...I went to Vilika's house...Vilika (Vil for short) is on the water polo team and possibly my favorite person in the Netherlands so far. I love the girl. So after the game we went to her house and proceeded to try on every outfit in her closet (what can I say...were alike i guess) we finally picked out our outfits and in true dutch style left to go out after midnight (this is unorthodox for me I know...but Im breaking in...and loving it) So we went to one of the girl's bday parties which was fun but decided to go to the stratum afterwards...oh my god...seriously the most fun I have had so far.

Lets call it the adventures of the polo people...we hung out with about 5 girls from the team and maybe 7 guys...i can chalk this up in one sentence...it is way too much fun to go dancing with all the water polo boys...love it...except the part where Jaap (pronounced yop...but i call him yuppy cuz its funny) picks me up fireman style and spins me around in circles every so often...he has also made this a habit at tuesday/thursday after practice hang outs...but i will forgive him cuz hes awesomely cool.

Other than that not too much is new...oh cept that im back to brown...Ive got this snow white look going on because the sun doesnt shine therefore my skin doesnt tan...a sad sad sad day...i digress. i really dont get the meaning of that saying...but i thought it sounded like a good place to insert it. Anyhow...I am officially off work...its 11:30pm and Ive been working since 7am...so basically i am beyond tired and just want to sleep...oh and go to the doctor tomorrow...im sick and getting sicker and its been 2 weeks...no thank you.

Im sure the Bahamas are nice and warm...

Literally I have the cutest nephew and niece EVER...on the entire planet people...don't try and argue it because they are down right adorable...no questions...hands down the 2 cutest kids in the galaxy...probably universe actually...and I would know Im doing a hefty amount of traveling these days!! And this is no suprise as they are related to me (ok yes MAYBE it had something to do with my sister and her husband...but whose really keeping track...)

The point is...I was planning on going to the Bahamas with my sister and her family...but then I decided to move half way across the world instead...at times like these when Im freezing my batooty off I do tend to question what the hell I was thinking...but I do love the Netherlands so I can't complain too much...but it is the bahamas so...yeah lets not try and fight this one out.

However I was leaving a comment on my sister's blog...because she used the word "STOKED"...and I was so proud to be her little sister (hehe ok i have 6 inches on her how little can i really consider myself...not the point) nonetheless I felt I had a direct impact on her choice of words and therefore have a doubley direct impact on the 2 little runts she calls her kids. And I just love em...

Ok ok I know these pics are on my sisters blog...but an Aunty can put up pictures of the 2 cutest offspring ever right??? I just can't wait to see the pics from the bahamas...and Im so jealous that they will all come back from that trip thoroughly tanned...I on the other hand am turning a shade I like to call "ghost" (I came out of the womb with more color than I have now...seriously) but alas...I needed a blog dedicated to the munchkins cuz they are just too cute!! And lets be honest Renee was almost named after me...which she should have been...but i guess the middle name "Ashlee" runs a close 2nd right behind "Rachelle" of course ;) I mean the name rachelle just has a nice ring dont you think hahaha ohhh if you know me you know Im only half way kidding but it made you laugh so whose keeping score??

oh and ps...speaking of scoring...Im playing in 2 water polo games tomorrow...I LOVE my new team...wayyyyy too much fun and i get to play in 2 games cuz both the 1 and 2 team want me to play and I can play for both teams for 5 games...which is a nice change from a club in the Netherlands (not to be named because I would never want to talk bad about someone...directly) that has way too much confidence for their own good...but thats ok cuz Im used to that...a similar situation happened at a university i went to for a short while in san diego (again not to be named)...so what happens...I go somewhere else and kick ass...I just can't wait to play them!! Sorry I know I know...its water off a ducks back...really it is...and Im so happy to be where I am...but its like eating belgian chocolate...its just so much sweeter than the chocolate at home...and it kind of tastes the same way when u deliver an ass wooping to a team of over confident players...and i said players but it sounded alot like bitches when it came out...haha if you know dane cook and you can name that joke Ill give you a cookie!! Anywho...Im loving my new team (literally this might be the first team I have been on where every girl is freaking awesome...so stoked to play with them it will be so much fun...which is what water polo should be all about!!

MUAH to you all...and i hope everyone who happens to be in the Bahamas right now has an AMAZTASTICAL (that would be amazing, fantastic, and magical all at once...yeah I made that up...write it down ull find it on dictionary.com next year) time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! dont forget to WEAR SUNSCREEN!!! love you!

Scheveningen...try saying that one...yeah you cant!

So yesterday I went to the beach...people doubted me but there was no stopping me...I needed it...Ive been feeling quite landlocked lately!! The beach I went to is called Scheveningen...try and pronouce it...you wont be able to trust me.

I would like to point out a few weird things

1. people are fully clothed with jackets, scarfs and beanies...while walking on the beach

2. most people wear boots to keep their feet from getting cold because the beach is FREEZING

3. there are ice cream stands all along the boardwalk...like people are going to eat ice cream when its that cold...but i did get a hot chocolate at one of em...so i can be thankful for the ice cream stand...side note...hot chocolate is freaking delicious in the netherlands...its just so rich and full of chocolatey goodness...mmmmm. back to what i was saying.

I would like to point out a few even weirder things

1. i was fully clothed with a jacket, scarf, and beanie while walking on the beach

2. i could not bring myself to walk on the sand in shoes...its just unethical really...thats the whole expirience of being at the beach...walking barefoot in the sand. Plus I wanted to put my feet in the North Sea for the first time...but I think i made myself sick because of it....oops.

And my walk in the sand was prolonged cuz there were surfers in the water so i had to stay and watch and wish i was in the water as well. The waves werent great but totally rideable...and there was a sweet left rolling through that I totally would have shredded on...well as much as you can when the waves are waist high...but yeah as I got caught up in my day dream with no shoes on...my feet went hypothermic Im sure...they were freezing the entire train ride to Tilburg...my friend picked me up there and took me to dinner...which was really nice...he said I was blue when he picked me up. But the restaraunt was warm where we ate so I got feeling back in my toes.

All and all it was a good day...the beach is different here...but there is something about the ocean that just calms me down...and makes me feel at home...which I needed cuz I must admit I miss surfing, I miss being warm, and I miss my fam and friends back home...but im loving it here as well...its complicated so it suits me!

Today its pretty gloomy outside...and I have the biggest headache of my life...but im still happy to be here...and Id just like to say booyah-kashA to all those who didnt think Id go to the beach...please the ocean is my favorite place to be in the entire world...thank you and good nite!!

TOO CUTE!!

So tonight I helped my little sister (who turned 9 yesterday...last year of single digits, oh the good old days) anywho...i set up an email account for her. Side note: isnt that the beauty of the internet, I can help my little sister from half way across the world at the click of a button...thank you technology.

So anyhow we got her email address set up and she was really excited to log in and officially have an email. So I tell her to type in her address and password, and she does, but then she goes...Rachelle it isnt working. So my mom walked over to the computer to help her and the reason it wouldnt sign in is because instead of using the "@" symbol...chandlyr wrote out the word "at" in her email address...and i don't know why but I just thought it was the cutest thing. I mean in most ways my little sister is 9 going on 22...and sometimes I feel that way about a lot of kids these days...but its the little things that make you realize they're so cute and innocent.

Aww...I miss my family...and my friends back home so I just wanted to say I love you and I'm thinking of you lots and one day Ill have to show you around Europe so you can share in all my adventures!! MUAH!

The Ring Road Run...not my best idea ever...

Alright...so this run started out as a really good idea...it was dark and even though i know my way around the city now...i didnt want to get caught in a shady area at night while on a run so I had this brilliant idea...Ill stay on the Ring Road. The Ring Road is like a circle...it never ends (haha)...but seriously it goes in a circle around all of Eindhoven and its well lit cuz its the most main road in the city. On these points I will give myself credit for creating a safe/well lit/virtually impossible to get lost route...thus also creating the ambiance that this idea was a good one...

And no I did NOT get lost...thank god...but I might as well have. The Ring Road from start to finish is 10 miles around. This I did NOT know at the start of my run or I probably would have chose to a different path. I have never ran 10 miles in a row...ever. I mean I like to work out but I think 5 miles is plenty far...Im a swimmer come on. But 10...I mean I should feel accomplished, I should feel like I just conquered an army...but all I feel is that my brilliant Ring Road Run was not so brilliant...and I have set my bar too high cuz I highly doubt i will continue doing 10 miles everyday...Ring Road Run=nothing short of REDICULOUS. At least there were no hills...that i knew though...this is the Netherlands people...its as flat as you can get.

this post is dedicated to simon...

I dedicate this blog to simon. This picture is possibly my most masterpiece work of wonderfulness ever but I couldnt post it in the last post because it only allows me to put up 5 pictures. Not only that but this picture deserves its own webpage, so Im doing my part and giving it its own blog. I know simon will be very greatly appreciative of this work of art...in its own blog...and will probably send me gifts because of it...

Maastricht!!!

Well I went to Maastricht on Sunday...to see my old friend from high school...SIMON!!! I'm not gonna lie, I was a little nervous for the train ride, just because they were repairing part of the track so instead of going straight there, we had to get off the train, get on a bus, get back on a train...this is nerve racking when 1. you dont speak the language, so you have to pay attention to the number of stops the train has made and pray you get off at the right one and 2. when you have only ever been on a real train less than 5 times in your entire life. But no worries...I made it in style.

Ok people, you have no idea how good it felt to step off the train and see someone I actually knew...to hug a friend when you havent seen anyone you knew since before you moved, is amazing...I don't think I hug the people I love enough...you take it for granted when you could see them everyday but choose not to. A lesson in appreciation for the little things...anywho.

It was so good to see my old friend...he hasnt changed a bit...and it was fun to sit and reminice and get caught up on the last 5 years of our lives. It was pretty funny to bring up old high school memories...you dont realize how much you didnt think about it, until ur with someone that expirienced it with you.

I also got a few history lessons...I feel like that is all I get when I walk around anywhere in Europe...Simon was happy to learn that I do know what the german flag looks like...and I thought it was good to learn the dutch flag (you know since I do live here and all)

Maastricht is a cool city. Its tiny...and has cooblestone streets...and they have very tasty waffles...YUMM!!

Overall I had a great day...most of which was spent catching up with an old friend...I believe hes gonna take me to Germany soon...so Im excited for that.

Other than that the update on the Netherlands...its getting colder...and from what i hear the tempature will continue to drop...but it is fun to live in the cold for a little while. I was a little bummed to miss out on halloween...BUT the expiriences Ive had here so far are priceless..so word is that Im doing well...i hope all of you are too!!

Laughing is good til you cry or pee!!

I had to post about this...because it is freaking halarious. So my brother-in-law drew this sketch...inspired by the portable urinal blog...little did he know a situation just like this happened just days ago.

Well as we know, Im learning to speak dutch (hoe gaat het? look it up on google translate) but Im not quite fluent (wait til New Years Eve...) so when people stop me on the street at 11pm at night when Im riding my bike home from my friend's house...I have to wonder if something is wrong. So of course i say "en engels astublieft". But the translation I got was not what I expected to hear. He says instead...oh you are so beautiful...I was like "ummm thanks, daag" and road my bike quickly to my house....with a look of "WTF" on my face.

So when I got this sketch I almost peed my pants laughing...cuz not only is it funny, but yeah it kinda really happened...HALARIOUS!!

Nederlands or Engelse?

So I wanted to post some pictures of the city I live in...EINDHOVEN! All these pics are in the Centrum (aka city center). You can't drive on the streets in the centrum...its pedestrian only. Basically the centrum is a bunch of stores, a street of restaurants and a street of bars. Of course theres a big church...catholic churches are everywhere in this town...ridiculous. Nonetheless they make for great landmarks as to locate where you are in town.

I didn't post a picture of the train station...i have yet to take a good one. But the train station looks like an old fashioned radio...its cool.

The reason why I really wanted to post was to take a lil break from studying dutch. I am determined to be well on my way to fluent in 6 weeks...It can be done people and I'm gonna prove it. So far I know how to conjugate verbs in the present tense. I know personal pronouns and a few simple words. i also understand how to construct a sentence and how to pronounce all the sounds in the alphabet...so now all i have to do is memorize the words to speak...flashcards here I come!

I know you are all very interested in my dutch speaking capabilities...pretty soon Ill start posting the english and dutch version of what I have to say...and to all my dutch friends who are laughing at me because they are already fluent in both nederlands and engelse...lock it up obviously its easy to speak a language uve been speaking since you were 6. I will continue to pat myself on the back for all of my linguistic accomplishments, especially since if you know me, you know language is not my strong suit...ie...I got a 1 on my spanish AP test...if they could have given a 0 I would have got it. Whatever...today is a new day, and I feel like learning dutch. so Ill update you on my progress.

Well today is a beautiful tuesday...the not so beautiful part was having a morning off and getting woke up by 1.5 year old screams before 7am but i forge on nonetheless and say farewell for now in a happy tone...

muah muah muah.

a SHOCKING truth...

so electricity is different here in the Netherlands...well not electricity but power outlets and voltage. Seemingly unimportant...wrong! Anything you bring from the states with a plug has to have a converter so the plug will fit into the socket...but there are different types. One is just a simple converter, it fits in the european plug socket and has a place for your plug to plug in. The other is an adapter, it changes the amount of voltage that moves from the outlet to the product being used.

Note: This is VERY important to know when using curling irons. You see curling irons cannot take 240 volts of electricity...apparently. This is a fun fact I learned today, the hard way. Oh I was very careful to make sure the plug was plugged into the converter before plugging in, I learned that lesson 2 weeks ago when I unplugged the plug from the converter while the converter was still plugged in and got the shock of a lifetime...literally it was quite painful. Little did I know, I was in for another shock. I only had a converter, not an adapter...so when I went to plug in...POP!! The electricity was out in the entire house and I burned my hand to boot. Not to mention the fact that Im now out a curling iron...its a good thing i brought 3.

The moral of this story is that some days it really doesnt work in my favor to be blonde...or maybe this type of thing happens to all state siders when they come to europe...I would really like to think its the latter, but this might just be another tally chalked to the typical things that happen in only MY everyday life...what can i say I need a certain amount of SHOCK factor in my life...hehe so corny.

I am happy to report however, that the electricity is back on with a flip of 4 out of 5 breakers...who knew a curling iron could do so much damage!?!?

LUXEMBOURG!!!

ok I know 2 posts in one day...but I had to tell ya about my trip to Luxembourg...I have officially doubled the number of countries I have been to in my entire life...in one weekend. CRAZINESS!!

Luxembourg was fun...its very small, the second smallest country in Europe but they do have their own language, luxembourgish...but most people speak french or german mostly. I am thankful to be in the Netherlands where everyone speaks pretty much fluent english...Im so eager to learn dutch, but for now its one more thing that has made the transition to europe 1000 times easier.

Back to Luxembourg, its about a 3 hour drive to Luxembourg city from Eindhoven...most of the driving happens in Belgium...so Ive experienced BENELUX!! The drive was beautiful. Luxembourg has hills...the Netherlands is flat so it was nice to see some new scenery. And there were so many colors cuz the leaves are starting to change...it was quite gorgeous. I posted a few pictures on this but if you want to see more go on my facebook...theres a folder full of them.

So on friday night I went out to dinner for my first time in Europe...the waitress was so sweet but couldnt speak a word of English...i chose an italian restaurant for a reason Ravioli is the same no matter what country ur in...thank goodness. I did send an emergency text to a friend of mine here..."out to dinner...am i supposed to leave a tip???" I guess in europe you can but it is not in any way expected. I left like 5 euros...I just feel weird not leaving a tip. Thatll be something to get used to...

Saturday i walked around the city...I bought 2 paintings...for 5 euros a piece...so cheap!! I needed some sunsets in my room. I do miss having the beach in my backyard...Thank goodness for Jordy's family having a beach house...I told him next time he goes Im coming with!!

Luxembourg City is beautiful. Its built on an old fortress, so the contrasting old under new is so vibrant in the city. And basically the city is up high and there is a valley surrounding it full of trees and parks and beautiful places to take pictures...I took lots!! Its very quaint and Im so happy I got to expirience it.

On sunday we packed up and drove to Echternach...which brings a whole new meaning to small town...we walked through the entire town, saw all there was to see in less than an hour. What i didnt know is Echternach is on the german boarder. I stood on the bridge that is the defining line of Luxembourg and Germany...and had I known I was standing on that bridge I would have walked across, just to say I had been to 4 countries in one weekend (and I probably would have done a lil "look at me Im in Germany" dance...but that will have to happen a different weekend. Because I saw germany, I took pictures of it...but I was never actually physically there...technically...i got as close as you can get without actually going...ooops.

After Eckternack we went to some castle. I have no idea what the name of it was, but it was pretty cool. Its funny cuz you always see in fairytales that the city is below and the castle is on the hill...thats totally how it was at this castle. And looking out the window, to the north you see germany and to the south you see Luxembourg (they look the same, you wouldnt know the difference if no one told you) however its significant because technically its 2 separate countries.

After the castle we got in the car and drove through belgium back home...it was almost flawless until we got caught in bumper to bumper traffic which made the trip 2 hours longer than it should have been...so that sucked cuz the car was jam packed full. But overall the trip was pretty stellar.

If you want to see more pictures as I said earlier Ill post them on my facebook...they will probably make it to myspace as well...so check either and you can see what luxembourg looks like...up close and personal.

Until next time...muah muah muah!

Socks!?!?!?

well I have a lot to talk about cuz I havent blogged in awhile...but i want to start with the most important. Today I bought socks...I know totally weird!! If you know me back home you know no matter what the outfit is I usually choose to wear my blue haviannas...Im sad to say I havent worn them once since Ive been here. Which brings me back to buying socks being weird...I never wear shoes back home...and if i do I DON'T wear socks...oh here you wear socks...its just too cold not to.

However that said...today felt like the coldest day of the year in cali...which means its pretty darn warm out. haha. I know its hard to believe but I am thickening up...ok not weight wise...but u know getting used to the cold (I also bought a new jacket, a scarf and a new beanie...hehe I love H&M!!) But yeah...I must admit I miss wearing sandals and shorts...but I am thoroughly enjoying a change. And really the cold isn't that bad...u just have to have the right clothes to dress for it ;)

Europe...first stop...LUXEMBURG!

So Im packed, ready and waiting to go to Luxembourg...the smallest country in Europe, equaling about the size of Road Island...TINY! Obviously Ive never been, so I'm pretty excited about it. Hopefully this weekend will be an end to a few "I'm definitely in a foreign country" days that I've had this week.

But I hear where were going is beautiful. I've got my camera and lens' all packed and ready to go...and I'll tell you all about the trip and post pictures when I get home!!

See ya soon Eindhoven!

yeah for lipstick jungle!!!

thank you internet gurus who allow me to watch lipstick jungle in the netherlands...i love you.

it needed its own E'space...

the title of this blog is dedicated to my best friend in the whole galaxy...i win because the galaxy is bigger than the universe...ok i just looked that up and a galaxy is not bigger than the universe...a universe is comprised of several galaxies but i still win cuz its posted in a blog...(dont worry if you didnt get that it wasnt meant for you...but i still love you all...cuz you take time to read my blog...which is cool) anywho...

This needed to be in a separate blog...because I am that excited about it...I promise to keep it short. but short in my terms could be long. or tall depending on where your viewing it from...doesnt matter.

so to set the tone...Im WAY excited...stoked...happy...extactic...no short of gleeful if you will (ok maybe it wont be short...but come on this is me we're talking about...)

so...the mood is set...JUBILANT (great word...I learned it on myspace) anywho...OVERJOYED (whats a new word for thrilled...) ok here it is...i looked it up in the thesaurus cuz it was necessary...over the moon, glad, deligted, or my favorite EUPHORIC...so are you feeling this positive anxiety building...cuz i am!

ok lets just get to it...so last night I officially talked to the womens pro water polo coach for the PSV 1 team (who practices at the tongelreep in Einndhoven a short 12 minute bikeride from my house) and I start practicing on monday...I have an official face to face tonight after the scrimmage and hopefully that will go well enough to make another situation better (details not to mention on blogspot...if you want to know email me) but yeah...I am officially playing PRO WATER POLO in the Netherlands...and this is not no big deal...this is a HUGE DEAL...ok I know Im supposed to act all cool at this point and be like yeah Im cool...and ok I am cool if you pull my leg...but this goes beyond trying to be cool about it...cuz its exactly EVERYTHING i have pretty much EVER wanted in life up to this point...and how can you not be stoked when all your dreams are coming true...

The way I see my life in the Netherlands...Its kind of like living in a dream land where you get to make all the rules, and everything you want you get...Im not even joking...there is a guardian angel looking out for me and at some point in my life I did something right and it was all so I could be here now...cuz thats how good things are going...and I know its bad luck to say that...but in my defense...everything isnt perfect...but in a way...it is cuz i get the feeling its gonna work out exactly the way it is supposed to in the end...or the beginning however you want to look at it.

and side not...for all of you who kept reading beyond the intro...kudos to you...really i would love to give you a kudos bar because those things are freaking delicious...but that was a pre side note cuz here is the real deal and Im pretty stoked(and a lot of the other adjectives...but not all...cuz Im more stoked on water polo...BUT)

the short background...I have swam my entire life...Im one of those crazy people who enjoys going to the pool to swim laps...I get an extreme thrill to dive in a pool and swim as fast as i can to the other side just to find out that I was outtouched by .03...I enjoy talking about how grueling a swim set is (my sister hates when i talk about it...but everyday I would have to tell her about how many times I swam across the pool and at what rate...) but yeah I love to swim...I probably always will...so the point is...I get to meet Pieter Van den Hoogenband who was the gold medal winner 100m freestyle in athens...hes won a bunch of other medals too but that was a pretty big race...anywho...he trains at the facility Ill train at...and his brother plays on the men's water polo team...so I think it'll be super cool to get to talk to him...I hear he is really nice (oh fyi...the whole purpose for the tongelreep swim center was for this guy...craziness...the facility is all kinds of awesomeness rolled into one!)

Ill let you know how it all goes...but so long for now!

3 kisses... if you find yourself asking "why 3 kisses rachelle, I don't get it"...just scroll down a few blogs to "my first night out in europe" and you will find the answer right there in the last sentence of that blog...I even made it easy by telling you exactly where it was...go on now...shew shew...go accomplish great things on this lovely friday...!

a typical ME story...ugh!

So last night I went to aqua cycle...its the coolest aerobics class I have ever taken...think spin...but in a pool...it works the muscles so nicely...Im bringing it home to the states when I get back!! However afterwards I realized I lost one of my keys to my bike lock (i have three sets of keys, 2 of them are for my bike, one for my house, yes i have 2 different locks on my bike...long story its a dutch thing...people steal bikes you have to be extra careful...extra careful is usually where I get into trouble)...yep thats the typical me part. Usually I can find misplaced things but when you lose your key (and your spare key cuz you were smart enough to have them on the same key ring...) in the largest aquatics facility you have ever been in, and you don't even remember putting the bike lock on, it is unlikely you will find the keys...but there were 2 guys that stayed and helped me look...no luck of course, so miraculously this guy has a pair of clippers and snips the lock...thank god at least I wasnt stranded, but i do need a new bike lock.
lesson: dutch people are so helpful and nice...and I want to say hats off to both boys (which of whom I couldn't pronounce their names in the first place therefore I dont remember them) who stayed for over an hour after the tongelreep was closed to help me figure my situation out...I do appreciate your dilegence and patience greatly!

and I would like to say sorry to all americans of which those few people now associate the annoying girl who lost her keys who doesn't speak a word of dutch with being american...in america's defense...this is just a typical Rachelle thing...I tend to be clumbsy and lose things a lot...ask my best friend cuz he probably knows best...but please dont generalize this incedent to the american population, in this case I have to say it is just me...so typical.

I always wondered if guys got stage fright when they pee...

you know cuz guys pee in urinals often right in front of other guys...i found out the answer was NO when I came to the Netherlands...They have portable urinals in the middle of the sidewalk that guys can walk up to and pee right there out in the open!! It is DISGUSTING...i mean I don't want to see that you know. Oh but I did...the very first day I was here. I literally thought it was a telephone booth...its red just kinda standing there...then I looked closer, wait is he...oh my god ewww that is so gross.

So my age old question about guys getting stage fright when they pee was answered. Obviously not in the Netherlands cuz they walk up to these portable urinals and pee right there where what seems like the entire dutch population is there to see...yuck.

my first night out in all of europe...

Well what we hear in the states is true...you haven't really gone out until you've gone out in Europe...I mean its insane. First off people here don't even think about going out until about 12:30 or 1am and they stay out until at least 4am...the bars here don't close until 4am...and there is usually something going on somewhere after that...

The clubs are packed full...its freezing outside but its hotter inside than it is on the hottest day of summer at home...and its like that in every bar...and there are streets and streets lined full of them...oh and the streets are packed full too. Imagine downtown on New Years Eve...thats Eindhoven on a typical Saturday night...I can't even imagine what holidays will be like!!

A few out of the ordinary things...you don't need an ID here...and its pretty typical to see lil 16 year olds in every bar...which I thought was a little weird ok a lot weird...Im not gonna lie. One good thing though...not many people get trashed. Its basically go out...enjoy the music (every bar has a DJ that blasts tunes from seemingly everywhere in the world)...and enjoy the company of a few friends or the thousand other people who are in the club with you...and if your bored with them go next door or 2 streets over...there is an endless amount of fun here...so it seems.

Another weird thing...everyone here speaks dutch...crazy i know!! ok not really...obviously they speak dutch but yeah its still a bit weird...it was nice to have some dutch natives with me...so when guys leaned over and wispered sweet nothings in my ear...i knew what they were saying...haha. And when people started talking to me...and I replied "I don't speak dutch" the overwhelming response was..."ARE YOU SERIOUS??"...no people I'm lying to you...I'm totally faking this american accent and my first language really is dutch...the few guys who started speaking in dutch again...I just had to laugh at...obviously Im not faking it...this is 100% genuine amazingness right here!! haha...riiiiiiight.

Dutch guys hand out compliments like candy on halloween...i like your hair, your jeans are nice, youre really pretty...I mean I think I got more compliments last night than I have in my entire life...Im not gonna lie it was kinda nice...considering american guys just dont have the balls to tell you what they are thinking...a pat on the back for boys in the Netherlands haha.

Everyone asks if what they see on TV is what California is really like...I never know how to answer that question...first of all what do you see on TV...and secondly is it any where near anything that you hear about happening in Amsterdam...for those of you who are wondering...yes there is a red light district in amsterdam and yes prostitutes really stand in the windows to get costumers to come in...ill take pictures and post when I go...

Overall I had a great time. I met a bunch of cool people...which is a good thing cuz I haven't had too much interaction with anyone over the age of 3 since I got here!! Random side note...everyone is tall here...i dont know why but I think its awesome (ok I do know why...and its still awesome)...oh and yes I did talk to the hottest guy I have ever laid eyes on which was awesome as well...hehe

alrighty well Im off to go for a run!! Enjoy your day! Muah, Muah, Muah...its customary to give 3 kisses here when saying goodbye.

Arrival...

Hello Hello-

Well its 4am here...and I can't sleep cuz it doesn't feel like 4am, but I thought I would email instead of going on a run alone in a foreign country at 4am...sometimes its just better to go against your better judgement and stay inside!!

If you didn't know it yet...I MADE IT!! Finally. I had a hunch that the plane flight was never going to end, I think I slept a wopping 2 hours! The food was disgusting but that was expected, and coach as always was totally uncomfortable (my knees hit the seat in front of me and if I put my legs in the aisle they would get tripped on) so lets just say I am happy to be off the plane. Getting through passport check and baggage was super easy...I had a vision of it getting complicated at customs, so I stopped and asked the officers what I needed to do and they looked at me like I was the crazy american girl...anywho...I got picked up by Zach (the dad) hes super nice. and we drove home...you think traffic in LA is bad...theres only one main freeway (comparable to the I-5) and apparently its always under construction...so I had plenty of time to take in my surroundings on the usual hour trip...2 and a half hours later we were in Eindhoven (super quaint!) and along with everything else really green. Once we got in town, we picked up the girls, Mia and Sadie. They are adorable! Ill tell ya more about em later. So after that we came home.

The house is super cute...brick and everything so Im assuming no earthquakes. I have my own room upstairs...the rooms are quite small but all of my stuff fits perfectly so Im not complaining...I do need to go get some stuff to spruce it up though...

The family is great. 2 girls, Mia 3 and Sadie 1 1/2, they are a total crack up. Barb and Zach are great too.

The only downside to the Netherlands that Ive seen so far...it is FREEZING...I mean cold as ice (ok maybe not that bad...) But this morning when we took the girls to daycare I wore a sweater a sweatshirt and a jacket and I was like...im freaking cold...what the heck...thatll take some getting used to Im sure. Other than that I cant wait to explore the Netherlands...a year of new adventures awaits!!! Ill write again soon!