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!