MY JOURNEY: PART 2
I decided to create two parts out of My Journey. Part one covers the first month and part two the second. All other updates will be on this page!
28-4-19
Week 8: Final Day
I'm home! After 56 days I'm finally standing on Dutch soil again. It's so strange: I hear Dutch everywhere! I can speak Dutch to basically every single person here, it's super weird.
I continued packing my bag on Sunday and then I went Downtown to look around for the last time. It was very busy, I think there was a baseball game or something going on. I saw fans and police (vans, haha pun intended) everywhere. It was kind of hectic, but nice.
The weather was absolutely beautiful, too bad I had to go. I got back around 3, so I had about 1.5 hours left until I had to go to the airport. I packed the last bit and said goodbye to the other people in the host family.
We left for the airport around 16.30 and I arrived an hour later. It was pretty easy to find my gate and all that. I easily got my boarding pass and loaded my suitcase. I just followed the signs that read: Gate E and then I found the right number. That number did change like three times, which was pretty annoying. First I had to go to 75, then to 80 and then suddenly it changed to 77. Make up your mind! Haha, but I did find it so it's okay.
This flight was very busy, I don't think there was a single seat empty. A nice man sat next to me, he was quiet and respectful, but I could talk to him if I wanted to. There wasn't a very nice man in front of me though, he had quite the temper. It started with him reclining his seat until I barely had any space after minutes of being in the plane (we were still on the ground). I politely asked him to put it back up, until it was night time (I wouldn't care then, because I should be asleep). He did do it, but under protest. Later, I accidently kicked the bag under his chair, and he became furious. I felt kind of bad, but it was an accident and at the end of the flight I had to put my wallet and phone in the pocket of his chair and he said: "Are you serious?!" and he slammed his chair back down. He wasn't very nice, but other than that: I had a great flight.
We landed, and the weather was beautiful in the Netherlands as well, so I had a great view! I got through customs easily. One of the guys led me to the 16+ line, and he was shocked when he found out I was 15, which was hilarious. I also automatically started talking English to him, but I couldn't switch to Dutch because that would be weird, but then it was weird because I talked Dutch to the person that checked my passport so oops. I found my suitcase and then...
I saw my family and friends again! It was amazing, I missed them so much. They had balloons and everything, and Sophie and a very close friend of mine were there as well. It was really nice. We went home and I saw Dutch signs everywhere, I saw Dutch traffic lights and Dutch roads and just: Dutch. It was weird. But a good weird.
They made me a nice breakfast and we just talked about everything. I was so tired though, we watched a movie and I almost fell asleep. I wasn't jetlagged, but I only slept like 1.5 hours on the plane, so I was very very very tired.
It great being back, though I miss Toronto very much. I would just like to thank everyone at the hospital for helping me. This experience has been amazing and it will stay with me for the rest of my life. I won't ever forget this, you are all amazing people. I would also like to thank my teachers, and my mentor in particular, thank you, I couldn't have done this without you. And of course: thank you mom and dad for all your help (and funding haha), you're the best parents I could ever wish for.
This experience was amazing, I won't ever forget this. I have learned and seen so much, it's been incredible. This will stay with me for the rest of my life. Thank you for reading, I hope you have a nice day.
27-4-19
Goodbye Natalie
With less than 24 hours left in Canada, I had to say goodbye to my dear friend Natalie. We met up at Eglinton Station at 4 and we decided to go to a different mall this time. We found out that we would have to take shuttle busses there and it would take a very long time, when we arrived on the right station. We decided to go to Eaton Centre instead, so we had to go all the way back and further down. It was hilarious.
We got an extra large bubble tea mango, because why not? It was delicious, but super big. We should have taken the medium sized one. We hung around Eaton Centre for a couple of hours, we spent an enormous amount of time in a bookstore. Natalie bought 80 dollars worth of books there (she got 8 books, so it's a good price, but still). She even got a text from her bank telling her she'd spent so much money. :)
Bink, blink, it's and time to get dinner. We got some garlic fingers, because neither of us were very hungry. There were two cops as well, and we were kind of in a giggly mood, and I think they were about to ask us to use a breathalyzer, because they were giving us some funny looks.
We took the bus to Tim Hortons, which is ridiculous because it's just 3 stops, but the bus stop was right in front of us and a bus was about to stop there, so why not? (That's been my motto for the last few days). We were there for like 2 hours (because it was getting late) and she taught me some stuff about driving, which was pretty cool. I feel like I'd totally smash her exam, if I were given the chance. (Natalie probably disagrees, because apparently shouting: "watch what you're doing, you idiot!" is not a good way to prevent someone from crashing into you. Ridiculous.)
And then... it was time to say goodbye. It was really harsh. We walked to the farthest bus stop and waited for the next bus. It was everything but fun to say goodbye, but I'm sure we'll meet again. It's a fact.
I had started packing my bags in the morning, but I definitely hadn't finished yet, so I continued packing my bags (at 11.30 in the evening oops) and now it's time for bed. I only have to pack the last few things tomorrow, and then I'll be good to go. I'll miss Toronto very much. It's been my home for the last 2 months and I can't imagine going back to the Netherlands, it's so strange.
It's been a sad day, though I did have a great time with Natalie. I probably won't update tomorrow, because I'll be in a plane, but I'll post my final update on Monday.
Have a nice day!
26-4-19
Last Day At Holland Bloorview
I had to say my goodbyes to everyone at the hospital today, it was so strange and sad. I can't believe I'm not going back there for at least another few years. It's been an amazing experience, that will stay with me forever.
I went to the hospital around 8.00 and the traffic was great so I arrived around 8.30. I called my mum, which was great. Then I went off to the Ronald McDonald playroom, which was amazing as always. It was pretty busy today, but also kind of nice. I was able to finish my little human, I think it worked out great. I also recreated a train track. These two things will me my legacy haha.
I had lunch for a bit and then I went down to the swimming pool. We only have one class on Friday, so it was a very short shift :( I had to say goodbye to everyone there as well, and some of the volunteers got me a little something, thank you guys so much!
It was weird going up the elevator thinking that that was my last time in a long time. I went by the volunteer resources office to say goodbye to my coordinators and they got me some stuff from Tim Hortons to bring back home! Some coffee and a cup and some other stuff, thank you! I really appreciate it! It was hard to say goodbye though, really strange. Although I'm sure I'll come back one day! I had to hand in my badge, which was a painful moment, I was rather fond of my badge.
Then I said goodbye to my supervisor at the Ronald McDonald playroom (which is opposite the volunteer resources office). This was hard too, but again: we'll meet again. I went looking for one of my friends that work in the hospital, but I couldn't find him :( I did write a letter in Spanish (because he's Spanish and he tried teaching me some) for him.
I walked back to the bus stop (for the last time) and I went Uptown for a change. It was great! Although I think I found the most expensive street in Toronto :) There were a lot of shops of brands with names that I can't even pronounce. Shops like: Gucci, Louis Vuitton, etc (for the record: I do know how to pronounce those names). But still, it was great!
I went back and relaxed a little bit. It was a good, though sad and strange day.
Thank you for reading!
25-4-19
Spontaneous Boat Tour
I met up with Natalie in the morning, which was great! Too bad that we couldn't hang out for hours, because I had to volunteer. Although the volunteering was nice too! I had to say goodbye to one of the staff members, of the Ronald McDonald playroom, which was kind of sad. I really enjoyed having her as one of the staff members, she was great! I also had to say goodbye to one of my coordinators, which was also horrible. She's been so kind to me during my stay here, I couldn't have done this without her. She's amazing.
It was nice in the playroom, it wasn't very busy, but there were enough kids to have a good time! We played some Mario Kart and we played with the trains, it was really nice. There was another volunteer today, which was great. She's very kind and funny, and I'll have to say goodbye to her as well as to all other people in the hospital tomorrow :(
After my shift in the hospital I went Downtown, I wanted to see the CN tower and I walked along the shore of Lake Ontario. I remembered that I got a ticket for the ferry, and I suddenly thought it'd be a good idea to take the ferry to one of the islands.
I should probably have thought it a bit more through. I had no idea where I was going, when I was going and what I could do over there. I wasn't even a 100% sure I could go back, but I was being impulsive for once and it was totally worth it!
It was getting slightly dark, like a twilight dark, as in: the sun is going to go down in 2.5 hours. It was also pretty warm today, although it was freezing on the ferry. I got off the boat and went onto the island. I first asked a guy that works on the boat if I was also able to go back. He thought it was funny, I thought it was a reasonable question (although most people probably know about this stuff before they get on the boat, but still).
I walked around and it was amazing. It was very quiet over there and it gave off camp vibes (when you're hanging out with your friends on holiday on a campsite at the campfire). It was really, really nice. The view was stunning, I could see the skyline of Toronto and since it was slightly dark, I could see the light very well. I also saw the other side of the island, with a view on Lake Ontario, and it's huge. I couldn't see the other side, I swear, it's bigger than the North Sea (I just looked it up, Lake Ontario is bigger than the sea between the Netherlands and the United Kingdom). It's huge.
The same guy I asked about whether or not I could go back, came up to me and showed me around the boat, which was so cool! I could go into the captain's cabin and pretend to steer, it was really, really cool.
I was back around 21.00, so not that late. I had a very good day, thank you for reading!
24-4-19
Out With A Friend
I didn't do much today, sorry about that. I went to the hospital around 11.30, because I wanted to get a small gift for the volunteer who took me to McMichaels (the museum). I helped out at the swimming pool and Natalie was there too. It's so strange to think that I'll probably won't ever see those kids again, even if I were to return to the hospital, I won't see them again (the groups will change etc). I also said goodbye to a few volunteers that I won't see again, it's so weird.
Natalie and I hanged out afterwards. We first went to Tim Hortons and then we got some pizza and hanged out at her primary school. It's so fascinating to hear about all the things that happened back when she went to school. I hear a lot of similar stories to my primary school time. It's hilarious. We played the exact same games a they did, we hanged out in the exact same way they did and their school system is very similar.
We also "played" around her school yard, which earned us some strange looks. We basically went down a slide and that's it, but this 10-year-old kid gave us a few funny looks. It was turning dark when we went back to Tim Hortons. We didn't really buy any food, just Thai Tea (which is absolutely amazing) and just hanged out.
She started to feel a bit poorly though, so we decided to head back around 21.00, much earlier than we thought we would, but we'll see each other tomorrow again! I start around 13.00, but we meet up in the morning. So I'm looking forward to that!
I was back before 22.00, which was nice for a change :) I had a really good day, I hope you had too! Thanks for reading :)
23-4-19
Friends With The Bus Driver
I'm still very tired, because I have been staying up late the last couple of days, so I haven't done anything that was really exciting today. The weather wasn't great either, so I didn't really feel like going Downtown. One of the other guests in my host family left today, which was weird, because that'll be me in less than 5 days.
I had to be at the hospital around 12.45. I helped out at the swimming pool, which was very nice. At the end of each class, we sing a song: "the goodbye train", and in the song all names of the kids are named and sometimes the name of a volunteer if he/she is leaving, this time, my name was said. It's so strange. I'll actually be HOME in a week, I can't believe it.
I went downtown to Eaton Centre to get some souvenirs for my friends and family. I took the bus and the bus driver recognized me from another time. I always say hi when I enter a bus and she's very friendly, so we talked a little previous time and this time as well. My hair was wet last time we met, and it was very windy outside so she asked me if I was okay or something like that, so this time she said: "O, I remember you, you were the one with the wet hair." This time we talked a bit longer, about why I'm here and how a friend of hers lives in the Netherlands as well, so yeah, I had a very nice ride to the subway station.
I had some more bubble tea today, but this time without the crazy tapioca pearls, which tasted much better! It's soooo good. It's literally pure mango but then squeezed into a liquid, and it tastes amazing.
I had a good day, though I was still pretty tired. Thanks for reading!
22-4-19
Spooky
In one week I'll actually be home. It's so strange, I haven't even really realised I'm here, let alone that I'll be going home soon. It's insane.
I was so tired from yesterday, I really had no energy at all. I had a lunch meeting with a pediatric doctor and she told me a lot about medical school and her experience as a student and resident. It was very interesting, because I knew about the process of course, but nobody has ever told me about their experience in medical school. She also gave me some tips about how to get through medical school, tip one: PLAN! That was basically it. She said that if I organise and plan things well, it will be okay.
I had a meeting with her at 11.00, which ended around 12.15, so I had a 45 minute break before I started at the Ronald McDonald playroom. I was so tired though, I couldn't really focus on anything, but I still had a good time. It wasn't very busy, which was very nice.
I then met up with Natalie, which was great! We met up at the Tim Hortons in the hospital (yes, they have a Tim Hortons in the hospital) around 17.00 and we also got some pizza at the local dominos. We went back to her primary school, which was fun. It's so interesting to hear about everything that happened there and compare that to my primary school experience (wasn't much different). She also taught me some children songs, in which you use your hands (clapping them etc.), which was so cool. I only know a few Dutch ones. When it was getting dark, we went to a different Tim Hortons. That was around 20.00, we only got some tea, which is great there!
We stayed until 22.20, because I really had to go back. It was pretty (very) dark outside and although I know the way, it was still dark and Natalie told me about some famous serial killers in Toronto so that didn't really help. We were talking about history and London, which lead to Jack the Ripper, which lead to Canadian serial killers. Which was interesting, but when I was walking outside at 22.45, it was also kind of spooky...
I made it though! I had a good (though tiring and spooky) day, I hope you had too! Thanks for reading :)
21-4-19
Week 7: The United States of America & Easter
I only got one week left until I go home and it's Easter! What is a better way to celebrate this than by going to the United States of America? Exactly, there isn't one.
I went to Niagara Falls by train and bus. It took me approximately 3.5 hours to get there, but it was absolutely worth it. I first walked along the Canadian part of the Falls, because apparently that side has a better view (it has). It was quite busy, but it was still nice to walk around there, the view is stunning! The ice has melted, so it looks much different than the previous time.
Around 13.45, I got a bagel and some coffee from Tim Hortons, because I was starved and then it was time to go to the States!
Leaving Canada is easy, you have to pay one dollar, whether it's USD or CAD doesn't matter (though there is a difference in value), and you're on the bridge to the USA. Then you go through border security at the American border. You have to show your passport and pay $6.00 US to enter. Since I got a visa and my country is a member of the European Union, there were no problems for me entering the country except that I had no USD on me in cash and I could only pay if I had a MasterCard. My debit card was a Maestro Card, the difference? I can't pay with a Maestro Card, other than that: nothing. Yep, oops.
There was a very kind American man who exchanged some USD (United States Dollars) with me for CAD (Canadian Dollars), and then I could enter...
I walked through the park above/next to Niagara Falls. It's a really nice park and it definitely has some good viewing points, only I couldn't see the entire waterfall from this point of view. But I could see the bottom of the waterfall and where the water fell down. It was so cool.
Then I went into the "city". I had to get some souvenirs of course. I saw American flags everywhere, but guess what? Not a single souvenir shop sold an American flag, and I've been to a lot of them. How's that even possible? Hahaha. I did manage to get some souvenirs for my family, and friends and for myself as well of course!
If I am being brutally honest (let's call up the Dutch part in me)... I liked the Canadian part much better. It had a lot more life in it, the American side was a bit... dull. Probably because the American Niagara Falls (the city) isn't very big and I didn't spend a lot of time there and I didn't go far into the city, but still, the Canadian side is a lot more vivid.
I still enjoyed my time in the United States of America though, it was really nice! I definitely want to go back one day. The park was stunning and the parts of the waterfalls that I could see was better than the parts I could see from Canada (I was much closer), so it was definitely worth it! I've had and spent American dollars today, which was very cool and I also got another stamp in my passport, which I really like.
I went back a little before 18.00 and I accidently ended up in the middle of a strike. There were people complaining against their employers and I walked right into it. It wasn't bad, I just got a piece of paper that said that I shouldn't go to certain shops, as to boycott their managers and employers. I was back a bit after 21.00. I am sooooo tired though, my phone automatically shows my steps, and it read 30.000 today... My feet are dead.
Thank you so much for reading! I had an amazing time in the United States of America, I can't wait to go back!
Happy Easter!
20-4-19
Lazy Saturday
It rained all day long, so I didn't really go out. I stayed in bed watching movies for a very long time and then called my friends and family. I talked to Sophie for like hours, which was great and to my parents for a long time as well. It's crazy knowing that I'll see them in like, a week.
I did go to the shopping mall close to where I stay, but I didn't buy much. I went back and watched Coming to America, as a preparation for tomorrow :) I love that movie so much, it's hilarious. It cracks me up every single time.
I can't wait until tomorrow though, not only will it be Easter, but I'll also go to Niagara Falls and I'll cross the American border! It's so weird that I can "just" walk to America. America is soooo far away from my home, it's weird.
I think it's also weird how big this country is. I heard a woman talk about how she went to a different part of Canada, and FLEW 5 hours! I mean, if I fly 5 hours, I'll leave the freaking continent. It's so big here, it's crazy. It takes 2 hours of driving to leave the province of Ontario when you're in Toronto. It takes 5hours of driving to leave the country in the Netherlands. It's so strange.
I didn't really do anything else but relaxing today, the weather was just too bad to go out and I don't like going out when it's pouring rain outside.
Furthermore: I heard it was a beautiful day in the Netherlands. Thank you so much Sophie, for showing me the weather. It did not make me jealous at all. It really didn't...
Anyway, I'll write much more tomorrow, but now I should definitely go to bed! Have a good one!
19-4-19
GOOD Friday!
I had an amazing day, it was really, really good. It started off with calling my family, which always makes me happy and then I met up with Natalie.
The weather was horrible today, it was raining constantly. Natalie and I met up around 11.00 and decided to go to Eaton Centre (indoors). We took the bus an subway and it was funny to take the public transport with someone else, because I always go alone. Anyway, we just shopped until we dropped.
We went to the H&M, but didn't buy anything and then we went to Hot Topic, which is a store with merchandise of like everything. It was nice to just look around and see what's there. Then we went to Old Navy, and we did buy some stuff there.
Then we decided to get some bubbletea. I had heard about it before, but never had some and neither did she. It's really good. I got one which was literally mango squished into liquid with tapioca balls, which are some weird, sugary, squishy pearls. I didn't like the taste of those, but I loved the rest! Mango is my favorite fruit, so I was really happy about the taste of the drink!
We then decided to go to Tim Hortons near her house and we basically sat there and talked for hours. I think we were there around 13.30 and we left around 22.00. Seriously, the barista must have thought we were crazy. We did buy a lot of tea, so there's that. :) I was back around 22.45, so it was a long day, but it was definitely worth it! It didn't even feel like a long time, once it was just 17.00 and suddenly it was 21.00. We just get along really well.
I'm going to Niagara Falls on Sunday, not tomorrow. The weather is horrible tomorrow and much better on Sunday, so that seemed better. I think I'll just relax tomorrow and maybe go Downtown.
Thanks for reading! I had an amazing day.
18-4-19
Gift From The Easter Bunny!
10 more days and then I'll be home. It's so strange, because it feel like I've been here for months but also like I arrived yesterday. Although I'll be very happy to see my family and friends again, I will miss it here.
You're not gonna believe this, but I was late today... I know right, Hannah Lagerweij late? Never, but yeah, the TTC thought it'd be a good idea to change my flawless record of being on time. I had to be at the hospital at 13.00, so I left a little before 12.00 so that I could take the bus of 12.00. I got on that bus, which was only 1 minute late, nothing major and then... The next bus was delayed for like 25 minutes, because there was something going on at the subway station or something like that. I don't know, the only thing I knew was that I was never going to make it on time. I maybe could have made it on time if the traffic was okay, but it wasn't. It was terrible. I called my coordinator and informed her about it and I eventually arrived around 13.15.
I helped out at the Ronald McDonald playroom, which is always fun. There was also another volunteer there today, just like last week. She's around my age so we got along pretty well (I think). It was busy today, but a good kind of busy. Not super crazy, but more like: I have my hands full, but not too full. Does that make sense? :)
Somebody (I don't know who) left a little gift for me at the Ronald McDonald playroom, as if they were an Easter Bunny. Super sweet! I have no idea who, but I really appreciate it, thank you sooo much!
I went back and the bus was so full. It was absolutely packed. I think there were like 50 people on that bus, it at least felt that way and the traffic was soooo bad. I don't know what's going on today, but the traffic is NOT helping me at all, on this particular day.
I got back and relaxed a little. I don't have to "work" tomorrow, but I am going out with Natalie :) I'm looking forward to it. We don't really have plans, we're just going Downtown and see what will happen!
Thanks for reading! :)
17-4-19
Out With A Friend!
I woke up a bit early today, but it was nice. I did a bit of homework (it's necessary) and I just relaxed until it was time to go to the hospital. I received the booklet for the London Trip! I'm so excited, Sophie and I are together for all activies but one. I can't wait until we get to know in which home families we'll stay. I left around the same time yesterday (11.45), but today I was about 30 minutes early instead of running a bit late. How's that even possible? I give up on planning. I just leave an hour before hand and see what time I arrive.
I helped out at the IET swim-program, it was fun. Nothing major happened, it was just a nice lesson and then... I went out with Natalie, one of the volunteers. It was nice. We got some Tim Hortons and we saw the man I had lunch with the other day, and he joined us. He's funny and kind (though a lot older than us), but it was nice to have lunch with the three of us.
Then Natalie and I decided to go outside, since the weather was soooo good today. We ended up at Starbucks though... We were there for like an hour or 2 and then it was about 17.00/18.00, so we got some pizza :) We went to her old primary school, which was just down the street. It was so fascinating to hear about what happened in the play yard, like what kind of games they played, when they had a break, what they would do if they were late for school, etc. It was fun!
It was getting late and cold though, so we decided to look up a Tim Hortons, and we just hanged out there for another 1.5 hour or so. It was getting really dark outside (it was like 20.30), so we decided to go back. We're seeing each other this Friday though, because we're both off due to Good Friday.
I was walking the last bit back, when I heard a strange sound. I looked around and I saw a raccoon in the shadows of a car, it was so cool! Natalie mentioned it before, that they walk around here quit a lot, but I hadn't seen one yet.
I had a really good day and I hope you had too!
16-4-19
The TTC Did Not Like Me Today
Sooo.... I finally finished & handed in my BSM paper. That felt good. The best feeling is when you close all the taps on your computer screen, or is that just me? You know, that moment you handed in your paper and can just click on those red x's to close all websites and papers? Yeah, that feels great.
I started my day with calling some friends and my mum & dad. Good start of the day. Then I took the bus to the hospital, but while waiting on the bus I realized I forgot to pack my bathing suit and on exactly that moment I saw the bus. Yeah, that wasn't great. I had no choice but to go back (luckily I realized it before I got on my first bus) and get my bathing suit. The first bus only goes every 15 minutes and that would still mean that I'd be on time, but it wouldn't give me much of a time window. That's why I took a different bus, but that bus stop is about 6/7 minutes walking and the bus would leave in 2...
I ran, I ran as the wind. I turned the corner and there! I saw the bus, it was like everything was in slow motion, I ran the last few metres and then... the bus left without me. The busdriver didn't see me...
I went back to the first bus stop, because that would be faster and more reliable. The other busses don't regularly run, so I don't like taking that one. While I was waiting on the bus, I checked to see what time my second bus would go (maybe it'd be faster if I walked) and then I saw: all busses that I could possibly take were delayed by more than 30 minutes...
I don't know what happened today, but the TTC (public transport here in Toronto) really didn't like me. There's another number 2 bus that I could take, but it would take me a bit longer, but it'd still be faster than the busses that were 30 minutes delayed. It was a disaster. I was still on time, but barely.
Other than that: I had a wonderful day. The IET swim-class was nice, the people were nice, it was just a nice day. I went back and just relaxed. I have no projects that I have to work on and I worked really hard on the BSM paper the last two days, so I figured I could take a lazy day.
I'll see my friend tomorrow again! The one I talked to last week for hours. We couldn't plan anything in the past week, because our schedules are so different, but we both volunteer on Wednesdays and we both got the afternoon off. So I'm looking forward to it!
Thank you for reading and have a lovely day!
What do you think of the background? I think he (or she!) looks French... I don't know, I need sleep.
15-4-19
Just A Regular Day
In exactly 2 weeks I'll actually be home. It goes so fast, I only got one Monday left... I'll miss Canada & its people, but I am definitely looking forward to going home.
My day didn't start out that good actually, I woke up at 4.15 in de morning and it took a long time until I fell back asleep. I first wanted to wake up early so I could work on my BSM paper (sports), but yeah, that wasn't going to happen. I did eventually work on it, but a bit later than I had wanted to (well, this morning I absolutely didn't want to start earlier). Other than that, I had a surprisingly good day. I wasn't tired at all, probably because I did manage to fall back asleep, but still.
I called my mum, and she didn't want to talk to me :( Okay, maybe she did want to talk to me, but couldn't because she was driving (still, how dare she?), so I called my dad and he just didn't answer. Is this their way of getting rid of me?? Just slowly not answering me?? Haha, just kidding. My dad texted me a bit later and we'll call tomorrow. Sophie did want to talk to me (you're the best!), so I guess I know who my real family is... :)
I helped out at the Ronald McDonald playroom and I had a really good time. It wasn't super busy today, but there were always some kids there. I don't know, it was just a really good day. I played some video games, did some arts and crafts, it was nice.
I went back and worked on my BSM paper that I have to hand in tomorrow. First, I really didn't like our assignment. We have to answer a research question that we came up with ourselves and then write a report about that. First of all, I'm really bad at making up research questions and second of all, it's about the biomechanics of judo. And frankly, I really don't bother.
However... PLOT TWIST: I grew to like my little project. I wrote about the differences between professional and non-professional judokas when performing the seoi-nage (shoulder throw) and it's actually quite interesting. Not an "I want to study it" interesting, but more like an "okay, I don't mind writing about it" interesting and I think it will turn up alright. Not my best, but definitely not that bad considering that I had a really hard time getting into this project (and that's rare, I usually don't mind writing papers).
I'll do the finishing touches tomorrow et voila: je suis fini.
Thank you for reading and I hope that I didn't bore you too much with my ranting about my BSM paper :) Have a good one!
14-4-19
Week 6: Lazy Sunday
Remember when I wrote that "I'll definitely go out tomorrow"? Yeah, I didn't go out today. The weather was terrible, the subway Downtown still didn't go so it'd have taken me hours, so no. It was raining the whole day, and it rained hard. At the end of the day there was even a thunderstorm (it's still going on while I'm writing this). It was just a really good day to stay in, watch Netflix and just do a little bit of homework. I also had some noodles today, which were good.
NOODLES -------------------------------------------------------------------->
I called my mum (of course), I called Sophie (of course) and I called Oscar (not of course). Oscar is a good friend of mine and it was his birthday today, so congratulations from Canada!
Two more weeks to go. In two weeks I'll be on an airplane going home. Time has flown by, although I can't wait to go home :)
Since I honestly have nothing to write about, I'll just write about some crazy (to me) things that I learned here:
1) Bagged milk. Yeah, I mean bagged milk. Milk stored in plastic bags. What? Yeah, that was my thought too. They just cut the corner of the bag and put it in a jug. I'm serious. It's so strange.
2) Let's talk about culture. Now, there aren't as many cultural differences as I expected. It looks so much like the Dutch culture: dinner around 17.00/18.00, you don't just show up at a friend's house, you first call and you're just polite to everyone around you. The only thing that really stood out, is that everyone always asks how you're doing. The British do that too, but it's more regarded as a greeting, you don't add an extra "hello". Here, you say: "Hello, how are you doing?" I had to get used to this real quick, because I didn't really do that in the Netherlands. I mean, if I hadn't seen someone in ages I would, but not if I had just spoken to them like 30 minutes ago.
I think it's nice, I really like it. It gives a good feeling. It's also a better way to start a conversation. Instead of: "Hey, I got a problem. Could you help me?" It's: "Hey, how are you doing? Good? Yeah, me too. Hey, listen, I got a problem. Could you help me?" It takes about 0.5 seconds longer and it sounds a lot nicer.
3) There are no "Snow Days" here in Canada, which surprised me... a lot! Literally, when I arrived, it was -10 degrees outside and there was so much snow and that was at the end of the winter! I heard a story from a girl, that one time the school busses didn't go because it was too dangerous (and that says a lot, because the school busses alway run here), but those that didn't go by bus had to show up. The snow was up until their shoulders, it was insane. Even when there's a little bit of ice on the road in the Netherlands, we're allowed to stay home, let alone when there's snow up until our shoulders.
4) School busses. Yeah, I already spoiled it, but still, they got school busses here! It's so cool. Just imagine being picked up in front of your house by a freaking bus. That'd be cool. We (the Dutch) just go by bicycle. No matter where you live. Oh, an hour away? No problem, I'll just cycle. I'm lucky to live about 15 minutes from school, but I feel sorry for some others...
5) The people here are very kind and polite. I really like the people here. They're alway ready to help you out and they are just amazing. The Dutch are also very kind, but they can be quite... direct (still love you guys) and with direct I mean: brutal honesty. And really, honesty is really important, I think it's one of the most important values to have, but sometimes a message can be brought a bit nicer. Just to make that other person not feel too bad about themselves, you know?
Those were 5 facts with Hannah, I hope you enjoyed! I'm going to sleep (or well, I'm going to try, because the thunder is sooo loud and lightning already struck twice, scrap that, thrice now. Really, I think my desk was shaking) and thank you for reading! Have a good day :)
(Disclaimer: only the noodle picture is mine. I got the other two of the internet)
13-4-19
CN Tower!
I went up the CN Tower! It was great! The view was absolutely stunning. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the sky was blue and it was warm! I first called Sophie and my parents, which was great and around 13.00 I went Downtown...
The subway didn't run. Okay great, I had to take a shuttle bus. It wasn't that bad, at least I got to see parts of the city (the subway goes underground), but some people didn't agree with me. A lot of people were angry with the TTC (Toronto Transit Commision) and a few even yelled at the busdriver. Like, seriously? It's not his fault. I had no idea why the subway didn't run, by the way. Anyway, I finally got there and wow, the tower is so high!
Before I could get my tickets I had to show my bag and walk through security. I swear, there was more security there than when I was on the airport. It wasn't that bad though, and it went quickly. I got my tickets and I had to wait for about 1 hour until I could go up.
The elevator goes pretty quickly, about 20 km/hours. My ears popped eventually. The floor under us was made of glass, so we could look down. I'm not afraid of heights, but it was still pretty high. It's higher than the Eiffel Tower! The Eiffel Tower is 324 metres high and the CN Tower is 553 metres high. The observatory deck of the CN Tower is between 342 and 346 metres high.
I got out of the elevator and the view was absolutely amazing. I could look over the city and I could see Lake Ontario (but not the other side of Lake Ontario, that lake is big!) and it was just amazing. Totally worth it.
It took me a while to find out how to get down. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to go down some stairs, because nobody else did. Eventually I just did it (I know, I'm such a rebel) and there was a whole other floor! Here you could also go outside and walk over glass (again). It was so windy outside, I was literally blown away once. I'm not exaggerating, I almost fell... After an hour or so I decided to go back down. There are no stairs I believe (and I don't want to take the stairs either), so I went down with the elevator again.
It was so cool, I really liked it. I had been looking forward to this ever since I arrived and I'm not disappointed. It was awesome!
I got another Beavertail, which was delicious! I first wanted to get poutine, but the tickets had cost a bit more than expected and I only had 8 or 9 dollars on me and I wasn't sure if I was going to make that. I'm going to get some poutine while I'm here though, I want to try out all the Canadian specialties here.
I went back and just relaxed. I don't have any plans for tomorrow (besides doing a lot of homework), but I'll definitely go out, maybe Downtown or so.
Anyway, thank you for reading and have a lovely day!
12-4-19
I can't English Today
I couldn't get out of bed this morning, for some reason. I did of course, but it was difficult to find the courage to do so. Friday is my earliest day, I start around 9.00, that doesn't sound bad and back home that would be kind of late, but it takes me about an hour to get there, so I have to leave around 8.00. Still not that early, but I've grown accustomed to waking up at 8.00, so then it is early.
I had a great day at the playroom today. There was a girl who was a bit quiet, but I managed to get her out of her shell. Apparently it works really well to bury her in the ball pit, eventually I went into the ball pit as well and I actually had a good time in the ball pit. It felt like I was 5 again haha. The girl buried me as well, how dare she?! So I became a "monster" and buried her instead :) It was really calm today, funny how it differs between days.
I had lunch after the Ronald McDonald playroom and I found the other Dutch volunteer. When I approached her table, she was having lunch with another woman and she was Dutch too! I could talk Dutch for a whole 45 minutes with not one, but two people! It was great, I didn't realise how much I missed hearing Dutch. Crazy right? Because the Dutch language isn't even that great (I sincerely apologize to my Dutch teacher), but I just think English is so much better, hahaha. The Dutch language is just very complicated and like, French is also a very complicated language, but at least it sounds soft and beautiful %) Just kidding! I love the Netherlands and Dutch isn't that bad, I just wish that the language was a little bit easier sometimes (*ahem* when I'm taking a Dutch test *ahem*) and that coming from a native speaker...
Anyway, my English was broken today. Not because of my Dutch lunch, because it didn't work before that. I tried saying a very easy sentence like five times and it still didn't work. I really don't know what was going on, I just couldn't. So yeah, I was extra happy that I could speak some Dutch during lunch.
Then I helped out at the swimming pool, which was really nice. The water is just so warm and the kids are always happy to get into the water. It just makes me smile, you know?
I went back, called my parents (who I hadn't spoken to in ages) and just relaxed a little. I did do some homework, because I have to hand in a paper on Tuesday and I hadn't really started on that so... oops.
I'm going up the CN tower tomorrow! I can't wait. I've been looking forward to this since before I got here, I'm so excited! It's suppose to be a great day tomorrow (I'm talking about the weather, although my day is going to be great as well of course).
For now: have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!
11-4-19
Another Volunteer
I woke up quite late, 8.30, because I was really tired. I don't know why, I just was, so I let myself sleep until 8.30. Got up, did a little homework and relaxed a little. I went to the hospital around 12.00, so I arrived around 12.45. I finally know exactly how to manage my time here :)
I helped out at the Ronald McDonald playroom today, and it was sooo busy. It was insane. I don't think there have been that many kids the entire time that I've been here. It was crazy, but nice. I like it better when it is very busy and there are a lot of children to play with.
Around 15.15, another volunteer showed up. She is very nice and it's fun to have another volunteer around. We chatted a bit, but it was so busy that we didn't have a lot of time until the end to really talk.
I went back around 17.00, I took the bus. I just became so nauseous on my way back, I don't know what it was. I was sitting in the bus and it just didn't feel right. I was very happy to get off the bus, but even then I didn't feel great. I feel much better know though, so that's good.
17 more days to go and then I'll be home! I'm having a great time here in Toronto, but I do miss my family of course.
Anyway, have a lovely day and thank you for reading!
10-4-19
I Made A Friend!
A summary of my day: it was great. I felt terrible yesterday, because I had so little sleep. That's why I went to bed early yesterday (I slept before 22.00) and I woke up naturally around 7.30. I didn't put up an alarm clock, because I just wanted a good night sleep and feel well rested (apparently you feel much better when you sleep well).
I called my mum, which is always nice. I did some homework, but not a lot since I had to be at the hospital a little earlier today than usually. We had another (really nice) workshop and it was really good and I got off at 15.00 so plenty of time after. The Dutch volunteer was also present at the workshop, she's a really nice person to talk to. Especially since she's also Dutch (although we always speak English when there are others around).
I had IET-swim after/during the training, I had to leave like 10 minutes earlier. It was really nice, I worked with some great kids and the other volunteers (and staff members!) are really nice. We always chat a little before and after. There's this volunteer who recently started (3 weeks ago, but she couldn't make it the last 2 weeks, because she had a school activity and she was sick) and she's really nice.
We started talking after swimming class for like 20 minutes, when we said like: "Do you have to be anywhere else? Because maybe we can get some coffee/tea or whatever." I had no place to be and she also had the entire afternoon off, so we went to Tim Hortons and got some tea and coffee. We also went by volunteer resources because she had to get her volunteer shirt (a shirt that all volunteers have to wear at the swimming pool) and there was some left-over pizza from the workshop, so we got some of that as well.
We sat down at the table and just talked and hanged out (for like 5 hours!) and it was really nice to just talk to a friend in real live (the phone isn't the same thing). We had no place to be and we got along really well and she's great at telling stories, so yeah, it was nice. I had a really good time.
It did mean that I got back real late and I didn't have a lot of time for my homework. But hey, tomorrow is another day!
Thank you and have a good day!
9-4-19
One Word, 5 Letters: TIRED
My day started off terribly: I woke up a little before 5.30 and for someone who requires at least 8 hours of sleep each night, it's terrible. I couldn't fall back to sleep, it was really really bad. It did gave me some more time to just relax and watch Netflix, so that's nice. What's not so nice is that I'm out of Lucifer episodes, so I got nothing to watch. I just rewatched some of my favorite Harry Potter scenes, which was nice.
I got up around 8.00, I couldn't stay in bed any longer. Had some breakfast, did some homework, you know, normal stuff. I texted my best friend Sophie, she had a huge school play today and I know she rocked it! Too bad I couldn't be there though, another time.
I took the bus and today there were no problems at all :) That made my day a lot better. I went to the hospital and the Dutch volunteer was there today as well. It's so weird and funny to speak Dutch in real live. We talked a bit after the swimming lessons.
The swimming lessons are always so much fun. I think it's because of the warm water (and the children of course %) ), it's almost hot tub temperature. It's really, really warm. Yeah, it was good.
After the swimming lessons I talked to the Dutch volunteer and some of the others as well. I took the bus and I decided to get some FroYo. It's so good, I wish I found out about it a little bit earlier. I went back and did some work, but not a lot. I always get quite nauseous after not sleeping well, so I couldn't really focus, but other than that I didn't really notice anything strange.
It wasn't that bad of a day, not great, but not bad either. Especially since I slept so little.
Thanks a lot for reading! I appreciate it :)
8-4-19
Fellow Dutch Volunteer!
I've spotted one! I spotted another Dutch person! I have spoken Dutch today, with a real live person, face to face! It was amazing, it really was. I haven't spoken Dutch to someone (other than over the phone) in literally 36 days. She was really nice and she will help out at the IET-swim program on Tuesdays and Fridays, so I'll see her tomorrow. It's nice.
I had a really good day today, and not just because of the other Dutch volunteer. It started off pretty normal. I got up, had breakfast, relaxed, did some work, blah blah blah. I had to be at the hospital at 13.00, so I took the bus around 12.00. Now, the bus usually goes around 12.00, but Google Maps said that it would be 5 minutes late, so I didn't go outside until 12.00, so that I could watch the bus drive by me, exactly on time. Like, seriously? It changed right before I left the house, how is that even possible? Anyway, I did have a problem there. The next bus wouldn't be there for 20 minutes and I only had 12 minutes to walk a distance to the next busline, which would usually take 15/20 minutes. I started running the last bit, and I was lucky that the bus had to stop to let a passenger out, because otherwise I wouldn't have made it. I wouldn't have been there on time, and I hate being late.
Anyway, I made it in time. I helped out at the Ronald McDonald Playroom and it was sooooooo busy today. It was really busy, but nice. I like it better when it is busy anyway. I played some games, hanged out with the kids and it was just really nice.
There was a workshop for volunteers tonight, because it's National Volunteer Week! It was very interesting, she talked about learning disabilities and she gave a few exercises in which we experienced having a learning disability (for example: giving us a sentence to read that only makes sense when you say it out loud --> dyslexia). It was very interesting, because I've never had any trouble learning anything. I think it was very good to see it from a different perspective. There I met the fellow Dutch volunteer, she's very very kind. It was funny though, to talk Dutch. It was very strange, but a good kind of strange. She even offered to give me a ride back, but I declined because she lives far west from where I stay, but yeah, it was nice to see a Dutch person :)
When I waited for the bus, I checked my marks on SOMtoday (website where I can view all my marks and homework) and guess what? I got a freaking 9.5 for SGS! I was sooooo happy, it really felt like hard work pays off. I was really happy and then when I got back, I found out that I got cards from my friends at school! It was really nice to read their little stories.
In general: I had a great day. It was a good day, you know? Just a good day.
7-4-19
Week 5
I can't believe that I've been here for 5 weeks. It's insane, time has flown by. In 3 weeks I'll be on an airplane flying back home. Crazy. It feels like I arrived here yesterday. I do miss home though, not like homesick, but more like: I really wish that I could sleep in my own bed for one night :)
I called my mum again and Sophie as well. It was nice, Sophie and I talked for ages. About stupid and meaningless stuff, but funny, stupid and meaningless stuff (I finally got her to watch an episode of Lucifer). I did some homework and then I went to High Park.
It took me more than an hour to get there, but it was totally worth it! I was really nice, I do wish that I went on a better day (it was quite cloudy today), but it was warm. The park is very beautiful, it's like a forest in the middle of a busy city. There was also some water running through it and it was just peaceful. I think that I'll return on a better day, when the sky is blue and it's very warm. That would be nice and it's so big that I could walk around there for ages without seeing everything twice.
I went back around 17.00 and I was back around 18.00. I was starved. I hadn't eaten anything since like 11.00/12.00, so I was quite (very) happy to have dinner. Then I found out that one of the guests had his birthday today, so I talked to him for a bit and then it was time to do some more homework and to relax.
Have a good day!
6-4-19
My Walk of F(/Sh)ame
I love going Downtown. It's one of my favorite places. I usually don't do much: I just walk around the city. It's nice here in Toronto, it's a nice city.
I woke up quite early for a Saturday morning (7.30 am), but the meant that I could stay in bed for a while without feeling guilty that I have to do something :). When I finally found the motivation to get out, I called my parents and Sophie. They were having dinner while I just had my breakfast. Crazy right?
I doodled around a bit in my room, nothing special and then I decided to go Downtown. The bus that I usually take had to make a detour a bit earlier down the road, so it took ages for it to get here. I waited 15 minutes and then I gave up. I walked to a different busstop and the first bus was so packed that I couldn't fit in anymore. Even the next bus was a little too full, but I really didn't want to wait any longer.
I took the bus, then the subway, then a different subway and then I got off. I walked towards the same place as I was yesterday: Lake Ontario. It was a really nice place, the water is sort of green and there is some kind of park around the water.
I went to get a beavertail, which is a national dish. It's not really a beavertail, don't worry, but it was really good.
I went to see the CN tower a bit more up close. It's so cool. It really is my favorite part about the city. From there on, I just walked around a little and I accidently ended up at the Toronto Walk of Fame. I was just walking and then I looked down and I was like: oh, that's cool. I didn't recognize any names though, but I didn't see all of the stars and it was still fun to see. I saw a sign later saying that I was in the Entertainment district, well I was definitely entertained. It was really nice to just walk around and look.
I don't think the area was exactly meant for me, since I was the only underage person walking down the streets and there were some stores where I was certainly not allowed to enter (aka: the little sister of Dutch Coffeeshops). So I left the area quickly, but it was still quite entertaining to walk around (see what I did there).
I went back after that, took the subway, subway, bus, and back! It was great! And entertaining ;)
Have a wonderful day!
5-4-19
"Collision" With The Subway
It's already Friday! Fridays mean: getting up early, but finishing early as well. I had to be at the hospital at 9.00 am, but I leave an hour earlier. I started out in the Ronald McDonald playroom, which was fun and then I helped out at the IET-swim program.
I got my mark for math D back: 6.1. Not great, but it's okay. I did get some great news about my physics test: I (and the rest of my class) am allowed to retake the test! Meaning I'll probably get a higher mark, which makes me very, very happy.
I finished around 14.15. I went Downtown, I wanted to walk by the Lake Ontario, so I did. The weather wasn't that great though, I couldn't even see the top of the CN tower. It was really strange. The water of Lake Ontario looks sort of greenish. Very beautiful. My battery charge was low though, so I didn't get to take many pictures.
I want to go up the CN tower tomorrow and also go into the Aquarium. The Aquarium next to the CN tower appears to be really nice, so I'll definitely check that out. However, I won't go up the CN tower if the weather isn't nice. I want to see more than just clouds. :) And I want to do both activities on the same day, so I'll see how the weather is tomorrow.
I went back, first with the subway and then with the bus. The subway suddenly stopped on the middle of the track (halfway until the next stop) which was odd. There's a bridge over a valley, and we stopped there. It was really strange. Then there was a voice over, but that guy had a very heavy accent so I didn't understand anything he said. A woman across from me did hear something about "an incident", but then the subway started moving again. It went very slow, slower than usual. It was really weird. I checked Twitter when I got off, and according to the TTC service alerts, there was a "collision" between Main Street St. and Coxwell Ave, which was exactly the track that I was on... That's why the subway slowed down (just for the record: the collision wasn't with the subway I was on). I don't know exactly what happened. Anyway, that was my strange encounter with the TTC, other than that: I had a wonderful day.
I got back, cleaned my room a bit, relaxed and worked on my future (I did the assignments on that website that will tell me what & where I should study). I called my dad, but my phone died during the phone call, so I didn't get to talk to him much. I hope I'll talk to him, my mum and of course Sophie, tomorrow.
Have a wonderful weekend!
4-4-19
Thursday
It was a good day. I did some homework in the morning (I have to hand in a BSM paper in about 1.5 weeks and I decided to start early for once). I didn't have to be at the hospital until 13.00, but of course I was there at 12.30. I really need to stop coming in early. I'd rather be early than late, that's for sure, but I think I'll do fine if I leave 15 minutes later.
Anyway, I spent some time in the Ronald McDonald playroom, which was nice. It was very busy today, there were lots of kids. I also did some arts and crafts for the playroom, which was surprisingly fun, considering that I'm really bad at arts. No really, I'm very bad at it. I can draw something if I have an eraser, pencil and ruler, but that's about it. I don't really have any artistic talents I'm afraid.
I got some marks back from the test week: an 8.5 for biology :) a 6.3 for physics :( and a 7.3 for social global studies :/. Not bad, not bad. Especially considering that I had a bad feeling for physics. Although I did expect my social global studies mark to be a bit higher. I am very happy with biology, I didn't really expect it to be that high. I thought it would be a 7.5 or so. I think that I have succeeded if all my marks will be like this. Not extremely good, but not bad as well.
I had a small conversation with my supervisor about what I did good and what I could improve in the Ronald McDonald playroom. That was nice, we set some goals for me. He noticed that I didn't engage as much with the less/non-verbal children as I did with the more verbal kids. That was definitely not on purpose, but I just naturally look more to a child that makes a lot of noise in the middle of the playroom, than to a child that quietly plays in a corner. So I think that that is a point that I could improve: just because someone makes more noise, doesn't mean that that person should get more attention.
I went back after that, relaxed a little and did some homework. Just a regular day. I was planning on going Downtown tomorrow, but they need some help with the swimming lessons so I'm not sure.
Thank you for reading and have a nice day!
3-4-19
Wednesday
25 more days until I go home, time flies by! I had a good morning: I called my mum, Sophie and some other friends and did some school work. I'm not really working hard just yet, but there isn't much work anyway because the test week just ended. I had to be at the hospital at 12.55, or well, my shift starts at 12.55, so I'm there a bit earlier than that of course.
It was nice, I really enjoy the IET-swim program. We did some games, sang some songs and splashed around. And that was that, I could go back. However, they needed a volunteer again for the "regular" swimming classes for the evening and they asked me. I really liked it yesterday, so I wanted to help again.
The first class was a tad challenging. They didn't like swimming so it was very hard to get them to swim. Fun fact about me: I absolutely hated swimming when I was younger. I started swimming when I was 4 and I quit when I was 5. I had to swim from my parents (I think it's the only thing they ever forced me to do), because there is just so much water in the Netherlands and it's important to be able to swim properly. I got my A and B diploma (basic diplomas) and then I stopped. I returned to the swimming pool 2 years later, and I've been swimming ever since (and now I love it!).
The class might have been challenging, but it was fun to work with them and see them become more and more comfortable in the water. I had two more classes after that and then I could go back. I had some dinner, did some more school work, watched Netflix and now it's time to sleep!
Goodnight everybody!
2-4-19
The Swipper Problem
Soooo, I had a great day! I woke up around 7.30, got dressed, had breakfast, etc. I don't have a lot of homework since the test week just ended, but I did have a social duty: calling my parents and Sophie :) It was nice to talk to them again, I miss them very much. I went to the hospital around 11.45 but the traffic was super good today, so I arrived around 12.15. Funny isn't it? When I actually have to be early, the traffic is insane and when I have more time, the traffic is good.
I helped out at the IET-swimprogram first. This is the swim program for all inpatients, so patients who live in het hospital and go to the school of the hospital. Then I had a break. I went by the volunteer office, had a little chat and then got some lunch. One of the coordinators gave me a Tim Hortons gift card, because I helped out later. It was sooo kind, I really liked it.
I left my jacket in the locker down at the swimming pool and my wallet was in there as well, so I had no money on me. I went to Tim Hortons (I did have my Tim Hortons gift card and up until then I thought I had my wallet on me) and I thought I had to pay extra, but this guy was very nice and offered to pay the extra bit. Then I found out that I did have more than enough money on the card, so I gave the rest to him as a thank you for offering to help me out. That's how we started to talk and that was very nice, he works there as well (for more than 12 years!). We had a nice little chat, which was nice.
I then went down to the swimming pool again (it was 16.00) and those were "real" swimming classes. So this was not for the inpatients, but for children in the neighbourhood and outpatients (patients from the hospital, who don't live there). It was really nice! I liked it soooo much. I helped until 19.00 and first I thought it would be a little too late and long to really enjoy (I would have liked it, but not overly enjoy it), but it was so nice! I asked if they needed another hand, but they had interviews today with potential volunteers. But since I'm here only for another 3 weeks and 5 days, it'd be better if they could have full-time volunteers. They did but me on a "back-up" list, which is nice. :)
I went to the information desk, since I lost my sweater (?) a few weeks back. It was during March Break camp, when we went to the gym and I was wondering if it was found, but it wasn't. Then I came up with a good question: what do you call a sweater with a zipper? That's what I lost, but I didn't remember the name. As it turns out: there is no name for that in English. I've learned sooo many English words over the last 4 years, but not any of them mean a sweater with a zipper. I even asked 3 Canadians and none of them knew it. One of them got so... so... fed up with it, that he went looking for it on the internet but couldn't find it. So we, just like Shakespeare, came up with a word: swipper. It's a sweater and zipper in one, isn't that brilliant? ^Swipper ^
Anyway, I went back, did a bit of school work: we have to do a program that will help us choose what we want to do with the rest of our lives. Well, they don't put it like that, but it's the truth. The site will give us information to support us with making a decision about what you're going to study. Very interesting.
And now it's time for bed, good night! :)
1-4-19
Test Week: Day 6
I'm officially done with the test week. Literally and figuratively speaking. I'm very, very happy. Maths B didn't go super well, but it went alright. Or as the French say: pas mal. I was 2 minutes late today, it was terrible. It was really, really bad. I left a bit before 10 and it usually takes me 40 minutes to get to the hospital. I arrived 11.02. How?! Because the traffic didn't work with me today. Imagine the area around Amsterdam at 16.00, triple that, and then it's half as bad as it was here today. And on top of that: the bus drivers switched and the other was a bit late. Monday mornings, am I right?
Anyway, other than that, I had a lovely day. I did my test a bit later than 11.00. Had a short break and then I helped out at the Ronald McDonald playroom. There was no music therapy today, too many children are dismissed from the hospital to keep it going. I had a good time at the Ronald McDonald play room though, there was always a child in the room, so that was nice (and I made a paper boat).
I had a little chat with the coordinators, which was nice and then I was on my way back! The traffic wasn't that bad this time, I think I got back within 50 minutes. One of my coordinators called me on the bus, they need someone for the swim practise tomorrow evening. I'm very happy that they thought of me, I'll be helping out there tomorrow.
I got back, cleaned & organised my room (I ripped my planner for the test week, that felt sooooooooo good) and then relaxed a bit. I stopped watching that much Netflix, I decided to give my brains some rest. :)
I'm over half way through, in 4 weeks I'll be home again. Time flies by, it feels like I arrived here yesterday, but on the other hand it feels like I've been here for ages. It's funny.
Have a good day!
This is the result: