Safe and not sorry
Sander and I have finished our vaccinations. We’re still playing it safe by keeping away from crowded spaces. But it feels nice to know that our chances of meeting Ms. Rona have diminished. My mom and brother have been good for a while, they got their vaccines back in the spring. But we had to wait a lot longer for the roll out. The Netherlands was a bit slow in the rollout but it wasn’t too hard for us to wait for it. The Dutch summer has brought out tons of people… As they say, the Dutch are like sunflowers. When the sun is out, so are they!

Found a sleep cure
I’ve never been a good sleeper. As a night owl, I can stay awake for hours before I get tired. I thought that the Dutch summer would keep me up with warm temperatures but this year has been mild. The down side to that is that I’m always up at 9:30am. And then even if I was able to sleep at a decent time, I couldn’t get a restful sleep. It got to the point where I was tired all day, even after a full 8 or 9 hours.

So I decided to hop back on melatonin for the time being. I used it often when I lived in America because I suffered from the same thing. The first morning, I felt like I had died and come back. Everything was so heavy and it took me half an hour to get out of bed. Now my sleep schedule is better, I sleep restfully, and I wake ready to go.

Fixed a reading drought
Have you ever had a point where you sat down to read and couldn’t do it. I’d stare at my pages for hours and not read a single sentence. Earlier this year I decided I wanted to throw myself right back in. So I started with a series that I’ve been waiting years to read. It’s a Japanese series about supernatural forces, demons and spirits, girls galore and moral integrity. I had wanted to learn Japanese to read it and that’s how I met Sander! Now all these years later, the 20 books from the original series are available in English. I’ve already powered though 5 of them! I try to read at least 100 pages a night before bed. So far so good!

Invested in myself
I’ve fallen off the Ring Fit wagon, but that was because of a medical scare I had months ago. I’m fine, but I didn’t want to make my condition worse by working out… I keep talking about how working out is amazing but I can’t even hold myself accountable! I’ve been taking longer walks as a result though. This Dutch summer has been beautiful for long walks with the dogs. I’m going to do my best to start up next week… I promise! Otherwise I’ve cut back a lot on junk foods and replaced my favorite things with healthier eats. No more ice cream, I enjoy yogurt. No more chips, let’s bring on fruits! I’ve mentioned before that our meals are vegetarian and we’ve stuck with that. I’ve lost a few more inches off of my waist line so I’m not complaining at all.

Something else that I’m working on, is my mental health. I’m bad with journaling and talking out my issues. Instead I’ve been taking more time to meditate and focus on what fuels negativity in my life. I’ve been tackling some childhood trauma and coming to terms with my issues. I’m doing a lot better for sure!

Reconnected with friends
Something else that actually took me by surprise… Was the resurfacing of my online friends. I lost contact with a lot of them back in late 2019 so I spent most of 2020 playing games alone. Don’t worry! I have Sander’s family and my own to talk to. My brother actually took the time to play video games with me and those days were the best. But a friend from my favorite online game, Guild Wars 2, got in contact with me and from there the ball went rolling. Now I have a group of online friends again and it’s been amazing to reconnect with them all. It’s brightened up my weekends.

Not much more has happened in the last few months but I had a good break from writing. I’ve filled my schedule with a lot of things so I’ve been juggling my tasks. Blogging didn’t seem to fit in, but I miss it so much that I’m forcing it in. I’ll do my best to not burn out. I do need to practice better time management.

Either way it feels good to write again!

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What is the Dutch Residency Permit?
Dutch Residency Permit is important for a non-Dutch citizen like myself. It allows me to travel most of Europe without a passport for up to 90 days. But most importantly it allows me to live in The Netherlands without issue. It’s the official ID for non-Dutch residents and without it I’d be living here illegally!

When can I get one?
This special permit is granted after filing for one with the Dutch Integration website. Sander and I are together and that’s the main reason for my stay. We had to prove our relationship to the government. It was an easy enough process and I received mine after a few months of waiting. After that comes the hard part. I had to complete the Dutch Integration Exams. These include (when I took them) 5 exams and one job interview known as the ONA. I had 3 years to do them, so I had enough time to practice and get pretty good scores. The Dutch Residency Permit placed me in the system and reminders came almost monthly about taking the exams… It’s actually pretty important and the fines for failure are quite high.

How long does it last?
My particular Dutch Residency Permit lasts for 5 years! There are permits that are only 1 year though so be aware of what sort of permit you have.

How can I renew my permit?
After I had gotten the results of my tests, I got silence from the government. I had no idea what I’d have to do when the ID came close to expiring so I got worried. Lucky for me, I got a letter in the mail that alerted me when I was eligible to renew my permit. The process is super simple compared to everything else. Log into the website, answer some questions about yourself, and pay the fee.

It does ask if the reason for living in The Netherlands is the same. In my case it is! We’ve applied and we’re now waiting to see if I need to go in for fingerprints and an updated signature. They also mention I might need a passport photo, so I’ll have to dig mine out! I applied for a new passport last year and that process went super smooth.

How do I become a citizen?
In my particular circumstances, I can actually apply for citizenship this year. However, there are conditions. The biggest one is, I would have to give up my American Citizenship. That’s not something I’d like to do though, as I still have family and assets in America. One way around this is to either marriage or a domestic partnership with Sander. I may need to take a few exams as well. The stress and paperwork don’t seem worth it right now so all I’m doing is a renewal. But this also means that if something happens to Sander or our relationship dissolves, I cannot stay in The Netherlands. My reason for being here is to be with him and if that reason is void then I need to go back to America!

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Wandeling
The Dutch and wandeling go hand in hand. If the weather is nice, there’s no better way to soak up the sun than to take a long walk in it. The parks here are sprawling and have multiple ways to travel through. I love taking a certain pathway one day and a different one the next! There are also endless bike paths to ride. It would be so nice to be able to hop on our bikes again and explore the town. It’s been ages since we did that and I’m sure a lot has changed!

Gardening and Plants
Gardens are everything to the Dutch and one of the first things that gets attention… Is the garden. See the Dutch love the sun and spend most of their time outside if they can. So having a garden is important for outdoor enthusiasts. And there’s so much to do! Clear any of the extra growth on bushes and trees, trim the grass, throw away old and dead plants… The list goes on an on. But the end result is often amazing and servers as a beautiful space until the autumn comes around.

The Dutch seem to have a natural green thumb. Like, I swear, the Dutch are born with it! And so when spring comes around, the gardening stores are always packed! Our local stores are still closed but we’ve been able to buy things and pick them up. One of the new pots I bought came with a packet of seeds! I can’t wait to share them when they bloom! Spring and summer are also perfect times for people to use their gardens. I remember watching a neighbor clean up a huge space in their garden and I’m sure they’ll have some tasty vegetables soon enough!

Cleaning and Home Improvement
Spring is a popular time for all things home improvement. It’s balmy weather and not too hot just yet. Bigger projects are easy to tackle now since there’s usually no air conditioning in Dutch households. The Dutch are out cleaning windows, painting fences, and putting out bird feeders. Sander and I are going to do some painting in the bedroom this year but I want to do it in the summer when the paint will dry faster. I’m not sure if I’m making a mistake by not doing it now… Oh well, live and learn! We’ve also done a little bit of renovating in our own place, but that post will be coming soon!

Summer Preparation
I think most Dutch will agree that the summer is the most popular season. There are beaches to visit, local ponds to fish in, backyard BBQ’s to plan.. The list goes on an on. But summer is still a long ways from now and even so, a lot of preparation is needed. Spring is the best time to put away all the winter projects, clothes, seasonal goods and prepare for what’s to come. I can tell you now that all my hoodies and sweaters will be hibernating soon! It’s going to get hot and sunny almost over night! I can’t wait to wear shorts again too!

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The Dutch don’t quit!
Now I cant speak for all Dutch but many of them rejoice when it snows. It’s been a long time since such low temperatures appeared in The Netherlands so they took advantage of it. Kids took to the local ponds to ice skate and I saw many adults pulling toddlers on sleds. Even as the snow fell, people went grocery shopping with kids in tow. The Dutch are a hardy type of people, able to celebrate any sort of weather. And I know that it can get a lot colder. This snow was nothing compared to other areas. But the fact is that even when it used to snow tons in the past… The Dutch can still have fun.

The wonderful thing about living in a place you grew up, is you always learn something new. Which is why I love to tell people to take chances and risks. Life is short. Instead of hiding away from the sun I stand out there and embrace it. I’ve learned so many things about myself and others. While we’re all still in lock down, I’ve decided that I still want to make the most of the situation. And I’m not the only one!

A neighbor celebrated his 50th birthday today, parade style! All his friends and family came to visit and drop off gifts and the street was filled with a parade of cars. It was a sweet and wonderful gesture because we’re all in an intense lock down right now. They got to see all the people they would have celebrated with. See the Dutch are intense about celebrating 50th birthdays. They go all out with the decorations and party times. This parade compromise was perfect to solve the “no parties” rule.

So if there’s anything you can learn from the Dutch, don’t let the small stuff get you down! Embrace what you can, when you can! And things will always get better. The snow looked so beautiful in the sunlight and looks magical at night. I never got to experience these types of situations back in California. What can you do during a pandemic? Just don’t give up and focus on what’s important in life. And don’t forget about the friends and family you can always call on.

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Cute beanies
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come home with brain freeze, not from eating ice cream… But from walking the dogs! It’s been around freezing point for a few days so keep your noggin warm with a super cute hat. The thicker, the better. Adorable accessories, like pom poms, allow you to be not only fashionable, but keep you warm too. A waterproof hat is also great to have when it rains. And it rains almost every other day where we live. So protect your head from the weather by wearing something cute! If hats aren’t your thing, I’ve seen the Dutch wear headbands over sleek hair styles and I’m so jelly!

Cozy coats and lovely layers
Don’t tell anyone, but I wear yoga pants under my jeans. I’m serious! I have a thick and faux fur lined jacket so my upper body is fine. But my jacket ends at my hips and that leaves my legs exposed. So double up if you can! Make sure that your outer layer of clothes are a size up so you’re not squished into your outfit. I can’t think of anything more uncomfortable! If you can’t double up your outfit layers, then look for clothing that offers thermal comfort. I know that Uniqlo offers some great options but I haven’t needed a pair yet.

Hearty boots
There’s no snow on the ground but that doesn’t mean it isn’t icy. Be sure that your shoes have good grip on them otherwise you risk falling on your butt! Keep yourself safe rather than sorry and dress a bit practically when you can. I know I have some beautiful shoes that I can’t wear in this weather and that’s ok! There’s always the rest of the year to break out something more fancy to wear. And if you’re going to be walking a lot, you should invest more in comfort. I’ve walked miles in uncomfortable shoes and I wanted to cry the whole way!

Colorful scarves
We had a mix of sunny and cloudy days so wear something bright and colorful to spice up your life. I know that I am more vibrant when my outfit is too. Sometimes you need to dress for the mood you want to be in! Let those bright spring colors shine. Spring is around the corner too so the long slog of winter is almost over!

Thick hand creams
During the colder months, I get hands so dry that they crack and bleed. I never had such an issue in California! If you’re not a fan of wearing gloves, make sure you carry a hand cream in your bag. If you’re like me, always washing your hands, you’ll need to reapply hand cream often. It might seem like a pain but it’s worth it to not have painful hands! I’m actually more than excited to share that Bath and Body Works has a Dutch website! I used to love buying their creams, hand sanitizers and even pillow mist! I don’t need to ask my mom to bring some over when she visits so it’s a win win for the both of us!

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Flavors galore
Did you ever watch the movie Ratatouille and wish you knew what Remy the rat was talking about. How mixing flavors can give you sensations you’ve never had before. Yea. That’s what I wanted to do. So I went with cheeses, meats, fruits and other goodies that could pair well with each other. I did a bit of research and went with our best options. Let me tell you, it was worth it. The experience was amazing and I would recommend you trying the same.

Planning is everything
It’s safer to order our groceries from home and have them delivered. So for a little over a week we had items in our order that I worried about. See when the entire town is ordering from the same 4 stores… It can be hard to get everything you need. I’ve had my favorite peanut butter sell out before I could have it. Our dessert was an amazing Stroopwafel cake and I wasn’t sure if we’d get it! We got lucky in the end and oh man, was it heavenly!

Childhood memories
Hocus Pocus has been a Halloween movie for me since I was a kid. I’m so happy that it still holds up well today. Sander hasn’t seen it as many times as I have so it’s always great to see his reaction when something new happens. I haven’t had the time to watch a lot of movies this year (that list is incomplete). I knew that I had to at least watch one Halloween movie and its always going to be Hocus Pocus.

Celebrating with loved ones
Honestly while this Halloween dinner was amazing, it wouldn’t have been as good if Sander had not been with me. We laughed, we stuffed our faces and generally had a wonderful time. It’s moments like these that I cherish. The simple and happy times. And even though we couldn’t celebrate Halloween with a party, I think that this dinner date was just as good.

Happy Halloween folks! Stay smart, stay safe, and I’ll see you in November!

The post Halloween Date Night appeared first on A Daily Lee.

Routine
Out of all the things on this list, having a routine saved my buns. I got up in the morning around the same time. Then I walked the dogs, came back and had breakfast, and then sat down to work. I could only get up for breaks. At 5pm I was done and the rest of the evening was for doing whatever. This strict routine helped me fill out my days. And I spent my time being productive instead of being melancholy. I also felt more accomplished and at the end of the day I had something to look forward to the next morning.

Meal planning
Most of my summer planning was for food. We started to order our groceries online and it’s done wonders for me. I planned out so many tasty summer meals and Sander was blown away each time. It was a lot of fun researching recipes and finding Dutch equivalents of ingredients. It allowed me to get more familiar with Dutch items, the grocery website. But most important of all, I brought exciting dinners into the household. We had been in a dinner rut for a long time because Sander did the shopping and picked up the same foods. Meal planning allowed my creativity to resurface in a fresh way. It also made dinner something to look forward to.

Intermittent Fasting
And speaking of meals, I’ve jumped onto the intermittent fasting wagon. I eat brunch at 11am and stop eating after 7pm. It’s allowed me to eat healthier and stop after dinner snacking. In my fasting periods, I only drink black tea. Now I feel healthier and have more energy around the house. Also I’ve been able to drink more water and spend less time dehydrated. It’s been great so far. I bought a 1000g bottle of peanut butter and washed it when it was empty. And now I use that as my iced tea cup. I made Sander’s parents laugh when they saw it but I let them know at least I hit my water intake goals!

Little smiles
It’s been months since I decided I would let little things make me happy. The scent of my favorite perfume is a good one. Preparing a delicious meal is another. It’s been so long now that I’ve conditioned myself to get happy at the smallest things. And it works wonders. It might be selfish of me to do so but no one should be unhappy for months at a time. It’s terrible for mental and physical health. So while you can be aware of the world burning around you (like what’s happening in my home state of California…) don’t let it get to the point where you can’t function as a human.

We only have one life to live, please don’t most of it being unhappy about being alive. And it’s wonderful to think that people love the idea of getting help. It’s freaking 2020 for crying out loud. You shouldn’t make friends and family responsible for your mental health. Be strong and take charge. Find a therapist if you need it because we all need someone to talk to.

Please note this photo is from 2016 when we went sailing with Sander’s aunt and uncle. You can read about that here!

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Appointment Only
It can be intimidating to apply for an Adult Passport. Don’t worry! As of now, passport services are by appointment only so get that out of the way first. It’s important you make a physical copy of your appointment confirmation page. An elderly lady ran into trouble while I was in line. She had made an appointment but didn’t have physical confirmation of it. An OK from someone on the phone. When she arrived in line to check in they didn’t have a record of her appointment. I’m not sure what went wrong. But if she had a confirmation page it would have been helped to figure out why she wasn’t on the list.

Preparation
There’s a checklist you should read before the date of your appointment. Make sure you print it out and review the details. It was a good thing we did. Some of the information has changed since the last time I made a passport. Also the only way to receive your new passport is by mail. You need to bring a self addressed envelope and prepaid tracking for it. I also needed to make copies of everything, which was a good idea. The offices ended up needing some of my papers and I was glad to have it ready for them. Make sure you’re prepared because it would be a headache to have to come back again.

Confidence is key
I scared shitless while I was in line. Anxiety is no joke! But if you feel nervous about the process, it will show and you’ll seem a bit suspicious. The best thing you can do is put on your bravest face and do what you need to. Imagine you are your best self, and you’ll feel that way too. If you fake it until you make it, you’ll be fine.

Time to wait
It will take about a month for the new passport. Since I was in last Friday, it’s going to be a while until I see mine. But it’s ok! It’s not like we can travel anywhere anyway! But as I said, having an up to date passport is important to have so I decided to get it done while I could. Who knows if the offices will close up again because of a resurgence in the virus… I wouldn’t want to run into that issue!

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This time around, these words are more focused for summer time. It’s interesting to think that there are billions of words out in our world and we’ll only ever know a handful of them. The wonderful thing about learning a different language is that you unlock new words that may not exist in your mother tongue. So let’s get right into it!

Ontspannende
Kids these days say the word “vibing,” which is similar to what ontspannende means. It’s a relaxing time, where you can do something to just chill out or have a moment to breathe. It can also be a day at the spa, an evening in your garden with a BBQ or a nice soak in the tub. Ontspannende can be used in a lot of different ways but it’s the Dutch term used when you want to say that whatever you’re doing, is relaxing.

Schitteren
While it may sound like a dirty word, schitteren means to shine. And it applies to everything! You can have a beautiful set of crystals that shine on your windowsill. Your freshly washed car also applies if it shines under the sun. Or what if your favorite actor stars in a new movie? Is he perfect for the part? You can also use schitteren here to describe how he shines in his role!

Onafhankelijke
Oh boy just try saying that one! Onafhankelijke means to be independent, and if you can say it correctly, I’d say you’re on the right track! Learning Dutch is hard but now that I have a grasp on some of the language, it’s easier to be onafhankelijke. The Dutch can be very independent and it’s fascinating to see. Did you know that the Dutch often delay marriage in favor of other achievements?

Gaar
Have you ever had a week where you just wanted to collapse into your bed and sleep for a million years? Well gaar is your word. It’s complete and total burn out, to the point where you don’t even want to move. And it applies to both physical and mental cases. Sander came home one Friday and he didn’t know how to explain how he felt in English terms. So I asked for the Dutch version and “gaar” was the word. It’s one of the many reasons why I allow him to enjoy himself on the weekends. I could bother him with a million different chores but instead I handle them myself. Gaar is something I want to keep out of life because I know exactly how it feels!

Er even tussenuit
Ever just want to throw it all away and take a break? That’s what er even tussenuit means, to take a break! The wonderful thing about Dutch is that, once again, this phrase can apply to many situations. You can head outside for a bit of fresh air, or you can plan a romantic getaway. It can also apply to a break from digital media or just people in general. It’s always a good idea to take a break once in a while so your batteries can recharge. And that’s such a huge part of Dutch living. Quality of life comes first and the carefree attitude of the Dutch reflects that. Even if you can’t live in The Netherlands, that doesn’t mean you can’t try and adopt some of their values!

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And I have to be 100% accurate! One time I wrote down ginger ale and he came back with two small bottles. I had planned on using the large bottle to help me dispose of some frying oil but instead I was stuck with bottles that were too small for that!

So now I make a list and hope all goes well. Let me talk about a little of what we usually get each week.

Meats and Veggies
The Dutch dinner is typical and not too unfamiliar for me. It’s meat and veggies at its most basic. Sander always has a helping of fries to go with his meal. For a more exciting meal we have meat and veggies with a grain. Sometimes we have homemade Chinese or Indian food. No matter what the actual meal, it always starts off with meat and veggies. Our most purchased meat is chicken since it’s light and easy to cook. There are rare times when we get beef or pork but those are special occasions. The last time we had beef was for Christmas and I can’t remember the last time we had pork!

Always room for snacks
Oh boy, Sander and I are snack monsters. We have a small grocery budget for all things tasty. He’ll help himself to a cookie or a bowl of M&M’s around 8pm. I stopped having snacks after 7pm but I love to enjoy a stroopwafel after dinner. And right around 2pm is when I sit down with some sunflower seeds and a good Youtube video. We love to get other snacks too, like the custake cakes found on Uit Paulines Keuken. They’re to die for and I have to fight to stop at one cake!

Simple lunches
I made a recent post about how I have simple lunches that keep me sustained throughout the day. I enjoy a simple meal because it helps to cut down on grocery costs and simple for Sander to pick up. And of course who doesn’t enjoy a meal that takes 10 minutes to make? Keeping a simple lunch routine helps me save time and energy!

Special Pancakes
Every Sunday I make fresh pancakes from scratch. It’s been a tradition for us for the past 4 years. So there are a few special things we need to pick up for them. On top of our breakfast grocery list, are flour and butter, of course. But I make buttermilk pancakes. So we grab the Dutch version, karnemelk. It comes in a small carton which is perfect for a single patch of pancakes. But let me tell you, that batch of pancakes makes enough for 3 days! Currently we’ve been having blueberry pancakes because Sander had never tried them before. And he’s hooked!

Pizza!
Now hear me out on this one. Sander and I have a store bought pizza once a week. I love pizza so much that I don’t mind having it week after week. It’s a great splurge meal for us because it’s so easy to make. And I know pizza isn’t the healthiest of meals. But it’s a great way for us to sin cheaply because store bought pizzas are a fraction of the price of a pizza joint!

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