A healthy selection
Before I get into what we walked away with, I’d like to talk about what they had to offer. When I first came to The Netherlands, it was hard for me to find anything Halloween. We went to TJ Maxx in 2019 but didn’t find anything we liked. This year we found too much stuff! There was an entire corner for Halloween goodies. Sander could see the excitement on my face too! He immediately asked if I needed a cart.

Different styles, different tastes
Whether you like the creep side or the elegant side of Halloween, there was a ton to look at in the store. TJ Maxx doesn’t have an online store so you’ll have to make the trek down and see what’s in stock. I found a lot of items that look good for any party or even regular décor use. It depends on you and your taste but there’s something for everyone.

Our Haul
It’s easy to get carried away when it comes to buying things, so it’s important to show restraint. I made sure to get things we would actually use. So we got a new door mat with a pumpkin and Happy Halloween on it… We also got an pumpkin spice candle, a new throw blanket that’s the softest in the world… And new doggy bed with cute pups and pumpkins. I couldn’t help myself with that one. We have a ton of dog beds but this particular one had little Shiba Inu on it and I caved. There was also a beautiful Ouija board game inspired throw pillow! It’s the most comfortable pillow in the world. I’ve always snuggled up with it a dozen times to watch Doom Patrol.. Speaking of which I should write about what I’ve been watching recently huh?

Should I check it out?
If you’re a lover of all things autumn and Halloween, and have been looking for a way to spruce up with some new things, I say yes! It’s known that all TJ Maxx Halloween inventories are different so each store may or may not have the items I wrote about. But it’s still worth a shot. I found everything I had wanted (the pillow!) and a few more items that I fell in love with. Necessary? No, but lovely all the same.

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And I know that I do actually have friends and family that I haven’t seen for 5 years because I’ve moved away… But Amsterdam sort of feels like an old friend. A friend that says very little, but you always remember what they say. Amsterdam was not the first European city that I’ve seen in my life, but it’s one of the most influential. I have so many important memories and I’m glad we finally went back, felt safe going back.

The anxiety of living in a foreign country
I can’t say that I still feel anxious about living in The Netherlands but the main reason we went to Amsterdam was to complete my reapplication to live here. I needed to update my photo and signature. But all those “what if” situations kept popping up in my head. What if they found something wrong with my papers? They did actually, it was pretty funny. But it was no huge issue! Someone wrote down the wrong date for my passport and the guy who helped me fixed it. He was an amazing dude too! We laughed the entire time.

I’m a nervous person by nature but even after 5 years I’m still learning to feel comfortable. I should be more confident in myself, I’ve accomplished a lot! But I couldn’t have done it if I had stayed in my home town in America. I’m always reminded of those first few weeks when we visit Amsterdam. How I never thought I could find the courage to leave. It’s all in the past now but I look back and smile.

Precious time with Sander
Sander and I have a small flat and that means we’re always in earshot of each other. But that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a break once in a while. And by break I mean a date! Now listen here. During quarantine, the dogs have developed a lot of anxiety and they can’t remain alone.. Which of course can be a pain in the ass. But, we’ve thankful that Sander’s parents love our dogs. So they get to baby sit and Sander and I can have a few hours to ourselves.

It’s also a great way for us to actually spend time together. Otherwise we’re on our phones, watching tv, or something something else. We can’t give each other 100% of our attention. Dates are few and far between now but that’s the way things are for now. Amsterdam has always been the place we enjoy ourselves the most and I’m so glad we don’t live to far from it.

A true test of knowledge
So when we go to Amsterdam, I’m adamant about only using Dutch. We hardly speak Dutch at home so I’m always rusty… And Amsterdam is the best place to “be Dutch”. And let me tell you I will always adore that feeling… When people believe that you’re Dutch and that you belong. I love entering a store and having only Dutch spoken to me. It’s like I do belong, that this is my true home. It’s never been easy for me to feel at home or comfortable where I live.

And I know I said above that I need to be more confident… But this is a different form of confidence. The knowledge that I speak the language, that I’m at home with these people. It’s the best feeling in the world. I know I have my Dutch tutor to thank for that… And I know she reads these posts, so hello Wess!

Cultures from all over
There are times when I feel too Dutch though. The same meals, scents, flavors, sights and sounds… Most of that stuff is strictly Dutch, especially since I come from such a small commuter town. But in Amsterdam, you’ve got everything to smack you in the face. As the capital city of The Netherlands, Amsterdam is home to thousands of different cultures under once roof. I can tell you Sander and I spend a lot of time in the Asian streets.

I’ve found dozens of flavors from my mom’s home cooking on the shelves in such grocery stores. So I’m also thankful that Amsterdam can let me bring a small piece of home. If you ever get the chance to eat fresh burfi, please do! It’s one of my favorite Indian desserts!

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Smaller gatherings
A normal Dutch birthday party has everyone involved. Since The Netherlands is so small, people can from anywhere to anywhere and return home the same day. I’ve seen people from the north and the far south make it for previous parties. Birthdays are the best time to visit family. The Dutch don’t have holidays like Thanksgiving where entire families gather around a table. So if you take away birthdays, you take away the biggest family event. It’s been rough for some, I can tell you that. But for others, it invites intimate conversations and tighter bonds.

No Kisses
I was shocked about the kisses on the cheek etiquette when I first arrived in The Netherlands. It was interesting and a bit of a novelty for me. But as time went on, it felt so awkward having to give air kisses to people I didn’t know. So I sucked it up and just went with it because it’s part of an old custom. You can say I did breathe a sigh of relief when we had to distance ourselves… No more getting cheek to cheek with strangers!

More expensive cake
The Dutch are super thrifty and from my experience, quantity was more important than quality. Not to say that cakes (tarts) from the local grocer aren’t tasty. They’re super delicious and I would eat them every day if I could. But since we’re just having Sander’s parents over, we decided to splurge and get a more exciting cake. Sander got a few slices of whipped cream cake and apple pie. I was even able to get a slice of Red Velvet cake for myself! Anyone who knows me, knows that I love, love, love red velvet cake. There’s something about the sour flavor of the cake and the cream cheese filling that drives me crazy!

Home deliveries
I used to get so excited around Sander’s birthday. I could venture out into the city and look for a gift for him. Something fun, unique, or something that he’s wanted for a long time. This year.. I drew a blank. Thankfully Sander found something online that he fell in love with. But it’s coming from Japan so he’s going to have to do some waiting!

Fancy Eats
Sander and I love Indian food and we’re lucky enough that we have tasty stuff pretty close by. Normal Dutch birthdays have simple treats, finger foods and cake of course. But with a private party, we could order out and thoroughly enjoy our meal. It’s been a long time since we had Indian food, so it was nice to dig into something familiar. The meal we got had flavors that scream comfort food. It was so accessible to me when I lived in California that I never thought twice about it. But my heritage foods mean more to me than they did in the past. It’s another wonderful reason to celebrate. Because many Dutchies can’t touch spicy food and none of this was spicy!

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I decided to take the plunge into getting a pair after seeing a few good reviews about them. They’re comparable to iPods and sounded like a good investment.

Installation
Once I figured out that I needed to turn on my PC’s Bluetooth, installation was a breeze. And don’t even ask about my phone, it was even easier than that!

Quality
I was most worried about the quality of my sound. But I’ve never heard my music more clear. Podcasts sound amazing as well, as if I’m in the recording booth with the people I listen to. The fit of the E25 are perfect too. I don’t have to worry about them falling out because they fit in so snug. I use the smallest rubber inserts for them as well.

Unintended use
So I bought these babies to use while editing for my Youtube channel but what I didn’t take into account… Was the battery life. The life of the Raycon E25 ear buds is about 6 hours. Which is great! If you don’t spend more than 6 hours on your computer. And I spend a lot more time on mine. So now I mostly use the E25 while I’m doing chores or chilling away from my PC. It’s also been amazing to use in bed as well. I can listen to music late into the night while Sander is snores away next to me.

Final thoughts
Once I got over the limitations of what the E25 can do, I’m happy to say I don’t regret the purchase. There are tons more expensive and probably better buys. But for me, The Raycon E25 works. I’m excited to take them on vacation next year. They’ve been wonderful so far and charging them takes no time at all. If you’ve been on the fence about ordering a pair, I say you should. I used the discount code from one of my favorite YouTube channels, Dead Meat, so I got the shipping subtracted from my total. These are American based headphones so keep that in mind while ordering.

This post was not sponsored, I just wanted to share my thoughts and experiences.

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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!

The post Dutch sunny summer days appeared first on A Daily Lee.

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!

The post How the Dutch Celebrate Spring appeared first on A Daily Lee.

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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Slept in late
Sander and I have been ultra lazy. He’s out of bed at 7am and I usually get up at 9:30. This weekend has been different! We got up closer to 11am and even pushed it to noon! Man, I’ve never slept so much in my life! Plus the blankets were super warm. It felt great. It’s been raining a lot this week and we were lucky enough to see some sun on Christmas, if only for an hour! Ah, well, that’s The Netherlands!

Busy body
The New Year lurks around the corner so now is the best time to get things done. I’d like to try and reboot my bullet journal (again) and try and read a few books I put off. It’s nice to have a quiet holiday because I remember I was quite busy last holiday season. I understand it’s been a different experience for everyone, but 2020 was a strange year.

Greeted the neighbors
I’m not a social person but you can bet I know a lot of neighbors because they have dogs. I even offered my delicious Christmas cake to a few of them because it’s been a difficult time. We ran into a neighbor that we hadn’t seen in a few weeks too! I was so excited to see him and his dog, James. Sweet James had been sick for a while because he caught kennel cough. Guys, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to have other dogs love to see me. It warms my heart like nothing else!

A bit of shopping
Sander loves The Body Shop’s Shea Soap and I finally made the time to order some more. While I was browsing I got lucky and found Things Might Get Messy Masking Kit. I’ve been wanting to try out a few of these masks and I’m so glad they came in a set! If you recall, I’ve tried a few of their other masks before and I’ve loved them so I’m excited about these too.

Stuffed our faces
We had a lot of leftovers from yesterday so I’ve been looking forward to dinner all day! The best thing about 2nd Christmas is the ability to keep the celebration going, and that includes eating a ton of tasty food!

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Dutch breakfast
Every Sunday I make American pancakes for nostalgia’s sake. I asked Sander if he wanted a typical American breakfast, with everything from eggs and bacon to seasoned potatoes and buttered toast. But he decided that he wanted to do a typical Dutch breakfast instead. That included a lot of little bread that would could bake for a fresh taste! It also had lots of delicious meats and cheeses. We’re a bit simple and didn’t splurge on too much but we have more than enough for tomorrow too!

Relaxing
Sander’s fallen deep into the game Final Fantasy Online and I still have Animal Crossing. Needless to say we played a lot of video games today and we didn’t do much else! The nice thing about our neighborhood, is that it’s always quiet. Our building has a lot of older people who left in the morning to see family. We haven’t heard a peep from anyone else! Usually people come in and out of the building all day. Since our front door is next to the elevator, we hear it all. Not today!

Meal prep
My major job of today was to prepare our Christmas dinner. We decided to have baked chicken and roasted vegetables paired with boiled potatoes and gravy. Oh my gosh it was so delicious! There are enough leftovers for tomorrow too! Nothing beats not having to cook! For dessert we splurged and bought a Christmas ice cream cake that was to die for. I feel so spoiled!

Calling loved ones
My mom and brother still live in California so I’ve been on the phone with them a lot this week. Just to chat and catch up, or maybe to share what baked goods we made for the day. It feels so nice to be able to chat with them during the holidays. It was a lot more difficult when I lived at home. I’m pretty quiet for the most part and it was tough to find things to talk about. Living so far from home and having a family of my own makes it a lot easier.

I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday season! I hope you stay safe and warm in this difficult time. Please take care of yourself!

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