A whole lotta soap

Between tidying up, playing with the dogs, and cooking, I wash my hands almost all day long. It’s obvious that I would repurchase Ghost In The Dark, the soap bar that screams refreshing. It’s loaded with lemongrass and bergamot, 2 of my favorite scents. Blood Orange is a new addition and caters to my love of all things citrus. It smells like true blood orange and the lingering scent is to die for. The last soap item I got was one of the new shower slimes. The Lush Halloween 2022 Halloween slime is Sparkly Pumpkin, another citrus explosion pared with juniper berry. It’s as you would expect, slimy and oh so fun to play with!

Pamper Time

I was trying to try out the newest face mask to the family, Mr. Pumpkin Face. While the other products are Halloween themed, this is the first of this haul that actually has pumpkin in it. It’s a wonderful exfoliating mask that almost feels like a cream cheese spread. I wanted to slater this on a slice of bread instead of my face! It’s got nice chunks of pumpkin seed which can be perfect for exfoliating. It also has several different types of oils packed so you feel it when you wash the mask off. My skin was soft and fresh afterwards and not feeling oily or greasy. It’s packed with ton of vitamins so that your face is Autumn ready!

Ready for the Holidays

The Christmas drop is live, as of me writing up this post, so if I’m lucky, I’ll be able to grab a few of the things I forgot to pick up. This includes Vampire Kisses, and the Bat Mates Knot Wrap. Vampire Kisses is a lip scrub flavored like sour grape! Sour grape is my favorite flavor! I forgot to look for it in store and realized my mistake on the car ride home. The Bat Mates Knot Wrap is a simple knot wrap, commonly used for wrapping gifts. But the art on this is so beautiful that I’d want to frame it. I didn’t see it in store so it’s possible it wasn’t in stock yet.

As for the Christmas collection, I already know I’ve love to try out Cinnamon Stick and at least smell Turmeric Latte. I hope I’ll get to visit my local Lush again soon!

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Can you blame us though? The last few years have been rough on everyone. And the world hasn’t gotten much better since I last wrote. But lets get back to some positive feelings for now. Spring is finally here in The Netherlands. It’s impossible to avoid it. I figured now would be the best time to return to this space. The beginning of a new season always fills me with joy. Here is what I’ve been up to, along with a few updates on how we’ve been.

In full bloom
It’s been a strange year, what with many flowers having already bloomed in January. But there’s a lot more to be see in our area. And I’m so thankful for it. The sight of bright flowers lifts my mood and gets me excited for the future. There’s so much to talk about and I’ve taken a long enough break!

Catching up on reading
I’ve not forgotten my reading challenges but I’m kinder on myself this year. My goal is to read at least 10 books. I’m getting older and my time becomes more valuable with each passing year. This year I want a mix of genres I love, but also books that are relatable to me. I’ve finished reading Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes: Essays by Phoebe Robinson, and I found her book to be a great mix of relatable and eye opening. If you’re in the mood for a bit of comedy and a bit of grounding… Then you should take a look at this title, I had a great time with it. I want to read more books about the Asian-American immigrant experience so I’m on the look out. More updates to come when I get a hold of some good titles!

Gamer Hype
I’ve been playing games with friends on and off but I always value my alone time. I’m trying to balance out playing 2 different Pokémon titles, Animal Crossing and a few mobile games. I’d also love to write a post on Guild Wars 2 again. The expansion End of Dragons came out a few weeks back and the story still tugs at my heart. Guild Wars has been a huge part of my life as well and I’m willing to preach about it to anyone who will listen, haha.

Future Plans
Sander and I have a few music shows planned out, 1 or 2 conventions, and a 2 week holiday with his parents. You can be sure I want to write about everything. I haven’t been slacking in self improvement department. On top of continuing my Youtube channel, I’ve put in a lot of time learning to draw. Yes, I’ve been at it a while now… but with drawing, you can never stop learning. I signed up for 2 Domestika courses as well!

I’ve completed the Fantastical Illustrations with Procreate by Michael Relth course and I’m still working on my final piece for Atmospheric Scenes in Procreate: Paint with Color and Light by Ramona Wultschner. These courses have challenged the way I look at art as a whole, and pushed me to explore what I want to draw. It feels amazing to spend a week (or in my case, 2 or even 3) working on a piece to have it come together in the end. I’d love to take Drawing Appealing Characters with Personality by Magdalina Dianova, but I need to figure out if I need to practice anatomy more before I dive in.

So for now, those are all the updates I have. I’d love to write more but some weeks are uninteresting. As things start opening up, and we start getting out, there will be more to talk about. If you’ve been with me this long, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We all had a difficult adjusting to the changes in our lives and I couldn’t find the motivation to write. I do love writing and I hope I can do more of it this year.

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What exactly is Boba?
Boba are large tapioca balls similar to the ones you can find in tapioca pudding. They’ve gained popularity over the years and have inspired millions of DIY recipes. The pearls have a chewy texture to them and are usually put into sugary drinks or teas. I love enjoying them with sugarless tea because it’s easy to consume more than one serving.

It’s all in the name
I’ve had several types of Boba before but none of them have been so easy or quick to make as the packages made by WuFuYuan. This brand is inexpensive as well! We found our pearls in the heart of Amsterdam‘s Asian shopping district but it’s not too hard to find online. Do be careful where you buy it from though. I’ve seen it go for 3 times the regular price on some websites!

Quick and easy
The last batch of pearls I had took about 4 hours to make. Can you believe that!? It was a mix of boiling and letting the hot water sit to cook the pearls. But these babies take 5 minutes. What a difference it makes! The only down side is that the package recommends consuming the Boba fast. So it’s best to use during a week where you’re craving Boba every day. Or, if you have friends over, it’s perfect for a Boba party.

My favorite drink
I enjoy my Boba with ice matcha and soy milk. I’ve been experimenting for a while now and come up with a good recipe. It’s hard to share because my cup is an old peanut butter jar. But basically I mix up some matcha powder to make a concentrate and let it rest while I fix the rest of the drink. When my Boba has cooled, I add in a huge spoon of honey and mix well. Then I add the mix to my cup and add ice on top. From there I pour on soy milk and add the matcha over that. It’s so satisfying to mix the drink together and it makes for some beautiful photos! I do have a stainless steel Boba straw so make sure you have something that can fit these huge Boba pearls.

Final thoughts
The ones I bought are brown sugar flavor but its not sweet. They’re actually flavorless, how interesting is that? It tastes like how brown sugar smells. You’re going to want to make either a simple syrup or add honey to your Boba pearls. Add your sweetener after cooking the pearls and before they’re in the drink. You can also add the sugar to your drink too, but make sure you stir it up well enough. I tend to take my tea without sugar and milk so if you enjoy the same then this beverage will be a snap to make.

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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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But when the bookstore closed down, it became harder for people to set time aside to meet. And of course I was now 8 hours ahead of everyone… So I could never attend. Last year I was able to compete the Goodreads challenge by reading 52 books in the year. But somehow it felt like an empty achievement. I had plenty of fun reading the books I wanted to but I felt like I was missing something. And it was a sense of community. So when long time Youtuber Jenn Im created her online book club, Curl Up Club, I jumped on board immediately.

I’ve watched Jenn for years and admired her ability to remain relatable. I’ve unsubscribed from dozens of other channels over the years. I couldn’t connect with them anymore. And it’s fine to grow and change, I understand that it’s important for people. But I still get excited for an upload from Jenn and that’s what matters to me. She had toyed with the idea of starting a book club and took the chance on making one when the quarantine hit. No one could get together anyway, why not make an online club for the world to join in? So far it’s only on Instagram but the response has been fantastic.

The book of the month is announced the first Monday of the month and we get plenty of time to read. Our first book was World War Z and this month we’re tackling When Breath Becomes Air. At the end of the month Jenn schedules an Instagram Live session for readers to tune into. She posts questions encourages viewers to connect live and discuss with her. It’s such a heartfelt moment to see the joy in a fans eyes when Jenn answers their call. I was a little late to the first meeting but it was such a great experience that I can’t wait for the next one.

It’s difficult for people to connect with the way the world is today. So having a platform where everyone is equal and welcome is such a breath of fresh air. This is my first online book club and I can’t recommend the experience enough. It’s great for people who want a community but are too shy or unable to find a local club. I fit into both categories right now and I love what Jenn has done. I found other online book clubs before but they never seemed a good fit for me. It’s safe for me to say that I may have found a new home!

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But what about real Dutch words? The ones that make you sound like you’re gargling soup. Well I want to share my favorite ones because sharing is caring!

Snuisterijen
Have you ever had trinkets in your home? Things you don’t necessarily need but you love keeping them around anyway? Items that remind you of wonderful places or nostalgic times? That’s exactly what snuisterijen are. They’re bits and bobs around the home that make you feel things. If you’ve seen Marie Kondo and her series, then you know that snuisterijen are items usually spark joy.

Spannend
There are times in our lives where we have a nervous energy that can’t be described. That feeling of taking an exam and waiting for the results. That moment when you ring the doorbell of someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Spannend can be a lot of things but it’s most commonly used for a tense feeling where the anticipation is overwhelming.

Wandeling
I’ve written about wandeling before and I’ll talk about it until the day I die. The Dutch have lopen, which is the verb to walk. But wandelen is something entirely different. It’s a walk where the goal is to just enjoy the stroll, the journey, the path being taken. It’s about taking it all in and having a walk for pure pleasure. There’s a distinct different when you tell someone lopen and when you tell someone wandelen. It’s a common word because the Dutch do it all the time. It’s popular on holidays and often becomes the main part of a vacation.

Uitwaaien
I had never known of uitwaaien before so it’s a new word for me. But it’s a beautiful one. It means to get a breath of fresh air, and the Dutch know all about that. The air here is so clean and clear most days. There are days where I open all the windows in the house just to get some fresh air. Uitwaaien can be applied to that. Or maybe after a long vacation, you’ve gotten all the fresh air in your lungs and you feel at peace. It’s a wonderful word that encompasses many situations! It can mean that there’s a strong wind outside, so go outside with caution!

Houden van
I think the Dutch have a romantic way of saying “I love you.” Houden is the Dutch verb to hold or keep. When Sander tells me “Ik hou van jou,” he’s basically telling me that he holds me close to himself. He’s told me he loves me hundreds of times in English, but he’s only said it in Dutch once. And it still makes me smile. It’s such a personal way to tell someone you love them. That you want to hold and keep them close. There’s something intimate about it that made me feel shy and a bit embarrassed around him when he said it. It felt almost like puppy love, that warm and cuddly feeling of a fresh romance. And we’ve been living together for over 3 years now!

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll also enjoy A Few More Beautiful Dutch Words!

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I understand that they want to make sure that foreigners understand the market… But I enjoy working from home. Sure, I’m not getting paid (this blog is too small for sponsorships!) but I love what I do here. For the time being I don’t have any intentions of becoming a member of the workforce but I needed to do this anyway…

The Dutch ONA has 8 cards to fill in.

Occupational orientation
What sort of job would be perfect for you? You can choose 3 jobs to talk about but from those you need to choose what job you’d like to focus on. This card talks about the reasons for why you choose that particular job and what are your qualifications for it.

Realistic professional image
This card addresses your personal preferences when it comes to job. What hours would you like to keep? What dress attire is appropriate? Do you need to improve on yourself to be able to take this job? Also where would you like to work? A commute is serious, how do you feel about that? These questions are all answered here.

Know your characteristics
This card is all about your personality. It’s short and to the point, which is nice!

Professional opportunities
This card is all about job listings. I used Monster.nl to find my listings and came away with 261 for my chosen field. I had to list two job listings and explain why I wanted to apply for this jobs.

Professional competences
This particular card talks about what extra course I could take to help me with my job. Thanks to my wonderful tutor, we found something that was not only relevant, but also interesting to talk about. I listed the course, why I wanted to take it, and how it would benefit me.

Building a network
Everyone has a social network but this card addressed that on a professional level. I have a few Dutch contacts that I was able to list, including Sander’s boss!

To find a job
This card was all about internships and the like. Did I want to do volunteer work? Did I want to do an internship? I said no to both as I’ve done all this in America.

Work culture
This card is about the differences in work culture. Want to know a good one? In The Netherlands people get so much time off of work. And it’s all paid vacation time!

The long wait
I’ve heard horror stories of people waiting for up to 8 months to hear back from the people at the ONA. I was so terrified about missing my due date that I worked hard and submitted my paper work as fast as I could. It took 2 weeks to hear back. Then another 2 weeks for my appointment date. I had to go in and then talk to two people about my answers on my cards.

First time’s a charm
Except this time it was not. I went in blind without knowing what to talk about. I had been busy cramming for my other exams. See this was the situation. I registered a month earlier for the last of my tests. I had signed up for Dutch writing, speaking, and general knowledge of the culture (I had saved the hardest for last). Then two weeks before my scheduled date I get a letter in the mail. You have your Dutch ONA appointment on this date. It was the same date as my exams.

I didn’t have time to review my answers or understand them well. There was information that wasn’t satisfactory. I was missing valuable knowledge for my interview and I failed. My errors list went on and on. I was heartbroken for a week.

Redo!
For my 2nd attempt I called in a professional, my tutor! We went over the answers that I assumed I got wrong. She opened my eyes to what the questions were asking for. Boy was I off in some places! Together we redid the trouble areas and resubmitted my answers. Two weeks later I got a notice that the answers were good enough for me to apply for a new appointment. And I did.

I had my 2nd Dutch ONA interview the morning of August 29th. It was at 10am and Sander dropped me off about an hour and a half early. He had to go to work of course. The commute via public transport would have taken forever so he decided to drive me. I waited in the brisk morning air for the building to open. After that I went inside and signed in. After that I had to wait another hour before my appointment. I saw my older interviewer and my heart dropped.

Thankfully I was called in by someone else. The two ladies this time around were wonderful and seemed thrilled for me to be there. We talked about my cards, my answers, my hopes and dreams and anything else they wanted to know. Mid interview I noticed that my heart wasn’t pounding. I actually felt comfortable answering their questions. They told me it would take 10 days to see my results online. I left with a smile and I don’t want to get my hopes up but this time felt so good.

The moral of the story is sometimes there are situations that can’t be helped! You have to put on a stiff upper lip and keep moving forward!

The post My experience with the Dutch ONA appeared first on A Daily Lee.

If you come from America, picture something like a Korean BBQ at home. You gather together and spend time chatting in a comfortable environment with friends as your meal cooks right before you. So how exactly do you celebrate the mysterious ritual of the gourmetten spread?

Table top grill
Since I’d imagine it would be a bit difficult to get a table top stove, you could easily just cook all the food and lay it out in a large spread. If you are lucky enough to get one then you can enjoy the full experience! The Dutch usually have a long and flat grill that can meat can be cooked on. However, there are many accessories that can be bought too. Mini frying pans are pretty popular and can be used for cooking everything from green and red peppers to eggs. Giving Amazon a simple search can yield a decent amount of results. However, as someone who encourages minimalism, think about how many times you would use a grill if you bought one. We use Sander’s parents grill because we would never use one on our own.

Meats
Gourmetten calls for chicken, pork, beef. Even tofu can be used. Ideally you want meats that can be cooked easily and cleanly. Otherwise you’ll be scraping the grill off after every piece is finished. Keep marinades to simple oil and water based. Creamy sauces should be put on after the meat is on your plate. Small pieces are the best and take less time to cook. Get juicy cuts with little fat otherwise clean up will be messy!

Salads
Any salad is perfect to have on the side but I recommend something very light. A simple garden salad and even fruit salad (not one too creamy) would be perfect. You want the salad to combat the amount of meat you’re going to consume. While you can also do steamed veggies, I highly recommend a salad that can be passed around in a large bowl.

Sauces
This is optional. Most of the meat you’ll be cooking will be with won’t have exciting flavors to them so if you want to take the taste to the next level, use a dipping sauce. The Dutch ones come in bottles that you can pour onto your plate and dip the meat into. The flavors here are pretty limited so I suggest you experiment with your favorites!

Bread and garlic spread
The Dutch call this kruidenboter (herb butter) but the closest you can do outside of The Netherlands is some tasty garlic bread. It’s very similar in taste and super easy to come by in grocery stores. Typically this is eaten on stokbrood (baguette). Kruidenboter can either be home made, be store bought, or already applied to bread from the grocery store. Sander and I choose this one because it’s the easiest way to get our fix. If we have the butter in a container, I like to take a big helping of it and keep it on my plate. If the bread comes around but the butter doesn’t, I won’t have any trouble looking for the butter! It’s right on my plate where I need it.

Good company
The whole idea of a gourmetten is to spend time with people you enjoy. Keep the invitees to close friends and family. The larger the group, the more difficult it gets to hold conversations where everyone can be included.

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