Kayleigh in Bilbao

So this is Christmas

2010-12-28T15:09:00.001+01:00

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays of the year, a great moment to recollect and realize what actually matters. I love being home with Christmas and am very glad I decided to come home. At some point I was debating whether I'd come home or fly down to Sevilla to celebrate with Antonio. Christmas in the Van Oorschot house is great.
We have an awesome Christmas tree:

Bake Christmas cookies:

Get presents:

Enjoy the weather:

And just spend time together:

Mama and I on Christmas Day

Thomas (cousin), Lisanne (cousin), Joël, and Annemarie (aunt)

Joël and mama

Cousins Tristan, Thomas, and Lisanne

It's safe to say I love Christmas. I love the way mom decorates the house. I love the Christmas cookies. I love the OD on food. I love the good wine. I love going to Mass on Christmas Eve. I love it all.

In two days I will head down to Sevilla to celebrate New Years with my man. Will keep you all posted.

Slog: Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas

The Bigger Picture (and the smaller picture)

2010-12-22T17:46:00.000+01:00

The other day a student in the bus took the time to explain an older man why its impossible for the old generation to understand his generation (in a loud voice so we could all here): "Todays young people grew up with television, Internet, space trips... Our spacial probes have been to Mars... We have electric and hydrogene cars, and computers that process data almost faster than the speed of light... and a lot more." After this there was a profound silence, the old man didn't stop looking at him, his answer was the following: "You're right my son, we didn't have all those things when we were younger... That's why we invented them! Now tell me, you arrogant boaster: What do you do for the next generation?"

I found this in a sent in letter in XLSemanal, a weekly magazine. Love this letter. It is so true also. Let me tell you another story, and this one will actually start with a 'the other day' that refers to me. So the other day I was talking to some Spanish students in the library, one of them had actually studied in the Netherlands for a year. It made for an interesting conversation. She was explaining to me that the Dutch student has it much better because the Government helps them more. Nobody can argue that, Dutch students receive a lot of help. At the same time she was explaining to me that Spanish students can't do certain things (as move out) because of this. It was so frustrating to me that instead of looking towards certain conforming habits a lot of students have; it was of course the fault of the Government. Of course some people have more opportunities than other, because of the people they know or the funding they receive, but at the end of the day a successful life comes down to the person him/herself. Because even though Dutch students receive funding most of them do work on the side, and at the end of the month eat pasta and ketchup, and learn to iron their own clothes.

Our generation has a problem. We're egocentrical. Has anybody heard glory stories of when their parents studied at university? Protests and students speaking up? The Tilburg University was actually taken over by students at some point (click here, page 19 - sorry, only in Dutch!) and called the Karl Marx Universiteit? Of course I cannot generalize (check previous blogs :)), but let's be honest, we have some issues. It's so much easier to blame other people for the aspects of our lives we're not happy with - but it's neither true nor productive. Of course life cannot work out the way we hoped for it, but at the end of the day the only person who can change the way a life goes is the person himself.

The same way we deny the responsibility over our own lives, we deny the responsbility over the world we live in. The second is worse. We can mess up our own lives, and we'll only mess up ourselves, but denying that we have a responsibility for the world and society we live affects people who don't have anything to do with us.

So John, why don't you recycle?

Why would I?

Because not recycling is destroying our world?

What do I care, I'll be dead by then.

What about your kids?

They'll figure it out...

Oh my gosh, I can't believe you don't vote!

It won't make a difference anyways.

This are of course relatively small and easy things, but that does not make them less important! And call me an idealist (I like it when you do, because I am), but every idea that made an impact in history was started by one person. One idea. One concept. One question. One individual. And I'm not talking about good or bad, but just impact. Everything we learn in history started with one person! Why would this have changed? Why do we feel that to make a change we have to be 5 million people? If we don't take responsibility for our world who will? Take a stand! See the bigger picture!

So now for the smaller picture - mine :) Bilbao is working out juuuust fine. I am studying a lot and met some cool people in Las Arenas who I hang out with mostly. Even though there are still occasions on which I will go 'down' to Bilbao, I usually prefer to stay here. Everything is walking distance, it's all just very comfortable. So my homey Yani (Palestinian who lived in Canada, studying dentistry) and hang out :) I had my first exam today (which went great) and the other three after the Christmas break. Tomorrow morning I am heading out to Tilburg to be with the family for Christmas. December 30th I fly down to Sevilla to be able to start the new year with Antonio. Hoot!

Slog: Jason Mraz - Geek in the Pink

Perfect.

2010-11-22T00:37:00.001+01:00

Life couldn't be better!
He's here:

Slog: Chiquitete - Tú y yo

Life as I know it

2010-11-14T17:18:00.003+01:00

This past month I've underwent some heavy duty integration, so you will have to forgive me my lack of contact. I will try to do better again from now on!

What have I done this past month.. Well.. I'll start with my travels!

First of all mom and dad were here for a long weekend. Dad had to be here for work (and they will be back the end of this month for the same reason) and mom came with him. It was a lot of fun to walk around Bilbao and Las Arenas with them, they also came over for dinner here (I had to hear about menu options from Conchita for about a month) which I would say was a great succes. The next time they are here I will be serving as a guide since they'll be here with a big group, so we also made a plan of everything that we'll be doing when they're here. All in all, useful and fun trip :)

Conchita - Mikel - Myriam - Dad - Estibaliz - me

I bussed (I really don't care if this is a real word) down to Madrid for a day since Antonio was going to be there for his big exam. It was a bit of a paliza (beating), it was intens, a lot of hours in bus but it was totally worth it! It was nice weather, so we kind of strolled around (however, he had his leg in a cast, so we couldn't stroll thaaaat much, but anyways, we tried) and had lunch/dinner. It is so nice that it was just possible. One of the awesome things of living here is that we are closer, which up untill this moment was just calling on our normal cell phones, now however we've experienced the coolness of living in the same country!

Two weeks ago I went to Venice to visit my good friend Henk. He is studying abroad there as I am in Bilbao and even though the plan was to go with a group, it worked out this way. He showed me a lot of cool things: the Guggenheim, the rialto, the palace of the Doge, a loooot of tiny streets, water etc. Since I'd already been in Venice, I wasn't as shocked by the city as I guess many first time visitors are, but it's a cool city and it was great to have a good tourguide! Henk showed me the nightlife with his friends and accompanied me to Mass in the San Marco which was very cool. So all in all, a good trip!

Supernice dinner!

Near the Guggenheim with my awesome poster
(which by the way I left in a cafe
so required a rescue mission)

Henk and I

Calling with Antonio :)

Also I figured out what I'm doing for Christmas! I was doubting between Sevilla/home for a while, but I decided to celebrate Christmas with mom and dad and then fly down to Sevilla from there on the 30 so I can start the new year with my guy! Very excited.

Besides all this of course normal life continues. I'm studying a lot! After all the bureaucracy these are my final courses:
- Roman law
- Political science: constitutional law
- Political dimension of the EU
- International Organizations
- Distance course from the UvT: Politics and the European Union
- Assistent researcher in research group European Integration

YES! You read that correctly. I am an assistent researcher. I would like you all to refer to me as miss.assistent researcher from now on. Am thinking about making a new e-mail address: MisZ@ssist@ntReZEarChEr@hotmail.com.

I am teaching English conversation class three times a week. My 'students' are a an 'older' lady who is going to take an exam and a brother and a sister (of 6 and 4 years old). Even though it feels kind of wrong to be teaching kids that young another language (I find it kind of exaggerated..) I make some nice extra pocketmoney basically playing with a 4 and a 6 year old, so it works for me!

I have also started the applications for my masters. I decided a while a go (but didn't really do anything with that idea) to do my Master in Londen at hopefully the London School of Economics and Political Science (also known as LSE). They have an amazing master calles European Studies: Ideas and Identities. However, I of course need a back-up plan, so I'm also applying to UCL (University College London) and King's College, which is also in London. Although, back-up plan sounds kind of cocky, since these are ubergood universities as well, but I'm trying to be positive and if I don't get accepted anywhere (or don't a scholarship, which is crucial) I'll have to do something in the Netherlands.

As you can probably tell, I'm busy, but no worries,
I'm doing just... fine.... :)

Slog: Damien Rice - Volcano

Everybody thanks for the comments!
@Kim: chick, wie gehst je nieuwe baan?! x
@Rudy: by deze de reden van mijn schamele blogposting van deze maand.. je mailtje was een impuls! thanks!
@Marleen: inderdaad schandálig! Met tweede borrel skypen lijkt mee top idee! Even organizeren! ga jullie nu een mailtje sturen!

Bilbao vs. Sevilla?

2010-10-06T13:12:00.000+02:00

Überfrustration.
Generalization.

It seems as though wherever I go people are telling me what the area I´ve lived, am from, or have visited, is like. I don´t need people from Bilbao to explain to me that all people from the South are lazy (because they´re not!!), just as I don´t need people from Sevilla to explain to me that all people from the Basque country are terrorists (because they´re not!!). And when I tell you I´m Dutch, don´t explain to me how we must all be stoners (because we´re not!!) and don´t explain to me how all Americans are ignorant (because we are not!!).

How do you convince someone of your own culture? You will not hear me say that generalizing is bad an sich, or that judging is bad. Judging and generalizing are a human way to create an opinion of something you do not really know. So that in itself is not bad. However, what is bad, is to hold on to your opinion as though you were connected by a navel cord. I don´t care if you think that comparison is gross, because it´s true. So many people feel that if they´re from a certain area or culture they have to judge a different culture in a certain way, and even though all clues point in the opposite direction, hold on to that opinion. For example, if I, Dutch, explain to you that I see more people smoking pot here than in the Netherlands, don´t explain to me that that is impossible. Don´t hold on to your own culturally drenched and culturally approved generalizing judgement when you know that you´ve been proved wrong.

I am absolutely no saint, and I know that I will make the same mistake from time to time. We all need our securities, and if someone tells me that smoking weed 4 times a day does not affect them at all, I will secretely (or not so secretely - knowing myself..) disagree, since I need to think that smoking weed four times a day is a bad thing. But then again, is this a generalization of culture or of society? I say no. I guess there are different degrees of generalization, the first one being of societies, the second one of habits.
Why do people need to generalize societies? Why this need to create little boxes (usually negative) where people can be stuffed in with verbal violence?

If I look at the two examples I have here in Spain, the whole: ´which city do you like better, Bilbao or Sevilla´ issue, it becomes quite simple. Or well, not simple as in easy to fix, but simple as possible to oversee. In Sevilla they generalize about people from Bilbao out of fear - they have a terrorist indepentalist movement called ETA and since its a dark corner of this geographic area, it creates fear. Fear of the area. Fear of the unknown. Fear of that which one cannot grasp. At the same time in Bilbao, generalization seems to come from a feeling of superiority. If you look historically there has always been competition between Bilbao and Sevilla. Sevilla being the port through which all the ´exotic´ merchandise entered the country, and Bilbao the port through which this merchandise was transported to the rest of Western Europe. Which port was more important? It seems as though this competition has left an air arrogance in Bilbao. And of course, I must not fall into the tradition I am critizing, not everybody generalizes in either area, but when speaking of the people that do generalize I feel that this is the conclusion one can make. The two reasons I have discovered to generalize are fear and arrogance.

It´s a bitter pill to swallow that when we generalize we are either fearful of arrogant. But then I would like to apply the other distinction I have made between the two degrees of generalization, namely generalizing societies or habits. I think that these two reasons can be applied to the first degree of generalization, of society.

And why do I dislike this? Because instead of learning from different cultures and trying to understand them (see my last blog post) we are explaining how these societies are. Constant and ruthless generalizations are what stand in the way of transcending cultural differences and looking for what we all have in common.

Slog: Saybia - The second you sleep

Thanks a lot for the comments on my last blog! I enjoyed reading them a lot!
@ Rudy: Haha, ik zou me daar geen zorgen over maken, uiteindelijk gaat het over wat je wil leren en niet wat je al geleerd hebt.
@ Charlene: Nenita, a ver si después del puente podemos quedar no?
@ Jesse: Thanks, nice comment - nomment.
@ Carine: ja inderdaad.. stom internet.. zeg als jullie weer vergadering bij iemand thuis hebben!
@ Anonymous: eres lo mejo ^d-
@ Monika: thanks! and yeah, haha, I promised myself I´d do better than when I was in Sevilla (I wrote like 3 posts in two months and then stopped..). I have to say I´m not a big fan of that ice breaker, for no reason in specific, because there´s nothing wrong with it, but I´ve just heard it soooo often.. Enjoy your 100!
@ Pierre-Hendrik: Haha, I loved performing those plays! I´m very happy to see you´ve posted too! I enjoyed reading it a lot!

¿De dónde eres?

2010-09-26T01:20:00.001+02:00

¿De dónde eres? Where are you from? This question is at the base of any experience in a foreign country, thus as well when studying a semester abroad. Anywhere I go my hair, eyes, clothes, height, and pretty much anything physical is almost an incentive for random strangers to ask where I'm from. Spanish people, foreign people, in school, in a bar, studying, going out.. ¿De dónde eres?

Even though the question might seem simple at first: where are you from appears to be quite basic. I first have to think where I'm from. Obviously I'm Dutch, born and raised. But then again, I am pretty much as American as I am Dutch. But the person that someone is, is influenced by many different factors if you look purely geographically. And if one wants to understand the question as where are you from it often refers to what part of the world has made you who you are. Looking at it this way Sevilla has definantly got to be in that list of places I'm 'from'.

When I just got to Bilbao Charlene and I were walking around the center and we ran into two security guards (OK, did not run into them, they stopped us..) who told us they were from Córdoba. Córdoba is a city in Andalucía which is about two hours from Sevilla. I reacted overenthusiastic with a: 'Oh funny! I'm from Sevilla!' Of course it only took a split second to correct myself (while trying to stop the blood rushing to my cheeks) and explain that I am actually Dutch, or well, Dutch American. No well, I never lived in the US but I feel American since my family and I visit. Yes I have an American passport. Yes I get to vote there. Well, yes, also in the Netherlands. Get the dilemma?

I would not call myself a girl without a home country, but I am international. Obviously there are many people who would laugh at me for saying that. For example, diplomats' children who have lived all over the world etc. But as I like to think once in a while, there are people who have seen less of the world than I have - I feel blessed. Because of my background I have been able to appreciate the sincerity of different cultures. And although I am not a big fan of cultural relativism, I am aware of the fact that sometimes, even though you try really hard, you might just not really 'get' something.

Back to my point: let's just agree on the fact that I was raised quite internationally and I am very grateful for that (thanks mom and dad). As globalization is almost the new main stream religion it is of utmost important to realize how big of deal it is not to expect that what is normal to you is normal to people from different cultures. Because of my parents I have been aware of this at quite a young age. Dad used to make a fair amount of business trips, and whenever he came back we would organize theme-nights in which we would eat the food of the country he had been. Before dinner Stellan, Joël and I would set up a play. This play meant looking in library books, asking people, researching and realizing the unique aspects of these other cultures. My parents have always made it a big point to educate us with the knowledge of the existence of other cultures.

So back to Spain. Am I Spanish? Any documents that you would be able to find concerning my upbringing etc. would tell you that I am Dutch/American. So why do I feel Spanish? I guess because at a crucial point of development in my life I lived in Sevilla, because I have become the person I will be in ten years a little more.

Just as Sevilla has helped me become my future me, Bilbao will do the same, and I notice it already is doing so. I am learning about Law, the fundaments of Law if you will. I am learning how the idea of Justice is constitutionalized by a society. Just as everyday bureaucracy teaches me patience and tact (!! - Hoorah for me), Law teaches me what is at the base of this 'so-called democracy' I live in. What are my fundamental rights, and even more important, what are somebody else's fundamental rights? Because I see it as following: ones liberty stops where someone elses liberty begins. So one can study their own liberties, but start by studying someone elses and you'll reach the same conclusion and become more social in the process.

Viva Bilbao

Slog: Courtney Jaye - Can't behave

Thanks again for the reactions! Thanks for taking the time!
- Marleen: haha, ja is wel leuk voor de afwisseling! and don't worry, deze keer kom ik zeker terug ;)
- Anonymous: tq
- Gerard: Love is always in the air!
- Laine: you should lais!
- Rudy: ooh ja, ik ben vroeger begonnen met mijn vorige blog, en de datum waarop je 'begint met schrijven' is de dag die daarna op je blog gepubliceerd wordt.. maar nee, je bent hélemaal bij! en ach de kleine kamer: elk nadeel heb ze voordeel :)
- Carine: zou superleuk zijn! misschien een keer als jullie bij iemand thuis vergaderen na de vergadering ofzo?
- Sandra: no te preocupes guapa, que me hace ilusión que me escribas en espanol! y ánimo con 'aprovechar tu Dutchness', jaja! un beso

What I love..

2010-09-16T15:39:00.009+02:00

The past week there has been a lot of added stress concerning my studies, bad internal communication here, issues with permission from the Netherlands. BUT, since I have been complaining about this to anybody willing to listen (thanks and sorry Antonio, mama, and Jesse) I decided that this blog would be on a more positive note.

What I love about studying at Universidad de Deusto in Bilbao:

Students at the University carry their books around instead of putting them in a bag; makes me feel as if I'm in an American high school movie.
Teacher still use actuall blackboards here, I love the white-ish residu it leaves on their hands, the scratching of the chalk on the board.
My spider senses seem better in Bilbao, I am not falling over non existing thresholds etc.
The weather is still nice here.
But when it is not, and 3 drips of rain fall down, everybody puts up their umbrella right away which makes me feel like a super tough chick.
And then, when it's puring down, I can use an umbrella. This is impossible by bike, or it is possible just not feasable for me - quite clumsy.
Even though I am taking first years courses of Law, that classes have been divided so there's only 70 students or so in a class room, instead of 400 as in Tilburg University.
I like public transportation a lot, since it is like a slot of time that is beyond your power, all you can do is sit and daydream. Most of all I love the metro. And that is how I go to school every day.
The walk from the metro station to Deusto is just the right amount to be able to listen to 3 super happy songs, so I get to walk with my face in the song, singing under my breath (sometimes not so subtle though).
My generation in Bilbao is pretty alternative, which is why the not-so-much-under-my-breath-singing is OK.
Besides that, I always look as though I'm all together because my clothes are clean, ironed, and not baggy.
It's a lot more fun to party with Erasmus students than serving them.
Whenever I want to go out in the center of Bilbao on a thursday (when there's no metro's at night - only on friday and saturday), my ex-housemate Charlene generously states that 'mi casa es tu casa', and she keeps her word!
In Sevilla I did not like being 'that Dutch chick' since I was trying to fit in with Spanish society, I've come to peace with the fact that I will be the odd one out in Spain so I am totally enjoying and exploiting my 'Dutchness'
I prefer being reminded to the fact that we lost the world cup than to how all Dutch people are probably prostitutes and drug addicts.
Everybody says my Spanish is great.
I am close(r) to my man!
My room is small and thus always organized.
Whenever I need some fresh air I go to the beach, which is 5 minutes from my house.
First years students are usually not secure enough to speak up in class which makes me look like Einstein. Love it.
When abroad you make random talks so much easier, I don't know why but it's just true.
There's Churches everywhere so I don't have to struggle to find a Mass.
I have friends (who are on exchange also) in different timezones so I can always call someone.
There's great museums in Bilbao.
Even though I love my activities at home ('sorority' - Fame, study association - Extra Muros) I am very glad to only have to focus on my studies for a semester.
People are relatively short here, so I can always see what's going on ánd it's easy to find me :)
I can call Antonio from my cell phone without having to take out a student loan.
When in Sevilla I had not yet discovered skype; I can call whoever in whatever country on their homephone for 7 bucks a month.
It's easier to appreciate things at home when abroad, so I know that when I get home I will have a new found respect for many elements of Dutch society.
I found a provider that allows me to send text messages to ANY cell phone number in the world for only 10 cents. Pretty sweet.
I realize how much my friends at home mean to me - making good friends is close to impossible in 6 months, and Erasmus life is shedding a new light on my homies.
That the stores are closed on sunday. It is nice to have one day a week on which you cannot run to the store to buy something etc., it's quite relaxing.
This past friday Deusto had arranged a tour of Casco Viejo (the oldest neighboorhood in Bilbao) and I learned a lot about the history of Bilbao and its port.
This has nothing to do with studying in Spain, but I just bought a flight to visit my friend Henk in Venice! JOY! (www.henkinitaly.blogspot.com)

Thanks again for the comments!
@ Pierre-Hendrik: Dude! Ik wacht met smart op je eerste blog!
@ Kim: héél goed meissie, ben trots op je ;)
@ Jasmin: enjoying them mucho as we speak, and even though LAS spoiled us attentionwise, she also tortured us reading-wise, so the 15 pages I have to read to prepare a class here are a joke!
@ mama: Hope your ppt worked out, will call you guys tonight to see how we're going to arrange your visit.
@ Rudy: Jij bent echt een keistouterd! maakt niet uit hoor, de zucht was inderdaad gementioned, maar dat je het hele filmpje hebt gezien is al heel wat :) Top met die link! Voel me geliefd/gemist.

Slog: Craig Morgen - Redneck Yacht Club

The secret tunnel

2010-09-11T23:21:00.018+02:00

The walk from the metro to Deusto takes me past a roundabout with two stop and go lights. When I was younger (technically a week ago I was younger) I used to stop by each stop and go light. However, I have now discovered a secret tunnel. Maybe not so much secret as unknown to me before. It leads you right under the roundabout and this way I don't have to wait for the two lights. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm finding my way around Bilbao. Whereas my first two weeks here were all about getting to know the city as a tourist, I am now finding my way living the normal day-to-day life. I know which entrance is best to take the metro, I know what streets are almost never used by cars so I can cross without a problem, I have coffee at one bar specifically that is right next to the metro in Deusto because I like their coffee best, I am discovering which part of the metro is busiest so where I should get in to assure I get a seat, I know exactly how many pages I an read in my commute, I know who to talk to when I need anything done at the University, which is not the person actually assigned to helping me but the security guards.. Of course there is still a LOT I have to figure out, but I am on my way to feeling perfectly at home.

The past week has been rather hectic. As I stated in my last blog I was having some trouble with the University bureaucracy and it hasn't gotten any better this week.

Question: Which bear is the best? [ that's a ridiculous question ] Wrong. Black bear.

Anyways.

Fact: In Spanish University any inconvenience is blamed on the Bologna plan which is absolutely ridiculous since Dutch Universities function according to the Bologna plan as well and I have never run into any of these inconveniences at the University of Tilburg.

Fact: At Deusto attendance to all classes is obligatory.

Fact: All students 'create' their own schedule, which means that one has to look closely to be sure that all classes can be attended.

Fact: When a student takes classes from different years he/she (in this case obviously she :)) is up for many hours of puzzling.

Fact: Erasmus students from the University of Tilburg can only take second and third year courses.

Fact: When studying the principles of Law one has to take first year courses.

Fact: When on exchange in Deusto one can only take classes from the faculty through which the exchange was arranged.

Fact: Kayleigh van Oorschot, students s911066, was sent to Deusto through the Faculty of Law since she was told she could also take courses from different faculties.

Fact: Kayleigh van Oorschot, student s911066, is having difficulties arranging her schedule.

Soo.. I think that pretty much sums it up. As it seems, I have turned into a little spoiled student as I am used to having undivided attention from Liberal Arts and Sciences professors and academic advisors, appearantly this is not normal and I have been extremely lucky in Tilburg.. As an exchange student, before getting approval from my home university to actually go on exchange I have to set up a list of courses I want to follow. I had made a list and Tilburg had given me permission to follow the first year course Roman Law and all the other courses were from the 2nd and 3rd year of the Law and Humanities faculty. As it turns out, I cannot take any courses from the Humanities faculty which means that I have to take first years courses also since most second and third year courses ask for basic knowledge of Law, which is taught in the first year.. You see the dilemma. I have now worked out my list of courses, but am still waiting for permission from Tilburg.

There. Now for the fun part!

I love my courses! I started this week and the 3 different courses I have already had are great! They are (translated, as I am following them in Spanish): International Organizations, Political Dimension of the EU, and The Fundaments of Private Law. I have the same professor for the two courses I mentioned first, and she stated in the first class the following: Hay que leer. Y leer libros, no pantallas (You must read. And read books, not screens). Anybody who slightly knows me will understand how excited I am! I've played the 'I'm-not-from-here,-language-barriere-blabla-card' on each teacher and am hoping they will cut me some slack. I've already gotten to know some of my fellow students which is not as easy as it may seem as I have different fellow students for each course and they all have classes together all the time. Even though I think it is pretty darn interesting I'm not from there, they still need some convincing. I have however, met some nice people in 2 of the 3 courses and am sure things will work out!

Besides this I am getting all settled in in my new house! Yesterday Conchita (the 'mom'), Mikel (the 'son'), Miriam and Jon (the 'daughter and husband') took me out to see some parts of the area. We drove up to Mundaka which is a small town shielded by the mountains and right next to the sea. Conchita had prepared a great picknick (chicken, salad, bread, melon) and we had our lunch looking out over the mountains. I enjoyed this so much and it is just great to be living with people who offer to show me around like this. I will add a video of the views and a map of: A - Bilbao, B - Las Arenas, C - Mundaka.

Since the signing up for this blog seems to or not be possible or be too hard to figure out, I think it's safe to say that each monday afternoon a new blog will have been posted! Thanks again for the reactions:

@ mama: I have to be honest with you, after the canon shooting the artsy-ness was blasted out of the whole scene for me as well.. Will call you as soon as everything here is set up!

@ Rudy: Haha, ja, ik dacht, leuk extraatje voor de mensen die me kennen :)

@ Charlene: A ver si el finde que viene puedes pasar por aquí! Estaría geníal!

@ Carine: Ja, na het schieten was de kunstigheid er bij mij ook wel een beetje af.. Misschien moeten we als ik terug ben met z'n allen gaan laser gamen! OH! Misschien kan dat nog wel met VATOS dan! hoezeeee!

Slog: Queen - Don't stop me now

First image is of Bilbao (A), Las Arenas (B), and Mundaka (C)

The second is a video of the views by Mundaka. By the way, the lady in the jeans dress is Conchita and I am telling Miriam she is going to be in my video after which she tries to hide, without succes:)

The third is a video of me showing the house!

Mi casa es tu Casa

2010-09-06T19:19:00.009+02:00

As most of you probably know, I've lived in Sevilla for 1.5 years. If I had a nickel for everytime somebody told me mi casa es tu casa I could buy my own darn casa. Well, appearantly I had to hear it just one more time - because through this saying I am now living in Las Arenas. Las Arenas forms part of the township (this is not the correct phrasing but it looks good so I don't care, it's actually 4 towns very close together which have the same local authority) Getxo. Getxo is 15 minutes out of the city of Bilbao by metro and is where all the people in Bilbao move to as soon as they have the financial means to do so. It is a beautiful area, I live 5 minutes from the sea, about 15 minutes from Deusto, and 0 minutes from a loving and kind family. The family consists of Conchita (the mom, name comes from Concepcion, pronounce the ch as tsj), Estibaliz, and Mikel. Conchita is a widow who was looking for an extension of the family and through an advertisement I got her phone number. She is extremely caring and mommy-ish, cooks for me (basque food mind you :)), takes care of me (you have the information session now right? well write down all the questions you have, because if you don't you'll probably not remember everything you want to ask), and is just a gem. Estibaliz is doing her master and working parttime at Iberia and is very helpful (she came to pick me up by car when I got lost in the area..) and Mikel works fulltime and is also extremely helpful (he came to Bilbao and picked up everything to be moved and did not let me come with him because he could carry the things up to the house without any problem and did not need me to help him :)).
As you might notice, I am extremely content with the social situation! Besides that, I now have a bed my feet fit in, a nice big kitchen, a living room, a tv room, my own bathroom, and a safe area to live in. I'm happy. Porque su casa es mi casa. I really feel at home here and everybody is extremely willing to show me around. Conchitas other daughter, Miriam, is going to show me the area by car with her husband this sunday etc. Just genuinly nice people!

Last week was great since Antonio was here! He arrived saturday the 28th and stayed until wednesday the 1st. We visited multiple museums (the Guggenheim again) and OH! I saw art being made! The Anish Kapoor canon artwork was being 'maintained', I filmed it (little rascal that I am) and will post it also. I guess it's not that interesting, since nothing happens until pretty much the last 15 seconds (3:20 min). However, you do see me manouver around some annoying people who were standing up which required amazing skills, and notice the intens sighs around 1:40min.
We visited all the different neighboorhoods of Bilbao, and we decided that Las Arenas was faaaaaar nicer. By the way, I decided to move to Las Arenas when we were visiting the area so he's already seen where I live, and persuaded me to do it :) What a guy, always looking out for me! It was just fun to be together again and do the daily things, drink coffee (we love walking into random cafe's and drinking a coffee), movies, lunch. Everything just seems to make a little more sense when we're together..

Today I had my information session for the university. I will tell you about the great organizational concept called Spanish Universities. First of all it took like 3 tries to enroll by mail, great internal communication, just greeeeeeeeat. Then when I got here I went to Deusto to ask when the introduction week was. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah, sweet naive Kayleigh, there IS no introduction week at Deusto. As a matter of fact, there is nothing even close to an information week as I know it from Tilburg University. As the kind helpful lady (note sarcasm) told me after I asked her about the non-existent introduction week: 'To meet people you should take the Spanish course. - Well.. as you can hear I already speak Spanish - Well.. at least you would meet people.' Double-dooshe alert. Then they were going to send me an e-mail stating when the information session would be. It was clear it was going to be today (monday 6 sept) but the time was unclear. Well.. days pass by and 5 days before the so-called information session no word. I pass by the office of international relations (they should call it international break-ups) and I am told it will be at 16.00 but there is still no room reserved. OK. Let's take a time-out here. This is a big university. More or less prestigious. International students are a measure of international acknowledgement. Okay, back in the game. Sunday night I receive an e-mail stating when and where the meeting would be and when I got there I was handed 3 forms, told where I had to go to get the info I thought I would be getting at this exact session, and after half an hour was on my own again. Well.. I'll just have to work a little harder to get the info I need, I guess nobody ever died of working a little harder. However.. I guess if you're already working reeeeeally hard, and than you work a little harder, you might like force your body to much, and then.. OK. You get my drift.

On wednesday classes start. Tomorrow I will go to Deusto to figure out which classes I can take and then I have a test trial of a week and then I officially have to sign up. Here goes nothing!

Thanks for all the reactions:
@ Charlene: muy bien tía! Vas mejorando!
@ Robbie: you never have needed a reason to drink..
@ Fleur: Zoals je leest is het huisje goed gekomen! En helemaal onderaan de blog kun je je abonneren op de 'news feeds'.
@ Dominique: zie reactie op Fleur, én het opgelichte huisje is godzijdank goed gekomen :)
@ Rudy: is het nu een AP'tje? ;)
@ Carine: groetjes zijn doorgegeven, op prijs gesteld, en je krijgt ze terug!
@ Henk: ik zou columns moeten schrijven ;) we skypen snel!!!
@ Pierre: point taken :) geen oude mannen meer voor mij! heb er al één :)

Slog: Beatles - Let it be

The pictures are me in my old bed, the view of the sea from Las Arenas and Antonio and I at the Guggenheim. And then the video of art in the making :)
Next week I will try to upload some pics of the new house!

Aste Nagusia - cultural or drinking fest?

2010-08-29T18:01:00.022+02:00

I want to start with a little baby shout-out to: Henk, Pierre-Hendrik, Gerard, Charlene, Joël, Beth and Suze! Thanks for the comments on my last blog, it is nice to see that people are reading this and that I am writing for at least 7 people!

Well, the first week has passed and as always is the case with new situations it feels like it has been more. Getting to know a city is always exciting and all the new impressions are almost overwhelming. When talking to my brother Joël on the phone on Tuesday he had to remind me I had only been there for 2 days. The city is still (..big surprise..) very pretty and the most amazing aspect is still the overall tidyness. Of course, in a week as Aste Nagusia there is a lot of mess around but the overall sense of organizedness gives for a safe feeling. Througout this week I have basically hung out with Charlene my roommate and at nighttime gone into the city to check out the fireworks and the festivities. The strangest thing is that I, after a week if asking random people about it, still don't know what it is that the people from Bilbao celebrate in this great week. People stand in the street and eat and drink which is great fun, but one would expect that in an area where is fougt for independence because of cultural differences the greatest festivities of the city would be based on a cultural phenomenon and not on drinking Mojitos (this being my fave coctail did make the nights fun :)). I guess that after seeing Semana Santa (Easter) and the Feria de Abril in Seville I was expecting to see more of a cultural identity, proving the uniqueness of the Vascos. Nonetheless, the week was great fun and a good way to start my stay in Bilbao!

More than ever have I been confronted with my view of people, they are good by nature untill they prove otherwise. Even though I like to think this way of thinking is noble it's gullible more than anything. I would like to share my resolution, don't go into kiddy mode, following whoever says he has a puppy or candy at home. Don't worry, nothing bad happened, but I had lined myself up for it by visiting some old man at his home who claimed to be lonely. Well, I'm sure he is lonely but jeeeez Kayleigh: how old are you again? Lesson learned: multiple mental punishments of Antonio and friends.
Speaking of Antonio: he's here!! He arrived yesterday afternoon around 18.00 and we have been walking around Casco Viejo (oldest neigjboorhood of Bilbao and also where Aste Nagusia is comin to an end). Now he is sleeping on my bed gathering energy as tonigh we'll be out and about again. We hadn't seen each other since before the USA and it had been too long. Just great to see my man again!!

I have also decided to move. Even though last week I was rather mild about the house I feel ripped off. There's 6 of us here and the landlord had told me that the kitchen was big enough to hang out with all of the roommates. Since there is no living room this resulted into me taking the room: with no area to be with all of the roommates you start living a separated life and it's hard to create a feeling of community in the house, which is exactly why I want to live with other people. I have been looking at adds and will keep you all up to date on the housing situation!

Furthermore this is an exciting week for my friends Henk and Jesse as they are either leaving soon or on their way to Venice and Hong Kong! Check out their blogs: http://www.henkinitaly.blogspot.com/ and http://www.jesseinhongkong.blogspot.com/.

Slog: Fito and Fitipaldi - Por la Boca vive la Pez

I had mayoorrrr issues with getting the photos and texts below them in order, a lot of sweat, swearing under my breath (and some not so much under my breath), and encouraging laughs from Antonio (gotta love em) later...

I'll just write here what the pictures are of.. enjoy :)

1. Parades during Aste Nagusia

2. A view of my University Deusto

3. A view of the river Zaldu that runs through Bilbao

4. Our big kitchen?

Aste Nagusia

2010-08-22T20:06:00.009+02:00

I am sitting in my room in the center of Bilbao while writing this. My flight over was fine, but once I arrived there were no taxis at the airport! Can you imagine? Since there was a ‘shortage’ I decided to share a cab with this one guy, and with the movie Taken in the back of my mind I sat in front and told the taxi driver to drop the dude off first so he wouldn’t know where I live (in Spanish mind you, the shady dude only spoke English so it was quite sneaky). I guess it was a good move because during the drive Shady Man tells me he was in prison for 10 months in the Netherlands for smuggling cocaine and that he knows a lot of pimps, he would like to be ‘my friend’, whatever that means, and that money is never an issue for him: he spent 8000 dollars last month. I can hardly imagine that he was telling the truth, but anybody creating a plot that sketchy is bad news.

During the drive the taxi driver told me that I'd been lucky since I was arriving at the beginning of Aste Nagusia (Great Week), a week filled with festivities in Bilbao. Peretty niiiice!

So the taxi driver dropped me off and I met my roommate Charlene, a cool French girl, and we chatted while I unpacked and had a couple of drinks. The house is not too big (ok.. it’s small, smaller than I thought I had bargained for) but my room is the perfect size for 6 months. Today Charlene showed me around Bilbao and it is really a gorgeous city! Beautiful architecture and a great balance between classic and modern.

We started by going to Casco Viejo, the oldest neighboorhood in Bilbao, to see what this whole Aste Nagusia was all about. A lot of stands and people eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves. The mascotte of this week is called Mari Jaia. In Casco Viejo we had the BEST lamb sandwich EVER, and I would like to share the preparation - result:

We went into the Guggenheim, where I happily became an Amigo del Guggenheim, granting unlimited free entrance for a year. Pretty awesome.

The Guggenheim

There was this one exposition by Anish Kapoor which was truly breathtaking. I advise anybody who has the opportunity to check anything of his out to do it! He tries the let color be the base of his artwork instead of materials, and even though that is too artsy for me to understand, I love it! He uses mainly three colors: red, blue and yellow. His artworks aren’t happy or sunny though, they’re intriguing and they mess with your head. Besides that he does some amazing thing with reflecting materials, as glass. Check it out:

Fun fact: when I left the museum I had to, of course, go by the gift shop. I bought a calender (to be placed on the door or something, it's big) with bubbly thingeys on each day, I can pop myself to december. Pretty sweet.

Throughout this blog I will give you guys the song that I’ve listened too mostly since the last blog, the song of the blog, the slog.
Slog: Dave Matthews Band - American Baby

Time flies

2010-08-17T02:54:00.005+02:00

It's 2:56 AM and I am still awake.
Long live jetlag.
Or short live jetlag, it stinks.

Since all my housemates are out this has given me about 4 hours to think about this coming saturday. Saturday is the big day, I am moving to Spain. It's crazy to think that in 5 days I am packing up my belongings and moving to another country. You'd think I would've gotten used to this, I moved to Sevilla when I was 18 - that gives me four years of maturing. I guess some things never change.

Moving to a new place always gives people that pit-in-the-stomach feeling I guess. I do not know my future housemates, or the University I will be going to (Deusto), or my teachers, or my actual classes. And it was hard enough to get in. Spanish administration for you, applications didn't arrive'etcetera, offices close at 13:00. Try to call from the USA then.. Long live different time zones.

I wonder, does everybody get this feeling? I would not describe it as fear, just the healthy nerves. But then again, those healthy nerves have been enough to keep at least me busy for the past four hours. I don't even think that those healthy nerves are for my exchange. It's because of time. It just flies! I can still remember my first day at high school like yesterday. I remember I there early (aah.. you've gotta love the newbees, at school about 45 minutes early :)) with a friend from my elementary school. Just a note for the non-Dutch: the Dutch highschool entails everything after elementary school. Anyways, I had this huuuuuge bag and my friend Maria was wearing sandals with red socks. As soon as we got to school we realized we did not even come close to fitting in. So to hide are mishaps, I sat on my big bag and she stood behind it, hiding her feet.
Even though I do not feel like the freshman version of me, I can still remember exactly what she felt like. I can remember when I switched from gynasium to atheneum (different levels of the Dutch school system). I remember my first day at the orientation week in Tilburg (2 years ago). How fast is this all going to go? When I get back from Spain I will have one semester to finish my bachelor, and am hoping *fingers crossed* to go to London to do my master. I will be done with student life in the blink of an eye! Wow. The first day anywhere just opens your eyes to all the possibilities of the future, of the time to come. But what if the time to come passes so quickly I will not be able to enjoy it?

Stupid late-night reasoning. I know that I will be able enjoy everything, I have up till now haven't I? Heck yeah. Life's been great and it still is. I'm just getting started and it's already getting better each day! Just once in a while I stand still to realize how fast everything goes and how quickly experiences slip through my hands. It makes me feel kind of helpless. I guess time is ruthless and all I can do is make the best of it.

And that is exactly what I plan to do.

I am going to make some lists of the things to pack.

Take it easy, take a sisi. xx

Kayleigh, woman of lists and turns

2010-06-30T21:43:00.005+02:00

Last night I came back from visiting my boyfriend Antonio in Spain, and even though I can think of a million things I could do that are more fun than what I am doing now, I am enjoying it. I am making lists. What to do before I leave before the USA? What to pack for the USA? What to pack for Bilbao? What to arrange before I leave to Bilbao? Who do I absolutely have to call tonight? Who to see before I leave for my adventure?

I am a woman of lists, many of them. I always write them out on little papers and when I make a spelling mistake I start again; it has to look pretty. By making I list I try to organize my thoughts, but then again, 14 lists before going on vacation (who to call, what to do, what to cancel, what to take, etc) doesn't exactly diminish the amoung of stress I feel before leaving home. Or does it..? (<>

I like to fool myself into believing this is the reason I make lists, in reality, I need contol. And some way or another I slyly trick my brain into accepting that as long as something is on a list I have it under control. For example:

to do before tomorrow:
- write 500 essays

I'm control of the situation, I know what's going on, no worries, I've got the overview.

I'm a woman of securites, I like it black or white, not too many nuances and not too many unclear twists and turns. I guess it's a good thing, I'll never be unclear, if you ask me if you look fat in those pants, trust me, you will hear it. On the other hand; many people seem to enjoy insecurity.
My roommate for example, he leaves for Thailand tomorrow. He's organized in his packing but is not sure where he will be sleeping during his entire stay. While he is packing I'm looking on the internet writing down all the possible phone numbers he could need there: emergency number, Dutch embassy, cancel credit card/debit card, collect call number, etc. Even when something does not concern me I swirve myself into a position in which I can make little lists. When I finish the phone number list I trace the words: IMPORTANT PHONENUMBERS four times and underline it a couple of times. There... It looks pretty.

I would like to keep on writing about lists, secretely making another list, however, I have to get back to my list. Please, if you leave a comment, write it in a list: it makes me happy.

FLIGHT

2010-06-17T18:28:00.001+02:00

August 21st.

Getting so close!

2010-06-16T18:49:00.004+02:00

Ohmigosh.
I'm excited!
I'm happy!
I'm... still finishing my exams.
But hey! I got a room in Bilbao!

Next semester I will be studying in Bilbao, Spain, for 6 months.
This week I made the downpayment for my room, I've handed all (ok.. I lied.. almost all..) of my paperwork, and the adventure is getting closer and closer.
I still don't have my flight yet but will be booking it this weekend.
Spain, again, but better.
I get to study! Live a life of no worries! Hang out with my 4 roommates (who by the way seem superdupercool).
So yeah..

I'm excited!
I'm happy!