I am starting to fall in love with the Netherlands. I like my green city and especially the people I get to hang out with in it. My housemates are like my brother, my sister, my friends and the little angle on my shoulder that looks out for me. They are special and they know me for nearly four years now. We live together and it’s almost as if we are a little family. I don’t think we have much secrets from each other. We can talk freely and laugh as hard as we can. This weekend we built a fire. It got big and we used cinnamon to spice things up. It gave beautiful sparks. We also made our roof terrace beautiful with plants. We have a fig tree now. I have bought some sunflowers. It makes us happy. The neighbour and I try to water the plants every day since the sun is shining a lot. We enjoy meals together and just hanging out whilst talking about the news, art, history or something very random and funny. I am lucky to have them in my life. This is what home feels like. People that you feel close to and can be yourself around. We are all a bit quirky which makes us fun. Everyone has their own style. I think we learn a lot from each other. We listen and try to help and advise one another. We learn how to cook dishes from each other and we try to inspire each other by doing sports and enjoying hobbies. We also like to go on holidays and days out with each other. I am really lucky.

We used to have a neighbour who we hung out with quite frequently but just when I came back from London, he left for several months to Switzerland. Sometimes I think of him and I have missed him. It’d be fun to get ice cream together. We are all getting closer to a different neighbour now who is taking care of the plants. He’s funny. But yeah I really do miss that one neighbour who I also became really close with. I hope he is having a good time in Switzerland. His brother misses him too. I have no idea what life must have been like without me here for those four months. It must have been different. I am happy to be back.

I am getting to the last bits of my big portfolio. It is a lot of reflection. Let’s hope it is professional enough. We’ll see. I am even not showing up for the most part of a festival, so that I can work on this portfolio. I am really trying my best. I am also trying to relax where possible and cleaning my rooms. I put my drumkit away. Most of it. It’s for sale. If you are interested or know someone who is: please let me know. It might be sold next week. Who knows. It gives more space to walk around freely and enjoy my balcony.

I enjoy dating and spending time with my cat. I am dating this really cute boy. Or man I must say. He is the same age as me. He got me flowers the other day. They are fully blooming now. I took loads of photos of it. I am listening to a lot of romantic music. We enjoy cooking and eating together, hanging out, playing board games and going outside and being in nature. I am happy to have met him and taken the initiative to go out together a lot of months ago. He is just so much fun. We tease each other and laugh. My housemates like him too. He is a friendly giant. Yes a giant. People in the Netherlands are tall and so is he. He towers above me and his feet are bigger than mine. Haha, that is a big deal since my feet are huuuuge and I am always making jokes about it. We’re having fun.

I am also starting to feel a bit better and less stressed. Work is also going well. I am still enjoying swimming. I have skipped salsa though. Who knows, I might pick it up again. I’d also just like to dance at a bar. Who knows, maybe someday soon. Haha, that’s a contradiction. I like words. I love language. I love sounds. I love to learn it and to teach it to others. I think most of my students feel very safe in my presence. They are quite open with me. Just the other day I bumped into a student in the supermarket and she told me about her project with coke and mentos. Very enthusiastically. I enjoy those moments.

The upcoming days I won’t be able to enjoy the sun as much since I’ll be working on my portfolio but I hope you do if you have the chance. Until next time! X