2015 - oktober november december

I was excited to make 2015 a way better year than the one before, but somehow, I got slapped in the face over and over again. I have been (even more) lonely and insecure, it was hard finding a home and finding a job; when I thought I found a real fun one, from the one day to the other everything stopped and I didn't have to come back tot the office. But there's been good things, too: I made dreams come true, followed my heart and seriously have (had) the very best people around me. ❤

So, here's to the good things, the first three months being back in the Netherlands:


^
In October, I celebrated Kanelbullens Dag / worked a (the only) complete month at Tipster and did an interview for news site nu.nl! / went for quite some walks - in Utrecht, Amsterdam and at home / caught up with quite some old (and new) friends! / finally saw Postcards from Mars play / visited the Dutch Design Week! / played a lot of games (and got pretty into Exploding Kittens) / sometimes really liked living in the Netherlands again.


^
In November, I discovered STACH's awesome peanut butter chocolate! / watched Rita (the Netflix-series) in only a couple of days / visited both the Rijksmuseum and the Binnenhof for the first time! / went for more walks / had the loveliest festival weekend at Le Mini Who? / finished my complete to do-list for the first time in months! / started to really like my little Utrecht apartment! / spent a weekend in Stockholm, where I saw a complete Olafur Eliasson-exhibition! and my #1 favorite band this year, Den Svenska Björnstammen! / got my little portrait, made by De Portretfabriek.


^
In December, I started working at the Post = I had a reason to go out of the house again, which felt so damn good! / threw a little Sinterklaas party / saw Mew play! / won the prettiest flower bouquet of flowers / explored more of Utrecht / celebrated Christmas in the south, with good food and pretty hill-views / got a fulltime job! Today! What a way to end this year.

Let's stay honest: I would still move to Oslo immediately, if I could, but living in the Netherlands is fine as long as I have something to do. In November, Tipster stopped existing from one day to another and that's when I lost 99% of my positivity and motivation. But I guess people are right when they say things work out in the end. It's been some very hard months, but on the last day of 2015, I'm very positive and looking forward to the next year like crazy. So many fun things are coming up!

Ps:
2014 - oktober november desember.

+

Happy 2016, lovely readers! Let's hope at least a couple of your dreams will come true in the upcoming 366 days.

I will try and take more photos of people, be less insecure, get a little (more) out of my comfort zone, continue to go for lots of walks, get used to a fulltime job-life, maybe leave Europe again and most definitely make dreams come true, starting with seeing Yayoi Kusama's work in real life AND interpreting (for a Dutch documentary movie! in Northern-Norway!) in January.

❤

2015 - juli augustus september

I was excited to make 2015 a way better year than the one before, but somehow, I got slapped in the face over and over again. I have been (even more) lonely and insecure, it was hard finding a home and finding a job (still); when I thought I found a real fun one, from the one day to the other everything stopped and I didn't have to come back tot the office. But there's been good things, too: I made dreams come true, followed my heart and seriously have (had) the very best people around me. ❤

So, here's to the good things, the first three months being back in the Netherlands:


^
In July, I finally went to Doel (with some of my favorite Belgians)! / spend most of my days off in Utrecht / made the biggest present ever / went Interrailing! / liked Bratislava, Berlin and Århus best / went to an apricot festival / was in the U-bahn for 40 minutes, just to get the year's best breakfast! / needed more Photobooth-practise ;) / fell in love with Olafur Eliasson's work! / came back to Norway, which seriously felt so so good / I went to Stavanger again, and ended the month with my favorite boy.


^
In August, we had a pizza picnic / threw confetti in the air at the beach, the day after we broke up / my friends were the best ❤ / being back in the Netherlands wasn't too bad / I got a fancy new Macbook! / got flowers and berries from the forest / ate a raspberry-lunch! / went to the most fun exhibition, Do It! / went to Maastricht / saw Afterpartees play / and blooming heather.


^
In September, I went to Antwerp / got the ex-favorite boy visiting(, which actually really was fun and not (too) hard) / turned 26 / got a (sort of) job! / did fun translations! / spent quite some time in Rotterdam and liked it more and more / published a little article about my Interrail / started working at Tipster! / volunteered at Snor festival / went to Oslo / moved to Utrecht!

Let's stay honest: it wasn't easy not knowing if I was just on a long holiday in the Netherlands or actually was moving home and needed to find a job and a place to live... When he and I broke up, things got sad and serious and scary. But everything seemed to work out, although living at the country side for 3 months never really was easy (when it comes to being social).

Ps:
2014 - juli august september.

2015 - april mai juni

I was excited to make 2015 a way better year than the one before, but somehow, I got slapped in the face over and over again. I have been (even more) lonely and insecure, it was hard finding a home and finding a job (still); when I thought I found a real fun one, from the one day to the other everything stopped and I didn't have to come back tot the office. But there's been good things, too: I made dreams come true, followed my heart and seriously have (had) the very best people around me. ❤

So, here's to the good things, the second part of the first half of the year:


^
In April, the bikes were back! / I ate the best Easter brunch / got friends visiting from the Netherlands almost every weekend! / saw Daniel Kvammen play / discovered Yelp and went to a Daytime Disco! / quit my room and job and bought a one-way ticket to the Netherlands (and was very happy about it)! / had the first outside bbq of the year / Tinder-matched with a very cute boy.


^
In May, I did a complete interview in Norwegian! / went to Oslos Rauseste Marked, where things were for free / was turned into a stamp / finally went back to Stavanger! / fell in love (and asleep next to the cutest boy)! / went to a 17. mai-breakfast (and sold froyo the rest of Norway's national day) / sang karaoke / ate another very good (hotel) breakfast / ended the month with that cute boy visiting me in Oslo (and officially becoming my boyfriend)! / went to the coziest and most delicious (vegan) picnic.


^
In June, I dressed up as "summer holiday feeling" for a fun theme party / realized my Oslo friends were (and still are!) the best / did a first very big translation job! / had my 178th and last shift at the froyo store! / every single day was filled with something fun! / went to Stavanger again! / spent my last day in Oslo the best it could: favorite breakfast, favorite lunch, favorite coffee and favorite beer (place) with almost all of my favorite Oslo people! / moved back to the Netherlands / showed the boyfriend around in the Netherlands, it was his first time! / fell in love with Utrecht (again), at least a little bit.

Let's stay honest: quitting my Oslo life seemed to be the best decision, but also is my biggest regret when it comes to this year. April, Mai and June turned out to be the very best months of this year (if you forget about douchebag-flatmate turning into the biggest douchebag ever); I wish I could feel this happy, loved, motivated and positive for ever. And also: never ever forget the smiles, the smells, the feelings, the people (!!). Forget how extremely good Oslo suddenly was to me.

Ps:
2014 - 4월 mei juni.

2015 - januar februar mars

I was excited to make 2015 a way better year than the one before, but somehow, I got slapped in the face over and over again. I have been (even more) lonely and insecure, it was hard finding a home and finding a job (still); when I thought I found a real fun one, from the one day to the other everything stopped and I didn't have to come back tot the office. But there's been good things, too: I made dreams come true, followed my heart and seriously have (had) the very best people around me. ❤

So, here's to the good things, the first three months of the year:


^
In January, I watched fireworks through glasses that turned all light into Hello Kitty's / finally got myself a desk! / was pretty productive / started writing for the Dutch Club Oslo-magazine / met new nice people / visited the Netherlands for my mom's birthday and went to Amsterdam, Antwerp and Brussels too! / there were northern lights in the sky when I flew back into Oslo!


^
In February, I was mostly focused on getting things done, which felt good / became an editor for Allop Magazine / discovered working in cute coffee houses / visited the prettiest photo-exhibition on Oslo / baked my first bread / got served the best homemade pizza / found a Seahorse! / did a first interview in a long time.


^
In March, I went to the mountains to make my first reportage ever! / saw Oslo waking up when the world turned into spring, and fell extremely in love with the city (again) / visited Astrup Fearnley / took out Norwegians for Dutch food / had my mom visiting! / went to the mountains once again / started to like "coffee", and honestly became a little bit of a caffe latte-addict (already).

Let's stay honest: I started the year being very productive and motivated, taking every change I could grab. It took much of my time and energy and I still felt lonely from time to time, but things definitely got better - until my flatmate turned into the biggest douchebag and my cute little home turned into my least favorite place in Oslo. I felt more lost and more alone than ever.

Ps:
2014 - januari februari maart.

A weekend filled with cute houses, pretty packaging and godis.

Stockholm. Two weeks ago I went to visit a friend who lives in the Swedish capital. I arrived very late on Friday and started the next morning to find all the pretty things from her kitchen to take a photo ;). Sweden just really is packaging paradise - I even brought a(n empty) bottle of pretty pretty soap and coffee with me home! Anyhow. The reason I went to Stockholm was because one of my favorite bands was playing there (!), but although it was only a short visit, we did way more:

- Walked around along cute houses (of course!)
- Visited Moderna Museet, which currently has the best Olafur Eliasson-exhibition (!)
- Had a fika in the little - but very cute! - museum café, Café Blom, and ate saffranbullar (which I liked better than cinnamon buns, but not as good as the cardamom ones)
- Looked at the AWESOME Christmassy shop windows of Nordiska Kompaniet
- Ate (good) Lebanese food at Underbar
- And went for breakfast at this cute place called Sorelle.

Oh, and I saw Santa for the first time in my life!
It was a good weekend (although it made me miss Oslo like crazy).

Ps. I promise I'll bring my proper camera next time I go travel! Or maybe I should just get myself a Photoshop copy again... :x

instanovember

1 - I collected some pretty autumn leafs before they disappeared.
2 - Utrecht definitely is a good looking city.
3 - A little corner of my home, including the pretty pretty Stavanger poster I got for my birthday.
4 - I went to Stockholm and fell in love with Swedish packaging, once again. Maybe I should share some photos soon?

& more.