Restless in the Rain?

Dear oh dear readers,

What at rainy spring thus far eh! Yesterday the days officially got longer and the the clocks turned forward an hour. As I child I was always happy the moment this happened because it meant warmer days and light and joy. Life crawling out from under rocks and concrete and creatures returning to mate and give birth from the far south. I think my family must have loved it when us kids could finally spend more time outside instead of nagging them because we were bored with the cold and rainy weather. Because life in Norway was great when weather allowed us to run into the garden and play with our dogs or hike with our friends, to go horseback riding without frosty fingers or being wet to the bone by the harsh rain. Mind you, we did go out despite a stormy weather and almost every time we would end up with a fever or similar. As a kid my parents wanted us to keep active and I can not blame them since I grew up in a household with many many MANY siblings. With all of us under one roof we needed to keep occupied or else we would get bored I suppose and start poking each others eyes out. With a teacher as a mother there were to be no lazy children at home preferably. It is one of the things she did right I must admit, keeping us fit and engaged in the local sports and activities. It costed her a lot to make sure all the 5 children + 2 step children had hobbies and sports after school. I think it is a miracle that we got our homework done in time. Everyday except the weekends I had after-school activities up until the age of 12 and after that it was horseback riding and work that kept me busy.

So here I am at the lovely age of 28 years without the ability to watch the rain for a whole day without getting restless....Sitting around and not working nor moving my body gives me a bloody itch! I go from being the most reasonable person to acting like a a monkey trapped in a cadge! Ok maybe I exaggerate a bit, yet I must say sitting inside all day without work and just watching movies changes me into a rather annoying Viking. In hindsight I feel bad about it, yet I know this is a part of me I can not change much and that I think is what makes me who I am. Because it is not that I am so much trapped with my thought (though silence will force you to look into those) but down to the dreary fact that rain makes me freezing cold and sitting inside all day makes my body crave movement. My body knows the routines and has a hunger for work and movement and lets not forget the warm round thing that belongs in the sky in spring and summer. It ought to be there all the time, yet those clouds present a real challenge these days.

     Private photos: A Valley after the rain gave up

   Private photos: Buerbreen, Odda

Is it typical Norwegian to act like this? Am so used to rocky and tall surroundings and being outside that my body fights it when there is a day with nothing to do but to stare at a screen without much physical nor mental purpose to it? I sure know I am not normal, but who wants to be? All I know is I long for spring and summer to warm up my joints and lure me outside for a jog and a dance. To meet good friends at a terrace and to zip a dry white wine in exciting places. The urge to travel also grants me a sense of restlessness as I yet have to go for a trip this year. I am thinking to visit the UK in Summer and then hopefully eastern Europe a bit later. I would love to see Tallinn or maybe Riga and Prague because I always heard so much about those cities and they are not too far away.

Time will tell. I keep dreaming and so should you:)

x Viking

Women of the World

Dear lovely readers,

Many of you already know that I have been moving around since the age of 16. And although I often talk about differences in culture and such it is often from a general perspective rather than getting into specifics. People may wonder why and to be honest there is not a very clear answer to that. So I wish to mix it up a bit and tell you a bit about how I as a woman experience the countries I have been to and lived in. I also wish to give examples I have heard through female friends of mine or through the media just to show some nuances and not just my own view.

More than once I have seen and heard examples of situations abroad and from my own country where women experience their stay, work and social situations different from that of men. Why is that women can not climb to become great leaders of companies ? Or if they do then how come there are so few of us?

I can be rather flirty person, yet at work I do not feel the need to be made a sexual object more than men do. In fact at work I like to focus on my work to do it well and in order to grow. So why is it time after time I meet men at work that think trying to make me blush will make me loose focus? If anything I believe it just makes me more determined. Some of you know I have been to a few interviews lately and I can tell you that almost every man that interviewed me at some point pulled out the flirting card...was I amused?No. Maybe I am harsh now but really I want to be taken seriously at work, I want to grow and I certainly am not looking for a "quicky" in the copy-room! To my surprise I did have an interview with a rather neutral and critical guy recently that looked beyond my gender and how liberating it felt to be scrutinized for my education, work-experience and management skills rather than my "private skills". I mean it can of course be a kind of humor as well to flirt a little, yet men at work in an office do not show the same "need"" for humor in the work place when it comes to other men. In fact they are more dominant towards each other like hidden alphas trying to compete about the best prices, ideas, bonus etc. When you take away the distractions of flirting you get professionalism and a focus you may look long and hard for if you are flirting with the boss. The worst thing I see is women flirting back as well, it does make me wanna tell them "a more simple way to make a woman less successful does not exist". Even in commercials women are undressed like useless dolls and displayed whilst men are not unless it is a for a porn movie. The picture under from suit supply is and was being displayed in bus sheds all around the Netherlands which I think is sickening and useless. Men keep their uniforms, why can this not be more equal? 

                                                                   Copyright: Suit supply (2015 )

        Copyright: Dambcoolpictures.com (2012)

I am not saying that men are shit or all that sort of nonsense. What I am saying is that women experience for example the work-place different due to old traditions and the fact that women are viewed different at work then men to men. It is unfortunate and often the same in all the countries I have visited. Of course you have worse issues other places, like the rape of women that go out alone late at night in asian countries such as India. I recently read an article of a woman that decided to not become a victim of a rape back in India. When he assaulted her she grabbed his hair and dragged him to the police station. Women applauded her whilst many men scoffed at it. Her family said it would shed a negative light on her and were worried for her future. The man will probably get a sentence but not because he assaulted her, but because he was wasted and already known by the police.

When I lived back home in Norway I was never too scared to walk home at night alone no matter how late it was. Mind you there are rapists and other dangerous people in Norway as well yet it was much safer to walk home alone there than any other place I have ever been. Yet just like any other country cities are often different in the dark. As I was looking for apartments in the Netherlands I met landlords telling me the neighborhood was safe...for men.... "if I was a woman I would not walk home alone at night but take the bike or bus" is a standard phrase. It sounds very dramatic however over here it is quite a normality which makes me think something needs to change. 

If a woman is strong some men see it as a challenge which in the right context can be fantastic. Though I must say the context has not always been so great for me. Though I am strong on the outside some situations will even break this Viking woman. If only for a moment I also have my limits. One such moment was when a guy tried to rape me back home in Norway. I was 20 and very naive something that led me into a bad situation. It has defiantly made me stronger but also very skeptical to human kind. I was lucky to have picked up some martial arts and self-defence tricks, but for 30 minutes I had to fight this guy who almost killed me or worse. I have people who are really dear to me that got raped by friends and I saw what it did to them and in the end that was the only thing that went through my head. I did not want to become a victim in any way and I used my anger and self-defence and made sure I did not become statistics.  Now this is all very serious, but I think it is important for women everywhere to know that life as a woman is rather different in both good ways and bad, it is essential to be able to deal with certain situations. Of course I do not want a lot of very anxious ladies walking around but the truth is this: Because of our gender we have to watch out. Police will not always help you, they need proof and even when they have it the woman is often told she could have acted or dressed different. In my opinion even if this to be true, a man can also act different. No one told me these lessons, I had to learn it the hard way. In Norway I know women that have been raped and the assaulter goes free most times or has a max punishment of 6 months in jail. Financial crimes however might be punished by several years....what...the...ffffff?!!!

With that being said though women do have an advantage on the social side of things (this looks insignificant now I know...). Free entrance for night club, extra alcohol in the cocktails and oh yes leaving the IKEA dresser for the man to build...those are all great perks of being a women!! Oh and yes I know there are some die-hards that insist on doing the IKEA stuff themselves and all I can say to that is...good for you ;) This Viking do not mind being a typical woman when it comes to that hahaha.

In the Netherlands I have also had more than one uncomfortable moment with men when just going about my normal things. Especially in the beginning I struggled with how to deal with it because of the rape-attempt back home in Norway. Then there was also the different cultures to take into account. But why should culture be an excuse to act like a total ass to women?? I once cycled with a friend though an area of Utrecht which has house-boats filled with prostitutes (only women...go figure that...). In the Netherlands this is legal. Me and that friend of mine were just on our way to the countryside and I was wearing a boring t-shirt and jeans. As we passed these weird boats with women strolling up and down the bridge almost nude, cars started to follow me and the disgusting men in them started to whistle. That made the guy on the bike look at me in a new light, he realized for the first time that as a woman these kind of things happen and you just need to deal with them. It was nice that for the first time a guy could see with his own eyes that I do not encourage this behavior what so ever. Yet it is one of the situations we have to deal with just because of our gender and nothing else. In some cases it works to send them what I refer to as "the killer look". All men know their in trouble when they see this look, unless they are mental of course... In some cases that does not even work and then it might be better to ignore it or in extreme cases call the police. For some cultures I ask them what their family name or their mother's name is. If they ask me why I tell them I just wonder if they know that their son is behaving like this to another woman. Yet that is not always safe to do so, but if it is already going south anyhow what the heck, you might as well scare em a little! Reputation is everything in some cultures.

  Copyright: Pixshark (2015)

In my mind (at least) women of the world have a lot of strange challenges to get past as they go to work, move to other countries and in social settings. Yet we also have advantages which are things like. Finding a place to live is easier due to traditional views (the men think we are tidy and organized in most cases and so does the women!). Forget carrying your own suitcase to the bus...a strong man will pick it up whilst the scrawny guy with his big rug-sack will have to sweat his ass off before throwing it into the bus! (Mohahahahah!)

Yes flirting or playing the maiden in dreary need can be fun and prove effective in such situations indeed. I think women in general though need to be aware when to enjoy this in social situations and not bring it with them to work for example. It can cause a work-culture where the men end up successful and women are nothing more then the side-kick. We are not dolls and I wish equality without having to cover up (not that this helps anyhow). And I want more education about different cultures and that we will stop stupid traditions that makes women less then they are. 

So, there you have it. One very serious post for the end of the weekend. Ponder away dear readers, ponder away.

X Viking

Job interviews and useful tips

Hello dear readers,

As many already know I am a Norwegian lass living in Amsterdam. A few weeks ago my work contract ended and it was time to look at other options in the work-market. At the moment I am therefore attending a few job-interviews as a result of that. 

Naturally I am not the only person looking for a job in a country with around 17 million people so I am not naive. I know that there is plenty of competition out there and I had to learn the hard way that some people who like to refer to themselves as friends are really nothing more than competition. If you are looking for a job in a country with a lot of people be careful not to give too much away to those around you. I have watched friends that I had through years and years ¨dagger¨ me in the back when it came down a job they also wanted. What else can a girl say then good luck and may the best person win? I for my part will give you a good run for your money. I did not have a though life to become a softy. At least the rough upbringing was good for something and for that I am ever so grateful. 

So the first advice I give anyone applying for jobs abroad is this: Toughen up and expect the unexpected yet do not become someone you are not. Use your strengths and lessons learned on the road to success. And please remember that friends are only friends outside the office. People who never meet you outside it, well they are simply just office co-workers and they do not know you or care further than the payslip. I am sorry if I made some bubbles burst but then I guess it was about time...

Writing an application letter can differ from country to country and it also depends on the sector you want to enter. I have 3 -4 main types of letters when I apply in the Netherlands based on the sector in which I wish to apply. Management, customer service, animal & the letters that go under the gloomy ¨others¨ category.

I tend to focus on the first 3 since that is where I am specialized and these letters are all rather different. Of course each individual letter should be different. But it is good to have a kind of ¨guideline¨ letter for each sector in which you wish to apply, especially if Dutch is not your mother tongue.  

When you get to the interview it is important to have the application letter freshly in mind and the position you applied for. Why? Because otherwise you will come across as less motivated and frankly as a waste of time. Imagine if you can not confirm something you wrote in the letter?! Or worse...what if you forgot what the position was?! You should know what you are doing and what your main strength and weaknesses are. Your motivation for applying should be clear and rolling off your tongue even if nervous. I tend to be fine with interviews, but of course I also get nervous sometimes. However, if I prepare myself the day before by reading through all necessary information I will have everything fresh in mind so even when nervous I will not forget my name ;) hehehehe

If I am to be serious, the main difference between a Norwegian and Dutch job interview is that the Dutch are far more critical. (prepare for a ¨grilling¨ of around 1 hour....if you are lucky!) In Norwegian interviews they focus on what kind of person you are and if you have some work experience (again this will depend on the job in question). I once had an employer in Norway ask about my hobbies and nothing else! He asked me about the Japanese mice I kept and I remember thinking...what....the...f..... yet I smiled and kept the conversation going and landed myself a job despite the non-logic of the questions applied. In some cases you might have to steer the interviewer in the right direction in order to give the information you need to hand over and to ask the questions you want the answer to.

In the Netherlands the interviewer likes to keep control, yet do not be a mute. Then they will forget you and that is not the intent of course. What I tend to do is that I listen to the introduction of the company, I like to let them show me around and hear what their experience is of the company. If small questions pop up in my head along the way I note them and remember them for later. Remember that an interviewer might sometimes also get nervous so if you notice that it might be nice to give a positive comment on something you read about the company and ask about it. ¨I read that your company had a charity event this Christmas, what a nice gesture! Do all employees participate? ¨ or  "I read about the training programs for leaders, it looks really interesting. I was wondering if anyone could participate?¨

By complimenting and then asking questions you are making it easier for the other person to feel at ease AND you show a sincere interest in the company. You also get valuable feedback about the company that will help you make a decision whether or not you will have to negotiate later on about your own development in the company. Often 1 question will encourage the interviewer to answer and then give more information than he or she would originally give. Just make sure you do not interrupt the interviewer if they are in a flow, wait until they are done with their briefing.   

         Copyright © 2014 Quotezine. Inspiration. Motivation. Quotes. http://sumo.ly/23Zo via @quotezine

When it is time you ask the questions you have written down the day before or noted during the interview if they have not already been answered.  Here in the Netherlands I tend to always ask about salary and traveling costs in the very end of the interview if it was not already specified on the work-add. Many people might think this is really forward, but for me it is important to know what I am going to earn when working for a company. You see in the Netherlands having a job does not mean your pay will cover all your living-costs (even if it is a 40 hour a week job). For you to get by and successfully grow as a person and professional it is important to know what to expect not only on the work floor but also financially. If I wish to grow into a better position I would ask for a success story in the company of an employee with a similar situation to that of mine that became a leader or manager for example. 

These are just small tips based on my own experience. My strength is that I tend to do really well in interviews if I get one. I know how they go and I have had many and almost every time I get hired so the best thing is to relax and be yourself but be aware what you are doing there, who you are talking to and what you want out of it.

With that being said I hope this was useful for you expats or anyone for that matter. I wish I had more insight about job applications in the Netherlands when I came here (but back then of course IIII knew everything so much better so I did not think I needed help;) In some small way I hope this information will help those of you looking for new opportunities.

x Annie

Dreams of a trotter

Dear readers,

It has happened again. Lady spring has taken a hold of my mind and body. You know that feeling of jitters when you just itch to get stuff done right? Well maybe it is just me, but I doubt it. Anyhow, it feels like electricity just moving through the body and you move faster and then the odd feeling pops up that you are becoming very effective just all of the sudden. Despite a rather rainy spring the first rays of sunshine still make me wake up from the long winter sleep. 

       My private pictures from a park near my place.

Yesterday I was looking at hotels and flights to the UK. Today I am dreaming of the beaches in the south-west of France. I should really pick up a French language course again. The French language is in my opinion one of the most beautiful languages in the world. Spanish is also fascinating and one day I want to learn that as well, but next language I will learn WILL be French.  Then I will go to France and read a French newspaper at a typically French  cafe while nibbling at a French dessert and sipping my cappuccino. Yes this silly Viking is dreaming away the rain and replacing it with Frenchness hahaha. For many years I dared to do very few things for myself but what I did do was dream. I dreamt big dreams and small dreams and they gently took me on their wings into a better world. Shaped ambitions and broke down the inner critic if not for long then at least long enough to bring about changes in my life. So these moments in Amsterdam, Utrecht or Leiden were I can enjoy a nice coffee with a Dutch newspaper and a typically Dutch biscuit on a sunny day with good company feels like living one. So then the next lovely dreams pops up together with the warm winds as I go for a jog or wake up in the morning rays of the sun. It can be horseback riding on a beach in a distant country, it can be the visit of an old friend and indeed jumping on a plane to somewhere I always wanted to go.

Private photo from the park near my place. 

More then once people told me, you should just do it Annie. And oh I would, but things need to fall into place. I yet need to realize my ambition, you know the one were I invent or discover something awesome or start my own business and it becomes a success! ;) One day I will get there and when I do this Viking will become a globe trotter so just beware. I have a whole list of places I would like to go, but until I get where I want to be I will just plan journeys to countries near me. 

No matter how bad your day is, if you take the time to just visualize something that would take you away from all that I promise you that you will feel better. Dreaming a bit is healthy, it creates positive thinking and when needed also hope. Rome was not built in a day, brick by brick you know you will get there in the end.

xx the Viking

Places and people

Dear lovely people,

As many of you may already know I am a 28 year young(!) lady living in Amsterdam. For the last 4 years i have been staying in the Netherlands and would like to assign it the name "home". A restless person is a mild description of my urge to do more, see more and be more. Often people ask me why I do not go back to Norway. In fact that is the most frequently asked questions (should I be offended??). Well most people just can not understand why I would leave such a beautiful and prosperous country and indeed the point is taken. Why would I leave? Norway the land of diplomacy and prosperity and endless natural resources ? Space enough to walk miles and miles without seeing a single person....why why why Annie?! Well I am from the global generation which grew up in a small-town between the towering mountains of Odda. These kind of towns (or cities as us Vikings call it...) have not got many options when it comes to employment or broad connections to the world outside. Isolated I am nothing more than a dull version of myself with dreams that will not stretch beyond those mountains. Another aspect is that I need the warmth of people, good conversations and us Norwegians are not exactly known for this (although I am not saying all Vikings have an allergy for hugging!) I need to be stimulated, I need science, I need what the Dutch call "prikkels voor ontwikkeling!" Probably one of the reasons why I never really felt like I belonged in Odda. Often I wondered if I was adopted because I felt like such a misfit. Everyone else seemed pretty ok with this life between the mountains at the end of this amazing blue fjord. Yet I felt nothing more than that angst of not getting out in the world and making a difference. My greatest fear for many years was staying there. It pushed me out into the world and across the sea. I knew it was the right thing for me and I am glad that my siblings, Dad and grandparents always supported me in this. I think they could see that Annie needed a lot more adventures. So in that sense they know me.

                                                          "Odda" : Storysavers (2012)

Weekends in Odda is usually family time or used for mountain hiking or maybe even a road-trip to the closest big city or shopping mall (which can take up to 3 hours if not more). None of these things are wrong, yet after living in the UK I got used to variation in amongst other things weekend activities and that everything is close by. Sundays in London means hipster markets, cafe-hopping with friends, wine tasting, maybe dance-lessons, work-out or a language course, (more likely...) hang over day or traveling to friends near to coast, going to the beach or the cinema. In Amsterdam pretty much the same applies. In Odda there is also a cinema where (if lucky) the premier of a movie is shown 1-2weeks after it has been shown in the big cities (sometimes it can even take 1 month....lucky us). I think it is clear to those who know me that I am just too restless for the small-town life right now. With that being said, I do enjoy the small-town vibe as well (just for a shorter term...). So I am more than happy to go on holidays to Norway and visit my hometown once in a while. One day I plan to get a little cottage back home where I can visit when I need to ground myself somewhat again. For now though the 1 local bar back home as well as the mountains are safe....;) 

                                                   "London": Huffington Post (2015)

Too many dreams and too much left to see! Despite that Norway and it's people DOES have a special place in my heart. I make fun of it sometimes, but it is special to me. Everywhere I go and everywhere I live will always get compared to Norway, to my village and to my family. It is because I grew up there. That is were my roots are and so I feel the need to stay connected. However I am also in that place where I do not feel like making more roots there. My homeland will always be there should something go wrong. That country is like an arm stretching out across boarders, safe and ensuring in a rather twisted way I suppose. My best friend lives there, and I know should something happen she has my back just like I will always have hers. Friendship is a strange thing, it can look so insignificant and yet it can make boarders move and create so unimaginable great stories. 

                                           "Amsterdam":Awesomestories.com (2015)

So my answer to your question is that it all comes down to places and people. It is the first things we look at when settling in. Everything else is just circling around it, such as opportunities , adventures, jobs, hobbies.... 

Enjoy your Monday x Viking

What inspires us?

Dear readers,

Yesterday I had a short conversation with one of my linkedin contacts. He works for a well known organization that investigates and prosecute illegal wildlife trade. At the moment he is in the ivory tombs of Tanzania and though I know that is a darn hard ass job to do I admire it. There are many things in this life I wish to do, and one of them is to work with something that matters. To affect the lives of people and/or animals in the big picture is something I deeply  admire in people. 

When I was little I remember the adults asked me what I would like to be when I grew up. Of course a part of me wanted to be a Rockstar just like the next smalltowngirl .... but deep down it was always things like, a vet, a behaviorist, someone that helps youth and animals, a scientist, a wildlife- journalist and film producer for a nature or animal show...not because it would help me but because those latter were all types of work I admire. When someone saves lives or make it their work to ensure that for example people's  life gets better it inspires me. When people speak the truth to make you better because they believe in you ...it inspires me. 

On the other hand it also inspires me if someone can hold their tongue for the greater good of something despite that they would really really REALLY like to tell the truth. You might say that is not an admirable trait but for me that as well shows a lot of self-control for someone that believes that the truth should always be spoken. 

The point is not so much my story above about what inspires me, it is that inspiration is individual and the decisions we make about how we proceed ...well they are all made in the context of contributing factors. Factors such as: morals, our view on the bigger picture, who we want to be or become in that picture and who we want to protect and help. Maybe it is a heavy post for a Saturday morning. I guess my Norwegian friends would say ¨just go back to bed Annie!¨ or ¨At least come and drink a cup of coffee before you start¨. Yet they know, I was always a bit different hehehe. I can always appreciate a good cup of cappuccino in the early rays of the Saturday-sun just like the next person. The difference is maybe that I also find it nice to drink it next to writing or while working on my next project. 

                                                                                   Copyright: Uswitch.com (2015)

I have friends that get inspired by money, I have friends that get inspired by green peace, I know people that get inspired by their family and friends and I know a lot people that let themselves get inspired by the day. Some get inspired by all of the above even ;) We are all different and I like that. Every person has a story and admiration for someone or let themselves get inspired by something. For me it tickles the curiosity if someone is different from me. It has the potential to teach me something new, something I did not know yet but also the potential to get to know someone better. 

What inspires you on a Saturday morning?

x the Viking

Amsterdam West

Dear Readers,

By now most of you know that I am a Norwegian ¨Viking¨ currently living i the west of Amsterdam, near the Lelylaan station. It is 10min with the tram to Kinkerstraat. Not my favourite city, however sometimes you gotta move to places for the greater good of your career. Besides it is very close to Schiphol in case I need to get away for a bit ;)

Anyway, that is not what I wanted to write about. On Wednesday my wonderfully creative friend Marlies and I decided to meet up in Kinkerstraat to get some shopping done. Marlies and I went to de Hallen and the market outside. This is what some call a hipster area in development. I have several friends and old colleagues in this area so I already know it a bit. Yet it was the first time I went to ¨De Hallen¨ while it was open and filled with the most beautiful pastries, cakes, bio-food and that sort of things. People there dressed up in the type of clothes I tend to dream about and drool over…. when I have managed to get where I want career wise I can drool on my own clothes at the very least :P I must say though, the reason why I like this place is because you do not have just one type of people here but many different ones and let us not forget all the different cultures. Rich and poor, east and west they all meet in a nice little melting pot.  

So we drank coffee and ate our guilty pleasures in De Hallen. After shopping on the market Marlies had managed to convince me to buy the delicious almond biscuits I so badly did not need after my first run in ages hahaha, however they were freshly baked and my coffee needed something to make it look pretty! I forgot to make a picture of it of course. I like the vibe there in the west. It was not too busy that time of day either as we came in the end of the day. The weather was nice, spring was ¨dancing¨ in the streets there and after our final stroll it was only a must to find a terrace and another cup of coffee as the last rays of sunshine had their last ¨beam party¨ on our faces.

                                  Private photo.

People are relaxed in spring, so am I. It is the season of new chapters and possibilities and life. Rebirth is the very essence of Spring. So we sat there talking and watching people and the awesome and old architecture next to Bar Brouw were we had our 2nd coffee of the day. I like these kind of moments, where you can laugh out loud and spend time with nice people in a part of the world where I never would have expected to land in around 5-6 years ago. Yet here I am and half of the time I do not know where I will be the next month. It remains unpredictable my life, at least it never gets boring.

I would miss the Netherlands if I left. I know this by now, because this country has yet again charmed me with the song of the spring’s returning guests from the south singing as their wings carry them back. Yet again the rays of sun hitting old brick streets and my pale reflection has convinced me that life is good here in the Netherlands (with some help of course).

So dear readers, I am off to soak in the sun and enjoy it while it is there.

x Annie

My Personal favorites of the Netherlands

Dear Readers,

As you may know by now I love to observe people and my surroundings, I like to travel and I am a somewhat restless Viking. The people that really know me well will already know what type of places I tend to fall utterly in love with. It is the historical or really new and vibrant places and of course  it needs to have some kind of cozy atmosphere or charm to it and if it is too busy I guess it is not really my cup of tea. Nature nearby? Hells to the yes! If I can have a bit of both worlds that is afreakingmazing!

So lets go through my favourite places in the Netherlands, one by one in a countdown order:

6.Amsterdam, it has something which I like to revisit and you are never bored if you ever go. It has historical buildings and a certain feel of openness and opportunity about it. It is very international with a lot of tourists and the tourist part is also why it comes as nr 6 on my list  if I am honest. Do not get me wrong, I like tourism but it is really too much in the small brick streets of Amsterdam. The almost constant scent of marijuana is overwhelming and almost everywhere as you stroll from Leidseplein through the streets that cross the bridges that rest over the old ¨grachten¨ also know as the canals of Amsterdam. Yes there is charm here, yet the feel that you have to hunt for it somehow makes it slightly less attractive for me to live here (and this is where I live at this moment! hahaha). With that being said there are places in the Amsterdam area which I could live for sure , like Haarlem, Jordaan, certain places in Amsterdam-West (kinkerstraat etc.) and in the Southern parts where you have some nice parks nearby. Yes you have some really nice places here where you can get awesome food, fashion and lets not forget the coffee however, my taste is maybe somewhat singular when it comes to where I see myself settling?

5. Amersfoort has a lot of nature and people there are a mix of normal commoners, some crazy ones and the rich ¨brigade¨. I like Amersfoort, it is small and has a lot of fresh air and it is not too busy. People there are focused on other people I would say, extremely friendly, yet you have the good parts and the bad. For my part I quite like it and I could live there, yet it is far away from almost everything except Utrecht and the train service tends to be compromised (trains are almost always late due to the location of the station which is affected by work on the tracks). Yet I think Amersfoort has everything it needs to keep charming and fresh except a nightlife. Sure you have the small bars here and there , yet it is more an outdoorsy kind of city, where people work, walk their dogs, bike and hike and jog and meet up for ¨gezelligheid¨ (dutch for coziness). The old city centre is beautiful and peaceful with a rustic touch to it. I could recommend it for Norwegians that are used to the countryside and a less busy lifestyle like myself.

4. Maastricht is definitely a place which I fell in love with, all of it! It is rich in history and usually I go there once or twice a year. The christmas market here warms you up whilst the cold air blows the cheeks all rosy like you had a glass of wine or something. The brick roads and nice hostels is just a teaser. The views you encounter, the amazing coffee, old churches (especially the one made into a bookshop!) and the people make you want to revisit again and again. It is close to Germany and Belgium amongst other things and still not very international I would say. At least not compared to the other cities I am used to. You can sense the traditional way of thinking there, the observant people in the background watching you and maybe wondering which country you are from (just like my hometown!). Vegetarian restaurants are also present, I went to a good one there yet forgot to write down the name! (silly Viking!) I would not hesitate to move there even for a second if I got a nice job offer in that area….. oooook maybe a little (since almost all my friends and lovely people in my life is further North in the country). So lets say I would love to live there if conditions were right and I could pack all my friends in a suitcase and bring them with….;) Sitting there on a terrace with a dry white in good company and then stroll down the streets with some jazzy background music with my camera in one hand would be lovely. (ok I am getting carried away here so let’s move to the next city…)

3. Utrecht has ancient history and buildings dating back to the middle ages. It is an old and fast-growing city in the middle of the Netherlands. It has the largest station as well and it is a busy one. The city was the most important one up until the Dutch golden age which is when Amsterdam took over that title.  I have lived in Utrecht and I was good with that, I call it the city of smart-ass people because most of the population stayed after they finished their university study there (of course not everyone but a fair share of the population has higher education ¨op zak¨). People there care a lot about keeping fit, if you live there you will notice a lot of joggers, gyms and people biking (but the biking is generally everywhere in the NL). Girls cycling to their hockey practice with their stick in one hand while talking to their friends. Oh lets not forget the football and rowing clubs that you see a lot as well. The impressive Dom-tower which is the remains of a big church that got bombed in the 2nd world war. Some of the old architecture still bears the scars of that war. The people who live here remember and pay tributes to the fallen ones every year and once that is done they have a peace celebration which I quite enjoy. Utrecht actually has a lot of different festivals, one being the ¨Gouden Kalf¨ film festival (http://www.filmfestival.nl/publiek/over-nff/filmprijzen/gouden-kalf/) which is a rather  big event here. Utrecht is fast paced yet not as  impatient as Amsterdam. It has everything you need to settle and will charm you to stay and to be inspired. It felt safe most times yet you have some troubled teens there that take a little away from the charm by harassing local women at best. People can be brutally honest there but then again you learn to like it after a few years. You have a mix of many different cultures there and good restaurants and places to eat. Blauw is a restaurant that makes the most delicious indonesian food ( a bit pricy but worth it). Service there is very good and personal as well. A lot of old intimate streets that take you back to the old canal (Oudegracht) which is situated in the old centre and runs to the edges of what is referred to as the ¨binnenstad¨ (the fortified city). If you ever decided to come to Utrecht one day I could show you all the nice places (anything from the old architecture to the shopping street). Of course the 4th largest city of the Netherlands has areas with a lot of green as well. On the very edges of it as well as along the old moat that fortified Utrecht in the past. I walked there more than once with my dog Darwin and it is a view for sore eyes. I would recommend it to anyone.

2. Rotterdam used to be my favourite city to visit. Yet it now comes into second place because I am not sure if it is a city I would like to settle in in the long term. This town is my treasure chest. I open it time after time, just to find a new jewel of moments, food, architecture and places to see. As I said in an earlier post, it has the largest port in not only the Netherland but in Europe which from the Euromast is one astonishing view and experience. People here are very proud and hard working. Very international yet not packed with tourists (just how I like it baby!). Kindly feeding me with new impressions on a sunny day, this city has carved its way into my mind and tickles my imagination every time I go. The station is modern and new, made of steel and glass reflecting the at first glance cold and professional people. There I see myself in them, rough and strong on the outside yet warm and vulnerable on the inside. This is the ultimate trade city, where dreams , entrepreneurship and new thinking gave birth to one heck of a place.  

1.Leiden is a city I have visited many times the last few months and I must say it keeps growing on me. People here are fairly outspoken and likes to be grounded it seems. A lot of old architecture, history and markets to be found here. Charming in the sun and mysterious in the pouring rain that follows the mist. Like any city with a university you will encounter more than one intellectual person and conversation in the friendly cafes with great coffees. On Saturdays there is a huge market which stretches through the old streets next to the canal. When the first rays of spring light hits the city it creates this amazing light that is just makes you appreciate it even more. You are in a big city yet it feels small, friendly and safe. I notice that people seem to relax more here and smile big smiles which just makes it (if even possible..) more of an experience all together. It is close to cities such as den Hague, Rotterdam and Zoetermeer. Trains go regularly and it is 20 min train ride from Schiphol airport. There are some really old houses here and it has some areas where you will find old farm houses and meet beardy biologists fishing for life in the ditches next to the fields where sheep feast on their green dinner. The first time I visited Leiden I felt the same way about it , I loved it because it has everything I would need to feel at home. It is not too busy, it is cosy, has a lot of history as well, small-town feel about it, yet has work-possibilities, green spaces, friendly people, etc. At this moment in time it is a definite favourite of mine. In fact I will take a stroll in it today and let the sunrays dance on my hair while I soak up some much needed D-vitamins.

Copyright AmsterdamTrips (2015) : Leiden

Despite having certain favourites, I am always curious to find a new place that stimulates me to just want to learn more about it. Where that is and with whom depends on what the future holds. I leave that page open to be filled when the timing is right and for when I feel like painting a new story from within.

What is your favorite place in the country where you are staying and why?

I am curious!

X Viking

Starting new chapters

Dear readers,

As many of you may know this ¨viking¨ has moved around since the age of 16. Within Norway alone I have moved more than 10 times since then. Outside the borders of the ¨motherland¨ I have danced my way from house to house no less than 5 times and yes I am still counting. And when I say danced I meant no dance on roses, with good help I managed to do it with a smile.

First time I moved my mother sort of helped me, she could of course not get me out the door fast enough. I remember the relief of finally being on my own and the long drive in the car. The car stunk of nicotine, in fact everything did and being a non-smoker was not in my favor just then. Yet I knew it would be over soon, so I waited out her singing and smoking and her rude way of talking to me. While the car drove us through the valleys up into the mountains I would doze off or at least try. I tried to picture my future, but all I remember vaguely dreaming about was bad memories of things I wished to forget. So I would open them occasionally to let my gaze drift off and be caught by a mesmerizing waterfall, a river or the moss climbing up the mountainside. The best art there is in my opinion. It was blending with such beauty with everything, its presence was kind of common sense yet no one really noticed how important it was to the ecosystems around yet the beauty of the landscape would take everyone's breath away in a heartbeat. I think the best thing my mother did was to let me go, we were never good for each other and despite feeling bad about how things went with us, I know now it was for the better that we parted. When the bad memories stopped haunting me I could start living, dreaming and let go of the past and start thinking of the future.

One day I might decide to revisit certain moments in my life, but for now the bad stuff has been packed away like old boxes in the attic. It has been sorted in alphabetical order in my own library not to be forgotten but to make room for my future. I now dream of making nice memories through work, friends and through special moments and people that I meet on the way. I see myself smiling now, looking for the nice feel in life. I do not even recognize the sad kid in my distant memory. If I could go back in time, I would show her all the good stuff she would experience and tell her she was strong and beautiful and could be witty even. I would hug her and tell her she was loved. I would tell her that one day she would have friends that called her miss sunshine and that her strength would help others as she got older. I would take her shopping so she could let all the black clothes go where she hid under so she could get to see herself in a much better light.

Moving in Norway is easy since I have people in my family that are willing to help me. My gracious granddad has helped me more than once to move and I can tell you he is the one person I feel 100% comfortable with  in a car for that many hours! (Norway is a BIG country). I remember moving to a place for work and I had to move and it was in the middle of the country and again in the mountains and the drive took hours and hours. Though my granddad does not look his age at all, he is not exactly 20 anymore, yet he still helps me if I need him. Growing up he was my hero and he keeps being my hero despite me being a grown up woman and him being far far away.

Anyway, the difference moving around abroad is of course that my family can not help me. So I painstakingly rely on friends or the moving companies (which is expensive). Maybe this sounds like an easy task...to ask friends for help, well let me tell you it is difficult for ¨miss I can do it myself¨. As a very proud, painstakingly independent and in some ways closed person I find it very difficult to ask for help. Though it is getting better as I get older, it still feels wrong to ask for this. I feel guilty asking people to help solve my own problem. Is it a Norwegian thing? Not sure, but I know this has held me back more than once. I am glad I have friends now that tell me directly ¨Annie just ask already!¨. I find it peculiar that I am like this at the age of 28. Luckily those who know me well knows my difficulty with asking. Saying yes or no for me is not a problem anymore, but when I have to say those 3 magic words (please help me...) I struggle and not just a little. (I will really try any other option there is out there or postpone asking as long as possible).

I know what your must be thinking if you are Dutch...wtf or maybe silly viking ;) I know ...i know...

                              My own picture, Amsterdam (Prinsengracht)

Another difference when moving in for example the Netherlands compared to Norway is the space you get for the money. (OMG!) After living well and comfortable in a 50 squarefreakingmeter of a rental apartment in the countryside of Norway for years for less than 500 euro....I must say it just a ¨wee" bit disappointing to downgrade to a room for all my stuff for the same price. I am sharing the current place with 4 other people, luckily I have my own room though ( I can not believe I just said that!) My last place in the Netherlands was nicer in terms of the apartment, but the landlord was very weird so it was time to get moving. Yet who knows, swapping the nice park outside my window with a busy road and a school might have it's perks? I am already getting used to the sounds of traffic and airplanes and it is close to everything I would like to be close to for now. I swapped comfort for practicality , that is one way of looking at it I suppose.  Besides, there is a park nearby I could go jogging there when my moaning kidneys are ready for that sort of thing. My flatmates are chill, they do not bother me with any drama so when I get home I can focus on things I need to focus on. I love that. My flatmates are 2 females and 2 men. A Scottish lass, a Bulgarian lady, then an Indonesian-Dutch man which is the oldest of us and the landlord which is half Indian and half Surinamese. They are nice, I think only one of the flatmates are a bit strange, but nothing I can not handle (yet).

When I first moved to the Netherlands I remember dad helping to ship my things, the dad of my ex helped me pick up the stuff in Amsterdam. My dad is so humble with these kind of things, I never know how to thank him. I had a lot of stuff already then, yet not overwhelming as it was this last move to Amsterdam. Last year when I moved out, my friend Esther helped me to move to Amstelveen. She is this awesome lovely lady I met while working in a shelter here in the Netherlands in 2011. A warm and friendly person I would be lost without. After the move I see her too little, but she is one busy lady as am I so we just have to make every-time we meet quality time. I think she is secretly related to superman or superwoman, but of that I have no proof ;) (yet)

In the Netherlands it is important to change address really quickly, if you do not the wrong people will get your mail and there will be complications. You can change it online via the county council you are moving to. Something I learned this year hahahah, I also learned that the xxx is not a code for 3 kisses but the symbol for Amsterdam (yeah I know….it does not makes sense!). It helps having Norwegian friends that have lived here for years, they know a lot and so does the other expats that I know by now.

                             My own foto, Leidscheplein

I remember moving in England as well, first times we were just putting things in storage over summer together with my friend Anthea. After summer we moved all the stuff to a new campus hall. When I moved from the UK back to Norway again my friend Cathrine and I filled up her car with our stuff and hit the roads. I remember it was a fun yet somewhat stressful trip (we almost missed the ferry when we got lost on the roads along the English east-coast). Maybe we should call it an adventure because that is what it was. We had such a laugh on our way back. We drove through Sweden before we arrived where we needed to be, it took us around 24 hours to reach Lørenskog (eastern Norway). We met some straaange (and I mean really strange!) people on that ferry. But in a funny way, I think Cathrine and I never laughed as much in our lives. Stepping onto the deck drawing inn the salty sea-air made me think about what was waiting for me ahead, the stress let go and I was ready for a new chapter.

The last few weeks have been super-though after the move,yet I am happy because I have people around me that are nice and caring beyond a fair description. I have made some really good friends here in the Netherlands and I plan to keep them. I think I have like 6 really good ones were I can say that they have really been there for me. Someone once told me it must be difficult to move to a new country, and I would lie if I told you it was easy, yet having these good friends has been key to feeling like I was not all alone. My frustrations could be shared, my burdens as well and after that comes smiles and serenity. Dutch people will not just stand and watch their friends stress, they will ask you what's up and offer a solution or a shoulder to cry on at the very least. I love that about the Dutch, I really wish I was more like that at times. We ¨mountain folk¨ are hard on the outside and try not to show our soft vulnerable inside, yet I wish I dared to do so more at times.

So I believe I have shared enough for today.

Have a nice weekend.

X the Viking

How to get around in Norway , England and the Netherlands!

Dear readers,

It is time for a new post. I was thinking more in directions of how to get around in the different countries this time.

For example, what are the differences between Norway,England and the Netherlands when it comes to the public transport? What is the best way to get from A to B? Are there green options such as trains, el-busses and trams?

It may seem like a boring subject to the odd eye and to those who do not travel that much or always use cars wherever they go.

I once met 2 polish backpackers that had to catch a train in Bergen, I met them in my hometown (3 hours south of Bergen) and the only bus going that day was going on request IF there was enough people requesting it the day before! Biking was not an option because they were already late and this was the last train going that day, which they needed to get to the airport so they could catch their plane. Can you imagine their disappointment when I told them that the bus was not going because no one had requested it the day before? ! Poor souls, I think they needed to order a new flight. As they were running to the very empty and non-staffed bus-station I could not help but to think about how much easier this would have been in the Netherlands or the Uk.

Since Norway is a rather big country with less public transport possibilities then it should be in one of the richest countries in the world the best option is probably to hire a rental car at the airport and take it from there.

In the Netherlands where I live at this moment you can get anywhere with a bike because there are bike-lanes in even the most unthinkable places and it is easy to  check the routes on google. In Norway there are few if any bike-lanes (yes even in the cities where it should be!). In England or at least in London as far as I heard and seen myself the bike-route options are also not the best. The roads in England in general are in horrible conditions so it would actually be good to use public transport despite the many delays there and poor notifications and updates. I would recommend bus-services over there or trains if they are going (in weekends the train-services are almost always limited, you can check the sites of national rail to get more information (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/).

In the Netherlands the locals complain a lot about the train service, yet to be honest I can compare it to both Norway and the UK where the situation is somewhat different (not brilliant!) and say the NS (www.ns.nl) is not that bad at all. They are quick with notifying their customers, they even have their own app! It is also easy to look for other travel options via www.9292.nl

Using the metro is also possible and you can check which routes go on the 9292 website as well.

In Norway we have the NSB ( https://www.nsb.no/en/ ) if you need or want to take the train to some of the cities where there there are actually train tracks…. (yes we are cavemen when it comes to public transport and I have no clue why so lets blame the mountains!)

Copyrights: extremetravel (2015)

To sum it up, the Dutch have more than enough alternatives and green ways of getting around the city or getting from A to B and they always work on making that better. To ride a car in the Netherlands is almost absurd because the road taxes are sky high and the rush hours are endlessly long and really bad for the environment so the best option are often train or bike though you might want to join someone with bike-experience when you go to Amsterdam (the “dammers” are utterly bonkers on their bike!). You can rent a bike or buy a cheap one for in a second hand shop (depends how long you stay of course!) http://www.rentabike.nl/.  In Norway best options is definetly car though between the bigger cities you could go by train or bus (http://www.nor-way.no/) just be sure to check if you need to reserve a bus by calling their customer service and plan ahead!

Of course the topography and mere size of the country as well as the population will reflect on the public transport quality and offers. Yet there should be more offers in certain countries where money is not an issue and we still have nature. I really think Norway as well as the UK can learn a lot from the Dutch when it comes to green energy, public transport etc.