Trips down South and up North

Three weekends ago my biblestudy group (six guys, two girls), myself included, left home for a weekend to discover Maastricht and the Dutch Mountains :) (remember the highest one is 300 meters...) We invited ourselves into a christian studenthouse, where we baked pancakes, and eggs in the morning, listened to music, played games and got some sleep. Friday night we drank beers in town, Saturday afternoon, after a lazy morning, we walked through the colourfull (whahaha)hills. We also visited the Netherlands American Cemetry and Memorial in Margraten, which is there since WWII. At night we were invited at some party, and after another lazy morning we had a good look at Maastricht by day, followed by a service in a church at the end of the afternoon. More (caramel and cashewnut) pancakes, more dishes, more games and more sleep.

Most of us took the first train Monday morning early (5.22), because students get to travel here for free ór during the weekend ór during the week. After some dozy time I splitted from the rest of the group, by keeping on going to the North, towards Harlingen, to take the boat to the island of Terschelling, where my parents were renting a caravan for a week. The last two years we went to Texel, one of the other little Dutch islands, also full with dunes, some little towns, 'wad', beaches, forests and wind. Because I messed up some things with boat tickets etcetera, and because the boat trip took two (!) full hours, I finally touched the ground at 5 pm, where my dad rented a bike for me. Luvely; a good, long breakfast, bike and walk the whoooole nice and windy day, laugh, be quiet, think, not think at all, talk and be quiet again. And than the warmth of a little caravan, tea, a good meal, reading/studying, music and my parents presence. Thanks.

And last weekend we went to Baelen, in the eastern part of Belgium, with what should be about a quarter of C.S.R.; Moot2 (eight biblestudy groups together). It was about the same story as the weekend in Maastricht, with the only difference us being a bigger group.
Mhmmm, special Belgium beers, Old Amsterdam (the cheese), noisy games, a walk through the woods around a big quiet lake, four hours of sleep each night, a walk down + through the dam (one door wasn't locked), worship sessions accompanied by guitar, good jokes, even better conversations, a very warm welcome in a little church where the service was in German, fall colours, an outside-lecture ("because it is possible") and selfmade candles. Kortom, it was fabulous and completely brilliant, a weekend to remember, and more memories to cherish.


And how do I fill up the rest of my time? Well, next to my job at the hospital, I found another job at a little restaurant here in Delft. From now on, I can work both during the day ánd during the night, if I want to. Need to pay the bank. Need to pay my parents. Need to save some money. Want to buy new football shoes, my old ones are falling apart. Want to buy a camera so I can talk to you through pictures again. (There are pictures on the way about these three trips, I just need to get them from other people and/or the internet.)

And I'm still having friends, and footballteams, and family :) And all the things at C.S.R. And a sportscard. And books. And roommates. And a life. And a guitar. So, don't worry, I'm keeping on going, enjoying life and all things it is bringing!