Livin' the Dream

Another day of getting up and at 'em.  Hit the streets for a little grocery shopping.  I've been drinking quite a bit of milk since coming to the Netherlands (been eating more cereal) but I noticed that my tummy was unhappy with me about it.  So I switched to soy and I've had no problems at all.  I've heard that you can become lactose intolerant if you don't drink enough milk.  Maybe I did.  

After a rockin lunch of potatoes, green beans and a (tofu) cutlet, I headed back to the stores to do a little shopping for my mom.  I bought some Sinterklaas candy for her to share with her kids  Kids get a big piece of chocolate in the shape of the first letter of their name, so I got a big N (for the name of mom's school.)  There are also chocolate coins in a little plastic pig (for luck,) and chocolate figures of Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet (nowadays he's Santa's helper, but back in the day... well he didn't have the retirement plan he's got now.) I also got a little slinger that says "Welkom Sinterklaas" that she can hang in her room.  :-)  

I recently re-"read" my favorite book, American Gods (it was the audio version this time, thus the quotation marks.)  There's a part where Mr. Wednesday tells the main character, Shadow, that they need snow.  He tells Shadow to think of snow, and Shadow throws himself completely into the idea of thick, white, beautiful snow.  And it snows.  (Shadow knows, of course, that he couldn't possibly have caused it....)  

I did the same thing, I think, only with sun.  A few weeks ago I just begged the Universe for a super sunny autumn and winter, and I imagined Leiden bathed in rich sunlight.  I'm not completely convinced that I can control the weather with my mind, but I've gotten exactly what I wanted.  The soggy days of summer are gone, and the sun has come out again.  It still rains, but not as much as I had feared.  Viva el sol!

So, today was sunny, but cold, so I went to the Lipsius café to study some Coptic.  Newest Universal gift: Kareem (Iran.)  He was sitting at the table next to mine and smiled at me when I sat down.  We started talking.  He was an ambassador in America until the hostage crisis.  They gave him 24 hours to get out of the country!  I expressed my shock at this, and he insisted that it wasn't a problem, and told me how nice everyone was to him.  He's now living in Den Haag, working for the UN.  But he often comes to the university because the library has so many Persian texts.  He's working on a book about them!  Truly a fascinating man.  He gave me advice on which travel agencies to use when going to Egypt!  :-) 

I had considered switching to Bagels and Beans for my studying, but how can I give up all these wonderful conversations with such fascinating Middle Easterners?!

Grace was sick today, so I watched the Common Room for her.  Met a new Chinese student, and Lucas (Germany) stopped by.  He's looking for a new apartment too, so he might just get added to my list of possible roommates.  Really cool guy, that Lucas.  We agreed we need to hang out more.  I don't even know if he knows I speak German.  

There was another Constitutional drink tonight, so I met with Aiste and Cristina and went.  I was standing outside, waiting for the girls, and it was cold, and dark, but everything was well lit by street lights and cafés.  People walking by were laughing, people in cafés were talking animatedly.  I was wearing high heels, a nice skirt, my new turquoise coat.  My hair is long.  We walked into the party.  It was held at the restaurant in the City Hall.  It was urban chic, candle lit, low jazz music weaving in and out of the chatter of diners.  I walked in and caught a glimpse of myself in a darkened window.  "Good Lord," I realized, "I'm living the life I've always wanted to lead."  

It's true.  Every week I meet a UN worker from half the world away in a café.  I go to parties at fancy restaurants and meet Dutch and international organizations.  I am surrounded by people from all corners of the world, and all of them are students at an elite university, working hard and loving life.  Things aren't always perfect, but I'm living my dream, and didn't even realize it!

Alhamdulillah!