Lovely Morning;

It's a beautiful morning in Amsterdam. It's bright, surprisingly sunny and fresh, almost as if you get up and the canals are whispering mist that makes all this worth it. I love this city. I know some people who don't, and to be honest, it is not the easiest to move to. Amsterdam has its reputation, of course, but when you live here and deal with it's odd day-to-day you realize that the reputation is false. Sure, the tourists are placated with pot and hookers, but living here is different. It's difficult, annoying, claustrophobic, rainy and filled with needless and sometimes never ending paperwork. Yet, it is quiet, clean, boring, friendly and gorgeous. It is the most inspiring city in Europe - in my opinion - and I am surely going to miss it when I head to London. A morning likes this engenders reflection. it's that nice. The window is open, the birds are hanging out, it's all just that relaxing. I love it here. I do. Too bad life, financial security and my future lies in London. I do like London. I like it a lot. But nothing is Amsterdam. It's just gezellig here (that means cozy).

The flatmates are in Bratislava and I'm heading back to London this afternoon. I'm off to High Wycombe tomorrow night to meet friends and then flying to Reykjavik on Monday morning. I can't believe this year has flown by so quickly. I remember arriving in Iceland last year - starry eyed, confused, exhilirated - and this year is the same. Except now I know people and my way around.

Other than that, all is, well much of the same really. I have a lot of work to do, but it's slowly working itself out day-by-day. I'm also back to dealing with immigration. I wonder how many 24 year olds deal with the amount of immigration I do. You learn a lot about the system and how to deal with it, but it never gets any less annoying. But, it's a part of life being an ex-pat. There are lots of things we take for granted at home that I can't here; just basic stuff like taxes, health insurance, finding doctors, immigration etc.. It took me two weeks to find insecticide in Amsterdam. It just doesn't exist. Well, it does but its hidden at Etos.

I'm rambling a bit here cause I rarely have time to update this and I thought it could use a good, strong update. I bet when I'm old and read all this I'll wonder why I wasted all this time complaining and stressing about useless things, because I'm realizing it all just doesn't matter. Life is one big shitstorm; It's the umbrella you carry that makes the difference, methinks. Was that even a cogent metaphor? Ah, well, who cares.

It's so gorgeous today. I'm listening to the Arcade Fire. I'm at home. For the time being, I am the happiest person in town. At 4PM I leave. It's 10:10AM. Till then.