Ik ben geslaagd!

Two days ago I got the best news for a long time. I passed the dutch exam, all four parts of it! :) I had all kinds of nightmares that I need to do especially the speaking part over and over again. With enrolling that must happen 6 weeks in advance, and 5 weeks of waiting the results, it would have been rather long process.

Since I did the exams on two separate days, I get a certifiace from each part. To get the diploma, I need to send the certifiactes back to DUO (the equivalent of KELA) and then wait for four weeks to get the diploma.. handy :)

What it took to get here?
- one dutch course at the Volksuniversiteit (A1, A2)
- one dutch course at Babel institute (B1)
- private lessons for preparing for the exam (B2)
- 593 days of living in the Netherlands
- lots of frustration but also moments of actually "getting it"

Here are the flowers received from my almost-parents-in-law.

First things first, after celebrations both in Finland since I happened to be there and in the Netherlands, I immediately put on sale my training material for the exams. The sooner I get rid of them, the better :-)

Help, mijn vrouw is klusser!

In the dutch TV is a program about DIY-men (Help, mijn man is klusser!), who start lot of projects in the house without finishing them. Then the wives and the kids get a chance to tell to the whole Netherlands (and Vlamisch Belgium) how difficult they have it and how the kids feet get cold when they wake up in the morning as there's no floor and how it's dangerous with all the electric cables hanging here and there.

I have showed extreme DIY skills this week and also finished my projects! First of all, I replaced our doorbell with a new wireless gadget, that makes an extremely loud sound. Second of all, I replaced our school-type-whiteboard in the hall with handy magnetic/chalkboard sticker thingies.

In addition that I know now where our tools are, how they look like and even how some of them work, I have also become a steady customer at our DIY store. 

Running

I somehow got myself convinced that it would be a good idea to participate to a half marathon. Without more than few months training. Without good solid base of running experience.

The program I am following can be found here.

Oh, and I needed to skip the first week as there was no time for it since the event is so close-by :-D While there's a big chance I won't be able to finish the program, it has brought few nice things

1) the desire to actually go running and not seeing a 6km run anymore as something completely impossible
2) the broadening of my surroundings here, as I've needed to map out good running routes. I actually get to know the place where I'm living in geographical sense!

If the half marathon remains as an utopia, at least I'm well prepared for our town's running competition Bunnik's Mooiste (the most beautiful of Bunnik) that consists of 6 or 12 km legs. 

Finnish Women's Weekend

This weekend it is time again for the yearly gathering of Finnish Women living in the Netherlands. Last year was my first time there, and I felt a bit outside of the group with the average middle age being quite above mine. On the first lunch I ended up to a table of women exchanging stories about giving birth in the Netherlands.. not exactly my cup of tea :)

I was already thinking of not going this year. However, we ended up going there as a group with three other girls around my age, so I thought to give it a try still.

The program consists of workshops, swimming, sauna and an evening party. The theme these year is "Aloha!". The weather forecast says, that it will be around zero degrees which feels like -15 C. Luckily we can stay inside :)

Heated discussions over heating

One of the big topics of discussion between foreign-dutch couples must be the heating. Why does it have to be so incredibly cold in dutch houses? I guess it comes down to the single-windows instead of triple glass and the fact that the houses are 100+ years old.

If I would be solely be in control of the heating, I would set it to +23 C.
If the Dutch guy would solely reign, he would set it probably to +16 C.

Therefore our compromise is around 18-19 degrees while we are home. But on some days, like these when it is really cold and windy outside, it is FREEZING! 

Sauna'ing

I had a chance to visit a real finnish log sauna in the weekend. Of course it worked with electricity instead of firewood, but it didn't make it any worse. The sauna was located in the inner yard and while we were sitting outside cooling down with only our towels on, I couldn't help but to think what must the people living there be thinking. Crazy Finns.

One day I'm going to have my own sauna here. Maybe in our small garden. Or maybe we expand the house and convert the now-kitchen to be a sauna. Everyone must have dreams, right? :)

Thinking seriously of hiring an advisor

I need to fill my first tax return here in the Netherlands (as well as in Finland). While it is quite handy with a dedicated software, it is terrible when you need to consider all possible things in two countries. I mean, how many people know what was the exact balance of all their bank accounts all over the world on 1st January 2012.

I was growing more and more frustrated with every new screen. I noticed that I'm probably the exception of exception in all possible ways. However, the Dutch guy had a big grin on his face. He stated, that after seeing all the exceptions I needed to fill in, he will never worry again of being checked upon - as it is ME who the tax officers will be after.

Thanks. Now waiting for the Belastingsdienst to call me for an extensive interview.