Addicted to Nick & Simon

The past few weeks, i am enjoying listening to Nick & Simon(Luister Album) either just playing the CD or watching the DVD. Yes, I bought CD and DVD of this album. They are dutch singers. I'm not really a big fan of them but only that among their albums, this is what i like most. All songs are in dutch which perhaps can also help me in improving my listening ability for dutch words. And my most favorite song is Lippen Op De Mijne but silly that i dont even know what the song means...so dont ask me..hehehe..Maybe soon I can explain it.

I want to ride my bicycle, i want to ride my bike

Netherlands is famous for bicycle, which means that in every corner you can see lots of bicycles. It is one of the most popular modes of personal transportation. They used bicycle for short distance trips such as shopping, going to school or even going to work(to mention in their suit and tie for men and dresses for women). The country is well equipped with cycle- paths and other segregated cycle facilities. Most members of the family each have their own bicycles that even children as young as 3 years old started to learn bicycling. But for some, specially those who are here for a short period of stay can also enjoy cycling without buying but by renting which you can find it near the train stations in some places.

Well, i dont have a bicycle for now but im hoping to have my own since i need it soon as i start going to school for my dutch course. I like it for some reasons for affordability,simplicity(i guess),easy to get out of traffics, and most important is fitness benefits.

Sick again!!??

I went to the centrum yesterday for a little shopping but right after i get home, i felt sick. Again???Well, this is because of the weather that keeps on changing. Good thing i was relieved after having shower with few mugs of tea(english tea to be exact). I hope to re-gain my energy today for my long hours of work tomorrow.

"What is the What" novel

Im looking forward to get a copy of this book. Its a novel written by Dave Eggers, a story of Valentino Achok Deng of his life in the midst of conflict in Sudan. I had the opportunity this morning after the mass to meet and  listened to Valentino Achok Deng's remarkable story. As described that this is an astonishing, eye-opening, and heartbreaking book that defies classification. What is the What tells a devastating story but never plays for sympathy. Instead, the hope, complexity, and tragedy of the situation take center stage. This novel has been highly acclaimed that even President Obama has requested that his staff read it. And as you buy a copy, all proceeds from the sale will go towards providing educational opportunities for the Sudanese people in Sudan and in the United States. So in one way we can help this people.

 

Madurodam, a miniature Holland

Today is supposed to be a treat for friend to visit madurodam but since she have a very important event also to attend, we decided to have it some other time. But anyway, Madurodam is a miniature Holland located in Scheveningen Den Haag about 24 minutes from my place(so not really that far). It is a model of a Dutch town composed of typical Dutch buildings and landmarks, as are found at various locations in the country. It's a one stop attraction. With all this little things, it always makes me feel like im a giant when im in madurodam since im a small person. It is nice to visit there if it's summer but they are actually open year round. Here is the schedule for 2009 - 2010 or refer to http://www.madurodam.nl/ for thier schedules of activities.

Opening times 2009 - 2010                   Open from             until           Ticket counter closes at

Until 31 March 2010                                 9:00                  18:00                   17:00

1 April 2010 - 2 July 2010                         9:00                  20:00                   19:00

3 July 2010 - 31 August 2010                    9:00                  23:00                   22:00
1 September 2010 - 31 December 2010    9:00                   18:00                   17:00

 Im sharing some photos here from Madurodam.

The weather is getting colder

I was too early this morning for my extra job and was suddenly surprised of the weather when i went out of the house and said to myself ,"ohh gosshhh it is autumn yet but it seems its already winter or did I skipped autumn?"It was really a foggy morning and really cold. Good thing I started using my winter clothes which also means for me bye-bye for my summer outfit. Well goodluck for me for the next weeks and months to go. It's getting more colder(I hate it!!)but have no choice.

Tourist visa requirements for Netherlands

On this blog, I will post the requirements in applying a tourist visa(good for 3 months) for Netherlands. This is according to my experienced last year(2008). If you want to know the exact requirements, you can visit http://www.ind.nl/ or http://www.netherlandsembassy.ph/ . This process is also based as someone invites you from the Netherlands specially a dutch citizen.

The following are the requirements:
*Valid Philippine Passport
*Passport Photo(1 pc.)
*Schengen Visa Application Form(you can get this form from the website http://www.ind.nl/)
*Insurance good for 90 days
*Authenticated birth certificate and CENOMAR(if single) issued from National Staistics Office
*Photocopy of passport from the sponsor
*Invitation letter from the sponsor(GBA)
*Latest 3 months pay slip  and employment contract/certificate from the sponsor
*Temporary flight schedule
*Payment(you can call the emabassy to know the exact amount)

Note: The embassy will ask additional requirements. It depends upon the application(like relationship of the applicant and the sponsor)

Again, this is according to my experienced.

Happy Fiesta!!

                                                                                                                                                                                Today is our city fiesta in Oroquieta(Philippines) in honor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. Before the exact day of the fiesta, you can see many activities sponsored from schools,barangays, and from the city governement with several activities like beauty pageant, street dancing competition,amusement park, concerts, street parade, etc. But the most important event of the celebration(which i like it also) is the preparation of food which most families prepares since it's a Filipino tradition in a way to thank the patron saint. This is the first celebration from my country that i started to missed from the time I arrived here in Netherlands last July.

Oliebollen is back

Oliebollen is a typical dutch pasty which you can only see as Christmas is approaching. It's a traditional New Year's treat for dutch.  It is similar to a doughnut but it has a special taste and how it looks reminds me of a certain food back in my country which like oliebollen, I can also buy it in the street after class when I was in highschool. It looks like banana fritter(a deep fried mashed banana covered with flour). Olibollen is nice to eat with coffee.

Requirements for Au Pair Visa for Netherlands

          I first came here in The Netherlands as an Au Pair last 2007 and it was really a wonderful experienced despite that I worked to much and more time for my boss. I will post in my next blog regarding my job as an au pair. But in the meantime, i will share some requirements needed as you apply for an au pair. You can also check at http://www.ind.nl/  for the complete details.

Following are the conditions:
•a valid passport

•health insurance with cover in the Netherlands
•you must not be married
•you must not have a duty of care or be responsible for the actual care of your own family members (children or parents, for instance)
•you must not constitute a risk to public order
•you must undergo an examination for tuberculosis in the Netherlands
•you must be over 18 but no older than 25 years of age
•you must not have previously stayed in the Netherlands on a residence permit
•you must not have previously worked for the same family abroad
•you will only carry out light domestic work to assist the host family
•you will work a maximum of 8 hours per day and a maximum of 30 hours per week; you will have 2 days off per week
•your host family will support you during your stay in the Netherlands
•you must sign a declaration of awareness

Documents needed:

• a valid (Philippine)Passport
• Birth certificate issued by NSO(National Statistics Office)
• Certificate of No Marriage(CENOMAR) also issued by NSO
• Affidavit of Singleness(you can request this from any attorney in your place)
• Passport size photo

   *All documents(except passport) must be legalized first from DFA(Department of foreign Affairs in Manila). You can check http://www.dfa.gov.ph/ if you need address,contact numbers, or iny information for your legalization. If you are far from manila, you can ask DHL express for assistance. That means, you dont need to go to DFA manila.

  *After all documents are legalized from DFA, call the Netherlands embassy in manila (http://www.netherlandsembassy.ph/   and ask for appointment so you can submit all your documents. The embassy will legalize also those documents legalized by DFA.

    The processing time depends on the application if both parties(au pair and the host family)qualifies.

Me on Accident??

I was in the metro halte(stuyvesantplein)early this morning heading for work when a car suddenly appeared like he was in a drag race. Good thing I was looking on the side where the car came from so I suddenly jumped out of where I was standing. What I did really saved me. So the driver end up bumping to a post and a car before him. I just wish he's still alive..really!!!

Visit to a breastcancer sister

My boss is leaving for London tomorrow to visit her sister with breastcancer. I met her many times since she loves to visit Netherlands 2-3 times a year. Its amazing that she can make herself driving 6-7 hours from London to Netherlands considering she's really ill. I remember 2 years ago when she was confined in the hospital and the doctor told her that she cant live anymore , that her life will be over anytime that week yet she asked the doctor to do their best just to make her better. And yes, its always a success everytime new experiments/medications they gave for her. I can't imagine that was 2 years ago and until now,she is alive and still kicking though her sister/s always say that she will never get better. But i believe she still have more months or even years to live knowing that she's a person with strong determination and a person with good positive outlook in life...

Plans for today...

I wake up this morning as the sun shines right through my window and tried to recall the date today. Each day I only think of the day to remind me of my job assignment and never of the date. Well anyway, It's thursday and it's my free day and the weather is nice too. I have few plans for today. Im planning to go to the centrum to look for a nice gift to a dutch friend(well she's actually an old woman about the age of +/- 70) whom she invites me for a dinner this coming sunday. Im looking forward to meet her again after a year of not seeing her.
Other plans for today is to go shopping(not the "shopping" that we think buying clothes,etc.)but i mean going to the grocery to buy some food. Then perhaps i can clean my room late today. Anyway, i hope i will enjoy the sunny day with all my plans.

Blogging is new to me....

I just arrived from work today and right then ,i grab my apron to cook for dinner. While waiting for my "chicken tonight tomaten-room pikant"done, i chatted to some friends which one of them from the Philippines introduced me about this stuff--blogging.. I am really into computers(i mean internet) but i spend all my time from playing online games and chatting to friends. And now i realised ,after knowing this site that i better use my time by writing something. Somehow i can share ideas or knows something from other bloggers and most of all,who knows i earn something out of this(..well actually this was my friends' story that gave me interest--that she earns through blogging)..I hope I can also share this to some friends...