To Paris, With (a Positive Feeling That is Not) Love

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a severe lovelike/hate relationship with France. One of the worst problems with France is so many people go there with high expectations. However, France isn't as great, romantic, or wonderful as people think, especially since most people's experience of France boils down to one city: Paris. This will be my third time in Paris, and I have corrected my previous errors and have come with very negative expectations. When things went wrong, it was to be expected. When something was nice, it was nicer than I anticipated, so I was quite happy. Don't get me wrong, Paris does two things amazingly that I love.

1. Crepes (and other pastries)
2. Versailles

Please note: Anytime you see this type of sign...it doesn't mean they will actually speak to you in English. It is more of a general statement that they understand English and will willingly communicate back to you, but not necessarily in English. Parisians generally like to pretend they don't speak English, and will *not* speak to you in English. What happens is you point, attempt words in French, and try to interpret what they are saying back to you in French. Maybe since I'm older or I now speak a second language, I feel like I was able to understand a lot more French that before. Go me! I also learned how to properly ask where the toilet is, instead of just saying "Toilet?" and trying to look confused.  #pointofpride

Day 1: We took the (super early) high-speed train from London to Paris, and I quite enjoyed it! No surprise, as I always prefer a train against a plane if the timing makes sense.We checked into our hostel, which was right around the corner to the train station, and went out for crepes before our tour. Now, I've been on a number of the Sandemans Free Tours throughout Europe, and I would highly recommend them. However, this may be the first time I've been genuinely bored during a tour. This is surprising because I'm a huge nerd, and I always stand at the front of the group to soak in as much learning as possible. France and Paris have such rich and crazy histories, but we didn't hear much about it. Towards the end of the tour, it started getting cold and rainy. Plus, the tour guide was a Londoner who openly admitted to preferring Paris, so there was obviously something wrong with her in the first place.

We bought umbrellas from a street vendor. Erica's lasted about an hour before she broke it when she was swinging it around. #badluck There was a weird ball being hung in the middle of the Eiffel Tower, which is really distracting. The guy who took the picture was a construction worker, hence the Eiffel Tower being decapitated at the top. #guillotine

I'm not even sure what's going on here, but I love it. 

Day 2: After Sacre Coeur, Saryah wanted to check out a cemetery. This led to an epic journey of trying to find a toilet, eating yummy pizza, and eating even yummier pastries. I will dream of that raspberry tartelette for the rest of my life. We found the cemetery, but there was only this bridge over it. We were about to begin a search for the entrance, but Saryah said "nah. This is good. I'm happy." I made her take a photo as proof we were there.

We were trying to find the metro and accidentally wandered through the red light district #oops

We decided to separate for a few hours because Erica wanted to see the Louvre, Saryah wanted to see the impressionist paintings at Musee de Orsay, and I wanted to go see an old church. Personally, I think I made the best choice, because I love old buildings more than art. However, I found this awesome painting at Saint-Sulpice. I have seen many old churches. Seriously. I've seen A LOT; I really love them. I have never seen them have a painting depicting Jesus Christ and God as two separate and distinct beings. I believe God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three separate and distinct beings with one shared purpose, to help us return to live with God and Christ again. I was so happy to see that in the church!!! 

This is the view I found walking out the east side of Saint-Sulpice, and it was BEAUTIFUL! I did filter, because I wanted to make sure this photo came alive as much as the real view did for me.  I made it back to the hostel about half an hour later than we planned, but so did we all. We all arrived within 10 minutes of each other being late. #greatmindsthinkalike

Later that day we were walking around trying to find some food, and it started pouring rain. I think the best part was while we pulled out our umbrellas from our bags, the Frenchmen scattered like little ants. It was pure panic and chaos for the next few minutes. #giggles

Day 3: We debated this thoroughly last night. One of the most beautiful things about Versailles is walking the gardens and seeing Marie Antoinette's little cottage. We checked the weather last night and the forecast said 20% chance of rain in the low 70's. Saryah and I put our umbrellas and jackets in our purses for the next day, while Erica put her jacket and umbrella in her backpack...the same backpack she checked into luggage storage for the day. #badluck We hopped on the train and as we were travelling, we saw that we were travelling towards dark and ominous rain clouds. As soon as we walked off the train, it started to rain. Erica was wearing a white shirt. #badluck We decided to look for an open shop, but nothing was open so early. Instead we popped into a bakery to get some yummy food to bring and hide in Starbucks. We stayed in Starbucks for about an hour before we decided that we didn't want to go to Versailles in cold rainy weather, but I insisted we at least go and take pictures in front of Versailles. The picture above is a representation of Erica's bad luck for the day.

Since Versailles was a bust, we went back to downtown Paris with plans to eat lots of pastries. When we arrived, the sun came out and it became a beautiful day! We decided to stand in line for Sainte Chapelle, which was highly recommended to Erica. Evil Saryah with her student + EU status let her in for free. (This also happened at other museums where she was allowed to bypass the lines and just walk through). I had to pay. The stain-glass was EXQUISITE! But it was a little pricey just to walk into one room of stain-glass. We wandered around, played in a park, and saw the Statue of Liberty.

mini Statue of Liberty!

We then went our separate ways, as Erica and I headed to Ireland, and Saryah went on to Italy. But first we ate more pastries! But seriously. Our diet during out three days in Paris consisted of crepes and French pastries. #noregrets 

5 Reasons You Should Travel Solo At Least Once

Maybe this is a nature vs. nurture situation. Maybe it is just within certain people's natures to travel solo, or maybe only those who were reared to be independent can travel solo. I don't care who you are, where you're from, or what you've done; everyone should take a trip by themselves at least once in their lives.  It might be like Green Eggs and Ham where you don't know you like it, because you've never tried it!

Just try it before you decide you do not like it.

A lot of people do not believe me whenever I tell them I'm going somewhere by myself. Seriously. They do NOT believe me. Lying about travelling alone makes no sense to me, but then again, me travelling alone seems to not make sense to them either. Whenever I manage to convince someone I am really going somewhere all by myself, they always say "Oh my goodness. I could never do that.", "Why?", or  "How do you do that? You're so brave/crazy. I could never do that." I don't think I've ever told someone, and had them respond with, "I've always wanted to do that!"

I took my first solo trip when I was 18, and I spent the summer backpacking Britain. My dad is from England, so my parents weren't too worried. I often look back and wonder what they were thinking. Did they really have that much confidence in me, or did they genuinely not think about the dangerous possibilities? Granted, if I ever felt lonely, scared, or bored, I had family and family friends to visit. I've been lucky enough for my parents to have taught me to be independent. I felt more than ready for my first trip alone; I could never have anticipated how much it would change me. Did my parents know something I did not?

1. You are the truest version of yourself, when no one is watching. 
It is probably the most liberating feeling to go somewhere where no one knows you; no one has any expectations from you. Everyone you meet is a stranger. You can reinvent yourself every time you meet someone if you want. What you will discover is, being in these new strange situations reveals a person you may not have realized was hiding within yourself. It allows you to discover these little pieces of yourself that have never had the opportunity to come out before.

Something to know about me: I don't drink. I remember, on my first trip alone, going to visit a family friend and her offering me a beer. She said, "Don't worry, I won't tell your parents." I knew she wouldn't. I knew what I did on that trip at 18 would probably never get back to anyone I knew, especially my parents. I also knew, I was not that person. I learned so much. I learned I am super uncomfortable with meeting new people, but I also learned I am really good at meeting new people, when I just do it. I learned how much I love to read in public places, i.e. parks, restaurants, trains, airports, etc. I learned that people in foreign countries are always in a state of disbelief when I tell them I do not have a boyfriend. I learned how much I hate tourists, especially American tourists. I learned the kindness of strangers and that gentlemen still exist. You will learn so much about yourself and about people and the world around you when you travel alone.

2.There's no comfort in a growth zone, and there's no growth in a comfort zone.

Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” It's not always the most comforting thing being in new situations or being around people you don't know, but you will grow. It's not always the most comfortable thing going to a hostel for the first time in your life and trying to figure out how everything works. The most important thing you need to remember is...You will get use to it, and you will love it. As you are willingly placing yourself in new situations, you will really learn the meaning of carpe diem, because everyday will be a gift just for you. Everyday will be a blessing for which to be grateful.

3. Escape the co-dependent society we live in, and be alone. The person you will spend the most time with in your life is YOURSELF, so start to love to spend time with yourself. 
In this day of technology, it is as if we cannot do a single thing without having to tell the whole world and wait for their approval. People go to restaurants with friends, take photos of their food, and wait for others to "like" what they are doing. That's called codependency. Codependency, "in broader terms...refers to the dependence on the needs of, or control of, another" (Wikipedia definition) In this society, we are co-dependent on the approval of others; we need it; we depend on it. It is so freeing to leave that all behind, and be alone. If you are saying that you cannot go on a trip because your friend(s) cannot come with you, you are limiting yourself. Why can't you go? If you want something bad enough, you shouldn't wait for someone else to tell you you can have it. I am a true believer that you have to love yourself.  I can go somewhere and still enjoy it without having a friend with me. I don't need someone with me to appreciate the beauty and peace of new places or experiences. I think that is an experience everyone should try once in their life.

4. The people you meet, who you probably wouldn't have spoken to if you were with a group
Maybe it's just me, but I find a lot of people do this. When you are with a group of friends, you are with your group of friends. You normally do not go out of your way to include new people or strangers to your group. I went to Milford Sound in New Zealand by myself. It was a bus ride out to the area before the cruise, and they stopped multiple times along the way to get out and take photos. If I was with a friend, I would have had a person to sit next to and take my photos. Instead, I had to find someone to take photos for me. I found a really cool guy who was also travelling alone. We sat by each other and took photos for each other. We then met a girl on the boat who was travelling alone. We had a great time talking, sharing our life stories, and having so much fun. It was like we had been best friends forever. When you are travelling, you bond so quickly with friends. It's so wonderful and beautiful.

5. Freedom. Do what you want, when you want.
Don't get me wrong. I love planning trips for me and my friends. I love it. True love and friendship is compromising and changing travel plans to make everyone happy. Nevertheless, there is pure freedom in doing whatever you want. One day in Germany, I walked around for a while, then spent hours having lunch and reading at a table, while drinking hot chocolate. It is something I would have never done if I had people travelling with me, but it was a perfect day for little old me. You can change plans last minute. You can be as impulsive and spontaneous as you want without having to check if it's okay with someone else. It's freeing.

Even after you read this you are probably thinking, "But Natasha...."

But Natasha, isn't dangerous to travel alone, especially if you're a girl?
Nowadays, there are legitimately dangerous places and dangerous things. I'm not saying to go travel Syria or Afghanistan alone in this political climate. Read the news. Be aware of travel alerts. Avoid North Korea if you are an American tourist. Please be smart and be careful, especially as a female traveler. Don't get drunk in foreign countries when you are alone. Don't get drunk in foreign countries at all is my personal recommendation, but if you cannot help it, at least have someone who is going to be sober enough to make sure you get to your hotel/hostel safely with all your belongings. I knew a girl who left her wallet in bars when she got drunk and never found them again. I've had a friend lose my camera because she was super drunk in Mexico. I've been pick-pocketed in Madrid, but that has not stopped me from travelling alone. It makes me travel smarter. I try not to be out at night when I'm alone, especially when there aren't many people around. Invest in a money belt. Always be aware of your surroundings.

But Natasha, I want to be able to share what I do with someone.
Share it with someone. Take photos and share them when you get back. Make a friend where you are staying. Make friends on the tours you are taking. I went to Belize on my own, and did a scuba tour and a tour for the ATM caves. On the ATM tour, I met this British girl who was travelling alone, and we had the best time together. We were immediate friends and the repertoire we had was amazing. I had someone to share the amazing experience with. On one of the snorkeling tours I went on, I actually met a girl who was going to be on the same flight as me home, so we decided to take a taxi together to the airport. Just because you don't bring someone to share the trip with, doesn't mean you won't find someone along the way.

But Natasha, how are you supposed to meet people travelling alone?
My number one recommendation to meet people is hostels. No, I did not misspell the word "hotel". Hostels. Hostels are meant for younger travelers who want to meet people. Most hostels have common rooms to socialize. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, share a meal, and make plans for the next day. If you hear that some people are doing something cool, talk to them; most of the time, they will be more than happy to let you come along.

But Natasha, I don't have the money.
Save. Save your pennies. Put away a certain percentage of each paycheck. If you haven't traveled before, make a goal. Write it down and tell your friends so they can hold you accountable. You can do anything you put your mind to.

But Natasha, I've never traveled alone before; I wouldn't know how to do it.
Don't get me wrong, I think everyone should take a solo trip once in their life, but I'm not saying it should be the first trip outside your home country that you've ever taken. If it's your first big international trip, go with someone if it makes you comfortable. Start small. Take a weekend to a different city by yourself.

But Natasha, if I go, I'll probably get robbed.

This is me after checking my purse for the billionth time for
my stolen wallet.

Honestly, it's a possibility. I'm not going to lie to you. I've met people who carry fake wallets in case they are robbed. Personally, I think you're more likely to be pick-pocketed then outright robbed. I have been pick-pocketed. I was mad; I felt violated, and as someone who thinks they are pretty well-traveled, my pride was wounded. My friend and I had our wallets stolen at the exact same time, and we didn't realize it. It was on the metro in Madrid, and we only found out because my friend had her metro pass in her wallet and couldn't find it to exit the metro. Buy a money belt. Keep money in your bra, if you are a girl...or boy...no judgement. Touristy areas are always where you need to be most aware. There are certain cities known for pick-pocketers. Be aware. I was not. They will try and distract you in order to pickpocket you. Never leave your bag unattended. It was really upsetting, luckily I had only 20 euros in my wallet, my drivers license, a few personal items, and a credit card, which I quickly cancelled, so no major irreversible damage was done. Now, I have a really great story, and I know if I'm ever robbed again, I will live. I'm a survivor.

But Natasha, I don't have enough vacation time.
You don't have to plan a large vacation. Have a three-day weekend getaway. Leave after work Friday night, and come back Sunday night. Do what you gotta do; be you.

But Natasha, I'm scared/nervous. 
It's okay to be nervous. It's okay to be scared. The idea is to conquer your fears and nerves. I think there are two quotes that can apply here. Marianne Williams once said, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." I also think the 4 lines I love most from "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley would be great too:

"I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul...
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."

John Lenin Wall in Prague

Disclaimer: Don't get me wrong. I love travelling with my friends and family. I love planning trips. I love it all. I also love doing little trips by myself, just to get away for a bit. You can do both; you don't have to choose. These are just the opinions of myself and no one else. Opinions not meant to insult or offend anyone's upbringing, lifestyle choices, or anything.

My Travel Disclaimer: 22 Things You Should Know

I've been travelling with people I haven't traveled with before, and decided to write a little disclaimer for my crazy. I forget how OCD/Type A I can be when travelling. Please note, anyone who knows me already knows I'm neurotic and will think things are quite sensible, because I have clever friends. Nevertheless, don't say I never told you; consider this a warning, list of expectations, disclaimer, or whatever makes you comfortable. 

Free piece of travel advice: if you cannot take good pictures, you're pretty much a worthless travel buddy to anyone who is going to want their photo taken. Take it at flattering angles where you can see the person's face and learn how to zoom on cameras and on different camera phones. If you are a dot in the photo, but you have the giant building in the background, you did it incorrectly. Have the subject of your photo step forward. 

I've traveled with many friends, and the best part about traveling with friends, is you already like them. You are trying to compromise and make sure one another has a great memorable time. There has only been one disastrous trip where at the end, the girl and I were very obviously never to be friends again. (Points 6 and 20 have been added because of this). This is more of a "you're going to discover this anyways, so I might as well tell you up front". 

Saryah's #1 Rule of Travelling: Bring Snacks. 

These guys are serious powerhouse travelers! I love them!!!

1. Don't whine. You can complain about or say something negative once to let people know, but saying something negative more than once gets annoying, unless you're trying to be funny, but even then, there is a thin line. On the other side of the spectrum, not complaining a little can be problematic. If you're travelling with a bunch of people who don't complain, sometimes, at the end of the day everyone is about to die. You push each other so hard, because no one wanted to be the first to say they were tired. (P.S. this is still pretty fun even when you're dying. A bonus is, you begin to be able to read the "tells" of your friends on when they're tired and hungry)

2. You will walk...a lot. I walk faster than some, slower than others. We'll find out how you compare when we travel, but try to keep up. Please keep in mind, the only time I can't keep up with someone is if they have freakishly long legs, like Marijn. :) Since my natural walk may be faster than yours, I will turn around to check you are still behind me. Don't get offended. I just really don't want to lose you. There is just so much to see in new places and so little time. Because of this feeling, I don't like to take breaks every half hour or hour. We will not take a break after every thing we do, especially if the tour has only taken an hour and there is a site to see, not even 100 feet away. (the only way this happens is if I'm completely overruled by a majority)

3. Expect to get no more than eight hours of sleep each night, unless we have previously decided on a lazy vacation. You can sleep when you're dead. If you expect less than eight, you will be happy if I let you get eight full hours of sleep or more. You are only on vacation for a limited amount of time, and so I want to use every moment for fun. Just to be clear, you will be tired, and you will sleep better because you are tired. 

4. Wear comfortable shoes. Seriously. You can think if this as words of wisdom, speaking from experience. Blisters are very terrible on vacations. Same goes for sunburns. They have the potential to ruin trips. 

5. Don't dress like a tourist with me. I will hurt you.

-No white tennis shoes.

-No baseball caps. (for outside of America only)

-No shirts with American flags. (Texas shirts are acceptable).

-There are nice tshirts, and there are the tshirts that you get for free from events and you wear them at the gym or to be lazy running errands or laying around the house...don't bring the latter. 

6. Respect. Respect the cultural differences, the towns, or whatever. Don't be a snob. "When in Rome, do ask the Romans." Don't expect the Romans to cater to your American whims. You say thank you, and don't be a git. I traveled with this one person and the whole entire time she acted like she was better than everyone and corrected how people did things and acted like a stereotypical American tourist. Then again, I use to complain about how much I hated the NYC metro, until a friend recently explained it to me. I kept on getting lost. Granted, it's confusing, but I shouldn't have complained so much. 

Valencia: We all almost starved to death. We only had a pack of cookies
to sustain us as we tried to find a place open for dinner.
We hadn't eaten for hours, and everyone was hangry.

7. I sometimes forget to feed you because we have so much to do and see. If you're hungry, let me know! We will get food, even if it's a snack or something.

8. I get grumpy when I don't eat. If I start getting grumpy, let me know, or give me a candy bar. Don't worry, I sometimes don't realize why I'm getting upset until you remind me I haven't eaten. If you remind me, I like to buy snacks for the day, just in case. I might not even get grumpy, but after a while, you'll be able to tell there's been a change in temperament. 

9. Please tell me of any preexisting conditions you have. Bring ankle braces if you have weak ankles, knee brace for weak knees, snacks for hypoglycemia, etc. I can and will be considerate and accommodate plans accordingly. 

10. If you injure yourself on the trip, it's not complaining to let me know. I brought bad shoes on a trip and had horrible blisters for the rest of a vacation. Had I said something earlier, I could have bought shoe inserts before it became a problem. OR, for example, if you roll your ankle, say something. Your silence is only further hurting yourself.

11. Have an opinion. Part 1: I always create large to do lists for vacation. It is mainly a list of ideas for us to talk about or decide later, just so we have a rough idea of what we are doing.  If you want to sight see, or if you want to be lazy, let me know.  These are not permanent plans; they are open to interpretation, revisions, and suggestions. Don't be afraid to say you want to do something else. I will let you know if something on my list is a must do or just something I thought we could do if we had time.

12. Have an opinion. Part 2: if I say, do you want to do this or this, make a choice. I really want to know what your preference is. I am NOT saying "don't be flexible and easy-going". You don't always have to have an opinion, but if you never make a choice 100% of the time, I will kill you.

13. Try and know where we are. I acknowledge that 95% of the time, I will be the one reading maps and telling everyone where to go. (The other 5% is when I'm with Lukas...OR you are guiding us because you think you know where we are; I'll be quiet and jump in if you get us too lost) However, please be aware of where we are. I don't mind feeling like a tour guide, but I don't want to feel like a babysitter. Please note: you may think I know my way around everywhere, but I have to look at maps and use my phone's GPS. I only seem like I know exactly where we are because I have a great sense of direction and memory. 

Pavia, Italia. 2009.

14. There is one word you will never find me trying to claim: ladylike. Nope. Not me. I may not dress like a tomboy, but I'm really not a girlie-girl. I won't be eating dainty food; give me a steak over a salad any day. I have some manners, so you can take me places in public. However, if you're with me 24/7, you will see me yanking at my tights in public, not showering everyday, and spilling food and crumbs all over myself. #toolegittoquit #sexyandiknowit

15. On tours, I like to be in the front near the tour guide. Just a personal preference. 

16. Seven out of ten times if you give me the choice between a museum and something else, I will choose something else. I just get bored looking at things for hours and hours in a building. If there is a tour guide involved, the stories always entertain me. Also, I like looking for all the weird and silly things in museums. However, I love going through old homes. Some may say museums and old homes are similar, but I don't think so. 

17. If I'm following you, I may make a wrong turn without you. In my head, I think we are going one way, but really, we aren't. If I'm following you, I may fall behind a bit, but you will not lose me. Let me re-phrase, you *cannot* lose me, even if you tried. I'm an excellent stalker ;)

18. I have bad hearing. I will ask you to repeat yourself a lot. Don't feel self conscious. It's not you, it's me.

19. I will threaten you with bodily harm or death at least once during our time together. Don't be alarmed. This is just how I express myself. 

20. Passive aggressive behavior will ruin our friendship. If I'm doing something that's bugging you, let me know. I'm not a mind reader. Respect, guys. Respect. 

21. Don't try to throw me off docks into water. I will be openly upset. 

22. I love adventures! Adventure trips. Once-in-a-lifetime activities. All of it. As Dumbledore once said:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/111868154/harry-potter-quote-let-us-step-into-the

Birthday Wish List 2014

My birthday is coming up...you know what that means....a birthday WISH LIST! Really, I don't do gifts most of the time. People normally buy you bath stuff, candles, or weird self-help books (aka crap). It's true. I like practice gifts. Things I will actually like and/or use. Here is my list to help you out if you feel the need to buy me something. Normally, if I don't get this stuff as gifts, I either end up buying this stuff for myself throughout the year or realize how unnecessary it is in my life. #missindependent

1. Travel Towel - XL
2. Electric Adapter  (I keep having to borrow my parent's adapter when I travel. I think it's time to get my own.)
3. TSA approved 4-digit lock
4. portable power strip
5. 75+L backpack -This is just to remind me later I need to finally buy one. Osprey Ariel 75-blue
6. Solar charger?  - I just found out these exist. Don't know if I really want it or just think it's fascinating. 
7. Errand of Angels DVD
8. Passport holder. (ok. so this one I really dont need, but I decided I want it. It's really low on my "want" list. But I'm putting it on there so I dont forget)

Christmas in The Netherlands

"Who would win in the Hunger Games?" I forgot to add this to the other post, but this came up in a conversation I had last night, which made me laugh. Over dinner one night, Becca, Lukas, and I were discussing who would win out of all of us in the Hunger Games. Lukas said that me and him would win together, because we would never kill each other. Now as for everyone else....I won't go into details, but I decided Dena would be my biggest competition because she's outdoorsy, and would team up with Charlene and Jarno, because they are the careers. They have to go first. Sorry Dena. It was a pretty funny discussion, and I honestly can't remember all of it, but I do remember those parts because they made me laugh the hardest.

Ummmm. I had to put the picture up, because it looks like Marijn and Becca are secretly in love. Really, we were just waiting for the train to get to Marijn's family's house. The morning we got to Marijn's was the only morning that Becca and I really slept in. It felt so good. We went to the store to get stuff to bake when we were at his family's house and ingredients to make some spaghetti with homemade sauce. #spoiled

YAY Charles Dickens!!! Turns out Deventer has a Charles Dickens festival and have murals on the walls of scenes from Charles Dickens books. It's pretty cool. I just love this quote.

We took a walk around town on Christmas day in our fancy dresses. I was planning on wearing flats to be more fashionable with my dress, but then realized, it's cold outside. #badidea Nevertheless, Deventer is an adorable town. 

 Jarno and Marijn are from the same town, so we went to see him on Boxing Day. We met his dad and it turns out he's awesome, and I have a crush on Jarno's dad. He was telling us how he roadtripped across America in his younger days. He bought a vehicle and just did it for a few months. No big deal, right? Super legit. He travels everywhere too. He's is wise and told me "if you have the money, you have to travel". I must say, I think of money in things I can do traveling, like "I could spend money on this, or it could buy me a plane ticket to *blank*".  He was really cool.

 We were at the Paleis Het Loo. It was awesome. The only constructive criticism I would have for the palace is for them to have English tour headsets for the rooms that speak to you in Dutch. Are you kidding me? My Dutch is almost non-existent. Twin pose! 👯 Becca and I did twin pose around Europe. Next trip...we will have more twin pose pictures until I can make an epic twin-pose collage ;)

 Bread, Cheese, and Maple Syrup?!?!?! I know, right? We were in Haarlem for the morning to see what's there to see. We found this adorable little cafe for lunch and were very curious by the menu with has two of our favorite European foods: bread and aged cheese. (seriously, the Dutch have great cheese). We were confused by what it meant by "syrup". Nope. It was what we thought, but it tasted better than expected. It was soooooooo good! They are genius.

Classic windmill picture.

This was at the Amsterdam Festival of Lights. I was super mean and wouldn't let Jarno eat until we walked around and saw ALL the exhibits on the trail. I'm terrible. At least I let him eat before we went on the trail 😏

We went to Maastricht! This, in and of itself is quite the accomplishment, as Marijn didn't want to go because it was "too far". #2hourtrainride we arrived and it is a lovely town. They were still having their Christmas market going on and the first thing we had to do was the very big Ferris Wheel! It was really high up, and I had to close my eyes at a couple of points. Crazy.

This is after going through the underground tunnels of Maastricht. We decided we needed a group photo, so we asked a random person. He was walking his dog and said if we hold the dog, he would take a picture for us. Deal. Later, we were at a bar and it was uncomfortably crowded. The best part was when Jelmer asked me if bars in Texas were like this one. I said, "I don't know. I don't go to bars in Texas." He looked at me and repeated the question. lol. I had to explain to him, in Texas, my friends know that I don't drink, so we normally do other activities than going to bars. I think something was lost in translation. He didn't seem to understand, and Becca was sitting there chuckling about the whole conversation.

We went back to Munich for the night before Becca flew home. We decided to go to Restaurant 181 in the spinning Olympic Tower. I had wanted to do this when I lived in Munich, but never found the time. It was epic. Becca and I should have probably been more dressed up, but we used the tourist excuse and enjoyed it anyway. The food was glorious!!! The bread and butter, I probably could have eaten that all day. First course was crazy good. The soup was so fluffy and amazing. The main course, sublime. Dessert was classy. I love food. It was worth every penny to eat there. I felt very posh.

This is the view from the front of Petra's family home. Wow. Enough said.

#1. Petra bought me this tiara, because she decided it was a Princess Day at the Castle!!! She's the best.
#2. To get this view, we had to climb around several "Do Not Enter" signs to go up to the bridge. I'm sure it's normally a great walk during the Spring and Summer, but trail was iced over. It would have been better to have ice skates. We had to walk on the side of the path to avoid slipping and falling. That almost happened many times. But it was awesome.
#3. I almost had an anxiety attack on the bridge. I hate bridges. It was super high up, and I kept having a vision of me breaking one of the boards as I stepped on it and falling to my death.
#4. Since this was on New Year's Eve, the place was pretty uncrowded, so there weren't too many people on the bridge or at the castle.

Ok. I know. Two pictures of the same place?  I really love the Neuschwanstein Castle.

This is a little game that they play on New Year's Eve for kids, where you melt down this metal toy and then drop the metal in water. When you pull it out, the shape indicates something, which is a prediction for the coming New Year. It was awesome. 

I would just like to say, I realize now, I didn't take any pictures of Marijn's family, otherwise they would be on this blog like nobody's business. They were amazing to let Becca and I join their Christmas festivities. They are the NICEST people and super cool. They do a very classy Christmas, which made me doubt I've ever had a moment of class in  my life. Thank you to Marijn's family!!! Thank you to Lukas' parents for letting us roadtrip across Germany with their car. Last, but not least, thank you to Petra and her family, who let me crash at their place in Allgäu. Petra's dad was super nice, even though he didn't speak English, and I don't really speak German. I like to think we are friends. It was an honor and privilege to be the first American to stay at their house. #blessed #grateful #thankyou

And now, I know what you are all thinking, "Natasha, you ate so much food in Europe! How much weight did you gain?!?!?!?" Fact: I lost weight! #win Turns out walking for miles and miles everyday is a good idea as long as you are eating tons of yummy calories to give you energy. #apfelmuscrepes

Christmas Markets in Germany

OH MY GOODESS. Can I tell you: I love Christmas!!!! Seriously. This trip has been a long time coming. The problem is, I left for 2 weeks and came back with pages in my journal full of fantastic memories and over 1,400 pictures. I just finished going through all the pictures last night (19 days after I returned) and managed to get the photo to about 1,200. I'm quite pleased. To be honest, I wasn't sure how I was going to write this blog. I've decided to separate it into 2 posts: one for Germany and one for the Netherlands.  I also am trying something I saw my friend, Mego, do when she hasn't blogged in while and had a lot to tell. She just posted pictures and told little anecdotes because there was just too much to say.  This is what I will be doing.

Top picture was the first picture Becca and I took together when we got to Germany. We dropped off our luggage and when walking to get some food and see the Christmas Markets. We got bratwursts and shortly after this picture, one of my bratz fell off :( It was quite sad. Nevertheless, the Munich Christmas markets are BEAUTIFUL at night.

To the left, Becca is having her first Glühwein (roughly translates to "glow-wine"). The non-alcoholic Christmas drink is Kinderpunsh. That's right, Children Punch. lol. That's what I was drinking the whole time, which was always fun to order. I just love this picture of Becca, because I think she looks gorgeous being all Christmas-y and jolly. We were in the English Garden's Christmas Market. It was smaller, but cute. I was really close to buying some socks from there.

We had to head back to the hostel and meet up with Lukas. I didn't recognize him at first when he walked into the common room, because of his haircut. It was a pretty epic double take from, "why is this guy looking at me" to "LUKAAAAAAASSSSS!!!!!"

We went out to meet up with Siv and Petra for dinner. It was so nice to see them. It was nice, and really funny when we'd all be talking and somehow Siv, Petra, and Lukas would switch to German, while Becca and I would be like "errrrrrr....."

Absolutely gorgeous. We did the Third Reich Tour this day, which was amazing, as always. I felt really smart because I knew a lot of the answers to questions (as I did with the free walking tour). And by really smart, I mean: I've taken both tours before and have a good memory for historical facts. Here we are after a nice day, hanging out in the Christmas Markets, sipping our Christmas drinks in our Christmas mugs in Marienplatz. The best  part was when we just paused to stop and be grateful for being in such a beautiful place together. #attitudeofgratitude

This is Nuremberg (Nürnberg). We spend the day here, meeting with Becca's friends. It was really nice. This Christmas market is ranked as one of the best Christmas markets in all of Germany. Becca's friends were super funny. I loved Adri, because of her Latina spirit, which made me laugh the whole day. Funny story of the day was when Lukas and I were eating crepes, and he got some nutella on his chin. He tried to get it off and failed. I just went and wiped it off with my finger. Adri got excited and said "oh my goodness. you guys are too cute; you're just like a couple!" My reaction: a shrug and went back to eating my crepe.

Ok. I'm realizing my time in Dresden and the pictures of Dresden on this blog post are not proportional to the time that was spent there in regards to the other locations, but omgee, Dresden is absolutely breathtaking and it was my first time here. This is Schlossplatz. Beautiful.

See? Beautiful! This is the Fraukirche. We went to an organ concert that night here. I felt super classy.

This is the opera house. During the day, it was warm enough to open my coat! This was a miracle beyond belief. Warmth. 

I love this picture. Looking a maps. Adorable.

The is the oldest Christmas market in Germany. It's been going on for over 500 years. To be honest, I think it might have been my fav.

We made it back to Colgne (Köln), with plenty of time before our train. We took a walk in the Christmas markets here, got drinks, and had the most amazing salmon of my life. Seriously. #ilovefood 

We went on a ferris wheel. No joke. It was awesome. I sometimes forget a have a slight fear of heights. I remembered when we were switching seats in the little cabin so we could all take pictures together. lol. We had so much fun together. I'm so happy and grateful Lukas was able to come travel with Becca and me. It was a wonderful first week of vacation. 

Becca and I were talking to Myrke, who you will meet in the next post, about American travelling and European travelling. In America, everything is far apart, so we are used to driving 3 hours to get somewhere and not thinking anything of it. Our immediate travel perimeter is very large. This is why in a week, going to Munich, Nurmberg, Dresden, and Cologne is completely feasible. On the other hand, with Europeans, they walk almost everywhere. They don't spend their lives in cars driving places like we do. So when you ask them to take a train 2 hours away for a day trip, they think that's quite an effort. Their immediate travel perimeter is smaller. I think I explained it well. Please note: This is not about everyone, but I did think it made a good generalization. 

Passion

Passion. You hear the word passion, and there are so many different connotations and ideas that may go through your head. This is the kind of passion you may be thinking about....

Francesco Hayez, Il bacio (1859)

Too bad for you, pervert, I will not be talking about that kind ;) I'm talking about getting excited about what you do everyday. Feeling passionate about your life and the decisions you make.

You see, I’ve been seeing a theme in my life recently. That theme is “what are you passionate about?” This started about two months ago. Maybe longer. Okay, for a while, I've been feeling very blah. Like there is nothing left for me in life. Everything I do has no point. I have no direction or goals. Blah, blah-blah, blah, blah. You get the idea. I was talking to my Bishop at church about how nothing excites me anymore and how i am feeling dead inside (cue the dramatics). His idea was "Think of something that you really love, that you feel passionate about, and do it." Say whaaaaaaat? Something I'm "passionate" about? Who even says things like that. Nevertheless, it really got me thinking. What kind of things do I find exciting? I started making a list, because I am a list maker (hence my love of lists). I thought of how one of the happiest times in my life was when I was on my mission, thinking of others before myself all the time. I wanted to get back to that. I sent in a volunteer application to the Ronald McDonald House in Houston, and noted a few other organizations that peaked my interest. I didn't want to apply to them all in case all of them wanted me, and I end up over-committing myself. I thought about how I really wanted to learn more of the scriptures, so I started making a list of scriptures I want to memorize. I also looked into some Spanish classes, but my work schedule is so unpredictable; I cannot sign up for regularly scheduled classes I have to pay for, since something may come up, and I would not be able to attend the classes I already paid for. It was really invigorating. Except the volunteering didn't happen immediately. Turns out you have to do training before you can volunteer, and finding a time slot I can attend is a wee bit tricky.

Later I came across this. My company has this central website that has articles and updates about the company. There was this article written by Mark Sanborn. There were 5 questions and descriptions of the questions that got me thinking. So the questions (with some of my answers) are:

1.      What would you do for free? Is there an activity you enjoy so much that you’d do it for free, even if other people would consider it work?
-Travel. I would travel for free forever if I could. 
-Read Harry Potter books....read most books actually
-Write a blog...oh wait....I already do that
-Watch Scandal...check.
-Sleep and/or nap

2.      What riles you? Irritation can be a great motivator. Are there problems or annoyances that drive you up the wall? Perhaps you can find your passion in fixing them.
-Human trafficking, especially the sex slave trade
-Deforestation and humans ruining animal environments
-Sexist behavior
-Racism. Even when you say it as a joke, it's still racist
-Politics
-stupid people, and uneducated people
-Genocide
-North Korea (heinous human rights violations aka their modern concentration camps)
-Women's rights, especially in rape cases, (please refer to India's most recent issues)

3.      What interests you? What do you like to read about and study? When you’re in a bookstore or a newsstand or browsing online, what piques your interest? Do you find yourself returning to the same topics again and again? Perhaps you've found your passion. Your heart may be telling you what it wants; you just need to recognize it.
-History. Especially WWII.
-Doctors Without Borders
-Memoirs of Child Soldiers in Africa
-Defectors from North Korea
-Missionary Work with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

4.      Who interests you? What groups of people do you tend to notice? That is, whom are you most interested in helping? Are you drawn to coach, counsel, encourage, or teach? Some people have a heart for young children. Others volunteer their time to help those who are underprivileged or live on the streets…Find out what demographic you’re wired to connect with.
-Malala Yousafzai
-Doctors Without Borders
-Ronald McDonald House

5.      What will minimize your regrets? If you have regrets at the end of your life, what do you think they’ll be? We tend to ask ourselves, Will I regret doing this? But often the better question is, Will I regret not doing this? The most common workplace regrets I hear are from people who get to the end of their careers and feel like they dedicated their lives to work they didn’t feel was important or they wasted their time just to make money.
-Not seeing the world
-Not having an impact in the world

I was having a conversation with Lindsay over lunch the other day about how in college, you have theses big ambitions of having a super successful career, traveling for work, and being in high-power positions. Now that I've been in the work force, I look at all that I've achieved. I've met ever goal I've set for myself at this phase in my life. My life has gone exactly as planned. The question is: has is everything I hoped it would be and more?

My life has put my hopes and dreams into perspective. I don't want to live my life working. I want to live my life living. I believe you can live your life with work in it, and I think that living your life working are two very different concepts. I want to enjoy life. I want to be. I want to do. I want to have a life with people in in, not just my co-workers. I want to look forward to waking up in the mornings. I want a life I'm passionate about.

A week after I had a conversation with Lindsay about my changing priorities, I had an inspiring conversation with my cousin Dan. He spoke of travelling the world, something I've always wanted to do. It's not like I haven't seen the world before, but there is so much to see and do. People always tell me "Do before you..." Have fun before you get married, buy a house, own a car, become old and boring, etc. Honestly, everyone makes marriage sound terrible and adulthood: torturous. I told my new hair stylist of my dreams, and he said "do it while you're young. you're still a baby! you have to do it now." 

I was reading this article online and the one line that stood out to me was: The person you will spend the most time with in your life is YOURSELF, so better try to make yourself as interesting as possible. I loved it. I loved it, and it further encouraged my new life plan. What is my new life plan, you may ask. Well guess what? I can't tell you. Not right now. I'm working on living in the present, and when I think of my new life plan, I get so excited for the future, I forget to enjoy the now. I have my volunteer training on Saturday, which will hopefully kick off some volunteer time. I just joined a 9 to 5 running program with Teri Jo, where you start running (walking for me) and after 9 weeks  you accomplish your goal of running a 5K. I want to build up my endurance and maybe become a runner, so I can escape if I need to run for my life.  I am have a goal of doing a Urban Survival class, so I can avoid being taken. That's right. The next year of my life is going to be a training and preparation for any adventure that can come my way...and I am excited.

PS. This is MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, not a photo I found on the internet :P