Halloween Birthdays 2007Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Past and Present
Ok just a quick update. I finally got internet today....only it doesn't work in my room (the word "ironic" comes to mind).
I spent the weekend with my fabulous international banker friend Moniek (well, techincally she's not international anymore since she works for Fortis - the bank which was just nationalized by the Dutch government to keep it from going under). She lives in Rotterdam. On Friday we went out to the famous local Cafe Dudok. Saturday we took a water taxi to Hotel New York, the place from which Dutch immigrants used to depart for Ellis Island.
I did some good shopping. I also did some bad reading. Moniek lent me this incredibly trashy piece of chick lit. At one point on Saturday, Moniek's husband was smoking while I was reading. I told him that I thought his cigarette was probably less bad for him than my book was for me.
oh well.
Tomorrow, I'm going to Hilversum for a business meeting. I interned there right after I graduated college. It's a pretty boring sort of town, but I am still looking forward to being back. I will try to see if I can't drudge up some kind of old friend or other to have dinner with.
I spent the weekend with my fabulous international banker friend Moniek (well, techincally she's not international anymore since she works for Fortis - the bank which was just nationalized by the Dutch government to keep it from going under). She lives in Rotterdam. On Friday we went out to the famous local Cafe Dudok. Saturday we took a water taxi to Hotel New York, the place from which Dutch immigrants used to depart for Ellis Island.
I did some good shopping. I also did some bad reading. Moniek lent me this incredibly trashy piece of chick lit. At one point on Saturday, Moniek's husband was smoking while I was reading. I told him that I thought his cigarette was probably less bad for him than my book was for me.
oh well.
Tomorrow, I'm going to Hilversum for a business meeting. I interned there right after I graduated college. It's a pretty boring sort of town, but I am still looking forward to being back. I will try to see if I can't drudge up some kind of old friend or other to have dinner with.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Emma's insightful commentary on Dutch politics
I’ve always disliked the Labour Party here in Holland, but now I am sort of rethinking that opinion. Last week the Dutch and Belgian governments stepped into rescue the failing Dutch-Belgian bank Fortis.
After that happened, however, the Dutch government took it a step further and actually nationalized the Dutch half of Fortis. Wouter Bos, minister of Finance and leader of the Dutch Labour party, explained that this was necessary “to protect Fortis from infection by Belgium.”
That has got to be one of the best quotes I’ve ever heard from any politician.
If Labour became the majority party and Wouter Bos became our Prime Minister would he take steps to protect all of Holland from infection by Belgium? (step 1: cut Maastricht out of our country) That’s a platform I could get behind.
After that happened, however, the Dutch government took it a step further and actually nationalized the Dutch half of Fortis. Wouter Bos, minister of Finance and leader of the Dutch Labour party, explained that this was necessary “to protect Fortis from infection by Belgium.”
That has got to be one of the best quotes I’ve ever heard from any politician.
If Labour became the majority party and Wouter Bos became our Prime Minister would he take steps to protect all of Holland from infection by Belgium? (step 1: cut Maastricht out of our country) That’s a platform I could get behind.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
She Lives
I am online! I still don't have internet at my house. If all goes well, that will arrive later this week.
I am at the home of some people from my church. They have actually given me a key to their house and said I can come by anytime. So hopefully this will inject some life into the dying green stick.
Life without the internet has been tough. I've been keeping myself occupied by reading newspapers. I've been exceedingly diverted by the Dutch takeover of the failing Dutch-Belgian bank Fortis. The Dutch minister of Finance heaped aspersion on the Belgium. To paraphrase Alice Roosevelt, "If you don't have anything nice to say about Belgians, come sit by me."
Right now, I'm using my connectivity to catch up on life, but I will try to update you on my various and sundry adventures as soon as I can.
I am at the home of some people from my church. They have actually given me a key to their house and said I can come by anytime. So hopefully this will inject some life into the dying green stick.
Life without the internet has been tough. I've been keeping myself occupied by reading newspapers. I've been exceedingly diverted by the Dutch takeover of the failing Dutch-Belgian bank Fortis. The Dutch minister of Finance heaped aspersion on the Belgium. To paraphrase Alice Roosevelt, "If you don't have anything nice to say about Belgians, come sit by me."
Right now, I'm using my connectivity to catch up on life, but I will try to update you on my various and sundry adventures as soon as I can.
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