In Sydney I succesfully sheltered myself from most of the world's news. This wasn't on purpose, and I don't know if it's a good or bad thing, it's just the way it was. It didn't worry me too much because I figured that if something big happened I'd hear about it anyway.
Hmm, come to think of it, I did quickly check a Dutch news website almost every day, so I am not being totally honest here!
My point is, if the recent trivia quiz at work had focused on current affairs, I would've sucked.
Luckily (?) I feel a bit more involved again now that I am back in Europe. For instance, there is no escaping the financial crisis. Even all my girl friends seem to suddenly know a lot about shares, pension funds and putting your money into a savings account in Iceland (don't). I still think it's an extremely dull topic, although I must admit the sudden collapse of the Aussie dollar, just when I (for the first time in my life) have quite a few savings (in Australian dollars, in an Australian bank account) did make me swear on quite a few occasions. I'm trying to be more Zen about it now. I'm sure it's still worth a lot in Chile and Argentina...
Last week though, the Dutch news had an item covering one of my favourite things: the opinions of the average American. Ok, I know that editing is manipulative, and that they'd rather show extremes because normal, sensible people are less interesting to watch, but boy does it make for some great tv!
They were interviewing people that were waiting to go into a community hall or something where McCain was going to hold a speech. The interviewer asked them if there was a chance they would vote for Obama:
Woman: "Hell no, he's a criminal!!!"
Reporter: "? A criminal? How so?"
Woman (with a look of disbelief that the reporter guy didn't instantly agree with her): "Yes! He's a socialist!" (Socialist pronounced like it's the most disgusting thing in the world)
Reporter: "But is a socialist necessarily a criminal too?"
Woman: "............well,........well,........with his record they wouldn't even hire him at a post office if he applied!!!"
This post office example was repeated by someone else. Apparently people seem to want a president that could just as well have been an employee at a post office. I should hope that a potential president would be slightly overqualified for a job at the post office, but hey, what do I know.
Another lady was very, very concerned that "all the foreign newspapers I read want Obama to win". This to her was a clear sign: "Of course they support Obama and want him to win, they want America to become weaker, they don't want a strong America".
Finally, some shots of McCain saying nothing of any interest. Just yelling: "We have to stand up and FIGHT!!".
Sure, that's just what you need. Spend some more time, energy and some xx billion dollars on fighting. After all, fighting is what makes people happy. Poverty, healthcare, and the environment are nothing but topics for socialists. Oh sorry, that should be 'criminals', of course.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Back to Dutch life
Stereotypes are true sometimes. Yesterday I ate two slices of brown bread with some Old Amsterdam cheese. Then I got my bicycle from the shed, the bike that I've had since I was...13? and rode it to my friend's house, without encountering any hills on the way. We drank some cinnamon tea and ate some good chocolate.
No clogs and windmills though. And the sun was shining!
No clogs and windmills though. And the sun was shining!
Karma II
Well, I was right. What goes around comes around, in this case in the form of three whole seats to myself on both legs of my journey from Sydney to Amsterdam. The first flight wasn't full so more people were lucky, but on the second flight every seat was taken, except the two next to me. It made me feel a bit guilty, stretching out and sleeping for 8 hours. But then again, it's not my fault I was the only one generous enough to give away free money!
I'm flying again soon, hopefully I'll have an absent-minded, forgetful day before that flight too.
I'm flying again soon, hopefully I'll have an absent-minded, forgetful day before that flight too.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Signs that make you wonder...
Today I saw two signs that made me laugh.
I encountered the first one when I was jogging in Rose Bay, along the posh, plush, green Rose Bay Golf Course:
"Illegal dumping prohibited"
I might just have to run around to the other side of the course tomorrow, because this suggests there might also be a place where it's "legal dumping prohibited" or maybe even "illegal dumping allowed".
The second sign was in the Botanical Gardens where I was lazily strolling around in the afternoon. (I am a lady of leisure these days, it's not bad at all). In the Botanical Gardens you are encouraged to walk on the grass, touch the trees and talk to the birds. But there were two very big trees with a fence around them. The sign said something like: "Please don't climb over this fence. Branches may drop without warning". Am I supposed to assume that going near the other trees in the Gardens is safe, because those trees do warn me before they drop a branch?
This is pretty useless info and it won't win you a trivia night (for that you need to be an expert in American pop culture and Disney movies), but it's these small things in life that can make me laugh out loud. LOL.
I encountered the first one when I was jogging in Rose Bay, along the posh, plush, green Rose Bay Golf Course:
"Illegal dumping prohibited"
I might just have to run around to the other side of the course tomorrow, because this suggests there might also be a place where it's "legal dumping prohibited" or maybe even "illegal dumping allowed".
The second sign was in the Botanical Gardens where I was lazily strolling around in the afternoon. (I am a lady of leisure these days, it's not bad at all). In the Botanical Gardens you are encouraged to walk on the grass, touch the trees and talk to the birds. But there were two very big trees with a fence around them. The sign said something like: "Please don't climb over this fence. Branches may drop without warning". Am I supposed to assume that going near the other trees in the Gardens is safe, because those trees do warn me before they drop a branch?
This is pretty useless info and it won't win you a trivia night (for that you need to be an expert in American pop culture and Disney movies), but it's these small things in life that can make me laugh out loud. LOL.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Australia's good, bad, and strange from a Dutch point of view
As a social psychology student you are flooded with interesting experiments, facts and fictions about stereotypes. For example, did you know that thinking or reading about old people can make you walk more slowly? Also, thinking about Einstein can improve your exam results whereas thinking about someone stupid (say soccer hooligans, or Mr Bush) will make you temporarily dumber.
In short though, we need them, but they are also a driving force behind things not so great, like discrimination
As for me, I should know better but I actually quite like them and find they make great conversation and discussion material.
So, here are a few of my own stereotypes/judgements/opinions about life in Australia (Sydney):
- Lifestyle:
Definitely more relaxed than in the Netherlands. More outdoor activities, less need to plan ahead, slightly less career focused. Also more open to people that make different choices, where Dutch people would ask: 'but why would you want to do that?' Australians tend to say: 'wow, good on ya!'
- Sydney weather
Big blue skies, light like nowhere else. But also: lots of very heavy rain. It either rains or shines. I like it (when it shines that is).
- Men
Usually one or two out of the following three: too feminine, too macho, too short. This doesn't mean they aren't good looking!
- Women
Less is more...but they take it a bit too literally! I've heard this is typical for Sydney but I've seen in it Melbourne too. At the same time they live by 'more is more': shorter skirt, higher heels, straighter hair, more make-up, more jewellery, more perfume. And coats are for losers.
(With this point I'd like to stress that I know a lot of girls that are not like this!!)
- Sports
I can never remember the difference between rugby league and rugby union (I do right know but only because there was a game on last night), but both are not bad to watch. One thing is for sure, our soccer players have a lot to learn from these guys. After seeing the Aussies play they would be horribly ashamed of themselves for falling to the ground pretending to be in agony. They don't know what pain is!
- TV
Good and bad. It's kind of good that Australian tv is so ridiculously bad: you don't ever want to watch it!
- Pubs
Carpet?? TVs?? I rest my case.
- Traffic
Too many cars in too many places. Crossing lights for pedestrians stay red forever. Road signs are sometimes there, sometimes not, sometimes before the turn, sometimes after...even someone with a great sense of direction will easily get lost driving in Sydney.
- Food
Good and cheap. Or deep-fried and cheap. And always in your face. Resisting is difficult.
- Views
Views of the Harbour, the ocean, the city, the Opera House...amazing! So much better than in a flat country. Not much to see when you are not on a hill. Or when there's no hill to look at. Unless you really love the horizon....
Of course I could go on and on, but let's not.
Australia (and Sydney in particular) is a great place and I will really miss it (heaps).
In short though, we need them, but they are also a driving force behind things not so great, like discrimination
As for me, I should know better but I actually quite like them and find they make great conversation and discussion material.
So, here are a few of my own stereotypes/judgements/opinions about life in Australia (Sydney):
- Lifestyle:
Definitely more relaxed than in the Netherlands. More outdoor activities, less need to plan ahead, slightly less career focused. Also more open to people that make different choices, where Dutch people would ask: 'but why would you want to do that?' Australians tend to say: 'wow, good on ya!'
- Sydney weather
Big blue skies, light like nowhere else. But also: lots of very heavy rain. It either rains or shines. I like it (when it shines that is).
- Men
Usually one or two out of the following three: too feminine, too macho, too short. This doesn't mean they aren't good looking!
- Women
Less is more...but they take it a bit too literally! I've heard this is typical for Sydney but I've seen in it Melbourne too. At the same time they live by 'more is more': shorter skirt, higher heels, straighter hair, more make-up, more jewellery, more perfume. And coats are for losers.
(With this point I'd like to stress that I know a lot of girls that are not like this!!)
- Sports
I can never remember the difference between rugby league and rugby union (I do right know but only because there was a game on last night), but both are not bad to watch. One thing is for sure, our soccer players have a lot to learn from these guys. After seeing the Aussies play they would be horribly ashamed of themselves for falling to the ground pretending to be in agony. They don't know what pain is!
- TV
Good and bad. It's kind of good that Australian tv is so ridiculously bad: you don't ever want to watch it!
- Pubs
Carpet?? TVs?? I rest my case.
- Traffic
Too many cars in too many places. Crossing lights for pedestrians stay red forever. Road signs are sometimes there, sometimes not, sometimes before the turn, sometimes after...even someone with a great sense of direction will easily get lost driving in Sydney.
- Food
Good and cheap. Or deep-fried and cheap. And always in your face. Resisting is difficult.
- Views
Views of the Harbour, the ocean, the city, the Opera House...amazing! So much better than in a flat country. Not much to see when you are not on a hill. Or when there's no hill to look at. Unless you really love the horizon....
Of course I could go on and on, but let's not.
Australia (and Sydney in particular) is a great place and I will really miss it (heaps).
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Karma
Ever feel in need of some good karma on a rainy Saturday? I know just the thing to do.
1. Go on a listless, uninspired shopping trip where you try on two things and buy nothing (oh ok, except for a lentil wrap (?))
2. Decide you could do with some more cash in your wallet as this always comes in handy when at the pub
3. Go to the ATM, insert your card, punch in the numbers, and take out your card
4. Walk away, leave the money in the ATM and so brighten the day of the lucky person that uses the ATM next
Et voila, that's it: good karma created.
Wow, I can't wait for all the good stuff that's surely coming my way!
1. Go on a listless, uninspired shopping trip where you try on two things and buy nothing (oh ok, except for a lentil wrap (?))
2. Decide you could do with some more cash in your wallet as this always comes in handy when at the pub
3. Go to the ATM, insert your card, punch in the numbers, and take out your card
4. Walk away, leave the money in the ATM and so brighten the day of the lucky person that uses the ATM next
Et voila, that's it: good karma created.
Wow, I can't wait for all the good stuff that's surely coming my way!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Back to Blogspot
The bastards at waarbenij.nu are going to delete the pictures from my blog, unless I pay them (again). Enough reason to come back to my blogspot page, which I like much better anyway!
Posts will be in English from now on, to cater for the more linguistically challenged among my friends (aka native English speakers, or other randoms that don't speak Dutch). That said, I'd like to ask y'all (you all) for some open-mindedness when I make mistakes in my English, or start mixing Dutch and English. Hey, I'm only human too.
Last Sydney post will follow soon, and of course I will also let you know what it's like to be back in the Low Lands.
I'm keeping it short now because I am at work. I know it is my last day in the office but still feel like I should at least pretend to be doing some work.
En voor de mensen in Nederland, tot heel binnenkort! Sorry voor de switch naar Engels, maar neem aan dat dat voor jullie geen problemen oplevert, toch?
Posts will be in English from now on, to cater for the more linguistically challenged among my friends (aka native English speakers, or other randoms that don't speak Dutch). That said, I'd like to ask y'all (you all) for some open-mindedness when I make mistakes in my English, or start mixing Dutch and English. Hey, I'm only human too.
Last Sydney post will follow soon, and of course I will also let you know what it's like to be back in the Low Lands.
I'm keeping it short now because I am at work. I know it is my last day in the office but still feel like I should at least pretend to be doing some work.
En voor de mensen in Nederland, tot heel binnenkort! Sorry voor de switch naar Engels, maar neem aan dat dat voor jullie geen problemen oplevert, toch?
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