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Has it really been a whole week?

I realised when speaking with Stuart earlier that I have already been in the Netherlands for a week! A week! How has that happened so quickly?
It is said that time flies when you are having fun, and you know what? I am having an absolutely fabulous time. 
I was given the warmest of welcomes on my first day of work and my new team gave me a wonderful welcome gift. It has been so nice taking the last few days to get to know my new co-workers and to learn a few words of Dutch too! Goodbye (doei!) and doorknob (duerknop) being two of my favourites.

Nijmegen is a beautiful city. I have barely tapped into it and already I love what I see, smell and hear.
One thing I have to say about the Dutch is that they love a sandwich and a pastry.
Greggs would hang their heads in shame in comparison to what the average Dutch shop has to offer for lunch. 
I had a wee sleep-in this morning, and didn't have time to make my lunch, so I nipped to the little shop next door to my work at lunch time. Obviously language is a barrier, but I have learnt a few necessities for purchasing food. Cheese is kaas, ham is ham, chicken is kip etc....
I found a very yummy looking cheese and ham baguette and bought it. Imagine my delight when I discovered it was full of salad, egg, cucumber and a few items more as well as the cheese and ham. Not only that, it was so fresh! I savaged it. Devoured it. I thought of the ham and cheese baguette from Greggs I had purchased on many a lunch break and laughed. It never stood a chance.
I have also been introduced to a pastry called borek honing roomkaas. Cream cheese and honey borek. Had I known what it was I would have probably turned my nose up at it. More fool me. It was a delight. I reckon one pastry a week should give me a decent overview of the deliciousness of the dutch bakery. 

Tomorrow is my day off and I have great plans to go gallivanting around the city for the day. I finished work early yesterday and went on a detour home and found myself able to guess a number of streets and what was to come. I love that the city has started to sync up for me already. Hopefully by the time March comes along I'll be ready to start exploring further afield! 

While I have been gallivanting around the place tasting pastries, Stuart has been working hard in Aberdeen redecorating. Actually, he got himself a nice hotel room and some room service while he hired someone to do it for him, but the result was the same so no complaints from me! It is very odd not having him here at home in the evening with me, especially when I am so excited to tell him everything I have done in my day. As much as I am loving my adventure, the highlight of every day is definitely my video call with Stuart in the evening. I actually met a Dutch Stuart. Well, his name is spelt Sjoerd. He was my contact at the bank when I was opening my bank account. Nice dude. Cool name.

Until the next time,
Bedankt en tot ziens!

Lu x


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