Take Care...I didn't

An asbestos scare, a black eye, and another run in with Netherlands authority later, I have become an official citizen of Hengelo and have been 'hengin' strong for 2 months now! Finally feeling like our new spot was home, it was time for the renovation of our kitchen and shower to begin, so off to a temporary home 'Cashley' went. We were excited about the newer, bigger, two story house, and even posed the idea of making this temporary a permanent. Finding youtube a great source to occupy our time and bond upon, Caitlin and I spent time sharing favorites such as; Hot Pocket, The Yes Dance, King Curtis, and Muffins. Quoting lines from various skits, the Muffins skit became a daily go to in conversation. (For those who haven't seen it...look it up? ha! It lists any muffin you can think of from basic blueberry, to a little more fancy choco-choco chip, to paper clip muffin, there is even an asbestos muffin!) Now, the asbestos muffin was a popular fav between the two of us, I must of heard that word more times in one week then I had in my entire life. Yet, contrary to the humor we had found in the word, it was not so funny when it was used as one of the key words in the update of our apartment's renovation process. Apparently, someone had 'baked a whole batch of asbestos muffins' in our kitchen and we added another week to our stay in the temporary palace.

School Orientation Group Winners...first prize, Apple Pie. 

During this time of multiple trips from house to house transferring necessities, life was still moving on, waiting for no one as it never does. A solid soccer training schedule had been built and each day we were looking more like a team. We had played some boy teams and held our own against them no matter how rough it got. Classes at the Universiteit of Twente were in session and what better of a way to start the school year AND make new friends then with a black eye :]. Except this black eye looked more like going to the club smoky eye make-up on one lid and standard day wear on the other. I got a lot of looks that first week of class and kept thinking 'gosh, do I really look like that much of a foreigner?' or better yet, 'hm they really like me here,' Then as they'd pass I'd remember, sweet, black eye. But black eye or not, it did not impair the excitement of the first days of class at a new, and very different from USC, University. Twente's beautiful campus in the middle of trees upon trees with big ponds around campus has more of an east coast feel I have always wanted to experience. Although, I must say it is very strange not having a football team at the school or any competitive sports teams at that to go watch and support, but I guess the loss of football isn't a bad gain of the FC Twente men's futbol games in the stadium...and hey, their mascot is even a horse. Now I don't feel so foreign knowing we have a "Traveler" of our own ;).

Bikes!

FC twente Futbol Game

I guess class is canceled for the day? ;) Artsy, Universiteit Twente!

Speaking of Traveler, the Americans finally got bikes! We have been riding our bikes the 15-20 minute route to school, (yeaaaa, a little different then the 5 minute straight shoot to campus at USC...there is no rolling out of bed and making it on time to class with this distance!) to the market, to the futbol stadium along with the rest of the Netherlands to watch some quality soccer, and even over to Dutch Mommy and Daddy's for a cup of tea (well, water party in my case), but the best ride Caitlin and I have taken on our bikes is non debatable. Waiting at the training center for the dream bus to head to one of our games, Dutch Daddy appears from the shadows rolling out a very 'handsome' black bike. "Where did you get that?!" 'Cashley' exclaimed, while calm as ever he simply replies,"I found it. It is yours now. Go lock it up." And just like that, we had ourselves a second bike! By the time we got home from our road trip victory, it was dark, damp, and cold, and we were ready to hop in the car and head back to our temporary place, only one problem, the new bike... But! being the Netherlands, this was no problem at all. Caitlin volunteered to ride the bike while I drove behind her slowly in the car the 3 minute trip back to the base. Flipping around the stations it was no surprise that Sky Radio 101 fm came through with a money hit to blast the ride home. Shining my lights on Caitlin I cranked Gloria Estefan's Conga as loud as Foxy would allow and we were on our way. Singing at the top of our lungs, shimmying our chests and moving our head and arms to the beat, we were rolling at a snails pace back to the apartment. As the beat would shift, so would the brights on the car, providing a strobe like affect, we were in our own music video world and Caitlin was owning the stage. Timing the arrival perfectly with the end of the song, I rolled up to the perfect situation; only a parallel parking spot left, in a stick shift car, and the whole neighborhood sitting on their porch providing an audience (mind you it is around 11pm). I turn down the music a tad to hear myself think and execute a textbook parallel parking maneuver with the help of Caitlin's direction on the right side of the car. Pleased with my performance I clasp my hands together and throw them over each shoulder saying "bravo, bravo." Laughing at myself, I look over to Caitlin for some feedback and see her clenching her lips pointing over the car back in my direction. I look to my left expecting to see the neighbors praise, wrong, Netherlands police. Apparently, they not only saw the "bravo" action, but they had been following us for 2 of the 3 minute ride home. "Were you aware your music was up too loud?" ( HA really?! it was?? Using my better judgement I decided to wait to see what they said next before I answered) "We could hear it 500 feet away." I then explained it was for safety reasons to make sure my roomie got home safe on her bike..and thank goodness we were in our red Twente color because they just said "Well, if it happens again we will tell your trainer and have her make you run." and they drove away. Phew! Another encounter, another a warning. And as we walked back into the house (dying of laughter) I reflected upon my recent happenings, and all I could hear was the ever present advice of Dutch Daddy, and that is to 'take care!' ...and well, I didn't.

Soccer Stuff.

Because what would a blog posting be without a picture of food, and this being the grand Daddy 'Symphony' of them all, it made the cut.