come home, we need you in Stamford son!

I don't really have all that much to say but I've been told my posts are too sporadic and that I need to "get it together" so here we are. I've also been told that I need to come home and if I could leave Monday, I really would! Stamford needs me and I need Stamford!

Earlier as I walked to the supermarket nearby, 50 euros in various denominations fell out of my pocket. I realized I didn't have the cash when I got to Albert Heijn, but figured I'd left it at home somewhere. When I got back, I couldn't find it at all and thought I was losing my mind! A few hours later, on my way to get my bike from the shop, I find both 20s, and both 5s scattered about all down our street and the park across from us! I was shocked when I discovered the first 20 and couldn't believe my luck in finding all the rest. I hope this is a sign of future good fortune.

ALOE BLACC= my current musical OBSESSION. I've been listening to the album for the past few weeks and I love it wholeheartedly. Peep the song & video for "I Need a Dollar" and a bit of "So Hard":


In other news, I picked up our visas for Kenyeezy yesterday and soon we'll get shots.  Mosquitoes have always found me irresistible but hopefully I'll be malaria and yellow fever free upon our return. It'll be grand to get away for a while and see a new part of this great big world. I can't believe we'll be there in less than a month!!! It'll be September when we're back and by then Lizzy will be back too, woo hoo!

Kettia arrived this morning! We had breakfast and lunch and she is now taking a nap. Perhaps later we'll have dinner in one of the many neighborhood parks on one of the canals and relax. Tomorrow we'll spend the day in the city center and exploring good old Rotterdam as a warm-up to Amsterdam this weekend! Maybe I'll finally get around to doing some touristy things like seeing Anne Frank house. But chances are we'll probably just meander about, making new friends, memories, and having strange encounters.

These next few weeks will be really good for my spirit. My recent high level of homesickness has left me feeling bamboozled because being here makes me happy and I'm getting to experience and see things that I've always wanted to. But being able to see friendly familiar faces and people I genuinely care for and love will be a welcome gift. Not to mention being able to get away with my Micky Mozzarella, seeing wild animals in their natural habitats and exploring a different culture. LIFE DOES NOT SUCK.

i naenda Kenya!

That's Swahili for I'M GOING TO KENYA!!!!! Mic and I leave for Mombasa, Kenya on the 23rd of August and we're both extremely excited! I never thought of Kenya as much of a vacation destination, but apparently the beaches on the Southern coast are very beautiful. We'll be staying in our own bungalow at Severin Sea Lodge, getting our inebriation on, on account of our all-inclusive package. We'll do some of the offered excursions accompanied by a few days of safari life! We are both beyond excited! It will be my first time to Africa and continent #4 that I've been on, so as you can imagine, I'm pumped!

These next few weeks will be very busy for me. We'll be scrambling around getting vaccinations and visas and I'm expecting visitors! My good friend, Kettia, who I haven't seen since high school will visit me next week! I'll pick her up on Wednesday morning and I'm very excited to see her! It'll be nice to see a friendly familiar face and catch up on our lives over the years. About a week later, Mayra comes to Holland! Mic and I visited her and her now husband a few months ago in Spain and it'll be fantastic to hear about the changes in her life and hang out on familiar territory since I initially met her here. Then it's on to KENYA!

I can't complain about life right now. I'm happy and healthy (if you disregard the alcohol we drink on the weekends, which is actually lessening so that's better for me). Mic is great and we're getting more and more settled in our life together. He still drives me crazy sometimes but I wouldn't have it any other way. The weather has been amazing which really does wonders for my mood and we just concluded the climactic 3rd season of The Wire which was great. The only thing that would make life even better is if we were living  elsewhere. I'm feeling a bit stagnant and could do without some Dutch rules and regulations.

I miss my family and friends very much and wish I could add their names to my list of visitors this month. My dad and sister Sabine, are currently in Haiti visiting family members and I wish I could've gone. It'd be great if I could make it there within the next year but unfortunately, it's a lot easier said than done. Hopefully I'll be able to see my hometown loves around September/October but I also need to make my way back home sooner than later. I am dying to have shrimp and broccoli with white rice from my favorite Chinese restaurant in Stamford and happy hour at Kona. While we're on the subject of things I want, I've been dying to go to a wedding (I love reasons to get all dressed up and open bars). Lots of couples in Holland never marry so my chances are slim here, meaning you broads at home need to step your game up!! D, I'm tryna be a maid of honor so get it together!

Instead of spending my time doing productive things like working on my book, I spend it reading gossip blogs, researching more places to visit, reading news articles and browsing funny videos. This one has been cracking me up.. Enjoy!