alles goed :)

been stuggling a little bit lately with what to post here...but "all is good" as my Dutch friends would say...thought i would at least start with what's been happening...all is good :)

...getting more and more settled and "at home" in my Amsterdam apartment - interestingly enough, it seems that the more other people visit me here, the more it feels like home to ME...

...taking Dutch lessons twice a week with Erik, another trainee from Sweden, actually understanding more and more of what my Dutch tutor asks me and slowly learning things to say back to her ;) major breakthrough when i could understand an announcement at the metro station!

...not working such crazy hours at work anymore and got a mini promotion within the team - and will have the chance to do some different type of work, interacting with more parts of the bank, so the learning curve is set to continue...also got the chance to finally put my diversity ideas for my team's work down onto paper, then had a quick win with inclusion of a section regarding resourcing diversity principles in a managers' toolkit :)

...my manager approved for me to go to a Summer Institute for Conflict Resolution and Management at the University of Amsterdam - two weeks in June learning about cross-cultural conflict resolution and managing conflict coming from change with large organisations - now i just need the course to accept me

...babysat for one of my colleagues last week...looking after her 5 year old daughter was such a great evening - reconnecting with innocence and pure enjoyment

...still getting energy and inspiration from the personal sustainability and Apprentice networks/groups that i'm in, but still struggling a bit to contribute to them virtually though

...went to the theatre last weekend with Hui Jing, Clyde, Silvia and Nancy - we saw "Educating Rita" - which had quite witty script and raised a lot of questions about what is education and culture after all? how much of your natural talent and forms of expression do you lose in order to succeed in the established education systems?

...also went to "Smakelijk" last weekend with Brenda - a food and wine show - with cocktail, wine tasting, sumptuous desserts and sushi making workshops...was really nice, somehow couldn't help but wonder though if it would all seem a little bit grotesque to some of our neighbours on the planet who go to bed hungry every night...?

...joined a group of other MCPs from 2001-02 trying to organise our Egypt 2006 reunion - looks like it's going to be a wonderful experience there next year - if only we could get in touch with Hisham - our Egyptian host!

...every morning getting inspiration for what the trainee network at ABN AMRO can become from reading book called "Tempered Radicals", attending seminars with them like "Base of the Pyramid" and interacting with them everyday :)

...danced the night away at 80s party on Friday night...i wonder if i would have enjoyed the 80s music so much actually in the 80s? reminsicing 80s dancing with Leah and Natasha at The Trans in Brisvegas, the good old "step and clap" move still going strong ;)

...had a wonderful weekend with the three Ms - Maria, alumni from Malta, now doing traineeship in Belgium, Maria alumni from Spain, now doing traineeship in Amsterdam & Marcio, alumni from Brazil, now also doing traineeship in Amsterdam - walking around Amsterdam, talking, laughing, sharing

...and spring is in the air...well every now and again at least! it's quite a remarkable transformation that's taking place...I can finally understand why all those European poets kept going on and on about spring ;)

really looking forward to seeing my brother liam in two weeks here in amsterdam for his 21st birthday and also my mum one week later in italy!!

but ya...all is better than good actually...all is great :D