No.4 Food, Glorious Food!

The Vismarkt!

My one true love!

On Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays the two town squares fill with a variety of fabulous stalls. In one square there are flower and fabric stalls everywhere and the other square is where you'll find me - with the food. There are a variety of fruit and veg stalls with cheap, fresh produce as well as stalls with every kind of food you could ask for. . . did I mention it's really cheap? One stall sells only potatoes - whatever potato you want, they've got it - another is devoted to spices and herbs, the smells of which waft over towards the fish stalls where they sell freshly grilled fish and chips in paper cones. As you delve further into the markets there is a stall devoted to dried fruit and nuts, another with all kind of antipasti, and of course, cheese, cheese, cheese.
I struggle to cycle home after my trip to the Vismarkt - partially because of all the shopping and partially because I can't help but stuff myself with friet en mayo while I browse - and take over far more than my one shelf in the fridge, however it's always worth it as I eat like a queen for the rest of the week.

In the complete opposite direction to the Vismarkt, is Jumbo. Or as the Dutch call it 'Yumbo'.
It is one of the most daunting supermarkets I have ever been in. There are floor to ceiling walls stacked with Fanta. Any type of Fanta and any other soft drink you like! You pick up your own barcode scanner as you walk in and scan everything yourself! They even have those fantastic things that you weigh and price your own vegetables on. It's so much fun! I find it incredibly overwhelming however, what a large packaged business it is. There is only a small selection of vegetables that are not prepackaged, and in the meat section I have no idea what cut it is, let alone where it came from! It has truly opened my eyes to how lucky I am to be able to source fresh, local produce at home.

I have been going to town on my meals to the point that I am sure everyone who shares my kitchen with me thinks that I am an absolute freak. I have spent hours in there making delicious lentil patties (I'll post the recipe below as you HAVE to try these), burrito mix, strawberry compote, muesli, granola, fruit salad, you name it! I have been totally inspired by a number of food blogs that encourage clean, healthy eating, many of which are gluten free. In my first week I hunted down the health food stores such that my shelves at home are now overflowing with quinoa, nuts, grains, meals and other such things.

Student meals you say? What's that.
Today's meal? Homemade Bircher muesli, lentil patty with salad and delicious creamy carrot and leek soup. 

Gluten free adaptation of Rose's quinoa patties (check out her beautiful blog dasher design)

Ingredients:

Quinoa (keen-wah)
Red Lentils

Mixed beans
Gluten free bread crumbs
2 eggs

zucchini
carrot
spring onions
alfalfa sprouts
garlic
fresh red chilli
parmesan

cumin
paprika
salt and pepper

I haven't said quantities as I have NO idea how much of anything I put in, but you're clever you can figure it out.

Method:
Cook quinoa. I think I did a cup uncooked, Which will make about 2 cups cooked. To cook the quinoa add equal parts quinoa and liquid - you can use water or stock - bring to the boil, simmer for 10-15 minutes then clamp the lid on with the heat off for another 10-15 mins. This is how I do it, the internet or packet may have better ideas.
Cook lentils until soft.
Whilst your grains are cooking away. . . .
Rinse beans - you don't want the gross gluggy salty stuff their covered in (that's what gives you gas!)
Grate carrot and zucchini (I used 2 smallish carrots and half a zucchini) then squeeze the liquid out.
Chop garlic, chilli and onion.
Mix all above ingredients together.
Grate in parmesan.
Season with paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
Crack eggs in and mix.
Add breadcrumbs until the mixture will stick together and make nice little ball/patty things.

Fry on pan with oil (I used coconut - it has a higher melting point than others and is very good for you!)
Enjoy, or Freeze and enjoy later!

strawberries for my strawberry compote
that's the kind of sign i like to see, the one thing i wish i could bring with me is my black furry friend
fresh fruit salad in a jar - handy!
my first attempt at sushi
cheese

No.3 - Winscho

Winschoterdiep 46, Room A21, 9723AC Groningen.

Winscho is the nick name given to the International student housing where I live and, I just LOVE it.

Winscho is so much fun and everyone here is just fantastic. People are literally from all over the world. You want to know someone from Brazil? Spain? Arab Emirates? Korea? Lithuania? Ireland? You got it. People come and go from winscho all the time and no one stays for more than a year, so there is a real sense of community and friendliness. Everyone is used to making new friends and accepting all of the newcomers.

I have met so many beautiful people since arriving here, all of whom are fun, generous people. There's a general sense of 'my door is always open' people are always coming and going from each others rooms. When you want time by yourself it's easy to just coop up in your room and then emerge and knock on a friends door to have some fun or just find a bit of silent company. These people are in your home, which creates forced intimacy and fast friendships. It's a bizarre feeling to walk past people in a towel, or straight out of bed. All of the things that you would do in the privacy of your own home but with a million people around. However, everyone does it, so there is no judgement if you have breakfast at 1pm or stay in your pajamas all day.

I am now completely used to having to take my toilet paper with me to the toilet, wandering around the corridors with bed hair, and taking my toiletries to the shower.

The only thing I haven't yet mastered is not singing in the shower. . . There's time, and for now people will have to deal with my absent minded humming and morning songs.

proof that i have friends

everyone deserves a birthday cake - kisch's 21st

blue sky, taken whilst cycling!

snowy night out

the americans!

No.2 Prins Claus, what a guy!

The Prins Claus Conservatorium, where I will be studying for the next 6 months, is a fantastic institution attached to Hanze university. The relationship is very similar to that between WAAPA and ECU as the campus and institution are somewhat separate form the main university.

The conservatory is a 5 minute (including unlocking and locking my bike!) cycle from my accommodation, which throws all plans for getting fit but makes for a nice lunch break, and gives me little excuse not to practice.

I will be studying percussion with three incredible teachers for the duration of my study, as well as attending regular theoretical classes.

Luuk takes me for timpani, Tatiana for mallets and Joeke for snare and excerpts.

So far I have only had lessons with Joeke and Tatiana, this week I will finally meet Luuk!

Joeke takes us for lessons once a week whilst Luuk and Tatiana come every alternate fortnight. It makes me feel so privileged to have so much tuition! Having three different people all expecting things from me is both daunting yet fantastic and I know that I am going to improve so much. They are so committed to my development and after each lesson I feel energised and inspired to work.

Last week, I had an 'inspiring' lesson with Joeke on Monday, however when Wednesday rolled around, it brought with it resignation. I could remember how inspired and excited I felt, however I couldn't summon up the excitement or concentration to work. That was when I had a lightbulb moment. I felt I was so taking for granted that these people were inspiring me, I didn't even think about how I could inspire them. So my new commitment is: Be inspired and inspire. I decided I wanted to arrive at my lessons full of possibility and excitement. I want to exceed their expectations and inspire them with my reaction to their teachings.

Boy did that send a surge of energy through my soul!

Last week I had my first performance in Holland which came as a bit of a shock to the system! It was so familiar but something I hadn't done in a while that by the end of the evening I was EXHAUSTED!

The performance by the 6 of us Percussionists was the warm-up for the band Rubatong, a TURA style heavy metal band that Tatiana plays with. They are the best performers you've never seen! Really unique performers with such amazing stage presence, I was blown away! 

It was such a nice experience for me to bump in and out, rehearse and perform with a new bunch of percussionists. For me it is this experience that really solidifies my new friendships and made me feel like 'one of the gang'.

The next day the said 'gang' - although they are the sweetest, funniest people, who in no way resemble a gang - headed to 'the' percussion shop near Amsterdam. After a long train trip, walk, few wrong turns, bus trip, few more wrong turns and four hours, we arrived at the shop. This was another experience that made me think of home - friendly percussionists. It seems no matter where you are in the world, percussionists take care of each other. As soon as we were in the door we were being fixed up with hot coffee and tea, as we then proceeded to spend the next few hours trying out every different mallet, stick, drum and shaker. By the time we departed we had also been stuffed with cake, soft drinks and left satisfied with our bellies and new purchases. Almost enough to forget the deathly cold! . .  Almost.

This week I begin my other classes at university. I am still sorting out some of my timetable and am apprehensive about how I will fit into my classes. It is so exciting however, to have a full schedule and once again and feel like I am being productive!

I feel that getting into the swing of my classes will be the last step in really settling in to life here.

Lx

first performance at the grand theatre

the drum shop

coen enjoying his cake at the shop

you can see why it took us a few hours

my new life

Here it is!

My "new" life!

Funny how even when you plan on having a new life, in a new city it seems to be all the same. Then you realise it's the common factor. You. Or rather, Me.

Life in Groningen is fantastic and it already feels as if I've always lived here. It's been so long since I've blogged anything that I've decided that I'll update you with a few anecdotal stories. . .

No. 1 - IKEA
Yes, it needs it's own post. My living space in "winscho" (the street is called Winschoterdiep, however all students abbreviate our college to winscho) is generous, yet modest. I have a nice little room that is purely mine to fill with whatever I desire. . . there's not much there to begin with. All kitchen and bathroom facilities are shared, and to begin with it feels much like being on a school camp, however when it's what you have, it becomes the norm!

I have filled my room with IKEA - sheets, lamps, boxes, you name it. There has been many an evening spent roaming through the IKEA maze an of course I've thrown in a bit of people watching in the restaurant for good measure. I swear that every Dutch family goes there for dinner - it's a legitimate thing!
There have also been a few work outs, known as 'interesting trips home', roping new friends into carrying heavy, awkward pieces of flatpack furniture back to college. We're students! Did you really think we'd pay for delivery, or a taxi! Couldn't think of a better way to make friends anyway....

Then there are the things that I would never normally even think about:
- Having to take my own toilet paper to the toilet. Every. Single. Time.
- Buying bowls, plates, a SHARP knife, tupperware, baking paper!
- Not only laundry detergent but a laundry basket (actually I still haven't got one) and drying rack (haven't got one of those yet either).
- Towels! Dish cloths! Tea towels! Tongs!

I was definitely under the false pretence that these things simply existed for people everywhere! I mean TOILET PAPER.

I am overwhelmed by the number of things I take for granted at home. Not only that, it has really opened my eyes to the 'consumerist world we live in'. The number of things we 'need' to live. WOW.
Amongst all my moaning and aching muscles from carrying tables home from IKEA I, of course, have had the BEST time decorating my room. My inner domestic goddess has emerged and I have spent hours making paper cranes, pin up boards, paper pom poms and various other things to make my room inviting. Finally I get to choose the colour of my scrubbing brush and chopping boards.

Freedom at last!

- paper crane mobile
- goodies!
- tea towel pin up board

professor mcgonagall meeting us at our hostel. . . on top of the bar

blinded by the beautiful sun on our walk

Nina lifting spirits after our visit to Anne Frank's House

vibrant streets

that time Slytherin stole our practice session on the Quidditch pitch

girls on our final stroll

Better late than never - Amsterdam

Amsterdam // Beautiful

My breath was immediately taken away by how beautiful Amsterdam is. After Nina and I arrived on Sunday evening, we crashed at the hostel sheepishly going up to the counter and choosing terrible films from those available to rent, and hogging the tv room.
The next day I awoke ready to explore. Amsterdam to me is the sort of city you can wonder in for hours without even having to walk into any shops or cafes. It's the little glimpses of life and style that make it so special. It was an amazing contrast to Berlin both in the feel and visually. To me it felt like more of a 'city', with a main shopping drag and an obvious buzz of people. The buildings, especially the department stores and malls, are beautiful old stone buildings, it's easy to confuse which one was the Palace and which was Zara.
After Lizzy and Rani arrived we made the trip to Anne Frank's house which has been very cleverly preserved and had built around it, a contemporary museum. It was one of the most moving experiences for me, I found myself tearing up in every second room with the constant thought of "she was one, of more than i can imagine" swirling through my head. After an emotionally draining morning, we decided to embrace the flat terrain and go for a walk. Even though we were all exhausted and sick, there was a notable spring in our steps. Walking along the canals we breathed the fresh, cool air, admired the beautiful trees and boats that line the edge of the water. We peeked again into the windows of terraces that look on to the canals, each seemed to be home to some contemporary business (I'm sure only graphic designers, architects and those in the fashion industry work in Amsterdam) or a stylish home (so stylish I kept wishing they were shops not houses!)
We stopped for soul warming soup and the best coffee we'd had in Europe - it was like sweet sweet nectar - then continued wandering about the beautiful city, through the flower markets and towards the dreaded red light district. It was definitely not what we expected, as we hurried past a few x-rated stores we found ourselves in a chocolateria, an amazing small gallery and other dinky little shops one would not expect to find in such an area!
Our night life consisted of me finally getting the hot toddy I'd been dreaming of since I got to the cold, thanks to a very generous and cooperative barman at our hostel (an Aussie - of course!) and one last serve of friet en mayo and stroll through the city before Nina and I said goodbye to the city and to our beautiful traveling companions.
In the morning I had to give the briefest of goodbyes to Lizzy and Rani, who are staying on in Amsterdam and then continuing their travels abroad for the next month, so that I could hold myself together. These girls have been so fantastic to travel with. They make me laugh, they cuddle me when it's cold and they have given me the best experience of Europe to date. Finally at the train station I had to say goodbye to my little bean neen. Anyone who knows us knows that Nina and I are like siblings. I'm convinced that we were separated at birth and that "joke" my parents keep on telling me about being adopted, may actually be true. We both confessed afterwards that on our journeys home (Nina to Perth) we couldn't stop the tears, in mourning of our adventure and each other. So I farewelled my last connection to the life I know and headed off to my new one in Groningen. . .

Lizzy in the art space

hard core drugs I got into

culture on the street

"walk" along the canals

Bye bye baby

Our time in Berlin has finally come to an end.

It's been such an amazing experience. The city is so full of culture and identity that is both centuries old and so recent. It's easy to feel like you're everyone's best friend and no one at all!

We've been to many interesting galleries in which drugs, nudity, sex and harsh images are pretty common, yet all have been interesting in their own right. Be it the art, content or theme.

On Friday we had BLUE SKIES and yes you guessed it - SUN! It reminded me of home having those clear, fresh winter days. It's amazing that I don't realise how much I miss a good dose of vitamin D until it shines through the skeletal trees.

We've met countless Aussies and even went to 'Melbourne Canteen' - a truly Aussie cafe - on Australia Day where we sang along with a guy who was taking 'Australian Pub Requests' as he called them. Stellar!

Now after the partying, the art, the graffiti, the weird, the wonderful and by golly the falafel, we head to Amsterdam where we will all discover a new city together. Even though we will only be there briefly I am excited to absorb a new city and culture, and to share this experience with the girls.

Each day I get more excited to head 'home' to Groningen and set up my own new life. I can't wait to start playing again, to find the nice coffee shops and set up my own routine!

Love to all at home and over the world.
Lx