The love for books and Grandparents

(Photo found here)

I've always wondered where I got my love for reading. My parents don't read much and I wouldn't consider them book lovers or book worms. I, for one, am a book worm. Actually, no one in my family likes to read or reads regularly. So, with no example or influence from my parents or from my family, I've always wondered where I got it from.

I grew up watching Matilda and was obliged to read when I was in primary school, but I always enjoyed it because they let us choose what book we wanted to read (something that's not really happening now in secondary school). Maybe I got it from there. But now that I'm in Holland and now that I'm old enough to speak with my grandma in a more serious tone because I'm much older, I think I know where I get it from.

Me and my grandma were drinking a cup of coffee and talking about books, and I always remember her old house and this "new" one stacked with books. She even ran out of space and doesn't know where to keep them all, just like me. I remember by grandpa also used to read a lot, and I remember watching them when I was little when they were reading quietly, sometimes while he smoked his delicious-smelling pipe. I wish I could have spoken to my grandpa about books and about the war just like I can with my grandma. They both lived the war and have a first-person experience.

I wish I knew dutch so I could speak with them in their native language. I'm already too late with my grandpa but I still have time with my grandma. I hope so. But learning dutch isn't a very easy thing. I have perfect consciousness that when my grandma will pass away, I'm never coming back to Holland. I was only close with my grandparents just like my dad. That's why I want to come here more often, so I can spend more time with my grandma and because she feels lonely, which is a natural thing. It can't be easy living five years without the person you've shared most of your life with.

Anyway. I think I know where I get it from now. I get it from my dutch grandparents. My grandma even admited that she was very sorry that her other grandchildren, three boys, weren't into reading at all. But I do, Oma and Opa, I do. And thank you. Having a love for books is a wonderful thing, and you know they can almost be like a best friend to you when you feel lonely.

- Ana

The most exciting trip ever

(Photo found here)

Well, I'm finally in Holland. But it took a lot to get here, and that's what I'm sharing today.

I woke up at 5am, was inside the taxi by 6am and was just in time to catch the plane at 7:50am. The news about most of Europe was pretty bad, it's all full of snow storms now. I was watching the screen on the airplane and I noticed we were almost flying past Paris. I looked over to my mom and said, "it would be kind of nice if we stopped in Paris for a few hours, I miss Paris." About two minutes after I said this, the captain informed us that "we had to stop in Orly airport in Paris because the airports in Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland were closed down because of the snow, and they were only accepting 15 to 20 flights per hour, which is less than 10% of the usual flights they receive". I was shocked.

We landed in Orly and it was snowing like hell. After about an hour, everyone decided to get off the plane. We had two options: go back to Lisbon with our luggage or stay in Paris. No expenses paid by the airline, no refund (those TAP SOBs). There was a catch though, we could only keep our luggage if everyone on the plane left and stayed in Paris. We were 20 portuguese and 5 dutchmen in the plane. There was no one important and it was a portuguese flight. Of course they didn't risk landing in Amsterdam. Of course not.

Everyone eventually stood up and got off the plane with their luggage. We had to buy a train ticket (TGV train, pretty cool), which is about €100 per person. I called my dad and told him everything and he said it was best to buy a ticket to Roterdam instead of Amsterdam, that would give him time to drive there and not stay hours waiting in Amsterdam. After everyone bought their tickes, the airport found us all a bus (free of charge) and we drove towards the Gare du Nord train station. We stayed there for three hours. In the cold. We should have waited only two, but the train got delayed another hour. While we waited (remember, every portuguese person who didn't know each other sticked together for everything), people took turns to go to the bathroom and buy something to eat and drink while the others guarded the luggage. A lot of luggage.

After three hours, the TGV finally arrived and eight of us were in the same carriage. We wished a Happy Christmas to the others and faced another three hours until Roterdam (and even more to Amsterdam for the others). At least the seats were comfortable. I'd pick the TGV over a plane any day. Everyone slept for about an hour and we talked until we got to Roterdam. I even talked to this sweet Australian girl who was backpacking through Europe with her girlfriends (which is, like, my dream).

We met my dad and my grandma who had left home twelve hours before. We still had to drive to Enschede which is two hours away from Roterdam. In the snow. In a snow storm. So, naturally, a drive that should have taken two hours took four, and we only arrived home at 3am. I was up for practically 24 hours.

Although it was kind of a nightmare, it was the best trip of my life. And plus, not many people can say they woke up in Lisbon, had lunch in Paris and slept in Holland all in one day. Everything unplanned and everyone sticked together. This is why I love being portuguese. I'm proud of being portuguese. We never back down and we always help each other when we need it. People who didn't know us trusted us with their luggage, and people who were only staying here for three days and meanwhile wasted their first day were laughing and joking about the situation and being nice to each other, almost as if we've done this before. Bonus: one of the girls on the plane was friends with a friend of mine. Small world.

The portuguese rock, and we're one of the best people in the world and no one can take that away from us. While some people would get pissed and stick with their own families, we sticked together. And that's what makes a nation a nation. Sticking together.

BEDA #30 - BEDA, see you next year

Here we are . . . the last day of BEDA. I find it very weird actually. It seems like only a week of April has gone by.

There were times that I wrote down stuff to write here on my blog as soon as I got home, but there were days that I would stay up just to think of something interesting to say, or just something to SAY. I loved this experience. It is a very big challenge. I proved myself that I can blog every day (at least for a month), but not blog interestingly every day. That's the big difference.

The two main things that I'm very thankful for due to this whole month of tapping my fingers away, are the fact that I started writing regularly again, and most of all that I met some great people like Nicola, Kim, Rachel and Dancesinrain (I've only figured out I don't know your name, which is very embarrassing :O).

I hope that I'll keep talking to some of you guys now that BEDA is over. I'll continue to read your blogs and comment them. In case you're interested, here's my Skype name: analorena92 - add me and that way we can talk :) Any awesome Nerdfighter - well, there's no Nerdfighter which isn't awesome - can add me as well :)

Well, I don't really want to do a normal blog, rambling on and on about this, for example:

 

Which I really wanted to talk about since half of me is part of that country. I guess I'll talk about it some other day. But WTF was that guy thinking ?! People died because of that a**hole. What do you think: was it "just" a drunk driver or an attack?

It has been a pleasure, bloggers xxx
If you want to continue reading my blog, voilà: www.alorena1.blogspot.com

- Lo