On being home.. Gina - august 20th 2006
Door: Gea Wijers
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Gea
19 Augustus 2006 | Cambodja, Phnom-Penh
How can I begin to tell you what it is like to be back in my homecountry? After 5 days in the Netherlands it still feels like I haven't really landed yet. It's a little like being a tourist in a country that looks and feels a lot like the country you had in mind to return to, but it's still not exactly the same place you remember having been before.
It seems to me that part of my soul (I guess a piece about the size of Cambodia!) has remained on street 63 in Phnom Penh, or is still cycling around the Independence Monument and swimming laps in the VIP swimming pool. I miss all you dear people, friends and colleagues!! Your humor, inspiration, friendly smiles and support are really unforgettable!
So here's a few photos of my first days in Holland. This clean, crisp, fresh and organized country is quite a challenge to my reintegrationary skills! I have been spending a lot of time in all kinds of governmental offices to get registered as a citizen again, no easy task indeed! There are administrative procedures, tax papers and insurance obligations to get reacquainted with. There is a big disappointment to get over as the job I was so looking forward to has unexpectedly been cancelled. There are so many people to see and there are so many people to talk to, in my own language! It is all very exciting and life is all of a sudden very uncertain again. But one thing is for sure, my studies will start in two weeks.
As I mentioned, I haven't really landed yet. Lots of things are looking different from the way I remember them, some for better and some for worse. But then. Maybe it is very good to take this fresh outlook on life and run with it for a while. And when I take this up, I will quickly post another message and more photos to tell you how it is to be back in my home country!
sending you lots of warm wishes and happy thoughts
Gina
It seems to me that part of my soul (I guess a piece about the size of Cambodia!) has remained on street 63 in Phnom Penh, or is still cycling around the Independence Monument and swimming laps in the VIP swimming pool. I miss all you dear people, friends and colleagues!! Your humor, inspiration, friendly smiles and support are really unforgettable!
So here's a few photos of my first days in Holland. This clean, crisp, fresh and organized country is quite a challenge to my reintegrationary skills! I have been spending a lot of time in all kinds of governmental offices to get registered as a citizen again, no easy task indeed! There are administrative procedures, tax papers and insurance obligations to get reacquainted with. There is a big disappointment to get over as the job I was so looking forward to has unexpectedly been cancelled. There are so many people to see and there are so many people to talk to, in my own language! It is all very exciting and life is all of a sudden very uncertain again. But one thing is for sure, my studies will start in two weeks.
As I mentioned, I haven't really landed yet. Lots of things are looking different from the way I remember them, some for better and some for worse. But then. Maybe it is very good to take this fresh outlook on life and run with it for a while. And when I take this up, I will quickly post another message and more photos to tell you how it is to be back in my home country!
sending you lots of warm wishes and happy thoughts
Gina
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
