My life in the Netherlands

Which websites I can connect in China?

2010-12-13T12:19:00.001Z

I am in Shanghai now.
I am wondering which websites I can connect in China? I mean for those I use frequently.

I cannot connect to Facebook in China.
Moreover, no Picasa, no Backpackers.com.tw, no Wretch, no Blogspot.com, no Yahoo Taiwan
Those websites are the most important Internet sites in my life.
Without them, I feel I am isolated from the world.
How can I live without them?

Does it mean I need to have new social life, new personal website, new Internet albums, and even new ways to read news which are selected by brilliant government in advance?

I feel super upset now and I am glad I will work in Hong Kong, not Shanghai.
I guess it is hard to understand and feel the same frustration, unless you've had same experiences in China...
Especially my life is linked to Taiwan, while the word "Taiwan" itself is already a sensitive word for Chinese government, which means many websites I always use are already blocked by the government and I cannot see them in China. How frustrated.

Btw, if I publish this article successfully, it doesn't mean I can connect Blogspot.com in China. But it means that Blogspot has a wonderful function, which gives me opportunity to blog via gmail, not via Blogspot.com.

Cross the fingers!

Make love, not walls

2010-06-08T15:24:00.002+01:00

From 2010.May Berlin

I saw this in one of the train stations in Berlin. Couldn't stand but laugh.
Make love, not walls.
If human beings have time to make the walls, why don't they just make love instead?
Let love melt the walls.

unsymmetrically buildings

2010-06-02T14:53:00.001+01:00

From 2010.May Dusseldorf

Sometimes unsymmetrically things stimulate our way of thinking and way of seeing the world. Those two are located in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Think big

2010-06-02T14:43:00.001+01:00

The move looks like a Chinese word: Big.
Yes, sometimes we get stuck at the current situation and couldn't think further anymore.
Once in a while, jump and think big, like the ocean and big blue sky.
We will gain more and see further.

Kung Fu at the beach of Texel island

2010-06-02T14:29:00.003+01:00

From Texel island moves

Texel island is a green island with many sheeps and beaches in the Netherlands. I did some moves there.

Finally got my new resident permit

2009-09-02T15:14:00.004+01:00

When everything is about IND office, I have no luck at all.
Everybody received the letter from IND, saying that their resident permits are ready.
Except me.

In few days my old one will be expired. Therefore, I went to IND office today to ask the status. Magically, my resident permit is already there.

When I told to the woman working for IND, she said that if you didn't receive the email or letter, your resident permit is not here. It is bull shit. I explained that perhaps there is some mistake and the letter didn't reach my home successfully. Then she went to check and saw my resident permit.

It shows again that when you deal with Dutch government officer, you must insist your claims. Otherwise you never know what's going on and never get the good result.

It is ridiculous that the resident permit already made and finished on 12 August, but till 2 Sep I still not receive any letter to inform me. I am not the only one who met this situation. Perhaps there is somebody who forget to do his/her job, sending the letters to non-EU student.

This is may come from my bad luck. But if I met three times bad luck already, it is also some problem in this government, at least in IND office.

Anyway, glad I can stay at least 3 months more legally.

Remind myself those places

2009-08-31T23:26:00.002+01:00

Geneva
Chamberry
Nice
Aix-en-Provence
Marseille
Arles
Avignon
Balaton
Baltic 3
Finland
Istanbul
Iceland
Krakow
Lyon
Rome
Perth, Sydney, Cyprus, Greenland, Singapore

Siracusa, Sicily Island

2009-08-31T22:35:00.000+01:00

When I reviewed the photo I took in Siracusa, I realize again how different is this world.
How big is the world...

It is funny to look back and lives in the past memories, letting myself feel sorrow.
Why not turn around, see the bigger world and embrace it?
I am goint to the next step soon, just stay in the same stage currently, within short time.
Once the thesis is finished, then the world is waiting for me to explore.

My vision was too narrow to focus on same place. Your attitute decides your height.
So, stand higher, look further. Lead ahead.

Need a hug

2009-08-31T18:21:00.002+01:00

I need a support now.
Need a hug...for thesis and for that.
Could I have a real vacation? Not a vacation for thesis.
No choice now.

More than I thought

2009-08-31T18:19:00.001+01:00

The thesis takes me more time than I thought.
Damn....really hate this stuff...

Go forward

2009-08-30T22:54:00.005+01:00

For those who prefer to keep current status and go back to their comfort zone, bon voyage.
For those who go forward and see how far they can be, go for it.
I would rather challenge my limit, take the risk and jump forward than
to stay in the status and enjoy the comfort area.
We are not parallel lines. We are the lines which cross each other
but probably won't cross again.

One chooses to move back, while the other chooses to move forward. Bless for both.

Free travel guide and textbook

2009-08-30T21:00:00.003+01:00

Bookboon.com provides free travel guide and textbook.
I love this kind of ideas. In this internet world now, the best thing is to provide people chances to learn, no matter they are rich or poor.

Greenland

2009-08-30T20:02:00.003+01:00

When I am in busy time, I always wanna escape from the real world. One of the thing I will do is to look for a country or place I wanna visit, trying to understand the place more.

So suddently Greenland comes into my mind. The place has about 57000 population only. It starts its new status of self-governing from this year.

The average tempature of the capital city is from -9 to 7 degree. Most of the place in this island are covered by ice. If iceland is a place where Taiwanese people rarely visit, then Greenland is even less people visited. Perhaps in the future can go by flying from Copenhagen, Iceland or Canada.

So many place in the world to visit. Sometimes I am thinking why don't we choose a place which is relative safe but very less people visit? When we mention Barcelona, lots of people have already been there. Not to mention Paris. How about Kazakhstan? How about Greenland?

No cooking for one month

2009-08-29T13:34:00.002+01:00

I decided that during the last month of my thesis writing, I won't
cook for meals.
It is because I wanna save time for study.
Now it is already about 20 days. My meals are sandwich,
sandwich,Turkish pizza and Italian pizza.
Haven't eaten rice for a long time.
From now I still can afford it. However, I do desired for better food.
It seems like the canteen in my office provides me better food now. It is
also my only chance to eat something which is not sandwich or fast
food now.

Luxembourg

2009-08-28T20:59:00.002+01:00

I visited my classmate Hanna. We went together to her house, having
dinner with her family and father's friend.
We cooked paella together. That was an incredible night. Although it
is Spanish meal, we had a typical French style dinner and enjoyed the
Luxembourg style family evening.

The house was wonderful, having a great garden and apple trees! The
dog is lovely. The family are friendly.
The memory of my time there is in my mind, til now.

Straasbourg

2009-08-28T20:52:00.001+01:00

This picture was took in Straasbourg.
By that time I was walking alone in the city center, experiencing the
lovely city.
The river is around the city center, beautiful and romantic.
That time my friends are still there. But now most of the people left
Straasbourg.
Don't know whether will go there again. Even if the answer is yes,
don't know when.
I like the this city...I like the city located at the country border.

Feel stupid

2009-08-27T19:59:00.003+01:00

Feel stupid.
Don't know why I spent time packaging; went to bed at 00:30 and woke up at 7am.
Don't know why I brought luggage with me, walking 15 mins to the
station and another 15 mins to the office.
And then did the same way back home. Don't know why I bought the train ticket in the morning.

I know no intention to play with me, but my time and energy is not for free.
I did them not because of the food or trip. I care nothing but the thesis
and the person.

Bike in Holland

2009-08-26T20:21:00.001+01:00

How's the bike in Holland looks like?
Like this picture!
Can always see the bike like this on the street, especially near the canal.
No matter in Utrecht or Amsterdam, the same.

Seems like people drunk on the street like to make fun of other people's bikes.
So...better not to put your bike in public place overnight.
Otherwise, have a good lock to safe your bike. Your bike may have good
chance like this.

Graffiti on the way to the office

2009-08-26T20:12:00.002+01:00

Everyday on my way to the office, I saw this graffiti.
It is in graffiti, the back side of the train station.
When you walk from the train station, walk along the harbor toward the Movenpick hotel.
Before the Movenpick and Philips building, your will see this graffiti
on the ground at pedestrian road.

I love this kind of graffiti. Shows a bit out of structure, also shows
the vivid and lovely city.

Celebration of breaking down the wall

2009-08-23T21:41:00.001+01:00

This was a street activity in Budapest which is celebrating of breaking down "the wall".
They help you put the ink on your hand then you print it on the white wall.
After that you receive a free bottle of water.
I admit the bottle water is one of the reason for me to participate the event. But I also like this idea. Therefore I passed by and decided to come back to join.

It is not only historical meaning but also shows the vivid city, which is full of activities.

Night View of Budapest

2009-08-23T21:35:00.001+01:00

Schoolmate Gaurav just came back from Budapest, a famous music festival.
Tonight I saw this picture, the famous night view of the chain bridge in Budapest. It is in my computer. The photo reminded me the incredible view of the dream city. I wanna go back again...

Cruise Ship next to my office

2009-08-15T18:05:00.000+01:00

Every week new different cruise ships arrive at Amsterdam Harbor, right next to my office.
From my desk you can see people swimming in the cruise ship or enjoy the sunshine at their balconies.
I wish I am the one on that ship.
Everytime when they come, I always guess where this ship come from and where they will go.
At the same time, I am dreaming where I gonna go in the future by cruise ship.
It is cool to live in such a "big moving house".

Although I don't have chance to experience it, I can see them every other day and dream my dream in the office.

Heineken

2009-08-15T10:17:00.000+01:00

This Heineken logo is painted on the wall, outside of a bar at Kanaanstraat in Utrecht.
Although I love this idea and logo, it reminds me my thesis.
I think it is better to drink Heineken then to write something about Heineken.

Czech friends visit Utrecht

2009-08-15T10:14:00.001+01:00

On 2 August three Czech friends visitied me in Utrecht.
We supposed to meet the day before while we were in Amsterdam.
However, the gay parade made Amsterdam too crowded to meet one another.
That's why finally we gave up to meet.

We hang out for drink, enjoying the quiet Sunday night of the Utrecht.
The size of Dutch beer is hardly to satisfy us.
When we drink, it always remind my great time in Prague where I drank with them last time.
The wonderful half liter beer is fantastic. The moving-possible roof in the bar is cool.
The band was great.

Short time to see each other this time. Next time we gonna meet again, in Taiwan or Prague.
(Liba is going to Taiwan for exchange, so for sure we can meet in Taiwan!)

Beauty Day Out

2009-08-08T21:49:00.001+01:00

Few weeks ago our department has one day activity called "beauty day out".
1pm we had lunch together in our buidling, the "bar meeting" room.
Before I thought it is just a meeting room, but actually it has a bar there!
People can just make a appointment and then make an activitiy and drink there.

Around 6 to 7 colleagues cooked some food for everybody. People from different nationalities brought their home food, ex. Indian, Indonesian and French food. Besides, we also had chocolate cake, tortilla and other snacks.

After the lunch here came the sales game.
People divided with 5 groups and must sell four products within one and half hour.
We must not only try to earn the highest money but also do it a creative way.
Then 5pm we meet at a beach by taking train. (company gave us train ticket)
Every team will have 5 mins presentation, telling us what is their marketing strategy and the target customers. Besides, they need to declare how much money they earn.

Our team chose the internal employees as the potential customers, sending them email and message through communicator or calling friends.
Then potential customers came to our office and saw the products.
We successfully sold all the products, in total we earned 151 Euro.

There is one creative team who won the game. They went to red light district, selling products to the prostitute. Those customers do need the hair dryer and the beauty products. It is good for their business.
Another team drove the car to a small town where one of the member's wife alway has hair cut and hair serive there in one shop.
However, when they entered the shop, the employee who serves his wife wasn't there. (probably on vacation)
They have no choice but try to sell on the street. Finally they only earned 30 euro. However, their story is colorful, coz they met some weird guys and intereting cases.

After the game people drink at the beach bar, having barbecue. The bartender taught us how to make our own cocktail.
We made Bacardi Mojito by ourselves. That was new experience.

After the dinner, there were two salsa dance teacher taught us Salsa dance.
Guys and girls were one by one, dancing with each other.
No matter the person is your colleague or boss. I even danced with my boss's boss, a VP. Teacher said: "in the office you are the boss, here now I am the boss". Coz the guy leads girl dance. I like what he said. :)

After the dance, we still stay there, enjoying the beach and the view. After 10pm the sun gradually went down. One of the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen.
I felt that I was on holiday that time. Colleagues were all "high", having fun.

I took the train at 10:47pm with two colleagues.
But there were still some colleagues kept drinking and played drinking game. They went home at 3am. But they still came to the office at 9am this morning! Amazing.

I enjoyed the day out. It is unforgettable. If I didn't have chance to join this big company, I won't have chance to enjoy an activity like this. International company, international colleagues, international environments. I'm loving it now.

Michelle's wedding

2009-08-08T21:20:00.002+01:00

This is Michelle's second wedding I joined.
First one was in Kaohsiung. Second one was this one, in Belgium.
This is my first time to join the European wedding.
We had a lunch from 1pm till around 7pm.

JuJu grows so fast, the last time I saw him, he was just few months old.
Now he is 1 yr old...super cute!

I am glad to see Michelle and Jean-Philip again. And also "queen", my college senior classmates from Hip-Hop Dance Club. Life changes so fast, but she is still keep the same. Same young, same smile.
Michelle changed a lot, she becomes a real mother, the feeling is different from what she was before.
But still, she is full of energy and has busy life.

I also met a senior classmate from my high school. He is so young, but now already a professor in National Taiwan University. Another lady who came together with him is a PhD student in NCTU. They both work hard and play hard. I've gained a lot from them, even just met each other for an afternoon.

Glad to meet old friends and new people.

When I see so many friends from abroad fly to Michelle's wedding, I realize what is friendship.
Friendship is no matter how long you haven't seen one another, you know they are there.

2009-08-04T19:50:00.000+01:00

Endless journey

2009-08-03T20:52:00.000+01:00

Writing thesis is like an endless journey.
Ther more you write, the farther the terminal point you can imagine.
If counting the words, I am one quarter way from now.
However, if counting by chapters, I finish less than 15% of the whole thesis.

I am proud of the people who can work and study at the same time, especially for those who work very hard and study hard as well. I am imagining the day I finish the thesis, what will the life looks like. But should live now and forget about dreaming the future.

Give myself motivation!! Keep going!

Mimi's Birthday Dinner

2009-08-02T17:49:00.000+01:00

All photos about the dinner

We have around 13 people joined Mimi's birthday on Friday.
It was amazing. So many delicious Taiwanese food at the same time showing in front of me.
I cannot resist but ate a lot.
After dinner, we even had three cakes for Mimi's birthday.
The time we got together was full of smile and laughs.

Patrick accomplished his promise, brining the Beijing barbeque duck for us. It was wonderful. But the best food for me is Fiona's rice cake with kimchi, sooooo delicious!

Don't when we can have so many people get together again next time. But it is an unforgetable day for me. Great food, great people.

Amsterdam Gay Parade

2009-08-02T17:37:00.000+01:00

The coolest thing of the Amsterdam gay parade (Gay Pride) is that it is the boat parade!!
I didn't know that until I arrived.
It was a fantastic day. Full of audience parked their boats on the both side of the canal and enjoyed the parade.
Some boats even have their music. Music, beers and people, the best party.
That is the charming city, Amsterdam.

See more photos about Amsterdam gay parade.

Although I didn't live in Amsterdam, I am proud of it and am glad I am working in Amsterdam!
Amsterdam, you rock!

Wretch is not easy to post blog

2009-08-02T17:31:00.000+01:00

Wretch is a popular album and blog website.
However, it is not very user friendly, especially for posting blog.
I start to try to blog here again. See if I like it.