New USA phone number

I got a local USA phone number through skype.  If you email me (or comment) i'll let you know what it is.  I don't want to put it on here in case there are some scammers.  If you call my usa number from the states, you won't be charged international rates.  It will get forwarded to my computer (if i have skype on), voicemail, or my cell phone.  

I hope you hear from you soon!

Hot Air Balloon Ride

John got me a hot air balloon ride for my birthday.  We went yesterday evening.   John's sister Ilse and their mom, Bep, joined us.  The balloon took off from the large park near our apartment, Stadspark.  Here's a selection of some of the better pictures.  All the pictures I took can be found on my photobucket page:  http://s210.photobucket.com/albums/bb22/epaske/Hot%20Air%20Balloon/

Pictures by Ilse and her partner Marcel can be found on their website:  http://ballonvaart.peelo.eu

Getting ready for the ride:

Test firing the burner and Laying out the balloon. I was surprised how big everything was.

 

 

Filling up the balloon:

 
 
The basket was tipped on the side while the balloon was filling up with cold air.  Then Bep and Ilse got in one of the bottom compartments and i got in the top compartment.  We had to lay on our stomachs until the air was hot enough to tip the balloon and basket upright.  Then John and the other people hopped in. 

 
And we're all in and ready to take off (Ilse, John, and Bep):

And we're airborne:  The take off was really smooth.  We just floated up ever so gently.

L:  View of horse racing track and city R:  Crowd waving goodbye. 
 

More race track and city:
 

Me and John in Balloon:

View of the gas building (blue and beige tall building) and our apt building (about dead center, white)

Overview of Picardhoff gardens and lake:

L:  Another balloon over the lake. R:  overview of Haren
 

L: A look up at the balloon. R:  The pilot used a map.
 

L: Sunset over the lake. R: Canal
 

R: Ilse and Bep L:  Cool star shaped thing on ground
 

L: Windmill R: On the way down
 

And finally touchdown!  we skimmed over the farm fields for a while until we got to a grass field. The field was surrounded by barbed wire, so we had to "jump" the fence and land on an adjacent dirt road.  We made it to another grass field where we landed for good.  The pilot opened up the top and the balloon deflated.  We all worked together to roll it up and put it in a giant stuff sack.  We were a told a story about hot air ballooning (in dutch, so I got the condensed english version).  We also were crowned barons and baroness'. Apparently when hot air ballooning began, if you survived you were made a noble. After a celebratory post we were driven back to Groningen in a big van.  It was a great evening.  I highly recommend you take a ride if you can.

Inburgering pt. 4

My integration into dutch society has been made a lot easier.  Previously i was told that I should really learn some dutch before I started to take the Inburgering courses and start that whole process.  As a result of that, my case was transfered to another person in the Gemente (city hall).  He then decided (or perhaps they changed their policy), that since I have a master's degree and a university background that I just have to pass the Statsexamen II.  The statsexamen II is an exam that tests dutch language knowledge.  People who don't speak dutch as their first language have to pass this test to get into a dutch university.  Now, I have to take 3 levels of dutch and i should be able to pass the test. I start my classes in September and I should be finished Dec. 2010 or soon thereafter.  I guess the Gemente people decided that once I know dutch I can figure out how to do things like take the bus or get a job on my own. 

Amsterdam

My parents came to visit for a week in May.  We spent the first two days of their visit touring Amsterdam.  Here are some pictures from the touring.  John was our most excellent tour guide!

Here's some boats that were at the maritime museum. I got a new bag to show off by a boat that is the replica of Dutch East Indies Company boat. 
 
    
On the Left is a bunch of bikes by a canal.  and on the right is Rembrandt's house.

    

On the Left is the back of the flower market and on the right is the Skinny Bridge.

  

On the left, my parents pose with a statue of Anne Frank.  and on the Right John and my parents stop by a kiosk on on the street. 
 

We went to a concert at the Concert Gebouw.  Afterwards we took a behind the scenes tour.  I highly recommend it if you're in amsterdam.  We learned all sorts of cool things.  The concert hall has perfect acoustics for an acoustical concert and it's completely accidental.  The architect had no training in building symphonic halls and just used his common sense.  Here are some shots of the main hall:

   

Here's a view from of the ceiling of the main hall from the "attic".  The wire cages are the lamps.  

On the left is a view of the Recital Hall.  And on the Right is a view down one of the halls. 

  

Keukenhof

My parents, John, and I visited the Keukenhof gardens at the end of May. Here my mom and dad are trying on a pair of clogs at the entrance of the gardens:

 The tulips were done blossoming when we where there, but there still plenty of pretty sights to see:

   

   

Left: John "milking" some dutch cows on parade.  Right: John and my parents enjoying the Keukenhof.
    

 

Train ride

We decided to take a train ride from Musselkanaal to Stadskanaal while my parents were visiting in May.  The route follows an old set of tracks.  On the way to Stadskanall an old diesel engine pulled us along.  The train cars were old fashioned as well.  

  

John's parents brought his niece (Evelien) and nephew (Joost) along for the ride.  

  

We arrived in Stadskanaal after about 45 minutes.  On the way back to Musselkanaal we had a steam engine pull us along.  It was really fun.