Bye Bye Teens

In a week I'm turning 20. Which means that I already lived more or less a quarter of my life. It's a lot if you think about it. I obviously do.
There are moments in which I am so positive and enthusiast about life that all I want to do is to put that energy into a bottle, to use it when I feel down. How cool would that be?  Whenever you feel demotivated or sad, you could just open the cupboard and take a sip from your magical bottle filled with ImsohappyIcouldrunamarathon kind of drink. I know I know, I am such a dreamer.

Unfortunately that cannot be done, at least not yet. What happens though, is that for every bad thing or sad moment in life, there is always something that comes later and makes you smile again. Prove me wrong if you think differently.
It can't always go well, we encounter challenges that make us  grow and learn. Ok, sometimes life just happens and you can't do anything about it; but it is always your choice to decide from which perspective to see things. To stand up to obstacles and overcome them or stand still and let them stop you.

Today I'm writing something to remind myself what I wanted from life when I was still in my teen years.
- I want to see sunset and sunrise in the same day
- I want to walk barefoot on the North Sea beach
- I want to write a book
- I want to go to Barcelona
- I want to watch the stars and talk my heart out as many times as I can
- I want to never stop traveling and falling in love with new places
- I want to read as many books as I can
- I want to fall in love multiple times
- I want to make the best of all the crap that will happen to me
- I want to keep being friend with my best friends til death do us part
- I want to never ever give up
- I want to surround myself with people who bring me happiness, energy and light
- I want to keep making my parents proud of what I become
- I want to be an inspiration for my little sister
- I want to climb the Machu Picchu in Peru' and scream from the top of it
- I want to make a change in someone's life
- I want to take as many opportunities and chances as life throws at me, knowing that there are not second chances, there might be similar opportunities, but circumstances will never be the same
- I want to always remember that life is tough, but so am I

And I could go on and on for pages.

I don't know what life has planned for me, actually I don't even think there is a plan, it is probably all about the choices we made. What I know is that I want to live my life as fully as I can. It's my story, so it's up to me to write it.

The Carpe Diem phrase has always been part of my philosophy, to make the most out of a moment. My grandpa used to tell me that when I was little (together with other hundreds of Latin or dialect phrases or words), but just in the past few year I found myself actually recognizing the true meaning of those two words. It is probably the reason way sometimes I just silently think about the situation I am in in that precise moment. Carpe Diem is like taking a mental self picture and record all what you are feeling and doing in just a few seconds.
Maybe it is different for everyone, or maybe you feel it too.
It's one of my favorite feelings out of all I experienced so far.

Quote of the post: 

 "Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground."

                                                                      - Theodore Roosevelt

   

6 possible things

Sometimes when I have too many thoughts I just need to sit down and put them down in writing. It helps a ton.
I use to think about six impossible things that are not impossible anymore before breakfast. In those moments when you are half asleep, still all tackled up in your bed sheets, and you just don't want to get up. Not yet.

1. Live in another country
2. Get a job
3. Get out of high school
4. Have my own double bed
5. Study what I like
6. Study it in English

Sometimes I start the day reminding myself what I achieved so far, some things are small, like having my big bed so I can sleep like a starfish, others were a bit more challenging to accomplish, and some of them are still a work in progress, but not impossible anymore.
If there's something I understood about me so far, is that I like, even love sometimes, impossible and different things. It's always been like that. Maybe because I'm curious, maybe because I find them interesting, or maybe just because I am determinate to make them become possible.

We spend pretty much of our life trying to find our place in the world and trying to understand who we really are, what we like, what we don't like. And growing up we change; if you stop for a moment, close your eyes and picture yourself five years ago, you'll be incredibly surprised by how different things were. Something you would have thought impossible became real, some people left, some new people came in your life. We are, I am, the result of everything that happened to me, the result of all the people I met in my life. Someone barely touched me, someone hurt me, someone made me understand important things, others shared with me the best moments.
Impossible things require time, effort, friends, family, even counterparts, intention and action. Until one day it's done. Until one day you realize where you are standing, where you stood, and where do you wanna stand tomorrow or in five years
If you look at it closer, even the word says "I'm possible".

Quote of the post:           "Don't be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try."

Housing situation

The best tip I can give to someone coming to study here in Amsterdam: it is never too early to start looking for a house or a room. It takes time, a very long time, but it's not impossible.

My experience? Let's go back to last year.

I properly started looking for a place to stay around March 2018, when I got accepted at the university, which provides you with multiple leaflets full of links and ways to look for accommodation. Wow so nice of them! Well, the problem is that the housing situation in Amsterdam is absolutely crazy, nuts, bananas, insane.
Just to give you an idea, the rent for a room in the city center is around 1000 euros, and most of the times it's not even big enough to fit a double bed. Prices go down a bit in other neighborhoods, but it is still a lot compared to many other big cities in Europe.
In Amsterdam there are so many students, and it is ridiculous that universities are not offering more campuses and dorms to provide some help to the thousands of new young and inexperienced people coming here every year, desperately looking for a shelter that does't cost them to sell their own organs. Actually every months, because there are also all the exchange, master and internship students.
This said, I have to admit that I did receive some help from HvA at the beginning. After having emailed a bunch of staff people of my new uni about housing options and waiting lists and so on, finally in July I got an offer. The Bijlmer Towers, a formal prison never used for lack of prisoners in the country. Honestly I was a bit uncertain, I couldn't find any pictures of the place and even on google maps the location didn't show up. But the school guaranteed for it to be the perfect place for upcoming students who hadn't find a place yet, and it was also very cheap for the standards. Moreover, it was first come first serve policy, so I just applied for it right away, because I knew that I wasn't going to find any other place since I wasn't there yet to go see them.
Who is renting a room or a house wants to meet the new tenant in person before signing everything (obviously), that's why is also more difficult for first year students who are moving in just before school starts at the end of August. It wasn't like I could just take a plane every week to go to viewings in the Netherlands.
It was with enormous excitement that I went with my mum to pick up the keys on the 22nd of August. She helped me moving, and was waaay less shocked than I was when we saw the actual place.
My first thought was: "My gosh Emma breathe it is going to be fine you just have to stay here for 5 months you can do it you are lucky you got this room please keep breathing inhale exhale and repeat". What can I say, the accommodation wasn't really accommodating.
Leaving the fact that the building in general was just so sad and grey and prison-like, my room wasn't any better. A 8 squared meters room with a small bad, a desk,a lamp and a chair, worst of all a window with bars that you couldn't open. I kid you not. The positive thing was that at least I had a small private "en-suite" bathroom (toilet and sink), counterbalanced by the sharing of showers and kitchen with the other 11 floor mates.
What can I say, it was a weird experience, glad it's over. I'm not going to tell about the mold I sometimes found in kitchen pans or the lovely smell coming from the trash that no one ever bothered throwing away.
While I was there I kept searching another place through Facebook groups and websites. The prison contract was going to end in January, but I didn't even want to stay there that long.
During November and the first week of December I went to almost 15 viewings of different places, but there was always something that didn't work out: too young, don't speak any Dutch, too far from uni, too many people interested, too expensive...the list goes on and on.
In the end a friend of mine offered me a room at an affordable price, and even if it was a bit far from the city center I was ready to sign the contract. I didn't want to go back home in Italy at Christmas without having found anything, I knew my parents would pressure and stress me about it all day long, and I also didn't want to come back here in the prison place again in January.
Three days before signing that contract tho, I found an interesting ad on Kamernet, a website I've signed up weeks before but didn't have any luck with it. The post stated a big room was available from mid December in a fully renovated and furnished little house, the price was also in my budget, so I replied immediately!
That same day I went to see it; it wasn't finished yet but the location and project looked very good, the day after I was signing the rent contract and two weeks later I was moving in with all my stuff.
I now live with three other girls, one from Italy, one from Greece and one from Germany; housemates stories in another post.

It took me more than 5 months, but I found a little spot in this big city, my base camp. From here operations are directed, calls are made, meals are prepared, naps are taken. Does it feel like home? Not yet. Will it ever? Who knows.

Wanna know how to pack all of your belongings to move in less than two hours?
Contact me.

Quote of the post:

"One life. Just one. Why aren't we running like we are on fire towards our wildest dreams?"

Christmas wrap up

You know when you are at the supermarket and you just need a couple of things? And you forget to take a basket or a shopping cart? So you end up holding everything in your arms until you can't even walk normally without dropping something.

Fun fact (for you not for me):
Try to finally get to the checkout with all of the stuff you want to buy, the cashier scans everything through, you pay. Until here everything good. Then the dear cashier tells you they're out of bags, and you haven't brought any with you. She still looks at you like "Are you going to move or what?".
I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

That's exactly how I felt the first month I was here in Amsterdam, so many things all together, overwhelming. I needed to think about a hundred things at once, settling in my new room (in the prison, yes  a prison), figuring out courses and university stuff, making new friends, every day was basically a new adventure. 

It hasn't been easy at all, but I do love adventure and every challenge I've overcome so far made me feel so satisfied.
I was also looking for a side job because even if the school tuition is very cheap, life in the Netherlands is expensive compared to Italy. 2/3 € for a bottle of water... and it doesn't even tastes good...UNBELIEVABLE. 2.50€ for an espresso... well I think I'll make my own at home thanks.
Anyway, I sent my CV to every possible Facebook post about part time jobs (yes there's a section on fb where you can actually search for any job position and if the country you're in is social enough, you'll find something for sure). I even got an interview in an Italian restaurant, but then I found out they were looking for a butcher... mmm not really my skills.
It was difficult because I don't have any experience at all, I never worked before because for us in Italy is not a thing for teenagers to get a side job while studying. Most of the places where I tried to apply for a job replied "Sorry but we need someone with experience." And I get it, but I do have to start somewhere to build experience, don't I?
In the end I contacted a small little Café where they where looking for a barista/waitress, I went and met the boss who told me was willing to teach me everything and after a trial week I got the place! I work two or three days a week in the afternoon or evening and what makes it fun are the people you work with :) The place is small and cozy and I managed not to spill anything so far, that's probably why for now they like me too.

It's almost Christmas and I'm finally flying back home. What makes me happy is that even if I'll be gone for 20 days or so I know I'm going to miss Amsterdam and the friends I made there a bit, and I think this is awesome because if I miss it it means that I was able to handle thing great and built something over there. If you miss someone or a place it's because you care. 

Maybe you'll think I'm crazy (all the best ones are by the way), but one of the reasons why I left Italy was that I missed the feeling of being far from home and missing it. I know it's weird but I like the feeling you get when you're traveling or abroad and you know that home is always going to be where you left it, and it's waiting for you to come back, no matter what.

Quote of the post:
"What is meant for you won't pass you by"

Studying in the Netherlands

Please be careful. Keep reading just if you give a sh..something about the Dutch educational system, otherwise it's just going to mess your head up since it's a bit confusing and different from the Italian one or any other I think.

But if you are super curious and interested in what I am doing and can't wait to know a bit more about my study choices you are in the right place.

Here in the Netherlands there are just primary/elementary school and then three main different types of high school as secondary education. Basically they don't have middle school as in Italy. So at 12 yo young Dutch boys and girls have to decide which educational path they are going to follow. A bit early in my opinion, and maybe that is why so many of them drop out of heir studies or change their mind at some point.

There are three main different types of high school based on a student’s academic level and interests:

• VMBO: vocational education until the age of 16, which leads to vocational training (MBO).
• HAVO: general secondary education until the age of 17, prepares students to study at universities of applied sciences (hogescholen), where they can follow a bachelor's degree of applied sciences.
• VWO: university preparatory education until the age of 18, focuses on theoretical knowledge in order to prepare students to follow a bachelor's degree at a research university

Higher education is divided in research-oriented and profession-oriented, so Dutch people can either choose to attend a research university (like the University van Amsterdam) or a university of applied sciences (like the Hogeschol van Amsterdam).

Now that you have a bigger picture of how education works here in the Netherlands, let's talk about my university!

I am studying at the Hogeschol van Amsterdam (HvA, Dutch pronunciation "ha-fe-a"), the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, which means less theory, more group projects and practice. My course is International Business, a four-year full-time bachelor’s program taught entirely in English (bachelor in Business Administration) It combines economics, marketing, math, statistics and management with other subjects such as languages, entrepreneurship, cross-cultural awareness and all other sorts of international stuff. 

The school year is divided in two semesters and each semesters consists into two blocks, each block has four different modules, for a total of 60 ECTS credits per year. 

The first year is focused on the basic modules, during the second year there is the possibility to choose an additional language (and I still don't know what I am going to take, either Spanish or French I think) and other three/four electives. In the third year I'll choose my Specialization Track, probably go on an exchange and choose a minor. The great thing is that you can go on exchange basically wherever you want (as long as you keep your grades up) because the university as partners in so many countries.
Finally the last year is all about Internship and Thesis, which can be completed abroad as well.
I chose this program because I think it has a lot to offer and right now I am quite happy with my choice, I love studying in English and I am also into exploring and getting to know new subjects such as Accounting and Marketing.
So far so good, and then of course there's Amsterdam itself which plays its part well, but that's material for another post!


If you have any questions you know what to do! 💙

Quote of the post: 

"Put your hair up in a bun, drink some coffee and handle it"

-literally me almost every day-

References:

https://www.nuffic.nl/en/subjects/education-in-the-netherlands 

https://www.iamexpat.nl/education/primary-secondary-education/dutch-school-system

http://www.amsterdamuas.com/amsib

Storyofmylife

My dear viewers,get comfy on your couches, because it's with enormous pleasure that I introduce you to the beautiful messy adventure called My Life.
So the question is "What am I doing with my life?", big question, really like a thousand dollars question.
Let's give this blog a proper introduction, shall we?

In the past two months a lot happened. I graduated from High School and then moved to The Netherlands where I started university.
I am studying International Business at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and I am already in my seventh week. It's an English program full of international students and I am liking it a a lot so far.
I don't know where to start with all the stuff I went through already this past months. It's been awesome and overwhelming at the same time.
I came to Amsterdam the 21st of August with my mum, who really helped me out setting up everything with my room and other things. After a couple of days she left and there I was, alone, quite far (but not that far) from home, in a foreign country trying to first of all realize and then figure out everything by myself.


FAST FUN FACTS:
I forgot my phone in a Uber car and then it got stolen by some other clients. NICE.
I was almost late to my first lecture on my fist day of uni, I didn't have my phone so I didn't know the way. NEVER BIKED SO FAST AND PANICKED EVER.
I hit a short pole with my bike's pedal, which twisted on the inside. Had to bring my bike to the shop and get it fixed. THE SHOP WAS NOT CLOSE BY.
I parked my bike on a bridge in downtown Amsterdam. The chain got stuck because of the rain and the rust, I tried to oil it and open it and the key broke inside the lock. NICE. I went to the police and they said they couldn't help me, I asked many bike shops what I was supposed to do (someone even told me to bring the bike to their shop to open the chain...) and eventually I found a guy who cut the chain with like an electric saw. YEY.
I locked myself out of my room for half a day. I know at this point you'll be wondering "Where does she live?". Well I live in an ex-prison. Yup. And we get the full prison life experience, with fire alarms loud likethereisnotomorrow and bars at the windows, apparently the monthly rent is all inclusive you know.

These are the most hilarious (believe me not fun to experience) things that happened to me, for now...


If I looked at the other side of the coin though, I can say I am loving living here and I like my courses at the university a lot.
I decided to study here because of the great program they have and the fact that it's fully in English. I enjoy the international environment so much!
Honestly if you would have asked me two or three years ago where I wanted to study I would not have said The Netherlands at all, I've never even been here before this last winter when I visited the university! And then I bumped into this program on a search engine for students to find your future higher level education "path". The courses they offered intrigued me a lot, since it's not just business, there are languages and other more humanistic subjects too. I took in consideration some other colleges too, in Germany, Scotland and another one in another Dutch city, but in the end I fell in love with Amsterdam. So here I am.
Amsterdam is a great city. And not just because of weed people, there are so many other things to do here and every day I discover something new.

I'll definitely talk more about Amsterdam and more about my uni in other posts!

Quote of the post:

"Create the life you can't wait to wake up to"

The art of getting by

Adventure: an unusual and exciting or daring experience.

I think life is made of adventures, one after the other in a continuous flux. Lifelong or really short, funny or boring, lonely or shared, memorable or unremarkable. It's up to you how to face them, live them, make them easy or special.
In all this mess of situations and adventures that life is there is one single ability that makes everything so much more enjoyable and livable. Ladies and gentlemen, it's the art of getting by. People have been writing book and scripts for plays and movies about it, trying to explain and show the world what it really is. Well there is no better way to understand it than experiencing it. In my opinion Italians kinda have it in their DNA, it's something like some sort of ability or skill, you can certainly try to develop it by exercising, but truth is either you have it or you don't.

So, back to it. You know the saying "When life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade…and try to find someone whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.”.

Just kidding! The saying goes actually like this "When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade", well according to the art of getting by you got to make lemonade even without lemons. That's it. No lemons. Figure out a way to make lemonade.
This whole talk about lemons it's not because I like them, I mean I do like lemons but that'snot the point. The point is I love to live life and face new adventures improving and exercising L'ARTE DI ARRANGIARSI (Italian translation of the art of getting by), which could consist in finding a different way to solve thing, getting out of weird situation, getting to the final goal dribbling obstacles. Doesn't have to be something big and complicated.

You are in a big new city, know nothing about anything and you have thirty minutes to get to school.

It's 7 pm, you just got back from work, house is a mess, you have guests coming over for dinner in 30 minutes.

You go to the toilet, do what you have to do, you look to where the toilet paper is supposed to be. There is no toilet paper.

You have a test in an hour. "Wait, when did we decide the test was today! Is it today? Why no one told me?! How am I supposed to always know when all tests are!" Well doesn't change the fact that the test is still is an hour. Actually now you have just 50 minutes left. "Someone give me some notes and the book! What subject are we talking about?"

You are on vacation, driving a rented car, and suddenly a tire blows out. You have no spare wheel, no gel kit, kilometers away from your hotel, no phone service.

Basically you gotta think fast and solve even faster. Honestly though I don't know how could you ever make lemonade without lemons.


Quote of the post:

"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen."

-Michael Jordan