I'm in Cape Town!

I've just woken up after my second night in Cape Town...
It's a public holiday here today,so today I'm having a day off. Starting my internship tomorrow!
We're 8 people in the house where I'm staying; 6 Dutch, 1 Canadian, and me..

There's a lot of new information to 'absorb', and I'm feeling very overwhelmed!!

Yesterday I got to see a bit of the city, and it looks nice! I've seen Table mountain several times on pictures before I arrived, but still it was amazing to suddenly see it for real right in front of me! :)

Waiting...

I'm in Norway... Was supposed to leave for Cape-Town on Monday 19th, but because of the ash from Iceland, my flight got cancelled. I've rebooked my ticket though, so if nothing unexpected happens I'll leave on Sunday 25th... I'm excited and nervous, looking forward, and not looking forward, but believe it's going to be great!

So while waiting for pictures from Cape-Town I post some pictures from the week my parents were in Groningen, helping me packing all my stuff to move it to Norway...

My room in the process.....

We didn't pack the whole time.... Shopping is must too ;)

...and so is biking...

..and a last good-bye lunch at bagels and beans with friends :)

Yep, yep, that was it for now... Next time: Cape Town....

God bless!

Leaving.....

It's getting towards an end of my stay in Groningen...

I'm DONE with my thesis, and have started to say goodbyes.. I don't like saying good bye...
On Friday I got a surprise party!! It was a PERFECT evening together with amazing people! :)
The video below is a gift I got, Rio, a very good friend, made it for me!:)
I'm feeling so blessed that not even words can explain..
ENJOY! :)

FALLAS 2010

The week that just past has been absolutely incredible! It's actaully even difficult to explain hwo great it was, but I'll give it a shot ;)
I spent the week with Felipe in Valencia!

Fallas is a big celebration in Valencia, and it took place the week I was there:)
Fallas is actually the name of some huge figures. These figures are placed all over the city! Here's some of them:

I think this one was my favourite:

cool, eh? ;)

Each Falla had people that were responsible for it , and they brought flowers as an offering to the Virgin Mary....
This Mary is made out of flowers!!

The last day of the celebration the fallas' were burned down:

Oh, and 8 oçlock every morning there was this 'wake-up-call' in the streets; Brass bands and fireworks... It was crazy! I think it's probably the most efficient 'wake-up-alarm'in the world! The first morning I just couldn't help myself, and I just started laughing, it just felt so absurd! hihi! :) But after some days it was somehow not that funny anymore...

Pretty much the whole week there were fireworks every hour of the day!! However during the day it was not about how beautiful it can be, but how loud it can be!!! At 2 o'clock something called Mascleta took place; just a super loud firework-thing... The biggest one was in the city center, but there were also smaller ones around in the city, like here for example in Felipe's street:

Before it started.....

After.....

It was so indescribably loud, and a crazy echo was heard throughout the whole city!!

Each night from Monday till Thursday a beautful firework-show in the center! It's hard to explain how amazing it was, even pictures come a bit short... Just try to imagine;
LOADS of people gathering at a big square, all lights are being switched off (even traffic lights!), and the best pyrotechnicians in the world put together a great combination of colors and sound! Do you get the idea?

Spectacular lighting in the center!

The biggest Paella I've ever seen!

And since we were in Valencia we had to eat some paella as well....

The little, cute girl next to me is wearing a spanish cultural-outfit. Loads of women and children wore dresses like these everyday of the fallas..

There was of course also time for some shoe-shopping! :)

BULLFIGHT! I'm sure it can be discussed wheter or not bullfights are a 'good' spansih tradition or not... However I chose to skip the discussion and just conclude in that it was entertaining!!! 3 hours and 6 bulls passed (away) super quick! Olé!

The bull lost....

I wish I could turn back time and live that week over again.. But well, now I'm back in Groningen, trying my very best to finish my bachelor thesis, and then the 9th of April I'm moving from Groningen....

Hugs from Ingrid

Just a little 'Catching up'....

I'm done with all my classes... So at the moment I'm in the process of writing my thesis... In April I will be done writing and I will head for Cape Town to do internship.... Some times looking forward, many time feeling super nervous!

Two weeks ago Felipe came to the cold north... We spent some days in Groningen, one day in Bremen, and then a week in Norway to celebrate my dad's 50th Birthday! Hurra!!:)

Enjoying a sunny, but COLD day in Bremen....

In Norway we first spent a couple of days in Stavanger.
One evening we had a nice celebration for my dad:

Tine preparing the 'welcome drinks' for the guests...

Great dancing by Hanne!

The day after we drove to Sirdal (montains) were we spent the rest of the week, skiing and enjoying ourselves!

Koselig (or at least I think so ;) )

Now I'm back in Groningen again.. Felipe also spent some days here, before heading back to España!

Yesterday we celbrated Rio's 26th birthday:) During the evening we realized that all of us had different nationalities which led to some very intereting and funny topics ;) The international environment is one of the things I really like about Groningen!

yeps, that's pretty much it for now;)

Wish you a blessed week!

The 31 places to go in 2010......

New York times has listed the '31 places to go in 2010', and guess what, SOUTH-AFRICA is one of them; and guess who's going there?
Me;)
I'll be doing an internship in Cape Town from April till July.. Here's some of what the NY times wrote... :

"South Africa
As host of the 2010 World Cup this summer, South Africa has gotten its game on with a flurry of new stadiums, new hotels and safari lodges.

While soccer is being played across nine cities, much of the action off the field is taking place in Cape Town. Already known for its stunning beaches, mouthwatering cuisine and sophisticated night life, the city is welcoming high-end hotels, including the recently opened One & Only Cape Town and the forthcoming Taj Cape Town. Set to open this month, the Taj will have 166 rooms, many with views of Table Mountain.Between matches, there’s plenty of time to go on a safari........."

Doesn't sound all too bad;)
Norway is also on the list, so I'll make sure to go there too ;)
After South-Africa, I'll go to Spain to do another internship there!
I'll admit that it feels a bit scary as well to travel to new places, especially to South-Africa since I'm going all alone, but I do also realize that I'm incredibly blessed that get the opportunity to do this! :)
Now, I just have to finish my exams, and write my bachelor thesis and then the adventure can start......

Baby Naomi

Maria, Naomi and Claude

This afternoon I took some time off studying for exams, and went with John and Rio to visit the Ciza-family and meet little Naomi for the first time! She is adorable! :)

I wish...

I wish I could go to Spain, or Norway or Uganda right NOW!
Just a place far away from the library, school and exams....

X-MAS HOLIDAYS

Christmas is over and I'm back in Groningen....
Wish it was possible to start all over again with the holidays, but guess I just have to accept that I'll have to wait till next December...It's been GREAT being at home!
Here's some glimps from my festive season!:)

Hanne was my dad's, mum's and my personal swing teacher- FUN! :)

'Rockin around the christmas tree, let the christmas spirit ring...'

And then....
Pampampampaaaaam:
FELIPE arrived the cold north!

Ingrid, Andreas, Åmund, Ingelill, Felipe and myself had little trip up to Sirdal (see picture above)....

First time skiing= worth remembering! :)

A new year arrived this time as well..:)

The picture above is from the Service in my church
and the one below is one of the first pictures taken in 2010!

Tine and Eivind :)

ICE-SKATING! :D

And the holidays ended with a nice celebration of my grandad's 75th birthday!

Ellen, me and Helene:)

WISH YOU A BLESSED NEW YEAR!

I'm dreaming of a white x-mas....

.......and my dream is very likely to come true! :)

"The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is do delightful, since we've got no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let is SNOW!"

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas trees-not like other trees....

This is the X-mas tree Groningen so proudly presents this year, decorations: red shopping bags and mannequis with or without black t-shirts, hehe:)
At least no one can blame them for not being original!!!