The Shocking New Reality

I landed in Amsterdam yesterday, and it was strange.  This was the fifth time that Martin and I greeted each other, after an extended period of time of only corresponding via email and video-chatting.  It normally takes me 24 hours to get used to being around Martin again.  I'm never scared or worried, it is just such a different reality to physically be in the same space.

It was the equivalent of 6:45am on Monday morning (Ontario time) when we finally left the airport, and I had gotten only about 1 hour of sleep on the plane, compared to the 3 hours I normally pull off on Atlantic Ocean-crossing flights.  Needless to say, I was tired.  But more than being tired, I was in shock.  Martin later told me that it was funny to watch me during that car ride from Amsterdam to Barneveld.  He noticed that I was looking at everything... the cars, the landscape, the signs, the horizon.  I was swallowing the fact that this will be my new home.  I figure that the more I study it and become familiar with it, the faster I will be comfortable and feel at home.

After a day of doing necessary errands (such as meeting with a lawyer), we spent an hour or so visiting with some of Martin's family, at the house where I'm staying this week.  I had a GREAT sleep that night, and I feel like I'm back to my normal self now.  Phew! 

After driving around Barneveld (and some surrounding towns), walking around Barneveld, going grocery shopping and spending some time looking through Martin's kitchen yesterday, I can imagine life here, and I think I'm going to enjoy it.  This small town seems very quaint and peaceful.  I have not heard one siren since being here, and all the streets (with the exception of the highways) are two lanes, plus of course, bike paths.  I do hear the railway crossing bells frequently, but they are a very welcomed sound, especially since they aren't high-pitched , harsh, sharp or annoying.

All of this was very good.  However, the best part of this trip so far, was coming downstairs this morning to discover that Brooke Fraser was the music of choice for this morning.  Hillsongs, in English.  Being a musician myself, sound is a big contributor to an atmosphere.  I felt right at home.