Ambiance, presents, closeups, snow...

Hi!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!
I did, it was so nice to spend the evening with my family and to give each other presents and have fun together.
I had enjoyed buying everyone presents, and I bought everyone something they liked, I think. Tjorven and I bought an ice-machine for our parents, so now we can make our own ice-cream!
Though right now, there is enough ice (and snow) outside, on the streets...
Here you see a streetview of our street, it could be the North Pole, if you ask me (though I've never been to the North Pole, so I'm not sure what it looks like there)


See, it's crazy! I already fell down three times, last week twice in a row. I fell, I laughed my ass of, I got up, walked two steps and fell down again. Oops...

And I also got nice presents! And sooo many presents! It's incredible, I didn't even asked for something specific. But I guess it's because I have a big family, everyone gets a lot of presents, but we also have to buy a lot. But I don't care.
As you can see, I got my Pip-studio schoolbag! It's so cute! I also got a cardigan, jewels, books, a DVD, a pillow, pictureframes, make-up pencils and a lovely bowl. I always wanted that bowl, every time we came at IKEA, I loved it more, and now I finally have it!
Hurray!

Hurray, I have my Eclipse-DVD... Too bad Robert Pattinson didn't came with it, but at least I can watch the movie now ^^

Are you already making plans for New Year's Eve? Tell me! 

With love,

Kirsten

A very merry Christmas

And a happy new year

Let's hope it's a good one

Without any fears.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono - Merry Christmas, war is over

There's something about Christmas time...

Oh, I hope we are finally getting a white Christmas this year!
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Though snow is cold, sticky, wet and not really comfortable to move through, it looks so cute, this white, fluffy cuteness definitely has something about it.
Now, Christmas...
My mother decided our colour-theme is silver/white/red this year, and I have to say that I like it. We have silver in the tree, and then red candles, ribbons and these lovely red amaryllis (I just found out they're also called Belladonna Lily, and I like that name more). It's almost see-through here, so it has some delicate air.

Yesterday, I bought all the presents for my family, which was a BIG thing, because I also have a BIG family (parents, three sisters, me, grandparents, and three uncles and three aunts this year), but I had great fun and I think I bought them presents they will like.
It also is very crowded at my work now, but it's a nice kind of crowdiness. Everyone buys lots of food for the Christmasdays, and everyone is friendlier, and we offer them Christmas-candy and they like it, so it's definitely a good mood there.
And I just found out I received a Christmas-card from the managers of the supermarket I work in, which is very sweet of them I think. It does give you some extra feel-good-boost to go to work.

Now, presents... Here's my wishlist!

First, I have to say, anything nice and shiny will do. Nice jewels or something.
Also on the list:


A Pip-studio schoolbag. I like these the most, but any other is fine too, all of them are cute.


One of this cupcake-bags! A friend of mine spotted them when he went to school, and he told me he thought I would like them. Well, I do, indeed! Especially the blue one, so I have to find the shop and buy me one!
Good job, even more if we consider the fact that it's a guy who spotted them. I didn't know men had eye for things like this...


This Beatle-shirt. Absolutely cool, got to get it someway... Probably not for Christmas though, but I'm having my birthday in February, so maybe it would arrive in time for my birthday?


Some cute decorations for my room. Anything will do - pillows, candles, picture-frames, artworks, just everything! And these Russian dolls are so cool!


Movies, CD's, DVD's, books... Love it all. Eclipse is on my list, and I would not mind at all if Robert Pattinson stopped by to give it to me personally. I probably would get myself another thing for Christmas then... (a BOYFRIEND! XD)


And now... No, I don't want a puppy-dog.
Guess what this image stands for?
Just right, LOVE!

Now, anyone who wants a cute, decorated gingerbread-doll? 

Have a merry Christmas and wonderfull days!

With Love,

Kirsten

There's something about Christmas time

Something about Christmas time

Which makes you wish it was Christmas every day...

-Brian Adams-

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

And that dream seems to be coming true!
Hurray!
We made our house totally Christmas-proof this weekend, and I absolutely love it.
Lights here, lights there, lights everywhere, and the Christmas-tree smells so delicious.



Today we had our last official schoolday for the holidays. Tomorrow we will have a project about Shakespeare, Thursday some theatre performance and Friday, we're going to Antwerp!
I like Antwerp, it's so nice there. We are going to do a tour through the city and it's going to be multicultural. There is a Jewish district, and a Chinese one, and Moroccan, Turkish, Italian, African, Indian, you name it! (according to our teacher, at least)
I think that is going to be very interesting, and we also can go shopping! Which is good, because I still have to buy everyone's Christmas presents... I'm running a bit late this year, shame on me. 
But I'm not even sure what is on top of my wishlist, and I should figure that out, too... I don't know, I want so many things, but most of them are too expensive. Going back to Peru, a Chanel-bag, a trip to London/Paris/Barcelona/New York. Or a nice boyfriend, that would be nice too.

"Dear Santa,

My name is Kirsten, and I'm 16 years old.
I live in Kerkrade and I love my friends, tennis,writing 

and shopping, and all I want for Christmas 

is a sweet, kind and handsome boyfriend. 

Would be nice if he looked like Robert Pattinson ;-) 

And can I make a wish for my sister too? I would like the boy of

her dreams for her, too.

So, please, Santa? I've been a really good girl this year!

With love,
Kirsten."

Let me dream like a child.

In the night, the angels come. They sit next to you on your pillow and touch your hair while you're asleep. There's nothing to be afraid of. You are safe, as safe as never before. They take you away to a magic world full of dreams.

They say, when you are asleep, your unconscious mind wakes and causes dreams.
But is that a declaration of the dreams you have? Sometimes, dreams are really strange. Some are happy, some are sad.

Last night I had the strangest dream. All I can remember of it is blurry, some images and how I felt while dreaming it.

I remember there was a soccer game. All my friends were there, but we couldn't see the field. So I wondered if we could sit somewhere else, but somehow, it wasn't possible, even though there were empty seats left.
There also was a ballet-performance, and when it started, one of my friends from Peru came to stage and played an instrument. Then, a line of ballerina's in white, wide tutu's joined and started dancing. And then it was my turn, together with Leona, who went to Peru with me, and four other girls. We wore deep red tutu's with glitters and little feathers. We danced and it was beautiful. Someone texted me: "Beautiful dance," and I felt really good.
Next thing I remember, is a house on the beach. There was sand on the wooden floor, lots of sand. My mother and I had had a discussion, and I had to fill the refridgerator. There were so many bottles of Coca-Cola and Karvan Cevitam Forest Fruit-sirup, and all of it had to get into the refridgerator.
And then I remember a guy. He was a surfer, with this blonde surfer-hairdo, and a tanned skin. We had had a fight, but we had made it up again. It was really romantic. We kissed in an edge of the room, where no one could see us. He was so big and strong and he lifted me and I clasped my arms around him. It felt warm and comfortable and so familiar.

And then... I can't remember anything anymore. Did I wake up at that moment, or have I just forgotten what happened?
And what does it mean?
I can place some elements, the dancing with Leona, we danced next to each other in our Peru dance too, and yesterday, I had some kind of fuss with my mother.
But ballet? A surfer? A beach house? What would all that mean?

Do you have any idea? Ever had such strange dreams? Let me know if you want to!

With love,

Kirsten

Please, please, get away from me

Please, please, go and let me dream

I don't need any of you to tell me how

The rain can fall on me

There's a faith in my heart

I can do anything

If I just try hard

I don't need all the boundaries

You built for me

And no, I don't need no guide

Let me feel all the thirst I have inside of me

Let me dream like a child

-Sunrise Avenue-

-Dream like a Child-

An ending and a new blog

Hi!

Hope you all are doing fine today!

Yesterday we held the official end-ceremony for our Global Exploration Project. It was a really nice ceremony, though it took all evening and I was just home at 23.30, feeling terribly tired, very satisfied, but also sad because it now "officially" is over.
I've never wanted it to end, it was such a great time, and the best experience in my life. Now I feel like the chapter has ended, the book is closed and it's done.
But I'm sure we won't let this be the real end. We're a group, we're friends, and December 18th, we have a SingStar-party at Leona's!
Who's in?

But what is sad, is that there are some people we probably won't ever see again, or never in the way we did. Meaning: Frederique from the Mama Alice Foundation, our guides, Ciro and Hubert (with whom we went skating lately), the boys and girls from Ayacucho, the streetchildren, the Indians, all people who were great to us and made us a wonderful trip, but now it's like something is over.

But definitely, I'm going back once. I want to see it all again, as soon as possible. If I could, I would leave tomorrow!
But that's not possible, so I'm going to save money and whenever I can, I'll be back on a plane towards Lima.
And maybe I could visit some of my friend there, then! The boys from Ayacucho, my "Peruvian Boyfriend" Anderson, or maybe even Frederique or Hubert or Ciro...
And probably, some people of the group are going back too, so it would even be the greatest if we could go all together again.

Where would we be if we couldn't dream?

Today's dream is:
I dream of never forgetting all the good that has come to me in all my life, but especially the time I was in Peru. I dream of my friends there living a nice, fair life, without so many difficulties. A world without borders, freedom for everyone.

And now I promise this will be the last thing I'll post here about Peru. I don't know who would like to know, but for the people who do, I've started a new blog: The girl who went to Peru.
I'm going to place more pictures of the trip there, and the comments out of my travel-journal. So, if you are interested, read it, I would say!

We can not change the world. But we can make a difference.

With love,

Kirsten

Sometimes, a picture says a thousand words...

And sometimes, a picture shows a thousand words.
I love the power words can have, if chosen deliberately.
I love the art of writing, the way some people are able to write down the most beautiful things.
I love stories, poems, diaries, letters, books, cards, sonnets, love songs.

This is my favorite poem, it was written bij Goethe (1749-1832) and I came across it in Barcelona.

Kennst du das Land, wo die Zitronen blüh'n
Im dunklen Laub die Goldorangen glüh'n,
Ein sanfter Wind vom blauen Himmel weht,
Die Myrte still und hoch der Lorbeer steht?
Kennst du es wohl?
Dahin, dahin!
Möcht' ich mit dir, oh mein Geliebter, zieh'n!

(Do you know the land where the lemons blossom
In the dark foliage the golden oranges glow
A soft wind blows from the blue sky
The myrtle stands still and high upon the laurel
Do you know it?
There, there!
I would like to go with you, my beloved one.)

I love the poem, because I can exactly imagine what Goethe meant when he wrote it. I see a clear blue sky, I can imagine the way the wind streaks over your face there, and the smell of the lemons and oranges. I can see myself lying down in the grass, together with someone I love, just staring at the sky and doing nothing.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could store love in a little box, to save some for the moments we really need it?
A little, red box, a ribbon wrapped around it, glowing with the love which is inside.

I love the power of love, just like I love the power of words.

Together, they can create the most wonderful stories.

I really hope I will be able to create one, one day.

My dream of today is:

I dream that I, one day in the future, walk into a book shop, and see a book with my name on it on the shelves. I dream of people reading my stories.

I dream of becoming a writer one day.

And I'm almost sure it's going to be fine. Who knows...

With love,

Kirsten

Ice, Ice Baby!

Hey hey hey!

It's SNOWING.
It started yesterday and it still is snowing right now. It's cold and the roads are slippery and it's hell dangerous.
But still, how could I not like it?

And as you can see, I changed some things around here. My blog now is called "The girl with the dreams," which is me. I have a lot of dreams, and today's is:
"I dream of going back to Peru to see all the beautiful things again, to check if they really are as beautiful as I remember them (I'm sure they're even more beautiful than I remember them). I want to have fun with all my friends there again, and feel good because of doing something good for another person. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

This Saturday, some of my Peru-friends went skating together. I was there, as you can see in the picture. We had so much fun, even though we all fell down occasionally (For me, it was slightly more than just "Occasionally," actually...).
But we had great fun and usually we only laughed if we fell.
And as you can see, we did some cultural exchange indeed. We know about Peru now, and we showed our Peruvian guide and friend Hubert (third from right) some typical Dutch traditions. He did well, the skating, I mean. He really tried his best. Go Hubert!
It is so nice to have such friends! We are all so different, but it doesn't matter, it just works out very well, so that's definitely great!
What about going back next year all together?
I'm in, no doubt!

And tomorrow will be the first of December, which means it will only be 24 days to Christmas! Which reminds me, I still have to buy everyone's presents.
I went to the garden center again today, with my mother and my grandma, and I decided I'm going to collect pictureframes and make one big picture-wall on my room showing the joyful moments of my life. The picture above certainly is going to be in there!

Now tell me, are you looking forward to Christmas? Do you like snow? Do you already feel stressed out because you don't know which presents to buy?

Even if you think it's not going to work out, I'm sure it will ;-)

Cause in the end, Christmas is all about my favorite word, love.

With love,

Kirsten

Sorry Matthijs...

Yes, I'm truly, deeply, honestly sorry for not putting your name in my blog about my friends from Peru.
So what about this, I'm giving you an entire post! Isn't that wonderful?
Happy now? ^^



That's him! With a sweet little Peruvian girl, of course.

P.S.: Matthijs, I say what I want. If I want to say "skating on ice," I say skating on ice.

Friends all over the world

Hi!

Long time no posting, I know and I'm sorry, but I have been so busy, you don't even want to know. So I'll just skip that part and come to the point, I guess.

Remember I went to Peru? If not, you know it now.
Today was the presentation of the book which was made of our journey!
The presentation was so cool, there were people from all the countries which are part of Global Exploration, so from India, Nepal, Tanzania and Peru, and they held speeches and told us what the journeys had meant for them. And the book is beautiful, though I haven't really taken close looks at it, because my parents and sister immediately wanted to see it. But it's okay, I don't have to see the book to remember, I've actually been there!

But above all, it was so nice to see everyone again, I was really looking forward to that. We've gone through so many things together, we experienced so much and we have had such a great time together. And even though we hadn't seen each other for months (some of them, then), as we saw each other again tonight, it was just fine again. We just went on where we have been, as friends, as a group. Our Peruvian guide Hubert was there too, he's in the Netherlands for a few days, and we're going skating on ice with him Saturday! So cool, I just hope I'll survive, as I can't skate...

The picture above shows us in the Parque del Amor, Lima, at the second day of the trip. It was cold and cloudy , so we all wore our Grotius/Bernardinus College sweaters which had been made for us. Maybe not the most fashionable thing to wear, but they were so comfortable and warm, which was more important...
And on the lower picture, it's us again, this time in our Global Exploration-shirts, in front of Machu Picchu... Do I need to say more?

God, do I miss it!

With love,
Kirsten

Hi baby...

Hey!

I'm just doing a quick post before I get back to biology again.
We are in a testweek once again, so I won't have much time for posting this week.
Tomorrow's biology test will be about 75 pages of information. Seventy-five! It's not human, it's ridiculous, it's crazy, it's not fair, it's way too much!
That's what we told our teacher, but she was just like: "No, of course you will all do fine!"
Well, I still have to see that myself.
But I'll stay positive, and my Dad will help me when he gets home, so I hope it's going to end up well. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

The face of the baby on the picture has been in our house as long as I can remember, and my grandparents have the same one. I like the way the light flows in at the image, and the baby is so cute. I love babies ^^
My parents made me watch our old homevideos the other night, and I laughed really hard at the stupidity I had when I was little. Babies are cute cute cute!

Guess that's all I got for now, really should go back into the books...
Remember to love!

With love,
Kirsten

P.S.: It's almost Christmas! No, it's not. But still, it's almost Christmas! ^^

It's another Flowerbomb!

Hello!

Pff, this weather is making me depressed! (along with some other things about which I won't talk now... :P)
It's cold, it's rainy, it's cloudy and it's windy.
A good thing I have autumn-break, so at least I don't have to cycle to school while it's pouring. Always look on the bright side of life (tadatadadatadadadadaaa).
Even when the sun isn't shining!
Maybe I'll go to Aachen tomorrow, I don't have to work... But I don't know what to buy or do there. Some way, I'm not in for shopping, Starbucks or whatever right now.
Strange. Very strange. Well, let's just blame the weather.
And the picture above is totally cheering me up again. Took it this afternoon, while searching for more hidden Home-Decorations. My little sister bought these wooden tulips for my mother's birthday. Sweet, isn't it?
And at least we have a lot of flowers at home, some roses, a pepper-plant, some kind of green thing with big leaves and lots of orchids.
I love orchids! They're so delicate and lovely.

Now this entire story makes me think of a conversation I had with a friend lately, about plants and flowers:
Friend shows me a picture he took of one of his carnivorous plants (yes, he has carnivorous plants... SCARY, I think. Spotted some at a shop with Jasmijn lately, and we both agreed they we're creepy).
I: "Uhm, not completely my style.."
He: "No, it's not a sunflower... :P"

It just crossed my mind, it doesn't even have anything to do with the entire orchid thing. But I found it totally sweet he said sunflowers were my style, as I love sunflowers, too.
But for now, I'll have to do with the orchids, which goes great too.

That's all for now!
With love,
Kirsten

P.S. : Got rid of my glasses, wear contacts now. Like it?
P.S. 2: Went to Aachen yesterday, more about that later. I wrote this blog on Tuesday, but due to an error , I couldn't post the pictures, so delayed it to today.

Two little pigeons telling us a lovestory

Hello!

It's such a wonderful day! It's warm, even for a October day, and I'm sitting here with my Grandmother, and we're watching wedding dresses. I love weddings, and I think it's too bad that I hardly ever have to visit one. For the dresses, I know I'm way too young to marry, and I don't want to right now, I don't even have a boyfriend. But these dresses are so pretty!
I mean, look at this one:



I can almost imagine myself wearing it, you know, with lovely done hair and make-up and looking all pretty. And then, my handsome Prince Charming (who, I can't help it, I always imagine a bit like a younger version of Patrick Dempsey, with a hint of Robert Pattinson... I wouldn't mind!), and then we get our happily ever after.
Yeah, dream on Kirsten, Earth is calling for you!
But, well, a little dreaming won't harm anyone. I do so almost all day every day, and I never noticed many troubles coming from it, so.
Like today, I was wandering through our house, and then my mother's home-decorations caught my eye. We have more than I thought, if you look well, you'll find them almost everywhere! I like them, they give the house a relaxed and playful touch, I think.
The two pigeons are adorning the bookshelve in our living room. Aren't they cute?
(In fact, I like these two because they're stone, real pigeons are a bit scary, I think. I don't like birds that much)

But I think that will be it for today, I have to help my mom making dinner or so...
Remeber to love! ;-)

With love,
Kirsten

P.S.: Who knows what the pigeons might bring one day...

A cup filled with treasures.

It's sweet.
It's lovely.
It's heart-shaped.
It's pink, white, orange, yellow, the soft, sweet colors.

See? If we imagine this as a passage and we could walk into this, what would it be like?
Happy, innocent, cute, shiny, just like a sweet and sultry summer evening.

I've taken these pictures a while ago with my cell phone's camera, so that's why the quality isn't that good, but maybe, that blurry effect is doing part of the job here.
I like them anyway! ^^

And then, there's more... Something just as sweet, pink and cute as the little hearts.
It's a cupcake.
And it's all yours ;-)
I wish I could bake one for everyone...

With love,
Kirsten

A normal day, a retrorevolution and a secret wish...

Hi there!

How are you all doing?
I'm fine, I guess, I picked up my new timetable at school today, and it sucks, but okay, it's only till Christmas, and the sun shines so my mood is better anyway.
*Okay, Kirsten, you can do it, you won't die, it won't be too difficult for you and you can handle all these things!*
(Peptalk to myself)
So now I'm just enjoying my last free afternoon, listening to music and writing a little bit, and searching new images to cheer up my agenda with.
This one above, I found on Photobucket, and it remembered me of when I was little, we had a house in the Eiffel, Germany and we went there in the weekends, and then I always got Pez-candy. They had these funny things to put the sweets in, with heads of Disney-characters or Snoopy or so on it, and you could click the candy out of it. And they had so many different flavours!
Yeah, the good old times...
By the way, this picture comes with the story:



Yeah, I drove a tractor, and I milked a cow once.
Maybe you wouldn't expect that from me, and when I see myself now, neither would I. But when I'm thinking of it, I actually like it, you know, a farm and these things... Maybe it is just because we spent so much time on the countryside then, it has become a part of me... I also like horseriding through the woods, though I haven't done that for a very long time, and I'm not sure if I still can remain sitting on the horse...

Talking about animals, we have gotten to my secret wish point...
I WANT A PUPPY!
Yes, I really do!
And maybe, maybe, maybe we will get one, in some time!
You know how cool this would be? I could go jogging with the dog every day, and that's such a good workout, and then I get some fresh air too.
The only thing we don't completely agree in is the kind of dog. My dad want a Border Collie, and I like them too, but I already chose one...



See? I absolutely adore this ChowChow! It's fluffy and cute and so cheerful! And it's not too big for me to take it out, and that's important, too.
Maybe I can get my parents convinced...

With love,
Kirsten

It brings me...

What is it that we feel...
Friendship??
Might be.
Love??
Sometimes.
Special bonds to people??
Every single day of my life.
Fun??
Where would we be without it?
Smiles??
A day without laughing is a day without living
Sweetness??
Just to color in the lines
Happiness??
For ever.

Out with the girls, camping in the icecold mountains of the Peruvian Andes...
So much fun! (and oh my, it was so cold there!)

Having a little fun with our new Latino-friends... (the right one is Handerson, that was my guy :P)

And then, there is a time when everything is easy, no worries, no troubles... Sometimes I wished I could go back to that time. But maybe, in a while, I'll be able to make it like that again.
I don't know.
But there's always hope, and we can always keep hoping and dreaming...

With love,
Kirsten

I'll show you how it all began...

It's what I did, what I saw, what I experienced.
A world totally different from the one I live in.
A world with possibilities for us, chances, challenges.
Possibilities we used, chances we took, challenges faced.
It's too much to tell.
So let me take you with me on a trip to what I've seen, and maybe you'll get a tiny idea of the feeling I had back there...
It's magical.


Now I feel it's finally getting real...


And the other moment, it is real... You're there, and you can't actually believe it. But it's on the signs, so it has to be reality.


And now, let me take you into the Peruvian night. Who knows what we might find...

The fashion-me is back again!

Ciao!

Wow, this weather is so depressing, it has been raining all day long! Man, it's a summerbreak, I want sun!
Last weekend I went to the spa with Marthe, a friend of mine, who went to Peru too, and we decided we deserved and needed some nice treatments.
So we went there, swam in the hot water pools (which was so nice, unbelievable, like you are swimming in a huge bath-tub), sank down in the jacuzzi's and went to the beautycentre.
We both got a massage, and I almost fell asleep on that table, it was really, really really great. I think I'm going to force my sister into a massage-course.
They also have a sort of beach, you can lie down in the sand and they do this thing with light and then it's like you're lying in the Sahara or something.
So I got a little piece of summer, at least.
After that, we went to the sauna, but there was a tiny surprise waiting for us: 'No clothes here.'
Crap. We both didn't expect that, and it was weird, you know, all these naked people. We just kept our towels wrapped around us very tight and felt a little uncomfortable. But later we found out there was a women-only sauna, and it was desolated, so we went there, and it was nice.
We felt so clean and relaxt after it, I think I'm going to do it more often!

This week, Tjorven and I organised a spontaneous fotoshooting in my new room, and it was so much fun!
It felt (and still feels) good to be able to choose from all your clothes every morning, and not just say: 'Hm, do I want to wear my grey or my khaki trekking-pants today?' ;-)
And I already found millions of new combinations, shoes, accesoires that I want to buy for fall, so let's hope my parents will find that okay... (I think not, at least not all of it, since I haven't lost my preference for expensive things in Peru)

But, of course, I learned that it's not all about being fashionable, looking good and being stylish, it's about being happy!

Have a nice day!

With love,
Kirsten

In the picure:
Tjorven:
Top: Mine, Wonderwoman
Jeans: H&M
Necklace: Also mine, Bijou Brigitte
Me:
Top: Joe Browns
Jeans: Tjorven's, H&M
Necklace: Swarovski

Just a little getting my feet back on the ground...

Hello!

Oh, my biological clock is totally confused. I'm still living in Peru-time, can't sleep at night and I'm hardly able to get up before 03.00 in the afternoon. I do have to say, I miss the whole thing, the being together with the group, doing nice things and have fun. Of course, it's heavenly to always have hot water, always being able to shower, or to use the toilet, and to sleep in a bed every night.
But still.. life here is so different. My world, and the world I've experienced there, they're two completely different worlds.

But I guess I'll get used to my own life again. I started working again yesterday, and by the end of the summerbreak, I will be nearly rich! (honestly, it's not a nice job, but it pays very well, and that counts for something)
What am I going to buy...
Hm, I want some designer-sunglasses, and spotted a lovely pair from Chanel. I could buy that. Or a flatscreen for my new room. Or a new iPod. A short trip to Paris. Lots of clothes. Louboutin-heels. New Prada-heels. Every single book I want to read, every movie I want to see. Or save a little more and buy a Chanel bag! Or a Vespa!
Or... just save it, just in case of? Yuk, that sounds boring. But... smart, somehow.
I think I'll make a list and choose the best thing. You'll hear about it!

Sometimes I really wish my dad was rich as hell and I could get everything I wanted. But then again, I see what I would have become: A spoiled, bitchy brat.
And having seen the way people have to live over there, in Ayacucho, it was heartbreaking. It wasn't human, not normal, for people like us. I mean, just look at the child in the picture. It's breaking my heart, it really is.
And then, how friendly these people were, offering us things they could hardly afford, and being so thankful for nearly nothing, I felt awful for having the guts to complain about my life.
You know, everyone always says: 'You don't know how much you have, there are people who have nearly nothing and they don't complain.'
And then you say: 'Yes I know,' but after 5 minutes, you've forgotten again.
And I swear, on the ashes of my dead grandparents, on my Prada-shoes, on my life, even, that if I will ever forget that, I will call a psychiatrist.
Because I did know it, of course, but now I've seen it, and now I know what it's like.
Maybe that's what you should do when you feel pathetic, or are whining about nothing: Go there, go to that developement country, visit the people who live there, help them cleaning their houses, and then tell me that you have such a hard life.

You know, in the end, all that matters, is keeping the good memories, keeping in your mind what is important, and letting go of your troubles, the bad things.
What way would be better to remember it than reading the written words, seeing the taken pictures, the painted images, and then trying to remember what it felt like?
And, like always, there is one thing we should never forget about, and it's called LOVE.

It's all in you, you've got it, I know it ;-)

With love,
Kirsten

I'm back in the U.S.S.R. (oh no, that's something else...)

But I'm back in the Netherlands, at least!
(and for me, that's better than the U.S.S.R., though that is a funny song)
Peru was... oh, I'm not even going to try to explain it, I can't tell you what it's like.
It's beautiful, and when I have more time, I'll post more pictures. I learned so much there, it was such a wonderful experience...

I told you I would never be completely silent...

So I'm not!

I DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE TONIGHT!I want to stay right here, in Ayacucho, and I don't want to go to Cusco (though that is supposed to be beautiful too)
We´ve had such an amazing time here, from Monday til today, with the guys from Mama Alice, a foundation for streetchildren.
They are all so sweet, and leaving today, saying goodbye to them, was really aweful!
I met such a cute guy, his name is Handerson and he´s completely sweet :)
The others are so nice, and now we´ll probably never see them again!
Ew, we all cried so much.
There are no words to explain how it feels to be here, and there´s no time either, so I guess that will have to wait till next time.

With love (from a far and beautiful Peru)

Kirsten

So, I guess this will be the last you'll hear from me...

... At least for a week or three!
Or course, I never will be completely silent, and there are ways to connect to people from across the ocean, so if you think: 'Oh god, I'm going to miss Kirsten,' don't worry!
We will write weblogs over there, and you can follow our expedition here.
It's in Dutch, I'm afraid, but we'll post pictures, too.

And oh, I'm getting more nervous every single minute, and the thought of hiding under my bed keeps going through my mind.
But I won't. I started this, I was the one who wanted to go, and now I'm going to finish it!
I'm not so keen on cowards, and right now, I'm being a BIG one. But I guess it's normal to be nervous and a bit afraid...
And it's only three weeks (yeah right, only...), 21 days. That sounds better.
And then I'll be back with a suitcase filled with experiences, things to tell and lots of souvenirs and gifts!

Always be who you are, no matter where you go. (which in my case means: be a little nervous, be a little shy, be very careful, be clumsy, be a little stubborn and love shopping, no matter where you are)

So... I hope I'll see you all back when I've returned and got my feet back on the ground over here again!
I'll let you know about it.

With love,
Kirsten

The last days of disco...

Hey!

Another story of mine today, since I'll leave for three weeks Friday and I won't be able to write (much) then.
The nerves are starting to kick in, and I've found myself wondering why exactly I wanted to go away for three weeks. But then I remember all the great things we are going to do or see, and how much fun we all have, and then it's like: This can't be real, me having this opportunity.
And I'm sure it's going to be great!

I took the picture above a while ago, I went to the movies with Anna, and after that, we wanted to use the bathroom, but we had already left the cinemabuilding, so we walked into a mall. We couldn't use the bathroom there, either, but I saw all these cute Discoballs hanging at Expo and took a photo of them.
Sweet, aren't they?

I love disco, but not so much the going out-thing, but just making my own disco. I organise my own disco with Tjorven sometimes, and that's great. We dress up in funny clothes, take a hairbrush (instead of a microphone), turn on the old CD's from our parents and sing along very loudly. Last time we danced at Tjorven's room, and then you get pictures like the one beneath.
I know, we must be absolutely crazy.



And this picture show my little sister Jytte (4th from left), with her friends last weekend. They performed on Rockstar 4 a Day, a talentshow for kids who want to dress up and sing or dance like their idol.
As you can see, they performed Pokerface from Lady Gaga, and I must say, they did very well! I'm proud of them!
And I love their sunglasses, I want them, too! ;D

But I'm going to watch the soccer game again, see you later!

With love,
Kirsten



The fascination of
a boy and girl in love,
for a second I can see her.
In the mirror ball,
the human animal,
the creature that I fear.

Don't call it a comeback
look what I invented here
I thought it was easy
They came it took it away from us
The last days of Disco...

(Robbie Williams - The last days of disco)