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