Hei tytöt!

...that's 'Hi girls!' in Finnish.

It would be fun to see you guys in Helsinki. I'd love to see everyone again. I guess you guys living in Holland, Belgium and Germany have an advantage as you're pretty close to eachother, so it's easier to meet up. But I'm sure Norway and Finland are worth checking out as well even though we're a bit further away :)

I actually just heard "I Touch Myself" today, which also made me think of good old Aberdeen.

Finally Friday, now I'll try to relax for a wee while.

Tata,
Marianne

Hei jenter!

... is the Norwegian version of "hi girls".

I have no objection to the boys joining us, and I would certainly be interested in meeting up i Helsinki this autumn. My schedule opens up for small trips this semester - cannot really complain about being a student then... :)

BTW, Signe and Marianne, I heard Outcast's "Hey ya" on the radio the other day... Couldn't help smiling... Had a picture in my mind of certain people singing from the top of their lungs in Oban... Yes, and my beloved "open - close" guy also popped into my mind - how can I forget about him when Marianne posted a GIGANTIC photo of him in my greeting book?

So long!

-AK, doing all other things than rehearsing for her exam -

Hoi meisjes!

Is the beginning simmilar to 'hi girls' in your languages?

I was on holiday for the last three weeks, and in that time you guys wrote already such a lot on our blog! Nice to read you post. I was on holiday with boyfriend Yves and it was wonderful!!! His parents are Romanian, so he has family and friends there where we could stay with. I really like to see how the people live in other cultures. We have travelled through the country and have visited big cities as well as remote villages. Furthermore we have hiked and climbed in the mountains. What made the trip extra nice is that I'm learning Romanian. Nothing is better for you language learning than staying with people who only speak the language you are trying to master.

Just before my holiday, Guillaume ( a French guy who I met at the juggling club in Aberdeen) came to vistit me. And next Saturday Andrew (you remember the New Zealand guy who worked in our lab?) will arrive at Schiphol Airport and he will stay in my flat (our Yves') for a week. Nice, nice, nice. Sunday Lisa, Andrew (he doen't know that yet) and I will go to my parents boot, Monday Andrew will give a talk at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Thursday Marieke will come to Amsterdam. The plan is to finish our photo books of Scotland. So nice to watch the pictures of our time there!

Because everybody went to the hairdresser, I can't lag, so I made an appointment as well.

Caro, when will you go to Germany, and when is your surgery? Maybe we can ask Nick and Andrew to join our weblog, or do we like it better without men?

Be happy!
elsje

Yeah, I should have listened to rule 3... ;) Well, actually by now I'm quite satisfied with my new haircut. I think I'm gonna have it like this in the future too.

Ciao! -Marianne-

To the Most Gorgeous Women on Tellus,

Hi all, and thanks for all the updates! Fun to hear from you and your “normal” lives. I am now back at Ås, south- east of Oslo, where I have embarked on my master’s degree in Economics and Resource Management at the University of Life Sciences ( aka UMB). Yes, two more years of school awaits me, but it dawned on me the other day that if everything goes accoring to plan, this was indeed my last long summer holiday… No more two months off ever again!!! And no sight of a wealthy man who can whisk me off to a paradise island and wipe all my worries away either…

This is not supposed to be a depressing letter, more a mere hello from me as it was about time I posted a note too. I hope y’ll are well and have recovered from the post- Aberdeen- blues. I take it that more than Marianne and me have read the Italian Alessandro’s email…? Let me know otherwise – it’s truly a lection in expressing emotions after some time abroad and declearing an ever-lasting love to those you met… …. ;)

I’d like to finish off with with the Modern Woman’s Guide for Living ( yes, they are copied and maybe some one recognizes them too?) and a little poem by a late Norwegian poet(ress).

Rule no 1: Never panic. Stop, breathe, think

Rule no 2: No one is thinking about you. They’re thinking about themselves, just like you. ( like when you are at a party standing all alone and wishing you had a spade so that you could start digging that infamous hole…)

Rule no 3: Never change haircut or colour before an important event

Rule no 4: Nothing is either as bad or as good as it seems

Rule no 5: Do as you would be done, e.g., thou shalt not kill

Rule no 6: It is better to buy one expensive thing that you really like than several cheap ones that you only quite like. ( Monsoon, here I come!)

Rule no 7: Hardly anything matters: If you get upset, ask yourself, “ Does it really matter?”

Rule no 8: The key to success lies in how you pick yourself from failure

Rule no 9: Be honest and kind

Rule no 10: Only buy clothes that make you feel like doing a small dance ( some ceilidh-steps!?)

Rule no 11: Trust your instincts, not your overactive imagination

Rule no 12: When overwhelmed by disaster, check if it’s really a disaster by doing the following. A) “Oh, fuck it” B) Look on the bright side and, it that doesn’t work, look on the funny side. If neither of the above works then maybe it is a disaster so turn to items 1 and 5.

Rule no 13: Don’t expect the world to be safe or life to be fair.

Rule no 14: Sometimes you just have to go with the flow

Rule no 15: Don’t regret anything. Remember there wasn’t anything else that could have happened, given who you were and the state of the world at that moment. The only thing you can change is the present, so learn from the past.

Rule no 16: If you start regretting something and thinking, “ I should have done…”, always add, “ but then I might have been run over by a lorry or blown up by a Aberdeenian seagull-manned torpedo”.

The Ant by Inger Hagerup

“Little? Me?
Far from it!
I am just large enough.
Fill my self completely; lenghtwise and across;
From top to bottom
Are you larger than yourself maybe?”

Ta-ta for now!
Ann-Kristin

Rain Galore bis

Hi girls,
I just was wondering why no boys are subscribed on to our log...
I hear you are doiing fine... Dont worry Signa, I am also painting at home. We are repainting all the hall ways in oliv grean. It looks ok, but off course it is a job that takes a lott of time.

For the rest it is raining so much in Belgium that probably, it will be the weathest august in history (Since the started keeping record about 100 years ago.) On the other hand, July was the warmest month ever;.. The seasons are goiing mad!

For the rest, I am at work and bored so I decided to spend my time well and write you a message. I am still looking for interesting jobs, but it is not so easy. I am a little picky and most firms want experience, which I can not offer because i just graduated... it is a round cercle. But I am not despairing (yet) and keep on looking.

It is so nice to hear from you all through this way... How is Aberdeen for the moment, Caroline? Not to cold? And in the Skandinavian counties, every thing all right? Lett me know how you are...
Hi Signa, I decided to start fitnessing again and am enjoing it. I really need to work off those extra aberdonian pounds.

Hear from you guys later!

Big (pigmugg) kisses

welcome

Hey everybody,

Signe, it would be great to meet you, if you come to Helsinki! Everyone else is welcome too ;)

Another day at work has passed and now I'm supposed to study for my exam on Friday, but as you can see, I haven't really started with that...

As you know, nothing good comes from Russia (at least if you have the misfortune of being the country next to it). They have had forest fires there for the last couple of weeks and as there's an eastern wind at the moment, the smoke comes to Finland. On several days you have been able to smell smoke rally badly in Helsinki and everything's been grey with smoke. It's even gone to the west coast of Finland. And Russia refuses to accept help from Finland in putting the fires out, so they're just burning there... Today it rained quite heavily, which was great because it cleared the air! Plus it was the first real rain since I've been back, so I actually really enjoyed it.

Oh just to get back to the Russia theme. One day a guy with a map stopped me on the street and just started talking in Russian to me and pointing on the map. Man, I do not speek Russian. And he didn't even seem to ask me, whether or not I spoke Russian, he just started talking. Well, I'll stop with the hostilities now ;)

Poor Beate with the birds... (although I have to admit, I had to laugh when I read it) You're clearly not their favourite person.

Ok, now I really really need to get back to (well, start) studying.

-Marianne-

Rain galore

(Ex) Aberdonians Galore

Hello my fellow Aberdonians,

I am currently staying with my parents because I accidently promised to paint the windows in their house, I could have kicked myself! Luckily it's been raining cats and dogs for weeks now, so I can only paint the windows on the inside. This weekend I'm going on a trip to the most norhtern part of Denmark with some of my friends. We were planning on bringing a tent but since it's pouring down we might have to find some other accomodation.

Inspired by my stay in Scotland I joined the international society at my home university and I have been appointed mentor for three exchange students. This way I can hopefully re-live some of the good times I had with you guys.

Beate - you must have some kind of strange attraction to birds and their droppings. How very unfortunate but very funny that you have been hit by excrements again ;-)

I hope you are all enjoying what is left of your summer vacation. Marianne (and every one else who is interested): Perhaps I'm going to Helsinki this autumn with one of my friends, it would be great if we could meet!

pms, Signe

My Queendom!

Hi girls,

I just came back from Guatamala and Honduras last night and it is good to be back in my beloved Leuven. It was very nice over there, but the intestans are acting a little strange and you could say, I suffer from "tourista"; Over there the rain-saison is going on, so every day we had rain coming down on us. It was a very powerful trip. I stayed with and indiginous family for one night and the offered us their beds (the only ones). There a bed means a wooden bench. I can tell you that i didn't got to much sleep... We also hiked a vulcano in eruption. That was very cool because you could actualy see the lava comming down. For the rest we went mountainbiken, hiking, rafting and I also got my "open water diving certificate", on which I am very proud. This means I can dive in open water with an instructor and go to the next level;

But the hollidays are over and I started seaching again for jobs. In 2 weeks I have an assessment which is really import for me, so cross your fingers. This weekend, it is "Marktrock" in Leuven, which is the music festival of Leuven. It is a big party with 300.000 people in 3 days and 5 podia. I am really looking forward to it and hope to make a lott of fun.

The other reason for which I was glad to come back home is Philip. He is currently preparing for his exams, who start in a big week. I felt truly sorry he had to study in the little room again so I asked him to join me home, where he is studing now. Hopely he does wel.

I am gonne leave you and wish you good luck with haircuts and dates....
Hi beate, how are you, it has been a while since I heard you..;
And of course, A lot of thanks to Caroline for the beatiful birthday card which was waiting on my return. It made me smile and exited to hear from you!!! And dont be to nice, i just found out that if I had lied on a sollicitation, I probably would have got the job....

Big kisses Sarah, from her queendom

Hi peoples

That's a scary story Marianne! beware of the toes-freak! :)
I thought it's time to post something. I have to finish my thesis this week, and therefore looking for every opportunity not to write it.. (I already have a entirely new wardrobe, went for lunch and dinner, and for a drink in between, have developed a crush, read several books, going for a drink almost every night.... :)
yeah, it's nice to enjoy student life just a little longer :)
I try to keep reading all blogs, it´s good to know everyone is doing fine! Oh and eh I went to the hairdresser and see did a good job. I like my new hairstyle... Anyone wants the adress? :)
Ok, that's it for now, I'm gonna try find something I can do now (maybe write a little bit on my thesis...)
Take care ,
bye bye Marieke

toes

I just have to tell you about my strange morning walk. I was walking to work yesterday morning and was wearing sandals. Suddenly I noticed this old man walking next to me for a long time and after a while he said: “You always notice when someone has such nicely shaped toes.” That’s got to be the strangest thing anyone’s ever said to me. And I was just thinking, stop looking at my toes, you freak. There are some real weirdos amongst us…

Take care! Marianne :)

Hairdresser Horror

S & M (heh..!): I have been in the bad-hairdresser-situation more than once, and I actually find hairdresseres a little scary. Which is why I don't go to them.. But don't be shy, girls, let's see some pictures of your new hairdo's!
I'm back from Amsterdam, where I had a great time with my boyfriend, hung out by canals, drank wine and watched movies. Unfortunatly, I didn't make it to Elsje's bonfire party.... :( I did hang out with Lisa a little bit, which was very nice. We went cycling, as I understand it, this is the main thing to do in Amsterdam.
Sarah, how is/was the trip? And, I promised my self that I shouldn't say anything about Marianne's date, but it seems I don't keep promises: what is happening now? Are you going to see him again? Tell me more! (blowing it out of proportions, are we?)

Pigs mugs galore, Helena, inside on a sunny day...

Hehe, this thing is really blowing out of proportion ;) The "date", which really wasn't a date, went fine. It's a whole stupid friends/more-than-friends blah-blah thing. I hadn't seen him since january though, so it was nice. But no big gossip to tell ;) He told me the hair looks good. Probably a lie, but nice of him to lie about it.
It's the first grey day here since I got back, really weird. And it actually even rained a bit. Doesn't really matter though, I'm always sitting inside nowadays.
That's great Signe that you found a summer job in the field of law! Is it interesting, what do you do there? My family actually flew to Copenhagen today for a short last-minute holiday before school/work starts again. Unfortunately I'm too busy (and broke) to join them.
Ok, now I have to hit the books again! -Marianne-

A date - how exciting!

(Ex) Aberdonians Galore

Marianne - I so know how you feel. When I got back from Scotland I really needed a hair cut, so I went to see my usual hairdresser. She told me that she had to cut off some of my hair because it had been damaged. That was ok, but when I looked at myself in the mirror (I had been preoccupied with reading a gossip magazine) I suddenly realized that now my hair barely covered my ears. Terror - I looked like my mom! But now I have acutally gotten used to it, and I'm sure that you will too (eventually anyway). And if that guy does not want you because of your hair he is not worth spending time on. But please do tell how the "date" went.

I'm sitting at work (and as you see doing nothing since I have time to write this). The temperature has dropped quite a bit, so I'm actually wearing a shirt with long sleeves for the first time since I got back home. Take care everyone. Signe

Oh, thank you for the support :) It isn't a real date-date though. Just a bunch of people meeting up, but I know someone more special will be there too ;) Yeah, I guess 13-year-old boys can be cute. The problem is, I don't know if guys find 13-year-old boys cute. And if they do, they're probably not the ones I want to meet... ;) Well, actually I'm slowly getting used to the hair. I just find it very annoying to constantly have something on your forehead.

I've had a flu for ages now and am getting quite fed up with it. I stayed at home from work yesterday and the day before that, which means that I have a lot of cathing up to do :(

I met a lady from Belgium today and she was really vibrant and talkative and reminded me of Sarah :)

Bye bye now!

Marianne

Hi guys,
how are you all?
Good luck with your date, Marianne. Hairdressers are crazy - why didn't she do what you wanted??? Most of the time thirteen year old boys are cute!
I also didn't get what I wanted yesterday. We moved to our new flat and Timo and I waited the whole day for the others to come to draw for the rooms because the upstairs ones are bigger. We should have taken the rooms we wanted - first come, first serve... Maybe I'm just too nice ;-) Well, I got a downstairs room (and so did he). But now all my stuff is in there and had a good first night I really like it.
Aberdeen has the weather back Scotland is known for - it's windy and rainy since yesterday. But for my thesis it's even better...
Hope you're fine and enjoying the heat I don't have here.
-Caro-

Marianne, you have a date today! Tell us all about it afterwards!

Hi guys!

I just got back from the hairdresser's, where the damn ¤%%¤&¤ [add ugly word] cut me a fringe, even though I really really didn't ask for one. It went so fast snip-snip-snip, there was no stopping it. There's a reason I've never had a fringe, and now I know it. I look like a 13-year-old boy :( It just doesn't suit me. Man, I wanted to cry when I got out of there. I look soooo stupid!! And I'm seeing someone tomorrow, for whom I wanted to look nice, but that didn't happen then... Shit!!

Marianne :(

Hi guys!

I juts got back from the hairdresser's, where the damn ¤%%¤&¤ [add ugly word] cut me a fringe, even though I really really didn't ask for one. It went so fast snip-snip-snip, there was no stopping it. There's a reason I've never had a fringe, and now I know it. I look like a 13-year-old boy :( It just doesn't suit me. Man, I wanted to cry when I got out of there. I look soooo stupid!! And I'm seeing someone tomorrow, for whom I wanted to look nice, but that didn't happen then... Shit!!

Marianne :(