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  • Last Update: April 9
  • Joined: November 2, 2007

philly_girl

some days you get the bear and some days the bear gets you
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  • sunnydaze
    sunnydaze is now friends with philly_girl.
    • April 9
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Americans in the Netherlands:
    First, like the previous posters you can not just move here. I am an American married to a Dutch citizen (explains how i ended up stuck living here). I would strongly recommend not even bothering with any of the hoops the government red tape bothers a per...  moreFirst, like the previous posters you can not just move here. I am an American married to a Dutch citizen (explains how i ended up stuck living here). I would strongly recommend not even bothering with any of the hoops the government red tape bothers a person to live here. I can say it is that compared to the American lifestyle and culture Dutchwonderland is not a good fit, and most of the institutions are crap and Proffessionalism is a laughable joke. Visit Ireland or Italy but live in USoA  
    • March 16
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl is now friends with AnnaLindaWolff.
    • March 16
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Americans in the Netherlands:
    @ AnnaLindaWolff, agreed this author has a snarky way of putting things in regards to US slightly harsher that i feel necessary, Me Too having been disrespected greatly for being a US citizen while here in the NL, my dutch hubby had None of that during ou...  more@ AnnaLindaWolff, agreed this author has a snarky way of putting things in regards to US slightly harsher that i feel necessary, Me Too having been disrespected greatly for being a US citizen while here in the NL, my dutch hubby had None of that during our 6 yrs living in the States, for him it was quite the opposite He was an attraction everyone and every where we went folks wanted to chat him up about his homeland and what he thinks of the US, world views and so on; I would go back to Philly quicker than you could blink if the finances would allow, the wages and cost of living are outrageous here so along with airfare for 4, + 4 pets and shipping costs...anyone have a spare 10k euro in pocket????  less
    • February 5
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    yet another example of Zwarte Piet is Racism
    http://black-face.com/
    this shows very clearly how the character of Zwarte Piet instills in culture and society racist views especially showing these images to young children
    • November 28, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    even on Facebook there is a Zwarte Piet is Racism page along with this new today
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap68c_Gf6ZE
    this is how people see the zwarte piets
    • November 16, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Netherlands Soapbox:
    found this today from a facebook page about racism
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap68c_Gf6ZE
    • November 16, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Netherlands Soapbox:
    rh_nl said:
    I don't know what kind of gyn exam you mean, but if it's just a pap smear then you wouldn't need to be a specialist to do it. I think gynaecologists went and got specialist qualifications so they can deal with the difficult cases and not spend...  more    rh_nl said:
    I don't know what kind of gyn exam you mean, but if it's just a pap smear then you wouldn't need to be a specialist to do it. I think gynaecologists went and got specialist qualifications so they can deal with the difficult cases and not spend their day doing things which a registered nurse (your 'office assistant', possibly) can do. What is not possible here (and in other countries) is for people to go direct to specialists without a referral - this saves wasting their time and your money. I have more experience with the Dutch health system than I would like (my wife is in a Dutch hospital now), and I find it to be excellent.
    @rh_nl: A Woman going to see a Gynaecologist for any health exams is her choice, this response coming from a man LOL open your mouth about female health once you grow a uterus, Gyn docs are trained to perform these exams specifically. the assistants at our doctors office can not handle a single piece of paper for a referral given 3 weeks there is No Way in Hell i would let...    less
    • October 13, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    LOL i was there today at our little local c1000 and all the words in this forum thread filled my head while i queued up, yes chuckling to myself.
    And i realized i have developed a personal protection protocol, i always stand a good 2 person length behind...  more    LOL i was there today at our little local c1000 and all the words in this forum thread filled my head while i queued up, yes chuckling to myself.
    And i realized i have developed a personal protection protocol, i always stand a good 2 person length behind the person ahead of me to avoid bumping, and since my dear well meaning mother in law gave me the wonderful handlebar mounted shopping basket i hold this behind me to prevent the person coming up behind me from bumping also. And yeah mostly there is that little divider but if not i need to get them and put them before and after my groceries. I am wild i grab them from the other check out band across from me which is closed. Yes i always line up in the kassa line next to the close register, again Lower Bumping ratio or at least one would hope.
    I do manuever around the shop going down empty isles when i can to avoid the shoppers who look as if they just landed on earth and are in shock and amazement not realizing others need get past and shop and wander in the mi...    less
    • October 10, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Family life in the Netherlands:
    As i mention there are health care protocols established to prevent the spread of germs viruses bacteria and the like. The young and old are the most at risk population for infections. When any person contracts an infection their immune system is then compromised putting them at higher risk for more serious secondary infections. The health care protocols are in place to prevent the spread of this very situation.
    The use of hand sanitizer which is on par with the effects of soap but used in situations where soap washing is not possible. The same as cleaning with a dissinfectant again to reduce the spread.
    You are right colds happen but health care professionals establish these protocols to be used in group settings for a very good purpose. Viruses last 7-10 days, so for every illness contracted my son looses 7-10 days of school. This is my main reason for my desire to have schools here in dutchwonderland implement health care protocols to improve school performance.
    Yes i do or did have a school age daughter (...  ...  more    As i mention there are health care protocols established to prevent the spread of germs viruses bacteria and the like. The young and old are the most at risk population for infections. When any person contracts an infection their immune system is then compromised putting them at higher risk for more serious secondary infections. The health care protocols are in place to prevent the spread of this very situation.
    The use of hand sanitizer which is on par with the effects of soap but used in situations where soap washing is not possible. The same as cleaning with a dissinfectant again to reduce the spread.
    You are right colds happen but health care professionals establish these protocols to be used in group settings for a very good purpose. Viruses last 7-10 days, so for every illness contracted my son looses 7-10 days of school. This is my main reason for my desire to have schools here in dutchwonderland implement health care protocols to improve school performance.
    Yes i do or did have a school age daughter (...    less
    • October 9, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture:
    Oh yes, not my worst supermarket irritation but a good one. And yep year after year the same annoying crap almost every time you go to the market. My personal worst is the bumping, people need to learn to keep their: hands, purses, bags, carts, bodies, et...  moreOh yes, not my worst supermarket irritation but a good one. And yep year after year the same annoying crap almost every time you go to the market. My personal worst is the bumping, people need to learn to keep their: hands, purses, bags, carts, bodies, et.al. to themselves.
    Ever see a news report about a girl having a freak out in a supermarket that might be me after getting knocked into several times on the wrong day in the supermarket.
    Good luck out there. And yes i know there are ignorant people all over the planet, however the Dutch seem to have their own special home grown brand in never ending supply.
    Also the same crap that drives me nuts the first month i got here still bugs me today, the shopping trips where nothing happens are the rare joys of life here in Dutchwonderland.  less
    • October 8, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl posted a topic in the forum Family life in the Netherlands:
    No Protocols for Colds/Flu but Lice checks all the time
    So now my little 5 yr old son is on his 3rd cold of the season. He re-started group 1 this august school year  with a new location and teachers its going well Except:
     
    He keeps catching every single cold from his class then of course spreads it around our home. As we get to hang out with the little ones for 15 mins each morning to get them settled i see: No tissues available for little ones, no soap or hand sanitizer either. No instruction from the Teacher to cough or sneeze into your elbow so as not to cover your hands with germs.
     ...  more    So now my little 5 yr old son is on his 3rd cold of the season. He re-started group 1 this august school year  with a new location and teachers its going well Except:
     
    He keeps catching every single cold from his class then of course spreads it around our home. As we get to hang out with the little ones for 15 mins each morning to get them settled i see: No tissues available for little ones, no soap or hand sanitizer either. No instruction from the Teacher to cough or sneeze into your elbow so as not to cover your hands with germs.
     
    Yet each school i have encountered (6 to date) while living here in Dutchwonderland has very vigilant Lice Checks.
    I wish that health protocols were followed for kids to prevent the spread of these viruses that can have very serious negative health impacts unlike the Lice they seem so hoping to prevent the spread of. 
    I see the Dutchies focusing on the Lice with all this effort admirable yet the effort and energy put into a problem that has No serious medical ...    less
    • October 8, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Netherlands Soapbox:
    Anton said:I've lived in Amsterdam for 18 years now, and I originally joined the forums many, many years ago. I stopped posting and reading the forums on two separate occasions due to the callous trolls who's sole reason for existing seemed to be to insult others and contradict whatever was said, no matter how true it might have been. Those of you who have been around for a while know what I mean. The last time was when someone poured their heart out about cancer, only to have one of the aforementioned trolls pounce on them. At that moment I realised that the forums had attracted the lowest form of life, and I gave up (again). My point: If you want to see interest in the forums grow again, which I would like, then they need to be policed in a much more efficient manner. There's no way that the mods should have allowed the trolls to take hold in the way they were permitted to. There were always good people with lots of valuable information to share, and constant good discussion. I would love to join an online com...  ...  moreAnton said:I've lived in Amsterdam for 18 years now, and I originally joined the forums many, many years ago. I stopped posting and reading the forums on two separate occasions due to the callous trolls who's sole reason for existing seemed to be to insult others and contradict whatever was said, no matter how true it might have been. Those of you who have been around for a while know what I mean. The last time was when someone poured their heart out about cancer, only to have one of the aforementioned trolls pounce on them. At that moment I realised that the forums had attracted the lowest form of life, and I gave up (again). My point: If you want to see interest in the forums grow again, which I would like, then they need to be policed in a much more efficient manner. There's no way that the mods should have allowed the trolls to take hold in the way they were permitted to. There were always good people with lots of valuable information to share, and constant good discussion. I would love to join an online com...    less
    • October 8, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl is now friends with hnadams1.
    • August 30, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Netherlands Soapbox:
    oh nice to see the forum returning to: "the way it used to be" posters attacking each other personally while not bothering to discuss forum topics!! so charming
    • August 22, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl posted a topic in the forum Americans in the Netherlands:
    American Perceptions
    Having lived outside the USofA for 6+yrs has let me look back on my homeland with a different set of eyes. Many times i will rant and rave about the difficulties of daily life in Dutch Wonderland while many retort that is because i am american. As if to say that it is some kind of excuse. Oh well i am certain that my comments won't be changing anyone's firmly held beliefs. Yet this article reminded me that i come from a land that is Not perfect although i admit i never felt she was but love her all the same.
     
    So this is for all those folks who like me miss home but have gone off and grown up a bit and seen the real image rather than the spin and hype.
     ...  more    Having lived outside the USofA for 6+yrs has let me look back on my homeland with a different set of eyes. Many times i will rant and rave about the difficulties of daily life in Dutch Wonderland while many retort that is because i am american. As if to say that it is some kind of excuse. Oh well i am certain that my comments won't be changing anyone's firmly held beliefs. Yet this article reminded me that i come from a land that is Not perfect although i admit i never felt she was but love her all the same.
     
    So this is for all those folks who like me miss home but have gone off and grown up a bit and seen the real image rather than the spin and hype.
     
    http://postmasculine.com/america
     
    This made me laugh and it was very true very correct and very funny.
     
    enjoy  less
    • July 11, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Films & Shows in the Netherlands:
    here are some of mine, 10 is hard to trim down to but i wil give it a whack:
     
    dustin hoffman 
    donald sutherland ...  more    here are some of mine, 10 is hard to trim down to but i wil give it a whack:
     
    dustin hoffman 
    donald sutherland 
    peter o'toole 
    vincent price 
    humphrey bogart 
    liam neeson 
    andy garcia 
    carey grant 
    james garner 
    harrison ford
    i can think of several movies for each that just melt my heart every time
    along with 2 honorable mentions for supporting actors/vs leading men: 
    Hector Elizondo  &  Enrico Colantoni
       
    • June 27, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Family life in the Netherlands:
    oh i agree,
    last year when we started our 4 yr old at his brothers OBS school De Linde there was no mention of he needs to go to a dutch language school first. Only after complaining over the horrid experience with mean teacher did they string us along fo...  more    oh i agree,
    last year when we started our 4 yr old at his brothers OBS school De Linde there was no mention of he needs to go to a dutch language school first. Only after complaining over the horrid experience with mean teacher did they string us along for 9 months then insist on this. I know i felt that ok this is my american ideals/culture clash. So we spoke to all the parents of the class mates of our older son all know this Teacher. We could find No One who had a nice thing to say about her. Everyone we spoke to around 10 parents we know said oh yeah Her! Also my son happily wanted to enter class when it was the Young student teacher they have on thursday & friday. This showed me that the issued along with a language barrier that her behaviour and treatment where a root cause for all this drama. My issue with the accident is the complete lack of Teacher communication toward us over the incident. I am mom of 3 i know about accidents. Little 4 yr old has a dutch speaking Dad, brother & Grandparents along with ...    less
    • June 26, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Family life in the Netherlands:
    Our 11 yr old son sits in group 6 at the OBS (open bar school - public) to our knowledge this is a normal typical dutch school. Last school year they the school began promoting themselves as an International School while offering English lessons. Finally an easy class for my oldest boy! LOL 
     
    So this year they are having a hard time figuring out what English curriculm to follow much to the disappointment of the parents at ouders avonde who have children in groups 6,7,8 preparing for dutch high school with much more english lessons. 
     ...  more    Our 11 yr old son sits in group 6 at the OBS (open bar school - public) to our knowledge this is a normal typical dutch school. Last school year they the school began promoting themselves as an International School while offering English lessons. Finally an easy class for my oldest boy! LOL 
     
    So this year they are having a hard time figuring out what English curriculm to follow much to the disappointment of the parents at ouders avonde who have children in groups 6,7,8 preparing for dutch high school with much more english lessons. 
     
    It has been a challenge and learning experience if nothing else learning how far my patience will last most days. We tried with the little one wanted him to get that early start You know how fast they learn when they are little, even with his Daddy Dutch lessons He corrects my bad dutch pronunciations LOL
     
    I really wish the director had told us that dutch language school was neccessary but he had no such requirement last August with little 4 yr old funny ...    less
    • June 25, 2012
  • philly_girl
    philly_girl replied to a topic in the forum Americans in the Netherlands:
    dakkerdaas said:Oh come on. Lol
    yeah that is kinda how i felt but for his part They are Very Nice States! but i would not expect a Dutchie to know beyond anything in Pop Culture so i didn;t fuss over it 
     
    Having a Dutch hubby i have learned to ...  more    dakkerdaas said:Oh come on. Lol
    yeah that is kinda how i felt but for his part They are Very Nice States! but i would not expect a Dutchie to know beyond anything in Pop Culture so i didn;t fuss over it 
     
    Having a Dutch hubby i have learned to kinda listen behind what they are saying to what they are meaning a bit. I wish the dutch would be so kind my G's are just not hard enough for them to comprehend anything i say LOL now i know how the belgians feel  
    • June 25, 2012
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Personal Information

  • Gender: Female
  • Birthday: October 27, 1967
  • * City of Residence: oldenzaal
  • * Country of Residence: Netherlands
  • * Home Country: United States
  • When did you become an expat?: September 30, 2005

Personal Details

  • Interests: Art, Books, Cooking, Computers, Film, Gardening, Music, Theater, Travel, Other
  • What might that be?: Lifestyle
  • sunnydaze
  • AnnaLindaWolff
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  • March 16, 2013 10:50:22 AM CET
    in the topic On the fence.. in the forum Americans in the Netherlands
    First, like the previous posters you can not just move here. I am an American married to a Dutch citizen (explains how i ended up stuck living here). I would strongly recommend not even bothering with any of the hoops the government red tape bothers a person to live here. I can say it is that compared to the American lifestyle and culture Dutchwonderland is not a good fit, and most of the institutions are crap and Proffessionalism is a laughable joke. Visit Ireland or Italy but live in USoA
  • February 5, 2013 2:47:47 PM CET
    in the topic American Perceptions in the forum Americans in the Netherlands
    @ AnnaLindaWolff, agreed this author has a snarky way of putting things in regards to US slightly harsher that i feel necessary, Me Too having been disrespected greatly for being a US citizen while here in the NL, my dutch hubby had None of that during our 6 yrs living in the States, for him it was quite the opposite He was an attraction everyone and every where we went folks wanted to chat him up about his homeland and what he thinks of the US, world views and so on; I would go back to Philly quicker than you could blink if the finances would allow, the wages and cost of living are outrageous here so along with airfare for 4, + 4 pets and shipping costs...anyone have a spare 10k euro in pocket????
  • November 28, 2012 11:31:26 AM CET
    in the topic Zwarte Piet debate 2011 in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture
    yet another example of Zwarte Piet is Racism http://black-face.com/ this shows very clearly how the character of Zwarte Piet instills in culture and society racist views especially showing these images to young children
  • November 16, 2012 2:18:26 PM CET
    in the topic Zwarte Piet debate 2011 in the forum Discuss Dutch Culture
    even on Facebook there is a Zwarte Piet is Racism page along with this new today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap68c_Gf6ZE this is how people see the zwarte piets
  • November 16, 2012 2:14:47 PM CET
    in the topic Dutch racism? in the forum Netherlands Soapbox
    found this today from a facebook page about racism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap68c_Gf6ZE
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