Bella

Okay, I have your email. I'll be getting back to you.

Actually, I started a group here for foreign women in Holland. We've been around 5 years and have almost 90 members! Most of us are American with Dutch husbands but many are from other countries. Of course, many of us are on our own. It IS fun talking to the girls in ENGLISH. I speak Dutch - but it's more fun to be yourself.

Sasamarie

Well it is nice that you got it done so easily. How long did you wait for the actual surgery date once you signed up for it?

I would go to met up with the ladies even though I have not had the surgery! Would be very interesting to learn more and met new friends! So let me know when and where and I will see what I can to be there!

Bella

I could have had the procedure within 2 weeks after booking it. In my case I had paid for a 5 week trip to South East Asia in December which I could not cancel without losing a lot of money. No sense in having surgery and then in a couple of months go hiking through the jungles of Cambodia! So I HAD to wait.

I took 5 weeks off work for vacation and immediately went in for surgery which meant another 3 weeks off.

So all together I had 2 months off and everyone just thinks I had a long vacation. Hee hee! Only a couple of close office friends know to truth.

Yes, it was extremely easy to set the whole thing up.

I've found that whenever insurance is involved - you have hassles but when you are self - pay NO PROBLEMS.

Sure you can attend the meetings just to learn. I have at least 1 other friend that might be doing the same. Sometimes it's scary ... so it helps to talk to people that have had the procedure.

If it's just the money ... I say hock your wedding ring or rent a window in the RLD for a while hee hee! IT'S WORTH it!! I'M NOT KIDDING!!

Sasamarie

Your too funny! I am not married so no ring to hock. And I would not work the RLD! OMG who would want me!! But I know what you mean! I have been thinking about it and perhaps I can find a way but it will be very tough! Of course worth it in the end! I went to a meeting once with ladies with dutch partners. I only went once because I am a shy person and I get very uncomfortable with new people (Which I am sure my weight issues are a big factor in this!) I wonder if that is the same group you are talking about? Meet about once a month in a restaurant?? Or at someones house for pot luck?? Forgot what they called it!

Bella

You mean WWDP! Women With Dutch Partners. Yes, there are branches in all 4 of the major cities in the Randstad.

I went to a few meetings in Amsterdam. They were okay - you should go back!

Actually, my group is for Black women with Dutch partners. Anyone of any race is welcome of course, but it is a Black girl thing. )

Why? Well, there are about a zillion expat groups - particularly for women ... but when you are Black, they are lots of things you want to talk about that the other girls have no interest in. I saw there was a gap in the expat pool and I filled it. We've been meeting every month at someone's home for good food, laughing and girl talk for the last 5 years!

We are all 'sisters'! (All 90 of us) and there are about 30 nationalities. Some girls have moved on to other European countries or have moved back to their home country - but they stay on our distribution list so they can get in a good laugh now and then.

You really should join the expat groups. Don't be shy. Many girls are thin, fat, pretty, plain ... it doesn't matter ... it's all about 'connecting' with other people. And it's a sure way to make friends. As you know, Europeans (by and large) are an insular group and it's hard to break in to those closed circles. Umm and those Dutch girls can be soooo green eyed ... as adverse to their male counterparts. Hee hee!

I broke up with the Dutchie I moved here for after only a few months so I really had to put myself out there in order to make friends and have fun!

Sprek je Netherlands? - This helps too!

Luckily he didn't sponsor me for a residence permit. I had a working permit as a got a company to sponsor me. So I have my own 'papers' now. After we split,
I just bought my own house and have been here ever since.

Check out this list:
http://www.expatica.com/actual/artic...&story_id=1780

Girl, get out there!!!!! Fat or not - other girls don't care!!!!!!

Anyway, you will at least be able to come to the wls group I'm gonna start! wat leuk!

Sasamarie

Yes it was the WWDP and I have to say it was nice to a point but I did not feel so welcomed. They had already formed their " group " and although they still invited outsiders I was just not comfortable.

I do work for an American company on a PT basis (20 hours). Thanks to the "dutch ways". Cant complain about that now can ya!

I have a daughter that moved to holland with me. She is very dutch now. And I have a son that still lives in the US with his father. And I have a 5 year old daughter that is from my dutch boyfriend. And the two girls speak both languages. My son is not here enough to speak dutch but he does try it! Now as for me! Niet zo goed! Well considering that I have been here for so long I should be very fluent, unfortunantly I am not. Too many people speak english with me and to me. Including my boyfriend! lol.

So if you dont mind me asking...what do you do? Are you working for a dutch Co? American??

Bella

Hi,

So your kids have to translate for you? Hee hee! I have many friends that have the same problem. I'm not great at Dutch ... but I am able to make myself understood. I travel around Europe for work a lot - so believe me ... it was an extraordinary effort for me to learn Dutch! Long story

It's hard to settle in another country - maybe the hardest thing you will ever do. Dutch? Hard as heck!

Yes, when many people hear my American accent .. they switch to English .. but I just keep on speaking Dutch like I haven't noticed. ) They think they are doing you a favor, or want to show off their English skills etc.. I just tell them that I must practice .. then they usually go back to Dutch.

It IS hard. If people can speak clearly .. I'm ok .. but if they go into that BAD farmers Dutch or they have some accent ... ahhhh I just blank them out. )

What do I do? I work for a real Dutch company. I'm the only American - but it was not required that I learn Dutch to get a work permit. You know the regels are different if you are here for work. They did pay for my lessons for quite some years - mainly because I felt I needed Dutch to be able to live here - so I made them pay for it. I've been in the SAP world since 1995 so I was doing this kind of work in America. Maybe you've heard of SAP - but it's a very desireable software package worldwide. So when I moved here, I interviewed here and there and got hired.

I'm a Technology Consultant and yes I work fulltime which is very UNDutch of me. Hee hee!

Celtic Toni

Hi Bella,

Just wondering how your doing, I see the pounds are flying off you...

I'm a bit away from Holland, I think we Irish are an even smaller minority on the site

__________________
Lap RNY 07/20/2006 - July 20th 2006
Starting/Current/Goal
370/231/Healthy
5'8''
Dublin, Ireland
Dr. Bruno Dillemans, Brugge, Belgium

Bella

Hi Toni,

Yes, the weight is coming off!!! I'm even gonna dig up my old size 14 jeans and hang them up as inspriration!! CAN'T WAIT!!!

That's all I want you know. To wear a nice pair of cute jeans, heels and a cute short jacket. In other words .. to LOOK NORMAL!

Your numbers look wonderful too - congratulations!!!

Funny because now when I see big people I just wanna walk up to them and give them Dr. Dilleman's card! Hee hee!

Hey, I'm starting a WLS Support group. Wanna join? I've already set a Group in yahoo - just give me your email and I'll send you an invite!

I'm thinking since we are all spread out through this part of Europe, we can have 'floating' meetings every 3 months or so. Flying is cheap between the countries and it can be a nice getaway weekend! One month in Holland, the next in Ireland. Hee hee!

We can just use the website to catch up.

If you are interested, do send me your email!

Sasamarie

Hey,

Well my kids do not have to translate for me too much. I can understand a great deal. Just dont like to speak it! I once went to the store to buy pillows and when the sales lady asked me if she could help me I said :

Ik wil en Kusje.

She looked at me so weird and my daughter who happened to be with me at the moment said it correctly! It can be very bad to pronounce things incorrectly! I even told some guy my friend was my girl friend because I still can not comprehend how to say it correct. So I tend to stick with english!

Yes I have heard of SAP. It is a huge program here. My company uses People Soft. Which is ok but I heard SAP has a lot more features that would be great to have. I need to learn how to work on it. Wanna teach me? lol. My boyfriend is a Network Administrator and is amazing with computers. He always tells me that SAP is a good program to learn. He doesn't use it either otherwise I would just have him show me!

My company is Foot Locker. I work in the HQ in Vianen. I have been there for about 6 years. I worked in Accounts Payable, than asset management. And when I wanted to go to work PT I moved back to Accounts payable. So nothing amazing but it pays the bills! lol.

It is great you get to travel so much. Get to see so many neat cultures and meet many interesting people.