A Suriname Story
Door: Diede
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Diede
24 Augustus 2015 | Suriname, Paramaribo
A Suriname Story
After long thinking this was it. It’ll be Suriname,, the country to go to. Me and a classmate will have a half year of internship for our study. The study I’m doing at the moment is Nursing school. It’s were my interests lie and where my motivation is the best. For me it’s the study to think about.
It’s Saturday the first of August. Just as last year I’m going to Vlieland, a small island in the Wadden Sea. The Netherlands count five Wadden Islands, where Vlieland is the smallest. Last year I had been working here for five months. I failed my study with one course so I was forced to quit the study. This really bummed me out. There was no consideration, this is what I wanted and this is what I’m going to do. So I started the same study again but at a different school and a different path. So to go back to where we left off, I stopped my study and I needed to do something for half a year plus summer holidays. What I needed was a job, I rented my room and went looking. It took me really long until my sweetheart mum came with thé solution. There was this website called Wadden vacancies. I went searching. I travelled from my parents place Gieten (a small village in Drenthe) to Leeuwarden for my solicitation interview, this was on Thursday and on Saturday I went on the boat to work on the island. This was an awesome time for me.
1. Travelling issues,, maybe?!
So the first of August this year I went again to the island. Almost all the people of last year were gone. Although there were some pretty awesome people left,, I met some new awesome people too. As usual my two weeks on Vlieland were awesome,, the time of my live. Although it was too short, it was really good to be back there in the hotel. I had to work until the fourteenth of August and I went back to the shore on the fifteenth of August with two of my colleagues. The journey was long as usual. I left the hotel at 11:15 with the bus. The boat left at 12:00, this was an one and a half hour ride. So I was at Harlingen Haven at 13:30, the train I needed to get to Leeuwarden left at 13:50. I was happy to meet Iris on the station at the harbour. This was a girl I met on the island, we were working together for two weeks. Although the work is a pain in the ass, working with people like her made the work not that hard. She was a girl with the most beautiful eyes and the prettiest smile. Now you can imagine that it was nice to not be alone while travelling. Although it was not long I had some company. Now we were travelling together to Leeuwarden. Me trying to figure out when my train left on Leeuwarden Station to Groningen and her smiling cause I couldn’t understand it at all. After a while I understood that I had to travel from Leeuwarden to Buitenpost (a place in the middle of nowhere) by bus. They were working on the railway again,, of course they only do this when I’m travelling cause it’s always like that. I arrived at Leeuwarden Station at 14:16, I had some time cause the bus, which was arranged for the people whom were travelling to Groningen, was leaving at 14:46. So I still had half an hour waiting. Iris accompanied me cause she still had to wait for her train as well. I think I’ve never been so happy about someone being with me at this particular time. The bus driver was most kind and waited for the last person to check-in on the station and run back to the bus. So after this happened we left over 5 minutes late. The train at Buitenpost left at 15:16, of course because the bus driver was to generous we arrived at the station to late and I had to wait for the next train to arrive. Spending this half an hour with a bunch of people waiting.
Iris had give me this enormous endorphin boost,, happily at this point I went to sit on the furthest side of the station, so I couldn’t bother anyone. I got my guitar out of my bag and started to play. After a while a German guy went to sit along with me and within five to ten minutes I had this audience over thirty people. This was a big experience for me. So finally the train arrived and I went to Groningen. After a train ride of almost half an hour I finally arrived in Groningen at 16:10. Now I needed to hurry home, dump my stuff and go to my sister her house for a rehearsal. My sisters and their boyfriends made this song for my father’s 60th birthday. After a small half an hour playing this song we needed to go to Gieten for the party. So after a day of travelling I finally had time to sit, drink a beer and enjoy my father’s party. This party was for me an opportunity to say goodbye to a lot of people as well.
2. The GoingawayBirthday party
Now it is Sunday, I will have until Wednesday to move out of my room in Groningen. A few weeks ago I planned this “GoingawayBirthday party” on this Sunday. So I went to Groningen with my youngest Sister by car. They dropped me at the station, where I had my bicycle to cycle back home. My father still had a crate beer left from the party whom was given to me for my party. After I left Vlieland it had been raining ever since. The idea was to go to the park and chill there for a while. After a long time of raining a friend texted me that we were invited at his place. For me this was a solution out of heaven, also because my room was a mess of moving boxes. At around four I went to Sander’s place with the crate of beer. Of course Jelmer was already there. Jelmer is his housemate and a friend of mine whom I know since I was little, kindergarten idea. Sander I had known since we were studying Physiotherapy, he was in my class. Which was quite the coincidence when he told me he was moving to Groningen and said it was in an alley next to a night store. So Jelmer and Sander had been living together ever since and I was there almost all the time to chill.
Now they already bought beer as well, which was a relief for me so I didn’t had to go and buy more (yet). Sander already started with me with this excuse that they didn’t had the time to buy me a present and that they did not know what to buy for me. This was all fine, I had heard this story before. I told him that I’m expecting an awesome birthday present when I get back from Suriname. I knew that a lot of people couldn’t come that day and a lot of people send me messages that day and before. When most of the people had arrived Sander started saying that he knew that I had wished that Ischa and Germen could’ve been here. They couldn’t cause they were at this great, awesome festival in Budapest. I knew this of course, it was first the idea that I would come with them. After arranging Suriname I knew that I just simply didn’t have the money for it, tours and trips are quite expensive here.
After Sander finished his sentence he said that there was still something they wanted to give me before I left. So I got this present with this wrapping from etos, now I was surprised and thinking what it could be. But of course I hadn’t had a clue what it was. Sander had wrote me a story on the front of the paper and the most awesome pictures on the back. On the front the story ended with the people whom had arranged everything. These were a lot and a lot of different “friendgroups” who did not know each other that well. After the etos wrapping there was this V&D wrapping, intertoys, and lots of other wrappings. Now I had heard from Jelmer whom had the idea that I should have bought this “particular thing” to take with me on the trip. You already start to think with this many people it must be something awesome.
I got something in my mind,, the thing Jelmer was telling me about. But yeah you know what nooooo. That is too good to be true. After the final wrapping finally was pulled off. It definitely was the thing I was thinking about,, it was the thing Jelmer was talking about and it was the GoPro camera which was bought for me, from all those people. It was this crazy feeling and I can not imagine the last time I had to cry of so much mixed feelings. I was so happy with this present, so surprised that they had arranged this with so much people, sadness of leaving, feeling happy about leaving, to many things on my head. As I’m writing this I still get watery eyes hahah. Sander told me they went around the city to get all this different kind of wrapping papers at different stores. After all this emotional stuff we had an awesome time together and after some drinks we went out in the city. It was Sunday so it was crap. But with all the people there it was still nice.
3. Packing Sensation
The next morning, a bit hungover I still had to pack all my stuff to move out. Thursday was my flight, so on Wednesday I had to be home in Gieten with all my stuff and all my stuff packed for Suriname. So as usual I’m always doing stuff at the latest of time so it is always a bit of a stress moment. Monday and Tuesday,, two days to pack and to clean everything. So on Monday I almost got everything out of the shelves and closets. In the evening my parents came to Groningen to bring the most boxes and things back with them to Gieten. After that I went to Jelmer and Sander of course to chill for a bit.
Now Tuesday was awful,, last day of packing when you find out that there is still so much to do. Jelmer’s parents were to kind to borrow me their car so I can move everything back (my parents were working). Now after trying to get everything in boxes and trying to keep up with the parking meter,, I had been running now four times to the parking meter. The one next to my house was broken (black screen), so every time I had to fill the parking meter I had to go around the corner. All stressed out cause I did not had that much time moving out,, cleaning the room and refilling the parking meter. Now this time I was at the parking meter, five minutes late. This annoying thing is now by creditcard or pin. This takes a while and sometimes the meter just freezes. This was not the point at this time. I went back to the car, now 10 minutes late. Just to find that I had a parking ticket on my windshield. Frustrated and angry I spontaneously went to the trash can I started kicking it. As I busted myself looking ridiculous, I got the parking ticket as I found out the retarded amount of money based on 10 minutes overtime. I got myself back together and started where I left off. Finally I got everything packed, sorted, carried to the car and I went on with cleaning. At this time Jelmer and Sander had arrived to get the stuff ( the stuff they wanted to borrow for half a year) to their room. As they were moving their stuff I was cleaning the last bits of the house. Still in some point of excitement cause I had ordered a GoPole at Sander’s place with Jelmer when we were chilling the day before. Still nothing had arrived at half past five and I was hoping for this the whole time I was cleaning and moving my stuff and so I gave them a call. There was no track and trace whatsoever. There they couldn’t find out what had happened with my package and I really needed it before I went to Suriname. So I had my hopes up that maybe Wednesday it would arrive.
So after all the cleaning and moving I finally went back to Gieten by car, with all my stuff. When I got back at my parents place we started eating and after that I got everything out of the car. We finished moving and went to see my grandfather in De Krim, to see him one last time before I left. And so Tuesday was gone as well.
On Wednesday I woke up still had to arrange some stuff for Ov-chipkaart,, print some stuff and copy. At around 12 I had finished and I promised my new house-mate I’d give him his keys to my apartment. We had arranged at 1 and after that we agreed on 2. After the keys, I still had to scan some documents so I was really focused on the time. After a while it took me so long so I decided to go and give the keys later that day. I went out of my door and there he already stood,, what a coincidence again. Perfect timing,, so after arranging everything I had still like two hours until my sister would pick me up. I already had agreements with Ischa and Germen to meet up because they just arrived back from Sziget festival and besides that I still had not say goodbye to Jelmer and Sander. So me and Ischa met at ‘t Hartje,, a copy store, so I could scan these two documents. After that me and Ischa went to De Boom (The Tree), where we sat and drank a beer. After that beer Germen arrived, later on Sander arrived and Jelmer and Ernst. So with the six of us we drank some beers till a quarter passed five. This was awesome that without an arrangement we could meet up and drink something together. I want cycling to Sander and Jelmer, where I will be leaving my bike for half a year and there I met with my youngest sister to go back to Gieten. My oldest sister was there as well, with her children so we could see each other and say goodbye. After dinner I still had to begin and start with packing all my stuff for Suriname. So again always at the last moment. So finally after packing it was over 12 and we had to wake up early at around 5 to go to Schiphol. This was of course my mother’s idea,, with her concerns hahah. But that is good, good to have a day with a bit of less stress about time.
4. Off to Suriname
We have arrived on Schiphol,, waaaaay to early. So first things first,, look for the check-in and the gates. After the check-in of the luggage we had a lot of spare time, enjoying a coffee and enjoying the time together. After Annet had arrived we went to check-in her luggage and then off to the gate to the airplane.
Now I see that I am writing way to many crap,, sorry about this. Won’t happen again.
So checking in luggage, of to the gate and in the airplane. All this took a while but yeah what did you expect. The flight was good though, a very good Pilot. Sometimes turbulence but he handled it pretty well. On the landing a bit of crosswind, but he landed the aircraft very steady. So after going out of the airplane this was a smack in the face,, reeeaaally hot. It was ridiculous, after we went in the building the storm broke through and it was raining like crazy. We had to stay almost an hour going through the customs office, where they’d be checking your passport and flight ticket. After getting our bags, which went very well, Kerensa was waiting for us with a card with our names on it,, she drove us through Suriname to our apartment in Paramaribo. There stood Marisca standing in front of the apartment waiting for us. She showed us around the house and told us everything we needed to know. After this she showed us some places in Paramaribo,, the supermarket, places where we can go out or where we can eat. First we went to this small valuta store to get money. It’s like an atm but with less percentage of what you have to pay to withdraw money. After an hour or so we went back to the apartment, tired of the trip, jetlagggg hahah,, no not really but still. Bit tired. When we got back we met Jinke, our housemate whom is living bellow us. We chilled for a bit and planned a dinner the next evening.
5. Meeting new people
It is now Friday,, first whole day in Suriname. I woke up early that day, still in the mode of the time in Holland. I went to the bathroom to find a bird tapping on the window. I tried to scare it away,, the bird had won and came back several times to continue tapping on the window. Made me think if the previous owners maybe had fed the bird before. We had an agreement with Marisca to meet at around 10 so she could show is some more places around the city. The night before I had put all my photo’s, music and videos from my SD card (which was in my phone) to my laptop. This SD card was 64GB, so I wanted to put it in my new GoPro camera. Now after I had done this in the night before, the next morning I tried the SD card in the GoPro and it said that the card was too big and that I had to get a card with 32GB. So I was really bummed out,, after putting all my data to my computer (which took more than an hour) I had accomplished nothing. So today I asked Marisca to drive me somewhere where I can get a 32GB SD card. After a maybe half an hour drive we arrived at this persons house. She told me that she always went there for her electronics. It was just a house, no marketing or advertisements. Just a house,, we went in and came into this small hallway, the next door went to a little counter where only a few products stood on shelves. I was doubting he had what I was looking for. But surely he had the SD card and only the one with 32GB. Happy as I was I bought it for 50,00 SRD which is around 13,00 euro’s. So it was quite cheap. After this we went around the city for another tour. We ended the day at The Waterkant and drank some juice there.
After the tour, me and Annet went to the supermarket. We were walking there, after a while we found out that it was quite a long walk,, in the burning sun. Not used to the weather at all, sweating like pigs hahah. At around 5 we got back at the apartment. A few minutes later Stanley arrived at the apartment, he is our housemate as well (downstairs). He is not often at the apartment I heard from Jinke, he is almost every night at his girlfriends house. He has his own organisation and organises various tours around Suriname. An awesome guy with huge dreadlocks. He came home to get his new key for the gate. We had a chat and got along very well. He told me he maybe would join for dinner that night. After sending Jinke a message we went to ‘t Vat at the Waterkant (roughly translated “The Waterside”). We walked through the Palmentuin,, a park with huge palm trees. ‘t Vat was this awesome place with really nice food so you cannot really decide what to get. We had a great time and Jinke is this awesome girl, she is staying in Suriname for 10 months. Which is a really long time, she knows a lot about Suriname so we were asking to many questions from her actually hahah. But she didn’t mind and was happy to tell us all about Suriname. After we finished our food and our drinks we went back to our house. Even with the three of us it wasn’t a good idea to go through the Palmentuin at this time of hour. People get robbed there easily, especially when you’re alone and especially when you’re a girl. Robbed or worse I mean. So we went around the Palmentuin to walk back to our house. We sat on our balcony to chill and drink some beers. After a while Stanley joined us as well with his girlfriend and they brought along some booze. The booze popular here,, it was called Borgoe 82. We mixed it with cola and had a drink with the five of us on the balcony. It was a nice drink and I thought to myself that this wouldn’t be the last time for me drinking this. After an awesome day we all went to bed.
6. Crazy cycling
The next morning I woke up to find myself eaten by mosquitoes. We had arranged with Marisca to meet at one o’clock. She was driving us through the city again. I already had a map of Suriname, but it was not a detailed one of Paramaribo. So I asked her where I could find one and if we could maybe drive there. The first store wasn’t a success, they only had a card of Suriname and not one detailed of Paramaribo. After I wanted to leave a man, whom had heard me asking for this, told me that I maybe could try Orange Travels. So we went there to get a map. It was only a map of the centre in our neighbourhood. But yeah good enough. After this we went to Commewijne, which is on the other side of the Suriname river. We drove across the Jules Wijdenboschbrug, this bridge was built by a Dutch company called Ballast Nedam. During the construction of the bridge the Suriname Government got into great financial problems. The mining and oil companies Billiton and Staatsolie had to pay the Dutch company directly to finally finish the bridge. The bridge has only two driving lanes and pedestrians are not allowed on the bridge for the various suicidal attempts. This was one of the longest and highest bridges I went across. After this we went to the upper north of Paramaribo to the Suriname River,, here there were boats for tours across the Suriname River, to sail with dolphins and see various plantations. Here we got a phone number of a man organising various trips. When we got back at the apartment we chilled for a bit and after that we pulled ourselves together to finally ride the bike.
We had drove to the AZP (Academisch Ziekenhuis Paramaribo),, Academic Hospital Paramaribo,, with Marisca the first time we drove around Paramaribo. She showed us the way we should take, the one which was easiest to remember. So we got on our bikes and went on cycling there. Cycling here in Paramaribo is definitely different then in Holland. No cycling lanes, driving on the left side, crappy roads, no cycling next to each other, people driving insane and close to you when they pass by. But we survived and got to the gate, where we asked the guard where we should park our bikes. Explained him that we were here for internship, so he told us where we should park the bikes. He opened the gate so we could take a look for ourselves, a very nice guy. We cycled back and went for a stop at a small park. This evening was a quite one, tired of everything we just had a peaceful night.
7. Sunny Sunday
I woke up early to find Annet next to my bed, she saw a lizard in the bathroom whom I had to capture and set free. This was a tiny one compared to the lizard I saw the day before across of the street. That one was over 30cm at least. It’s crazy,, I’ve never seen one this big. But yeah as a spoiled Dutch guy you’re not used to anything. After we had breakfast we went down the road De Tourtonnelaan, where we went to the market and the supermarket. We wanted to stock up some food,, we finally bought enough to take back to the house. More than enough,, now we had to walk back to the apartment with all these products. It is really different at this supermarket in The Netherlands. When you arrive at the counter there is this guy putting all your products on the counter, there’s one girl scanning everything and arranging the payment etc. Besides this there’s also a guy behind the counter packing all your stuff and products into plastic bags.
At around 2 o’clock I had an appointment with this guy for buying me a bike here . I could take the bike for 60 euro’s and we would meet in front of the Palmentuin. After I got back I went for a drink on the balcony where Jinke and her Sister (whom had arrived the day before) joined me and we chilled for a bit.
And now I’m here on the balcony with a drink,, writing this too long story. Tomorrow it’ll be our first day of internship at the hospital.
After long thinking this was it. It’ll be Suriname,, the country to go to. Me and a classmate will have a half year of internship for our study. The study I’m doing at the moment is Nursing school. It’s were my interests lie and where my motivation is the best. For me it’s the study to think about.
It’s Saturday the first of August. Just as last year I’m going to Vlieland, a small island in the Wadden Sea. The Netherlands count five Wadden Islands, where Vlieland is the smallest. Last year I had been working here for five months. I failed my study with one course so I was forced to quit the study. This really bummed me out. There was no consideration, this is what I wanted and this is what I’m going to do. So I started the same study again but at a different school and a different path. So to go back to where we left off, I stopped my study and I needed to do something for half a year plus summer holidays. What I needed was a job, I rented my room and went looking. It took me really long until my sweetheart mum came with thé solution. There was this website called Wadden vacancies. I went searching. I travelled from my parents place Gieten (a small village in Drenthe) to Leeuwarden for my solicitation interview, this was on Thursday and on Saturday I went on the boat to work on the island. This was an awesome time for me.
1. Travelling issues,, maybe?!
So the first of August this year I went again to the island. Almost all the people of last year were gone. Although there were some pretty awesome people left,, I met some new awesome people too. As usual my two weeks on Vlieland were awesome,, the time of my live. Although it was too short, it was really good to be back there in the hotel. I had to work until the fourteenth of August and I went back to the shore on the fifteenth of August with two of my colleagues. The journey was long as usual. I left the hotel at 11:15 with the bus. The boat left at 12:00, this was an one and a half hour ride. So I was at Harlingen Haven at 13:30, the train I needed to get to Leeuwarden left at 13:50. I was happy to meet Iris on the station at the harbour. This was a girl I met on the island, we were working together for two weeks. Although the work is a pain in the ass, working with people like her made the work not that hard. She was a girl with the most beautiful eyes and the prettiest smile. Now you can imagine that it was nice to not be alone while travelling. Although it was not long I had some company. Now we were travelling together to Leeuwarden. Me trying to figure out when my train left on Leeuwarden Station to Groningen and her smiling cause I couldn’t understand it at all. After a while I understood that I had to travel from Leeuwarden to Buitenpost (a place in the middle of nowhere) by bus. They were working on the railway again,, of course they only do this when I’m travelling cause it’s always like that. I arrived at Leeuwarden Station at 14:16, I had some time cause the bus, which was arranged for the people whom were travelling to Groningen, was leaving at 14:46. So I still had half an hour waiting. Iris accompanied me cause she still had to wait for her train as well. I think I’ve never been so happy about someone being with me at this particular time. The bus driver was most kind and waited for the last person to check-in on the station and run back to the bus. So after this happened we left over 5 minutes late. The train at Buitenpost left at 15:16, of course because the bus driver was to generous we arrived at the station to late and I had to wait for the next train to arrive. Spending this half an hour with a bunch of people waiting.
Iris had give me this enormous endorphin boost,, happily at this point I went to sit on the furthest side of the station, so I couldn’t bother anyone. I got my guitar out of my bag and started to play. After a while a German guy went to sit along with me and within five to ten minutes I had this audience over thirty people. This was a big experience for me. So finally the train arrived and I went to Groningen. After a train ride of almost half an hour I finally arrived in Groningen at 16:10. Now I needed to hurry home, dump my stuff and go to my sister her house for a rehearsal. My sisters and their boyfriends made this song for my father’s 60th birthday. After a small half an hour playing this song we needed to go to Gieten for the party. So after a day of travelling I finally had time to sit, drink a beer and enjoy my father’s party. This party was for me an opportunity to say goodbye to a lot of people as well.
2. The GoingawayBirthday party
Now it is Sunday, I will have until Wednesday to move out of my room in Groningen. A few weeks ago I planned this “GoingawayBirthday party” on this Sunday. So I went to Groningen with my youngest Sister by car. They dropped me at the station, where I had my bicycle to cycle back home. My father still had a crate beer left from the party whom was given to me for my party. After I left Vlieland it had been raining ever since. The idea was to go to the park and chill there for a while. After a long time of raining a friend texted me that we were invited at his place. For me this was a solution out of heaven, also because my room was a mess of moving boxes. At around four I went to Sander’s place with the crate of beer. Of course Jelmer was already there. Jelmer is his housemate and a friend of mine whom I know since I was little, kindergarten idea. Sander I had known since we were studying Physiotherapy, he was in my class. Which was quite the coincidence when he told me he was moving to Groningen and said it was in an alley next to a night store. So Jelmer and Sander had been living together ever since and I was there almost all the time to chill.
Now they already bought beer as well, which was a relief for me so I didn’t had to go and buy more (yet). Sander already started with me with this excuse that they didn’t had the time to buy me a present and that they did not know what to buy for me. This was all fine, I had heard this story before. I told him that I’m expecting an awesome birthday present when I get back from Suriname. I knew that a lot of people couldn’t come that day and a lot of people send me messages that day and before. When most of the people had arrived Sander started saying that he knew that I had wished that Ischa and Germen could’ve been here. They couldn’t cause they were at this great, awesome festival in Budapest. I knew this of course, it was first the idea that I would come with them. After arranging Suriname I knew that I just simply didn’t have the money for it, tours and trips are quite expensive here.
After Sander finished his sentence he said that there was still something they wanted to give me before I left. So I got this present with this wrapping from etos, now I was surprised and thinking what it could be. But of course I hadn’t had a clue what it was. Sander had wrote me a story on the front of the paper and the most awesome pictures on the back. On the front the story ended with the people whom had arranged everything. These were a lot and a lot of different “friendgroups” who did not know each other that well. After the etos wrapping there was this V&D wrapping, intertoys, and lots of other wrappings. Now I had heard from Jelmer whom had the idea that I should have bought this “particular thing” to take with me on the trip. You already start to think with this many people it must be something awesome.
I got something in my mind,, the thing Jelmer was telling me about. But yeah you know what nooooo. That is too good to be true. After the final wrapping finally was pulled off. It definitely was the thing I was thinking about,, it was the thing Jelmer was talking about and it was the GoPro camera which was bought for me, from all those people. It was this crazy feeling and I can not imagine the last time I had to cry of so much mixed feelings. I was so happy with this present, so surprised that they had arranged this with so much people, sadness of leaving, feeling happy about leaving, to many things on my head. As I’m writing this I still get watery eyes hahah. Sander told me they went around the city to get all this different kind of wrapping papers at different stores. After all this emotional stuff we had an awesome time together and after some drinks we went out in the city. It was Sunday so it was crap. But with all the people there it was still nice.
3. Packing Sensation
The next morning, a bit hungover I still had to pack all my stuff to move out. Thursday was my flight, so on Wednesday I had to be home in Gieten with all my stuff and all my stuff packed for Suriname. So as usual I’m always doing stuff at the latest of time so it is always a bit of a stress moment. Monday and Tuesday,, two days to pack and to clean everything. So on Monday I almost got everything out of the shelves and closets. In the evening my parents came to Groningen to bring the most boxes and things back with them to Gieten. After that I went to Jelmer and Sander of course to chill for a bit.
Now Tuesday was awful,, last day of packing when you find out that there is still so much to do. Jelmer’s parents were to kind to borrow me their car so I can move everything back (my parents were working). Now after trying to get everything in boxes and trying to keep up with the parking meter,, I had been running now four times to the parking meter. The one next to my house was broken (black screen), so every time I had to fill the parking meter I had to go around the corner. All stressed out cause I did not had that much time moving out,, cleaning the room and refilling the parking meter. Now this time I was at the parking meter, five minutes late. This annoying thing is now by creditcard or pin. This takes a while and sometimes the meter just freezes. This was not the point at this time. I went back to the car, now 10 minutes late. Just to find that I had a parking ticket on my windshield. Frustrated and angry I spontaneously went to the trash can I started kicking it. As I busted myself looking ridiculous, I got the parking ticket as I found out the retarded amount of money based on 10 minutes overtime. I got myself back together and started where I left off. Finally I got everything packed, sorted, carried to the car and I went on with cleaning. At this time Jelmer and Sander had arrived to get the stuff ( the stuff they wanted to borrow for half a year) to their room. As they were moving their stuff I was cleaning the last bits of the house. Still in some point of excitement cause I had ordered a GoPole at Sander’s place with Jelmer when we were chilling the day before. Still nothing had arrived at half past five and I was hoping for this the whole time I was cleaning and moving my stuff and so I gave them a call. There was no track and trace whatsoever. There they couldn’t find out what had happened with my package and I really needed it before I went to Suriname. So I had my hopes up that maybe Wednesday it would arrive.
So after all the cleaning and moving I finally went back to Gieten by car, with all my stuff. When I got back at my parents place we started eating and after that I got everything out of the car. We finished moving and went to see my grandfather in De Krim, to see him one last time before I left. And so Tuesday was gone as well.
On Wednesday I woke up still had to arrange some stuff for Ov-chipkaart,, print some stuff and copy. At around 12 I had finished and I promised my new house-mate I’d give him his keys to my apartment. We had arranged at 1 and after that we agreed on 2. After the keys, I still had to scan some documents so I was really focused on the time. After a while it took me so long so I decided to go and give the keys later that day. I went out of my door and there he already stood,, what a coincidence again. Perfect timing,, so after arranging everything I had still like two hours until my sister would pick me up. I already had agreements with Ischa and Germen to meet up because they just arrived back from Sziget festival and besides that I still had not say goodbye to Jelmer and Sander. So me and Ischa met at ‘t Hartje,, a copy store, so I could scan these two documents. After that me and Ischa went to De Boom (The Tree), where we sat and drank a beer. After that beer Germen arrived, later on Sander arrived and Jelmer and Ernst. So with the six of us we drank some beers till a quarter passed five. This was awesome that without an arrangement we could meet up and drink something together. I want cycling to Sander and Jelmer, where I will be leaving my bike for half a year and there I met with my youngest sister to go back to Gieten. My oldest sister was there as well, with her children so we could see each other and say goodbye. After dinner I still had to begin and start with packing all my stuff for Suriname. So again always at the last moment. So finally after packing it was over 12 and we had to wake up early at around 5 to go to Schiphol. This was of course my mother’s idea,, with her concerns hahah. But that is good, good to have a day with a bit of less stress about time.
4. Off to Suriname
We have arrived on Schiphol,, waaaaay to early. So first things first,, look for the check-in and the gates. After the check-in of the luggage we had a lot of spare time, enjoying a coffee and enjoying the time together. After Annet had arrived we went to check-in her luggage and then off to the gate to the airplane.
Now I see that I am writing way to many crap,, sorry about this. Won’t happen again.
So checking in luggage, of to the gate and in the airplane. All this took a while but yeah what did you expect. The flight was good though, a very good Pilot. Sometimes turbulence but he handled it pretty well. On the landing a bit of crosswind, but he landed the aircraft very steady. So after going out of the airplane this was a smack in the face,, reeeaaally hot. It was ridiculous, after we went in the building the storm broke through and it was raining like crazy. We had to stay almost an hour going through the customs office, where they’d be checking your passport and flight ticket. After getting our bags, which went very well, Kerensa was waiting for us with a card with our names on it,, she drove us through Suriname to our apartment in Paramaribo. There stood Marisca standing in front of the apartment waiting for us. She showed us around the house and told us everything we needed to know. After this she showed us some places in Paramaribo,, the supermarket, places where we can go out or where we can eat. First we went to this small valuta store to get money. It’s like an atm but with less percentage of what you have to pay to withdraw money. After an hour or so we went back to the apartment, tired of the trip, jetlagggg hahah,, no not really but still. Bit tired. When we got back we met Jinke, our housemate whom is living bellow us. We chilled for a bit and planned a dinner the next evening.
5. Meeting new people
It is now Friday,, first whole day in Suriname. I woke up early that day, still in the mode of the time in Holland. I went to the bathroom to find a bird tapping on the window. I tried to scare it away,, the bird had won and came back several times to continue tapping on the window. Made me think if the previous owners maybe had fed the bird before. We had an agreement with Marisca to meet at around 10 so she could show is some more places around the city. The night before I had put all my photo’s, music and videos from my SD card (which was in my phone) to my laptop. This SD card was 64GB, so I wanted to put it in my new GoPro camera. Now after I had done this in the night before, the next morning I tried the SD card in the GoPro and it said that the card was too big and that I had to get a card with 32GB. So I was really bummed out,, after putting all my data to my computer (which took more than an hour) I had accomplished nothing. So today I asked Marisca to drive me somewhere where I can get a 32GB SD card. After a maybe half an hour drive we arrived at this persons house. She told me that she always went there for her electronics. It was just a house, no marketing or advertisements. Just a house,, we went in and came into this small hallway, the next door went to a little counter where only a few products stood on shelves. I was doubting he had what I was looking for. But surely he had the SD card and only the one with 32GB. Happy as I was I bought it for 50,00 SRD which is around 13,00 euro’s. So it was quite cheap. After this we went around the city for another tour. We ended the day at The Waterkant and drank some juice there.
After the tour, me and Annet went to the supermarket. We were walking there, after a while we found out that it was quite a long walk,, in the burning sun. Not used to the weather at all, sweating like pigs hahah. At around 5 we got back at the apartment. A few minutes later Stanley arrived at the apartment, he is our housemate as well (downstairs). He is not often at the apartment I heard from Jinke, he is almost every night at his girlfriends house. He has his own organisation and organises various tours around Suriname. An awesome guy with huge dreadlocks. He came home to get his new key for the gate. We had a chat and got along very well. He told me he maybe would join for dinner that night. After sending Jinke a message we went to ‘t Vat at the Waterkant (roughly translated “The Waterside”). We walked through the Palmentuin,, a park with huge palm trees. ‘t Vat was this awesome place with really nice food so you cannot really decide what to get. We had a great time and Jinke is this awesome girl, she is staying in Suriname for 10 months. Which is a really long time, she knows a lot about Suriname so we were asking to many questions from her actually hahah. But she didn’t mind and was happy to tell us all about Suriname. After we finished our food and our drinks we went back to our house. Even with the three of us it wasn’t a good idea to go through the Palmentuin at this time of hour. People get robbed there easily, especially when you’re alone and especially when you’re a girl. Robbed or worse I mean. So we went around the Palmentuin to walk back to our house. We sat on our balcony to chill and drink some beers. After a while Stanley joined us as well with his girlfriend and they brought along some booze. The booze popular here,, it was called Borgoe 82. We mixed it with cola and had a drink with the five of us on the balcony. It was a nice drink and I thought to myself that this wouldn’t be the last time for me drinking this. After an awesome day we all went to bed.
6. Crazy cycling
The next morning I woke up to find myself eaten by mosquitoes. We had arranged with Marisca to meet at one o’clock. She was driving us through the city again. I already had a map of Suriname, but it was not a detailed one of Paramaribo. So I asked her where I could find one and if we could maybe drive there. The first store wasn’t a success, they only had a card of Suriname and not one detailed of Paramaribo. After I wanted to leave a man, whom had heard me asking for this, told me that I maybe could try Orange Travels. So we went there to get a map. It was only a map of the centre in our neighbourhood. But yeah good enough. After this we went to Commewijne, which is on the other side of the Suriname river. We drove across the Jules Wijdenboschbrug, this bridge was built by a Dutch company called Ballast Nedam. During the construction of the bridge the Suriname Government got into great financial problems. The mining and oil companies Billiton and Staatsolie had to pay the Dutch company directly to finally finish the bridge. The bridge has only two driving lanes and pedestrians are not allowed on the bridge for the various suicidal attempts. This was one of the longest and highest bridges I went across. After this we went to the upper north of Paramaribo to the Suriname River,, here there were boats for tours across the Suriname River, to sail with dolphins and see various plantations. Here we got a phone number of a man organising various trips. When we got back at the apartment we chilled for a bit and after that we pulled ourselves together to finally ride the bike.
We had drove to the AZP (Academisch Ziekenhuis Paramaribo),, Academic Hospital Paramaribo,, with Marisca the first time we drove around Paramaribo. She showed us the way we should take, the one which was easiest to remember. So we got on our bikes and went on cycling there. Cycling here in Paramaribo is definitely different then in Holland. No cycling lanes, driving on the left side, crappy roads, no cycling next to each other, people driving insane and close to you when they pass by. But we survived and got to the gate, where we asked the guard where we should park our bikes. Explained him that we were here for internship, so he told us where we should park the bikes. He opened the gate so we could take a look for ourselves, a very nice guy. We cycled back and went for a stop at a small park. This evening was a quite one, tired of everything we just had a peaceful night.
7. Sunny Sunday
I woke up early to find Annet next to my bed, she saw a lizard in the bathroom whom I had to capture and set free. This was a tiny one compared to the lizard I saw the day before across of the street. That one was over 30cm at least. It’s crazy,, I’ve never seen one this big. But yeah as a spoiled Dutch guy you’re not used to anything. After we had breakfast we went down the road De Tourtonnelaan, where we went to the market and the supermarket. We wanted to stock up some food,, we finally bought enough to take back to the house. More than enough,, now we had to walk back to the apartment with all these products. It is really different at this supermarket in The Netherlands. When you arrive at the counter there is this guy putting all your products on the counter, there’s one girl scanning everything and arranging the payment etc. Besides this there’s also a guy behind the counter packing all your stuff and products into plastic bags.
At around 2 o’clock I had an appointment with this guy for buying me a bike here . I could take the bike for 60 euro’s and we would meet in front of the Palmentuin. After I got back I went for a drink on the balcony where Jinke and her Sister (whom had arrived the day before) joined me and we chilled for a bit.
And now I’m here on the balcony with a drink,, writing this too long story. Tomorrow it’ll be our first day of internship at the hospital.
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
