It's over!

It's over. Done - forever.

I know, I sound very dramatic right now, but once again, I am just trying to express my feelings, pahaha!

Basically, I passed my last exam yesterday and have now finished school, with a better grade than what I needed for uni and with more weird feelings than I thought there'd be.

I don't really know how to feel about all of this... Of course, I'm happy that all the stressful revision, the nervewracking exams and the emotional ups and downs of waiting for grades are over, but then again, I don't want to leave.

 I don't want to leave my friends, I  don't want to leave the life I've gotten so used to and I don't want to leave my childhood. 

But it looks like the time has come to say goodbye.

Tomorrow we'll be given our certificates and will be celebrating until the early hours afterwards! 

I'm really looking forward to a great night with the people I love, drinks, food, laughter and probably a few tears, too.

We'll have a great time, that I am sure of!

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Today we needed to get the presents for our 7 teachers of 8-9 subjects ready. 

They'll all get individual calendars with pictures of us, specifically taken for their individual subjects.

It was my job to take the pictures, and while it was fun to do that, it was also not a very easy task. After about 45 minutes no one could be bothered anymore and it was exhausting to push everyone to finish the project. 

But we managed to pull through and are very happy with the outcome. Now we don't only have great presents for our teachers, but also have more pictures for ourselves to look at in a few years. 

By the way, giving presents to our teachers is a little tradition at my school, just in case you think we're being super weird.

Here are a few pictures from today!

We wrote cards for every teacher too.

I love these people so much! 

Leoni

Sister's Prom

Hey there!

Last night was my sister's prom, and -as always when there's some big event coming up- I did her make up. I enjoy doing it, and I love putting time and effort into making her feel beautiful (which, without any doubt, she already is).

I also took some "getting ready" pictures, which I have put below.

I cannot believe my prom was four years ago. Last night, I got really emotional about it, because I realised that this was the last school prom I would go to, while still being a student at said school. My friend and I almost started crying when they pulled out all the sad songs, because it struck our minds, that at the same time next week, we would be given our certificates and would be leaving school forever. 

(Let me quickly explain my school's proms: every Year 9 has ballroom dancing lessons for a week and at the end of the week there is a prom. At this prom you show the dances you have learnt to family, friends and teachers at every full hour. In between people can just dance -ballroom dances though- and have fun)

I am really looking forward to next weekend, but on the other hand I am not. I'm not emotionally ready to finish this chapter of my life yet and it scares me a lot. Knowing that I might not see some of the people from my class ever again is frightening and I don't know how to cope with that.

But I guess everyone has to go through similar phases in their life, and most of them make it, so I will as well!

Enjoy the getting ready pictures!

Leoni

Emotional outburst & first moving-to-England-related post

Hey guys,

I don't even know if anyone reads this stuff but I like rambling and sharing my photos, even if I just think people are looking at it.

Recently, I've been very busy with trying to find housemates and a place to live in Norwich, which isn't exactly easy, if you have to do it all over the internet and judge properties only by pictures - those can be very misleading at times. 

I was very scared when I first started looking for people to live with, but found a really nice girl, also from an EU country, whom I right away clicked with. I know it sounds stupid to say that about a person whom you haven't even met in real life, but we've talked almost every single day now for almost 2 months and I feel like we'll be great friends, once we actually meet each other.

Originally we wanted to live with two or three other English people and started looking for some, but it didn't seem like anyone was really interested, nor cared about finding a place to live - at least not yet. I don't understand how people are so chilled about it, it's not like there's much time until September!

We have now found two other girls, also from other EU countries and we are going to be housemates! I only started speaking to them a couple of days ago but it feels exactly like it does with the first girl: we click!

They all come across as very organised, because we all want to find a house ASAP and we are working together really well, to get there. 

We have emailed so many landlords and looked at so many properties online, my head can almost not deal with it anymore. But it's a lot of fun at the same time!

I feel less scared and safer with these girls and can't wait to actually move to Norwich!

Once it gets to the difficult bits, like understanding and agreeing to a contract, payments, taxes, actually moving, that "feeling less scared"-feeling might fade away for a while, but I'm sure we'll support each other - considering we are all in the same boat!

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Topic change! On the weekend my parents celebrated their company's 10 year anniversary with a huge party. It was wonderful and I loved it! Not only did I get to see so many people which I hardly ever see, for example family members, who live quite far away, but I also had a great time with my friends, whom I was allowed to invite.

Have a few pictures of us, because I can't have a post on here without any visual content :)

I am only now realising how much I am going to miss these people and that school is over in less than 3 weeks. It's unbelievable how quickly 13 years can pass. I will be leaving school with incredible memories and amazing friends and I will also probably cry a lot when we actually have to say goodbye to each other.

I had an amazing time growing up with these guys but at some point, it's time to finish a chapter in your life and move on to the next one. University that is, in my life, and I cannot wait until it starts!

Leoni

Family BBQ

Hey folks,

yesterday we had a beautiful family BBQ at my grandparent's house with lots of laughter and lots of yummy, colorful food. As I had been in Holland on my birthday it was kind of a late birthday celebration for my 19th.

Can't beat an afternoon/evening with family, great weather and nom-noms!

Grandad being the master of the BBQ

Dad and daughter selfie #cliché

My mum and her sister. I hope my sister and I get to be like this in many years time, too.

The sister's boyfriend. Wooo, gotta love selfies!

Have a shameless window-selfie. I am too tall for life, but I love it! 

Leoni