Just spent a week celebrating the year anniversary of the alien's arrival down in Sevilla where it was 36 degrees. Contrary to popular belief siestas don't come from laziness but from the heat because only a mad person would be outside so when the sun was at its peak with no air conditioning
Anyway, feels good to be back in cool Holland where walking around doesn't have your route dependent on the shade of the trees. I did read an interesting article in the New York Times on Sunday about Job Cohen. It discussed the possibility of him being the next prime minister running on a platform of integration, touching in the ethnic dynamics of the country. My knowledge of Dutch politics is the same as the language, which is none, so don't have much to say, but just wanted to pass it along for those interested.
Although, it does tie into to an interesting story about the cab driver today. An Afghani who fled at the outbreak of the war there. He was on his way to Canada and stopped over in Amsterdam when a member of his group was singled out for his poor English and shady papers. Instead of just going with the authorities, he pointed to the group and said they were all with him. Thus began the taxi driver's life in Holland. It just brought home something that I'd also felt in Spain which was how different it is being an expat to an immigrant. I guess it depends on why we leave but we share not being close to our families. Also discovered not all Dutch music is cheesy.
