September 2013

I've been terrible at blogging lately, I know. But here goes my September 2013 in half a minute.

Whitney takes one second videos (almost) every day in an attempt to remember every single day of her life!

Seconds as they go:
1.My sister Beatrise and my little brother Niklavs playing dress-up
2. Beginning of the school year celebrations at my old school, Rigas Centra Humanitara Vidusskola
3. Sabine, my best friend from Latvia with our two lovely dogs Simba and Alise
4. My mom setting up a table at grandma's place for a belated birthday celebration
5. Having boozy lunch with one of my Latvian friends
6. Interrupting Sabine in the sauna
7. My old debating friend Daisy smiling to camera, as we listen to a hot street artist in Stockholm
8. On one of the scenic islands near Goteborg, Sweden with my best friend in the whole world Kristina
9. Eating Swedish meatballs in Goteborg, at Kristina's home
10. Kristina having a cup of tea on her balcony
11. Street art in Shoreditch, London enjoyed with Bilal, my friend from Holland and a wonderful host
12. Double-decker buses on Oxford Street, London
13. Beer pong reunion after our study abroad years, at Alex's sweet new place in Peckham Rye
14. Associated Press (AP) MCR in Camden Lock, London
15. Having lunch with Emily
16. Boozy night with my sister Kristine
17. Drinking hot sake with fellow AP video-journalist in our attempts of becoming 'Camden Leisure Pirates'
18. Spending a day at the Direct Desk of the Associated Press London's office
19. Thai dinner with Mari, another fellow AP-er, and a soon guest in Moscow
20. Outside HiFi club in Leeds
21. Entrance of Leeds University Union
22. Entrance to ICS, my building on University of Leeds campus
23. Road back to London
24. Russian visa
25. Facade of the Harry Potter shop in Kings Cross, London
26. Inside the Aeroflot flight to Moscow

being a woman journalist. In Russia.

When I recall the three months I spent in Moscow over the summer 2013, gender roles is definitely one of my favourite topics of choice. Well, maybe after gay rights. But you can read all about that in news anyway, so I'll just move straight to how it is to try and be a woman journalist in Russia.

After arriving in Moscow, I already knew I am up for a challenge. Which I love! But I didn't quite think that it is going to in any way concern the fact that I am a woman, and not a man. How silly of me!

Once at the office I mentioned that I would like to work in Russia as a video-journalist (VJ) after my degree. What I got back was:
'Yes, but you understand, Whitney.. You are a girl. How will you be able to shoot in -20 degrees outside in winter? Men can do it. Look at the men we have here - real men!'
Speechless, I nodded politely. What 'real men' are we exactly talking about? In Moscow's office the other VJ is a skinny 21 year old boy, who probably weighs the same as I do. I mean he is a good VJ, but is he any better than me equipped to deal with filming in the cold just because he is male? I don't think so. But who am I, just a woman.

Another shocking situation happened while I was waiting outside the Russian Foreign Ministry. Me and my soundman were standing in a standard all-male group,  when suddenly a Russia Today cameraman approached us. Completely ignoring me, he turned to my colleague and said:
'Did you hire a woman just for diversity? What, are you going to start hiring n*ggers now?'
Completely disgusted, I thought to myself - what an excellent example of what Russia is all about. If he threw in a gay comment as well, we would have a full house.

Never mind being a woman in Russia, it all gets worse when you are a good looking one as well. The prettier you look, the less seriously they take you. People often think I am a princess, push me around or just think I am some sort of a joke. As one of my female work colleagues told me, there hasn't been a girl in the office for years who used mascara. No wonder. I often feel I would be treated more equally if I acted and looked like one of the guys. Sweats, t-shirts, no make-up. Many women in this industry go for that compromise.

I am not sure I am ready to do the same though. Wouldn't that mean sacrifising so many other things, just to be taken seriously by some sexist d*cks? And if staying girly and pretty means that I have to work twice as hard as others just to prove that I am not some sort of a 'princess' who needs her tripod carried for her, so be it. I'm up for the challenge!

Expect more posts on this topic, as I return to Russia on Monday!

August 2013

Late as always, my non existent readers/viewers, bet here it goes - best seconds of August 2013. Been slightly lazy, so only half of the days in August are covered, SORRY:

Seconds explained (in order):
1. My friend Lucas in a restaurant/bar 'Strelka' in Russia
2. My favourite Moscow colleague Vika celebrating her birthday at the Associated Press bureau
3. My two debating friends from Rotterdam, reunited in Moscow's Gorky park
4. My two Russian friends excited to be part of my 'one second everyday' project
5. Beautiful lightening in Moscow, view from the balcony of my apartment
6. At Sheremetyevo airport, with my AP and Reuters colleagues - waiting for Snowden's father
7. Moscow Street art festival vibes
8. My AP colleagues in ITAR-TASS news agency
9. Onboard of train Moscow-Volgograd
10. My grandfather Vasiliy showing me his garden
11. My grandfather showing me a river that flows past his village, Starosel
12.Moscow mayoral candidate Alexei Navalny at a presser outside his headquarters
13. Moscow metro
14. My AP colleagues saying goodbyes at my leaving do
15. Last song of the night of my last night in Moscow with my friends, at Mayak
16. My suitcases, ready to leave

July 2013

Woops! A little bit late, but here it is - my July 2013 in half a minute :)

July seconds in order:
1. Alexei Navalny presents his mayoral campaign
2. Editing my 'Georgian Wines' story at the Associated Press
3. Well-earned early dinner at Kavkazskaja Plennica, a Georgian restaurant
4. The cat of my house
5. A day filming at the Sheremetyevo Airport
6. Finally writng my blog again
9. South Sudan turns 2 years old reception
11. Moscow's Red Square at night
12. Watching live news with journalists at Sheremetyevo transit zone
13. Watching The Apprentice on my day off
15. A video of singing cats found by my friend Bilal for my birthday
16. Interview with Grelka, a Pussy Riot member
17. Drinks with Rotterdam friends
18. My best friend Kristina comes to visit
19. Kristina in the Red Square
20. A reunion of China dorm roomies, Olya and Kristina in a Chinese restaurant in St. Petersburg
21. Olya and Kristina in St. Petersburg
22. Kristina leaving Moscow
24. Waiting for Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov
26. A night out in a newly opened hipster club Funny Cabany
31. Lucas Forlenza with his unfinished tattoos in the Red Square at night

How to make friends (for socially spoilt people like myself)

Alone in a new place with no friends? Take a look at how I deal with this problem in Moscow...

Same time last year - Hangzhou, China - July 2012 - a small part of  all the incredibe people I had the pleasure to be with !

One thing I have definitely learnt about myself in Russia, is that I am socially spoilt.

I have always claimed that I embark on my adventures alone - going to far away lands by myself, starting new schools, new  places, new jobs. While it might be true that I do things independently, it doesn't mean that I have ever been truly alone.

Wherever I go, I have always been surrounded by people. At University I have always shared houses, befriended coursemates, enrolled introduction programmes, joined all possible societies from Assassins to Debating, met people at work, at parties and so on and so on. Can I please go back to when I had 12 dates a day, multiple parties to choose from and great bike rides? In fact, going back even further, for crying out loud - I have 5 siblings, I have never been alone! Oh, this rich social life really has spoilt me. 

Now? I am embarrassed to tell my friends back home that I don't really have anyone to go to the cinema with. What I would get most of the time is - 'You, of all people!' 'I don't believe it!', 'Whitney, how is it possible?!' and 'Don't exaggerate' .

Oh, I wish I was. The fact is, when you do move to a new country and you are not there because of studies, when your only housemate is slightly anti-social, when most of your work colleagues are over 40 - life gets a little bit more complicated. And socially spoilt people like me have to start making friends some other way. My four friendless weeks in Moscow have taught me how..

1. The housemate(s). Befriend and start a hobby together (like running or a book club). Don't have a housemate? Try the upstairs/downstairs neighbour, the security guard, the cleaning lady. 

If all that fails, befriend the neighbourhood cat. You got the idea.

2. The colleagues. Firstly, you have to get over the paranoia (grounded in reality or not) that they hate you.  Find something in common. Drop subtle hints that you don't know the city, ask for tips. Hope they invite you places. They still don't? Ask where they go to the hairdressers/ theatre/gym/ swimming-pool/ etc and hope they invite you to join. Smile, try to be less weird than usual.

3. The alternatives: 

 - Join all possible groups on Facebook that organize events in that city. 

 - Join Couchsurfing. You don't need to host anyone, as many are happy to simply hang out with you.       

 - Join interest groups / language exchange / local sports teams

If all fails, screw real-life friends and organize a huge skype chat with tens of people for your birthday.

June 2013

The second video is here! My June 2013 in about 30 seconds - Leaving Holland ->Latvia -> Moscow, internship..

Internship from hell

So you think you have seen a bad internship? I am sure this story can top yours! 

There is a reason why I have been keeping away from journalism for a whole year. And now, as I am about to start my new internship tomorrow, all the events of the last one are rushing back.
It was a three week arranged work placement at Nine Lives Media last year, a TV production company based in Manchester. You might know them from such programmes as Dispatches, or Panorama. Sounds exciting, doesn't it?

That's what I thought initially too. As soon as I walked in the office, I introduced myself to another intern, who then told me her experience with the office, as she had been there for a week already. Turns out she had been doing nothing but logging all week, that is documenting every single word said and every single camera move of hours and hours long tape. What is more, noone had made any contact with her for 4 days, only giving her a shout when someone wanted a coffee or some lunch delivered.
Obvioulsy, I saw that as a warning instantly. I made a lot of effort to be pro-active and engage with the Dispatches people, which got me doing some exciting research for an undercover story.

However, it seemed that my supervisor was not on board with it. It was important to note that there was a clear divide and lack of communication in the office between the 'current affairs' and 'management' sides. My supervisor was the 'management'. I wanted to work in 'current affairs'. Shouldn't be a problem for an unpaid intern as long as I am doing something, right? Well, my supervisor approached me very early in the day and made it extremely clear that I am not to do anything else, but logging and making tea as ''it is the job''. She piled hours and hours of tape on my desk and left.

Making coffees and teas is not easy for an office of 20 people. It means walking around with an order pad (yes, they give you one) and writing down how they like their coffee. It means carrying a huge tray of hot beverages up the stairs like a waitress, and, yes, it means hearing complaints about how I made their coffee wrong. And that alone took me about 2 hours every day. I felt like a waitress in a shitty cafe, not a journalist in training. And yet I did it, as we all do.

The whole week passed making coffees and logging. On Friday evening, Cat Lewis, the owner of the business called me into her office for a chat. Indeed I didn't know what to expect, because I had been working my ass off for them. I got up every morning at 5.50am to go to Manchester, and was one of the last ones to leave. I didn't take lunchbreaks, instead I did some reasearch for Dispatches during that time, and the team was very pleased with me. A job that usually takes 2 days, I did in one.

However, this was not a good talk. Cat had called me in to tell me off for not making enough coffees and teas. Despite the fact that I was extremely polite and tried to explain I was there to learn journalism, and not waitressing skills, she shushed me with a "there shouldn't be a conversation here, I tell you, and you do it. Making coffees is your job". She then called me a "baby", "nothing but a nuisance", a "nobody" and that the least thing I could do to ease their suffering was to make them teas and nothing else. With my boss rising her voice at me like that, I naturally became very upset, and this is probably the worst part of the story, I started to cry and ran out of the office.
My boss was not only extremely unprofessional, but also unfair and disrespectful. She obviously had no idea as to how much help I was to the 'current affairs' team, and she suggested I don't come back on Monday.

What did I do?
After non-stop crying for 3 hours and mental breakdown, I decided not to give that bitch the pleasure of seeing me leave. No, no, no. I came back on Monday with a huge smile on my face, and a cake (it was one of those cakes with an occasional hair in it from Aldi). And I went round the office every hour to ask if someone wanted a coffee. Did I spit in it? Maybe :)
For the next two weeks, I kept up the scary, creepy friendliness towards the 'management' , completely disregarded any tasks they gave me and let the logging tapes rot on my desk. Instead I focused on 'current affairs', not giving a fuck of what the 'management' thinks about it. At the end, I left with great contacts and three glorious references all thanks to wonderful people in 'current affairs'.

However, I am still nervous as to what tomorrow will bring. If it is another Cat Lewis, I might choose another profession. Fingers crossed!

If you had a worse experience than mine, and you want to bitch about it, please e-mail me at vitnija@live.com or even better, start a blog.

How to remember every day of your life?

At the end of April I discovered this talk on TED by Cesar Kuriyama. He has been filming one second videos for two years in a row, and claims it changed his life. Not only it lets you never forget a single day of your life but also encourages you to do interesting and worthwhile things, even if just for that one second.

Needless to say, I was inspired instantly. I downloaded the app and started shooting. So here we go, this is my first compilation of seconds - my last days in the Netherlands in 40 seconds.

so what have I actually done here for a year?

Nine months later another chapter of my life is closing, as I am leaving the rainy Netherlands. Months of YOLO (god, I hate that term) attitude, making the most incredible and inspiring friends for life, and riding my bicycle will all have to be put aside. My exchange year seems nothing but fun and games if you look at my Facebook pictures, but you will be happy to find I actually have achieved certain things even with my carefree attitude.

• Completed HSK 1 and 2 with glorious results. Yes, my Chinese is great. Well, better than it was before this year.
• Managed to get 3 (!) jobs in a country I don't know the language of. Well, all of them fired me at the end. A success anyway.
• Walked in lingerie at a fashion show. Talk about confidence!
• Passed almost all of my modules. Yes, I did University here even if you weren't able to tell.

Overall, a successful year. All credit goes to the wonderful people who have inspired me all this time, and offered help and support in a moment of need. Yes, thank you, my friends!
On to the next adventure - Riga and Moscow!

the Rotterdam you didn't know

As a person with no job, an occasional lecture once a week and a pretty flexible timetable, I believe I have explored Rotterdam a fair bit. There is barely any bar, cafe or lounge I haven't heard of. And still, I do not understand how I hadn't found out about these places until the very end of my exchange!

Ten to Three bakery is a charming cupcake place in the very heart of the city. It's hidden from the view, so hasn't been flooded with tourists. Instead, it is almost exclusively attracting middle aged women and couples on romantic dates(me and Kate wasn't an exception). You can get cupcakes for any taste, and drink high tea or have a scone. All is posible in this British-feel-like tea and cupcake spot.

Jazz Cafe Dizzy is located out of the city centre, in an area people would call 'dodgy'. However, don't let that put you off, as this is a prime spot for jazz in Rotterdam. On band nights, you can completely de-stress in a fun, carefree atmosphere of 40s/50s jazz by dancing and going crazy. I felt like in a different era, dancing to old tunes alongside elderly couples, watching odly dressed hipsters and middle aged women hit on my friend Bilal. Pure escapism that is. Left with most positive energy.

as a typical tourist in Holland..

A couple of weeks ago, as my adventures in rainy Holland were about to end, I suddenly came to a realization I haven't done the typical Dutch things or seen typical Dutch places I always associated the Netherlands with. Sure, I have ridden my bicycle, eaten stroopwaffels and pancakes.

But what about the windmills and tulips?

As it happened, this insight came just at the right time, as I managed to visit the famous Keukenhof tulip garden before it closed for the season. The garden can be viewed only for two months between March 20 -May 18, as the 7 million flowers are cut afterwards. The entrance fee is a bit pricey, but it is worth seeing as a true Holland spot.

By catching possibly the only other sunny day of the year, I took the opportunity to take Ned, and see for myself the lovely Kinderdijk windmills. The historical village of 19 windmills is part of UNESCO World Heritage and has a unique atmosphere. Unlike other touristy places, this sight has a charm of a real village - everyone trusts that you have bought a ticket, or that you are going to drop the 50c in the basket when using a toilet. No angry security guards, gates or pushy tourists. Just tranquility and windmills. Grab a beer, some snacks and a picnic mat for a relaxed day out. An absolute delight.

one towel goes bar-hopping in Rotterdam

As the party season comes closer, we investigate the new and classy bars in Rotterdam..

The Netherlands' second city, Rotterdam, is not the country's most attractive place, but having been a local here for 8 months, I have learned  to look beneath the surface and discovered a town with much to offer. Yes, I am talking about Rotterdam's busy and diverse nightlife.
Not bragging to be a massive party-animal, but I have visited more than a dozen different bars in Rotterdam, all of which have their own charm, serving everything from small local Belgian beers to classy cocktails. However, there are two bars I discoved only recently and they instantly topped my favourite bar list!

LaBru is situated in a prime location, just off the busy Witte de Withstraat. It is open everyday from 2pm-1am, longer on weekends, and is good for a night out with friends or an afternoon cup of coffee. Lounge on one the vintage sofas, sipping a glass of wine and enjoying live Jazz. Yes, thats right - live and free Jazz every Monday and Wednesday!

BarTender is a shooter(shot) bar on the main road of Rotterdam, Coolsingel. Owned by two handsome dutchies, this bar was opened in November and has become a hot-spot for shot lovers. The main crowd are good-looking dutch guys, so now we know where to find them! The bar seems to be constantly on fire, where drinking shots is an amazing experience. You can choose from 200 varieties, and our favourite were 'Flying Dutchman' and 'Kill Bill'. If you feel like having an adventure, order the 'Gas Chamber'. 

One towel goes shower-surfing

I did not have hot water for a week. What did I do? Surf other people' showers around Rotterdam!

To start off, I would like to say that Easter in the Netherlands is not a big thing. But it is a huge deal when it comes to housing agencies doing their job - replying to our never-ending cries for help about loss of hot water.
So we managed to go a whole week without a proper boiler, which meant I was forced to go out into the cold and harsh world to seek a shower at someone else's home.
Me and my one towel embarked on this exciting shower-surfing adventure that took us to three different locations, which I will tell you all about.

• Shower at F building (Erasmus University Rotterdam) - This shower has a lot of space but not a lot of character. People studying in G building can see you walking around in a towel, but otherwise it is good. I could even use Laura's spare towel and, by showering with simple soap, feel nostalgic about my childhood. Overall, 3/5.
• Shower at the Partyhouse (Hannah's, Shirley's and Nadine's) -  First of all, it gives you small electric shocks when starting/turning off the shower... not so good. In fact, slightly dangerous! Anyway, the best part of it is not the shower, but the house and the amazing girls that live there :) Overall, 3/5.
• Shower at Carsten's (posh city centre shower) -  I kept going back to that shower -almost top hotel quality! Towel and shower gel provided, what else can you wish for? Overall, 4/5.

Oslo on a student budget

Leaving Sweden behind, we are heading to Oslo, first stop in our challenge to travel Norway on a student budget.

Before boarding our train Stockholm -> Oslo we took the advice of locals, and hit the supermarket for groceries. We bought a full bag of food in Sweden, including the 'forbidden fruit' - butter,  and brought it over the border into Norway. I'm really glad we did so, as the sky-high Norwegian prices are not fit for travelers on a student budget. Think € 7 for the cheapest pesto, and € 3 for a loaf of bread.

We hoped that at least salmon would be cheap in Norway, but to our dissapointment, salmon in its home-land costs the same as elsewhere in Europe. But it's fresher. Therefore, tastier.

In Oslo we were invited to stay with Marita, a true Oslo local,  who kindly offered us the living room of her student apartment. Obviously, being a student in Oslo is not the same as being one in mainland Europe. Oslo student life means luxurious high-ceiling apartments, fruit smoothie breakfasts and salmon dinners.

As we started exploring Oslo, we found that it is easily walkable. The city, which population is only 586,000 has a very compact city centre, and very little to see. We were quite dissapointed with the museums and architecture, but there were certain destinations and activities that we found interesting and enjoyable.

• During the day, a visit to The Vigeland Sculpture Park is a must-do. It is located outside the city centre, and can be reached by tram 12, which stops just outside the main gate. You'll love it -the sculptures are so bizzare that I couldn't help calling it the penis-park. Afterwards, take the tram back and stroll down the docks watching the boats and enjoying a cup of coffee.

• In the evening, head out to the aquarium-styled Underwater Pub, which holds an opera night every Tuesday and Thursday. Just grab a local beer and enjoy a professional opera performance right there in the pub!

• Did you know the vikings invented the cheese knife?  True or not, but you should try their brown cheese. An absolute delight on freshly baked rye bread!  Your meal couldn't get more scandi, and you mustn't leave without trying it.

42 sleepless hours in Stockholm

After spending a sleepless night in the Brussels airport, I reached Stockholm early October morning, and camped in the arrivals hall to wait for Kristina.  First thing to note, Stockholm Skavsta airport is NOT in Stockholm. It took us more than an hour to reach the city centre (time without sleep : 30 hrs). 

When preparing for our late-October trip to Scandinavia, me and Kristina brought our best winter-wear, but what we got was far beyond our expectations. As soon as we left the bus, icy wind shot in our faces as we struggled to find the hostel. The directions given on the hostel website suggested getting there on foot. Google Maps warned me it was a 20-30 minute walk, but we went along with the hostel suggestions. Half an hour later, with ice-cut hands and  bruised cheeks dragging our suitcases over cobbled streets of Stockholm we finally reached our shelter. 

As challenging as  the weather was, me and Kristina found Best Hostel Old Town Skeppsbron wonderful. Free tea, coffee and pasta any time, with large living areas felt more like a student apartment than tourist accommodation. If you don't count the weird middle-aged Romanian man in the bunk bed across the room, the accommodation was lovely. When I initially booked a '28-bed mixed dorm' I expected an army-like setting, but the actual dorm was divided in smaller compartments of around eight beds, with book shelves, wardrobes and reading lights to make it more home-like.

After settling in and having  a cup of tea, we met up with Gustaf, my old debating friend, who is a local in the Swedish capital. We went out for a massively overpriced cider and found ourselves in the company of PhD students at Stockholm School of Economics (SSE). As much as we tried to fit in, our cover was blown quickly when we couldn't fully participate in their economic-political conversations. We were pleasantly surprised though - we expected SSE PhD candidates to be arrogant snobs, but they turned out to be incredibly friendly and easy-going (time without sleep: 42 hrs).

The next days of Stockholm were mainly sightseeing. I couldn't help this Swedish capital reminding me of Riga with its narrow cobbled streets and  nordic architecture. We wondered around the Old town, Gustaf took us on an educational Stockholm tour - from seeing the prettiest, as well as ugliest buildings of the city, the library, universities, the SSE headquarters all finished with delicious Swedish meatballs for dinner. Try the small Nya Blå Dörren restaurant near Slussen metro stop, great value, atmosphere and food!

http://www.bla-dorren.se/
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Best-Hostel-Old-Town-Skeppsbron/Stockholm/30695

Sex and Gender Equality

Judging from the enormous amount of clicks within the first hour, many comments and likes from women, casual sex offers from men and messages from all those who felt offended, I see there is a need for an explanation of what I really meant with my last blog post [now removed].

No, I was not talking about one night stands, nor advocating for them, as this is a completely different matter attracting a very specific audience. My experiment certainly did not involve me going up to random men and throwing myself at them, these quotes were gathered with no intention for an experiment at all. In fact, these are just my opinions and observations. And certainly, NO, I was not trying to find someone to have sex with by publishing this post.

However, what my post really was about is gender equality.

If you went on the street and asked a man if they felt males were capable of meaningless sex without wanting a real relationship, most of them would say - yes, definitely. But if you ask these men if they think famales are capable of the same thing, they will mostly laugh and answer - no. In fact, after my article, I received several messages from my male friends saying 'you must be the only one'.

We girls know this is simply not true. How come females are always seen as ones with further agendas of only wanting to get married and pop out babies? Haven't we really gone past this? How come men can want just casual sex, but women cannot? 'Oh noo noo, this can't be true. She must want something more - she's a female'

I would think of the Netherlands as an open, progressive society. But then why are Ducth people still clinging to these ancient myths about women? 

Don't get me wrong, this problem is far more widespread than that. However, given my current location, it seems more relevant to link it my immediate surroundings than speculating about some lands far away. Nevertheless, there is a country that we can all take notice of and look up to in terms of gender perceptions in the society. This country is the United Kingdom.

I cannot speak for education in schools, but what I gather from university life, there is a big fraternity and sorority culture in the Netherlands. Girls mainly hang out with other girls, and guys rarely interact with the opposite sex, unless it is work related. 

This is not the case in England. In fact, half of my friends back in Leeds were male, all societies were mixed gender, there were plenty of opportunities to interact with the opposite sex in normal settings sharing common interests for, let's say, Harry Potter or Assassins Society. I had a good mix of friends, which has certainly given me greater capability to understand the opposite sex.

In the Netherlands no wonder there are tales about the 'other' if you don't know anything about them, and only meet them in pubs or university. I do not see why students are encouraged to join these gender-limited organizations. Yes, I can certainly see why it is comforting and safe. But I say it is time we grouped according to interests and identity and not gender. Maybe that would let us understand each other a bit better.

Rotterdam Fashion Day: Jean Paul Gaultier

Inspired by London Fashion Week's amazing pictures, and all fashion related activities raging in the world and the social media, me, Greemn and Toni saught out a perfect opportunity to see some high fashion ourselves.

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, is an exhibition at Kunsthal Rotterdam that runs between 10Feb-12May. We heard that most of the work of the french couturier is being exhibited in the Netherlands for the first time, with exceptional loans from Madonna, Pedro Almodovar and others.

As soon as we entered the museum, we realised we had never seen Kunsthal this busy. It was hard to get through the crowds, and angry security guards tried to take our water bottles, Greemn's birthday flowers and all other items that might cause damage to these valuable dresses.

However, it was all worth it. The exhibition is creatively made featuring lifelike mannequins, with human faces  projected onto the dolls. The first shock came when the mannequin blinked, and our curiosity hit the ceiling. We spent almost half an hour in the first room just observing this fascinating innovation, as the mannequins laughed, sang and told us stories about the fashion world and the exhibition both in French, and English.

Each room has its own theme, but as it is hosted in the Netherlands, my favourite became the Red Light District room, where behind the curtains in each window we saw either glamorous underwear or fetish-inspired play-wear that amazed us with the tiny details of carefully made lace corsettes and crocodile-skin stockings.

Each room left us impressed, and inspired. In fact, after 2 hours of enjoying JPG, we sat down for a coffee and talked nothing else but fashion.

Here are some pictures:

How to Pickup Guys: Part 1

How to Pickup Guys

Part 1: How to attract attention

Who’s that hot guy? I wonder if he knows I exist? Does he notice me? If you want to pickup someone, these questions should not come into your mind. Attention is key. The first step, is to be visible, appear funny and approachable. Compiled from advice of various sources, this is how to do it best:

Peacocking – for those out there to pick up anyone

If you have read book ‘The Game’, this will not be a new concept. It involves you being brave, and wearing something outrageous – be it a neon yellow t-shirt / a Russian fur hat / sunglasses bigger than your face – it does not matter. Take a cactus, a jar of pins or a teapot with you! When you enter a bar, a library, a cafe – you have to be visible. Attract Attention! It does not necessarily need to look good, but if it does, even better!

In this way it makes you more approachable, becomes an ice-breaker and attributes a sense of humour to you already – something we all love!

Subtle Peacocking – for those out there to pick up that one person

This concept I have developed myself especially for ladies. The guy will not even know what hit him.

Find an item that will not attract a crowd, but only gain attention from the person you talk to (are interested in). It could be a t-shirt with a print ‘I (heart) BJ’ or even better it could be a special necklace (let’s say made of pasta twists), carrot earrings or anything quirky. Make sure it compliments you, and is located on one of the following areas: on your chest, neckline or other places of your body considered attractive by men.

This form of peacocking will not only attract attention to your item, making it a conversation starter etc, but also to your beauty parts, say – the boobs. What is more, it will only attract those you speak to, so you can avoid all random weirdos that could come up to you, as it often happens with traditional peacocking.

Funny Dances

We all know how to dance to ‘Gangnam Style’ but when it comes  to awkward non-dancable pieces, we  move awkwardly and our attention drifts into the room, looking around. Why not use this in our advantage? Instead of grooving with everyone, start your own thing – moves like ‘ironing’, ‘submarine’ or ‘egyptians’. Sync it with your friends or try to get people involved, and you will instantly become centre of attention!

From the side it looks like you are having a great time, and that’s what guys love. You appear funny and approachable and, can be used by you to move in on your target. Finally, if they haven’t noticed you yet, this is your chance.

Some of my own favourite moves can be found here:

Remember – be brave and funny, it will pay off! However, attracting attention is only part of the deal. Read more next week, of how to use and abuse the power of attraction in transforming that attention into your desirable result. I will tell you about ‘3 steps’, the popular ‘neg’, as well as ‘nicknames’ and more!

 Keep reading, and share if you like! 

The Secrets of The Perfect Tour Guide

We all wish to travel! We book our flights and patiently wait for the trip to come. We think of all the fun times we will have on our adventure. However, it might not always turn out to be the so. A good tour guide can make it or break it. So here are some of my observations of what makes a good tour guide:

• He will ignore your wishes and suggestions of what to see and simply reply 'you will see everything that is worth seeing'. In fact, he will take you places where you definitely don't want to go and do things that you would rather not. I promise, by the end of it, these will be the most memorable moments!
• He will tell the truth about the city's attractions, like 'you will be disappointed, tehre is nothing to see'
• He will pay more attention to the ugliest, and not the nicest building of the city
• He will open secret doors, with secret keys. Library closed on Sundays? Not for this guy! He has an access key.
• He will sneak you into public transport, and claim its free.
• He will teach you words in his language and then be annoyed when you say them ALL THE TIME.
• He will not let you pay for drinks, or accept any money, In fact, he will give you money (if you happened to be short for the bus home) just to get rid of you!

How to Furnish & Decorate a room for only €100

So, you have found a room.

Fantastic!

Chances are, you might have been lucky, and your room is a sublet, which means that it is perfectly ready for you to move in, with all lamps, shelves, curtains, and even posters in place. Bring your own bedding and you are set!


But perhaps... you weren't so lucky and all you are facing are empty walls of a cold white box. That's your room.. and it is not cool at all.. 

No matter if you are staying here for 3 years, or just a couple of months, your room must feel like home, nicely decorated. 

But, after all, being a student, how can I afford this?

1. buy secondhand or .. go to IKEA

There are tens and hundreds of students, who just like you, move in or out. Which means that there are plenty of used desks, bed-frames and closets to go around. 

Join a facebook group for 'buy and sell' at your university, and I guarantee you won't pay more than €40 for a bed and matress !
In the Netherlands, have a look at:
http://www.marktplaats.nl/ 
http://www.facebook.com/groups/141823225905822/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/175091759292824/

2. get a plant

Having a plant in yout room, gives it a whole new atmosphere.
 'Oh look! She has a plant, how sophisticated!'   or...
 'Oh, I love your plant!'

3. make things yourself

Recently my housemates found some old furniture on the street. And look at us now, we transformed it into two tea tables, and a shelf for my room!

4. find new use for old things

Who says a person needs a drawer, when we have so many suitcases? Or why can't an old perfume box become a pencil holder? 

The possibilities are limitless!

 5. use drawings as posters

Do you have a younger brother or sister? A friend who wants to become an artist?

Well, then why do you still have those cliche Audrey Hepburn posters on your wall?

Put up some drawings! They cost nothing, are unique and look much cooler, artsier than any poster could ever be. And people would be like:

'Oh, wow! Who's drawings are those?'
 and you would have a perfect conversation starter about your students in China, or your younger sister, a budding artist.

the Rotterdam treasure hunt

I believe I can speak for all Rotterdames, when I say that this city is great for shopping. 

Whether its fruit and veg, a pair of jeans or spiky Lady Gaga heels, Rotterdam has it all!

Therefore this week my blog is devoted to a shopping special.

Beursplein  half-underground shopping  tunnel

exploring The Big Malls
Rotterdam has several shopping sites, the biggest and most popular located on Beursplein, in the very heart of the city. However, two huge malls outside the city centre are great alternative for those on a tight budget! Zuidplein has student friendly prices, but requires quite a bike ride, to cross the Erasmusbrug, and enter the infamous south. Alexander is smaller, but closer to student areas, and also has a Primark, for nostalgic moments!

 My autumn favourites                                                                                                   @Sacha, really not for basics! 

The Market adventure (Blaak , every Tuesday and Saturday)

Stumbling upon a vintage stall!

€ 0.50 for a sweater, € 0.25 for a blouse, and a mere €3 for a second hand suitcase!  

as Dutch as it gets!

Life at Erasmus University Rotterdam

Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam are in full speed now, the first batch of exchange students have arrived and societies are recruiting their new members.

The city which seemed strange at first is now starting to remind me of what has been my home for the past years, Leeds. Just like University of Leeds, Erasmus has over 20 000 students, a huge campus and boasts of academic excellence.

However, some things do not feel like home at all...

Getting from one side of the campus to other. Takes me: 10min

Although the University has almost as many students as Leeds, the campus is much smaller, with around 15 buildings.

Queue at the printers. Takes me: 30min

It took me half an hour to wait for my printout, just to find out that the only way to pay for the job is by Dutch bank account.. which i don't have.

Translating Dutch into English. Takes me:∞ (infinity.. because I can't read Dutch)

Every now and then lecturer would switch to Dutch while talking or hand out some materials all in Dutch for us to read. go and figure out what the text is about!

Now, time for a riddle!!

It takes me  5-10min to get in.

It is not a supermarket, although there are shopping baskets.

It is also not a gym, although there are lockers.

It has a security gate and is highly monitored, but it is not an airport.

WHAT IS IT THEN?

    It is  the library.