Life is full of surpises..

Life is like a box of chocolates .. full of surprises.

And that also the way how my new life is. In fact, the surprises already got started long before I left. To start with my visa for Australia. When I applyed for my visa on the website of the Immigration Service at the end of the application the following message came on screen, "Ms. de Fijter, if you continue you will lose your current visa". Earlier this year I went to Australia but that visa was only valid until 1st of May. So I did'nt understand it.. how was it possible that this visa was valid? After checking my mailbox I found my old visa and was suprised to see what happend:My ticket for the 1st visit to Australia was bought in June '09 including a visa for 3 months. But, in Sept. '09, I lost my passport so in Jan. '10 I asekd the office if they could change my new passport number on my visa. Apparently they've not only changed my passportnumber but also the type of visa and validity.. (and at that time I haven't seen this). So at the end.. did'nt have to apply for a new visa 'cause I already had a valid visa, with multiple acess and valid until Febr. '11. Just right for me to return to Australia. As if it was meant to be ...
The weeks before departure were also full of surprises and they have touched me in a way that I can not not hesitate to write about it.

Donations
So many people attended the benefit dinners for the children of Thailand (and not to forget all the people who have made the dinners possible). And of course, all the other donations that have come through friends, family, neighbors, acquaintances and strangers. They alle have made the value until now up to € 2.700. A great result! You still can donate money for this project on bankaccount: 35.70. 62.299, NAA Fijter, Rabobank in Amstelveen.

The final touch ..
It was not easy to get all the stuff packed (how much does a human beeing store and don't even need it..). Thanks to my super mom who came over and as a suprise Patricia and Valentina came over the help as well (without their help I wasn't finished until now..). Together we made the house completely empty and clean. My backpack is also packed and had a weight of exactly 20 kilos. However, appeared at the airport maybe it was also a good idea if I've weighed my hand luggage as well 'cause it was too heavy. Also at work I have putted all my stuff in boxes .. the last week I won't be living in a box but everything that is left.. is in a box ;-).

Farewell
Well .. it's almost time for Sinterklaas (Dutch Santa).. an exciting time for many children. But this time also for me, I leave on 5 December: Sinterklaas Eve. But first I was surprised by colleagues from work who, whithout me knowing it, organized an farewell party. Surprise Surprise! Tom and Jeanine had colletect money and the handed me a big pig with money. Together with other colleagues who already had donated this was obviously a really super sweet and warm farewell! Thanks!

Last snowball fight :-)

The last I also got surprised by the cold weather and there was some beautiful (but cold) snow. All that snow made me also worried how to get to my parents... (yes, exactly on dec 4th all the trains stop to work). In a desperate way to get to Central Station, friends Alex and Maruscha pulled me back and dragged me along for another surprise, a video with 50 messages from people of the CCA Amsterdam. So very well done and so heartwarming. And to finish the evening with one more last surpise.. they brought me to my parents home by car.

Now the time has come to say goodbye. I said goodbye to my family, who had made a surprise as well; a book with pictures and stories of them. And then it was really time to go. Into the new adventure, time for new surprises!

Bye bye family

Goodbye at Schiphol Airport

Goodbye at London Stansted

Arriving in Melbourne, I soon discovered that Melbourne is full of surprises. The weather changes quickly, more than in the Netherlands and they say here that you can have 4 seasons in one day. I can believe it! One moment it's 30 degrees and the other moment is 10 degrees. After my arrivel I've suprised a friend to show up at his gradution, just to continue the suprise stories ;-). After my arrival I have taken some days to do absolutely nothing but I really needed it after the long journey (departure Sunday afternoon and arrivel on Tuesday morning). After resting, I've got surprised by a throat / tonsillitis and I've even been to the doctor and I'm on medication right now. Despite the pain of this .. My English classes have already started, I met some nice people and so far Melbourne has surprised me :-)))

LIFE is not about the destitnation, but the journey

Final count down

Time is passing by very fast and now it’s almost 2 weeks before my departure. Time is flying!! Only 2 more weeks at work and I’m the airplane  ... 1 more week and I'm without my apartment and after this weekend my apartment will be empty ... and my whole world will turn UpSideDown.

In the meanwhile most people around me realize that I’m really going away. I received so many sweet and compassionate responses on my blog and newsletter. Most of what I heard is that people are inspired and touched by my post. Well, I can tell you, all your comments inspire me more to go and have really touched me as well. What sympathy. Great! And not to forget, all the donations that I’ve received (and still can be donated) :-) In a next post I’ll hope to tell more about the projects of the orphanage and school. Whether the donations are coming from you that I know personally or from you that I don’t know; never mind because I know for sure: the children of Thailand are very pleased with it!

Latest developments
My visa for Australia and Thailand are regulated. For Thailand I received a volunteer visa that means that I only need to leave the county once. Thanks to the world wide web a network of new people has been born and I already know that I will meet lovely people in Australia, two Dutch grandfather's are going to visit me in Thailand by bike (met them at the embassy) and I've been in contact with other volunteers from the orphanage and I have an address to go to Cambodia. Great invention that internet! I try every day to learn a new word of Thai, but OMG it’s so hard to remember :S Hopefully it will go better when I’m Thailand and having every day to practice and I really hope to speak Thai at the end of my stay. All patches, medicines, ORS bags and mosquito net were purchased (well, you need to be prepared if you go to the tropics and don’t want to end in a decayed hospital). And next week I get my last series of vaccinations. So yes, there is plenty of money invested in prevention but it’s better to prevent than to cure.

I’ve booked my TEFL course and am currently looking for a room in Melbourne. So far not a great success but some things you just have to trust that it all will work out after all… (but sometimes it’s quite difficult). For the rest everything goes quite smoothly, at work I have my stuff already boxed and at home (I was in a doubt to share here or not) everything has turned upside down in my living room and I have to jump about stuff to get to the other side. The whole floor is strewn with purchases, clothes, bags, my backpack and a lot of boxes (maybe I create courage to show you a picture) ;-) Fortunately, I have a super mom and Saturday we will work as a team and pack everything, what would I do without her?

Many farewell drinks and appointments are scheduled. Let’s finish with the words; just pack and leave… and have a toast on a happy ending!

Cheers!

starting to pack...

after packing

My first post

My first post about My World going UpSideDown ...

Through this blog I would like to inform you about my plans and adventures. During the last years I've been busy with moving, hard working, traveling and a lot of other fun stuff. And also, I said to myself 'I’m not gonna move again for a while’ Anyway, things can change, so 5 December I will move to Thailand.

Background information about my plans
This all said, many things are very positive and I am very grateful for these opportunities and blessings. Not everyone can say that he/she has little to complain. But I started to ask myself the questions “Is this it?” "Is this all I can get out of life?” The materialistic side that we all are drawn to and we quickly become involved (another new pair of shoes, going to a restaurant - again - etc.) I began to be less interested for it. The fact that I believe in God also means to believe in "love your neighbor." What have I done whit it? And what does it really mean? You can believe in something but when you eventually do nothing with it it still means nothing at all. By asking these questions to myself, the question began to change in me willing to live my life in a different way and change my actual situation so now my Thailand mission was born.

Now you may think, to love your neighbor or vulnerable people (often less fortunate) you do not have to go to Thailand. The answer is yes, that's right, I am sure that I can help here in Amsterdam or elsewhere in the Netherlands. But I believe that when I am outside my own comfort zone, to be in a different environment, by settling for less I will be forced to broaden my horizons. Through the situation of the country and the living conditions of local people, I will face people dealing to survive and in need of our help. Their concerns are on the order of, do I have to eat tomorrow, how can I raise my children can they go to school, do I have  work tomorrow…

As a volunteer I will contribute not only to ensure that food and shelter will be available (that’s a short term solution) but also to ensure that those people can have a more secure future, long term, (education, information and prevention). Due this all I will hopefully bring my faith alive and I hope that they may feel they are not forgotten and that there is Someone who cares.

What I am gonna do?I will depart to Melbourne, Australia. There I will follow a course to get my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. This course teaches you how to teach English to people who do not speak English and you also don’t have any language in common. If the children van speaking English they have a bigger chance to study or to get a job.

After the course I will travel to Thailand, the Isan province and stay in the city Buriram. I will be live and work in an orphanage called, Tree of Life Orphanage. And yes I will also get busy to learn Thai. ;-) This orphanage is housing children who are orphans or children whose parents can not take care of them. This orphanage cooperates with the local church and elementary school and at this school I will teach English. The American owner of the orphanage and his Thai wife also has several other projects for the children and their families in the region to support prevent and help.

Maybe I will participate in a project in Cambodia or in the Philippines but that is still uncertain.

Donations
Through this newsletter, I don’t ask you any money for my own expenses. I have rented my apartment for the time I am away, I do have some savings and with that I can pay my own time But ... the children in Thailand, the orphanage, the school ... they can use a donation. If there is more money the more projects can be achieved (books, food, maintenance of the school and orphanage, information and prevention, etc.). Plans and projects in which I hope to participate so that these children have a chance for a better future, that they feel beloved by you all!

So do you want to make a donation for the children of the future?

You can give your donation personally to me or you can transfer it to my bank account, number 35.70.62.299 name: NAA de Fijter, bank: Rabobank Amstelveen with the description: Donation Thailand. All donations are recorded and if you want to know on what it was I can inform you about it. If you want to give a gift that is

Tax deductible then please contact me.

Contact InformationBelow you can find my contact information. Later I will add my Thai mobile phone number and the local address.

Email: miranda.nl @ hotmail.com
Skype: mimi_formiga
Website: http://upsidedown.webklik.nl/ (under construction but almost finished)
Facebook: Miranda Fijter

Blog in Dutch: miraada-nl.blogspot.com

Blog in Portuguese: miranda-nl-emportugues.blogspot.com
Mobile 0031 6 143 626 26

If you want to say goodbye you can come for a coffee/tea at my parents on 5/12 between 10.00 and 13.00h. Or until November 25th you are welcome at my place in Amstelveen (let me know if you want to come). And if you want to know more about my plans, my projects or trip you can always call or email.

Warm greetings or: Sawadeeká :-)
Miranda