Finally August 25th, 2012: done. What an adventure. Picking up the girl from Ipanema - eh oops, the girl from Panama at the airport in Amsterdam, NL, to bring her to the next flight from Amsterdam to Berlin, DE.
There is my friend from Germany. He lived in Panama for several years and now we talked on the phone for already a few months ago. Talking about where we live and what we do. A few chats later in the internet he told me that a friend from Panama will do her first flight ever and will come over from Panama to Berlin, Germany for a visit.
I offered to pick her up at the airport and assist her to check in for the next flight. At her only stopover: Amsterdam. Said. Done. Well, lets say, kept the promise. But it came different, than expected...
Planning to go to Amsterdam with a spanish speaking friend meant for my spanish speaker to change shifts at work. She was supposed to work on that Saturday. Bad luck - it was fixed and no longer possible to change. Ay caramba! Well, we dont need words to communicate. Just been reminded the film named The Piano *g*.
Ok, going on my own. I will write her name on a sheet of paper and will await her and bring her to the next plane. Ok. So far so good. Then the planning for Friday, 24th : One friend wanted to see me again after her vacations. She was in Italy. I really wanted to see her again. We have internet. She's got a cell phone. I dont. Sometimes beeing free from the cell phone world also means missing chances. But. Honestly? I was not able to decide between the meeting her and my other friends that wanted to take me to town. My own fault. I am sorry, that I did not meet my friend Antoinette to talk about her vacations. She lives in the same city. So we can meet later.
Then the final working day arrived. Friday night. Finally weekend. And the only priority I had for Friday night was: dont forget to go home when necessary, to be able to get up in the morning and take the train to the Airport in Amsterdam.
We were a very nice group of four. A german friend, one from Portugal, one chinese girl and me. We started walking to town to a nice place named Beez. See here: Beez bar in Maastricht Cocktails, chats, some beer, more cocktails, chats...
We walked then on to a nice spot at Sint Amorsplein and had a seat under a sunshade to be able to sit outside even when it rains a bit. For me it was already time to dance. But my friends wanted to talk a little bit more and it was much too early for them to go into loud music in a bar. Well, they didnt have the problem to leave early. So I tried to be patient and enjoyed the chat at the Amorsplein. What a cute street name, he? It was worth waiting. They promised me to go to the bar with the music afterwards. And then there we were. Yay. Dancedancedance. Yieppieh.
Then there was this funny guy dancing with me. We laughed a lot and we talked in english. Thats quite easy here. It seems that everybody speaks at least english and a lot of people speak german as well. Well, this one - lucky me - was able to communicate in a language that I am able to use as well. We went outside the bar to be able to speak and understand each other. Ok, his name. My name. Nice getting to know you. Back to the bar. More dancing more music. And time flew by.
We stood another time outside to chat when my three friends brought my bag and went on to another place. My new friend - oh, btw. he is belgian - he asked me if I would like him to bring me to the airport by car. Wow. What a very nice offer. And so we did.
We went to Amsterdam in the morning and had some time to talk while going there. Too funny. I said: Hey, isnt that nice: we know each other for less than 24h and we go to Amsterdam together! *keke* Ok. I ve been so excited to see the girl from Panama and I thought it must be so tough to be on the trip for already a whole day and I was so proud that my friends managed to make her come over. Hah, so many thoughts and I was close to tears. We waited at the arrival for the flight from Panama City. And we waited. And we waited. And more and more sad thoughts run through my head. That she might have not been at the flight. We could have missed her...And we waited. And waited. Oh, did I mention that my new friend speaks spanish? Wow, I am so blessed! And we waited. We never saw her.
We went one after another, one always standing in front of the arrival with the cute name sign and her name on it, to the infomation and figured out where she needed to go to next. I went to the information later to ask what I can do, when I miss my friend coming from Panama City and I wanted to bring her to the flight to Berlin. But, you will get no passenger information. Neither if someone arrived in a flight, nor if someone already checked in in the next flight. Oh oh. The time was already come to be at the next flights preparation and it was only half an hour left, when we decided to call my friend in Berlin and ask if he knows, if the girl from Panama actually got her flight in time.
He told me that he got a call from immigration in Amsterdam asking questions about the visit. "Oh no!", I thought. I needed to know if that was good or bad news. He confirmed all the data he was asked. And he told me that she has a letter in english and german and he told me that he wrote in his invitation letter for her, that she would have her very first flight and she does not speak english and he would be happy if someone would bring her to the next flight. He said, there was no 2nd call from the immigration service so this must have been a good sign. So we, my spanish speaking new friend and I, we did not miss her, but she was already caught at the customs and was brought to her flight after making sure, that she is not an illegal. We all know the restrictions, dont we? Wow. What an exciting waiting time without knowing, what was going on. I was so nervous. We were so tired after that Friday night. But finally we knew, she was over the ocean. I asked my friend in Berlin to let me know, if she arrived in Berlin. He said, he will let me know for sure.
The pressure fell down from me and we had some snack at the airport. My new friend had fun to crack the ice cubes from his softdrink in his mouth. I enjoyed the soft ice cream structure of my milk shake. We were both happy that she made it and went on our adventure, now back to Maastricht. He has been so brave. And I was so scared to fall asleep in the car. But it was not possible to stay awake. You know that? You are tired and the continuing sound of driving a car...it is so drowsy. And I slept. The presents on the back seat. My thoughts in the airplane with the girl from Panama and with my friend in Berlin. And so thankful for getting to know my new friend in this busy night.
Thank you all my friends for making my life colorful and an adventure like this. I highly appreciate spending time with you.
We arrived at my place and said good bye for now. My friend went on to Belgium. I did another online lesson with Rosetta Stone. Decided to have a nap. Lay myself down with a blanket from the couch. Fell asleep. Woke up a few times. Decided to stay where I was.
Sunday, Aug 26th 2012
And finally got up on Sunday at about 10 when the church close by called the people for service.
... had a nice chat with a friend from South Africa.
... Sunday. Day of PostSecret. Lets read some. (:
I offered to pick her up at the airport and assist her to check in for the next flight. At her only stopover: Amsterdam. Said. Done. Well, lets say, kept the promise. But it came different, than expected...
Planning to go to Amsterdam with a spanish speaking friend meant for my spanish speaker to change shifts at work. She was supposed to work on that Saturday. Bad luck - it was fixed and no longer possible to change. Ay caramba! Well, we dont need words to communicate. Just been reminded the film named The Piano *g*.
Ok, going on my own. I will write her name on a sheet of paper and will await her and bring her to the next plane. Ok. So far so good. Then the planning for Friday, 24th : One friend wanted to see me again after her vacations. She was in Italy. I really wanted to see her again. We have internet. She's got a cell phone. I dont. Sometimes beeing free from the cell phone world also means missing chances. But. Honestly? I was not able to decide between the meeting her and my other friends that wanted to take me to town. My own fault. I am sorry, that I did not meet my friend Antoinette to talk about her vacations. She lives in the same city. So we can meet later.
Friday night - Aug 24th 2012
Then the final working day arrived. Friday night. Finally weekend. And the only priority I had for Friday night was: dont forget to go home when necessary, to be able to get up in the morning and take the train to the Airport in Amsterdam.
We were a very nice group of four. A german friend, one from Portugal, one chinese girl and me. We started walking to town to a nice place named Beez. See here: Beez bar in Maastricht Cocktails, chats, some beer, more cocktails, chats...
We walked then on to a nice spot at Sint Amorsplein and had a seat under a sunshade to be able to sit outside even when it rains a bit. For me it was already time to dance. But my friends wanted to talk a little bit more and it was much too early for them to go into loud music in a bar. Well, they didnt have the problem to leave early. So I tried to be patient and enjoyed the chat at the Amorsplein. What a cute street name, he? It was worth waiting. They promised me to go to the bar with the music afterwards. And then there we were. Yay. Dancedancedance. Yieppieh.
Then there was this funny guy dancing with me. We laughed a lot and we talked in english. Thats quite easy here. It seems that everybody speaks at least english and a lot of people speak german as well. Well, this one - lucky me - was able to communicate in a language that I am able to use as well. We went outside the bar to be able to speak and understand each other. Ok, his name. My name. Nice getting to know you. Back to the bar. More dancing more music. And time flew by.
We stood another time outside to chat when my three friends brought my bag and went on to another place. My new friend - oh, btw. he is belgian - he asked me if I would like him to bring me to the airport by car. Wow. What a very nice offer. And so we did.
Saturday, Aug 25th 2012
We went to Amsterdam in the morning and had some time to talk while going there. Too funny. I said: Hey, isnt that nice: we know each other for less than 24h and we go to Amsterdam together! *keke* Ok. I ve been so excited to see the girl from Panama and I thought it must be so tough to be on the trip for already a whole day and I was so proud that my friends managed to make her come over. Hah, so many thoughts and I was close to tears. We waited at the arrival for the flight from Panama City. And we waited. And we waited. And more and more sad thoughts run through my head. That she might have not been at the flight. We could have missed her...And we waited. And waited. Oh, did I mention that my new friend speaks spanish? Wow, I am so blessed! And we waited. We never saw her.
We went one after another, one always standing in front of the arrival with the cute name sign and her name on it, to the infomation and figured out where she needed to go to next. I went to the information later to ask what I can do, when I miss my friend coming from Panama City and I wanted to bring her to the flight to Berlin. But, you will get no passenger information. Neither if someone arrived in a flight, nor if someone already checked in in the next flight. Oh oh. The time was already come to be at the next flights preparation and it was only half an hour left, when we decided to call my friend in Berlin and ask if he knows, if the girl from Panama actually got her flight in time.
He told me that he got a call from immigration in Amsterdam asking questions about the visit. "Oh no!", I thought. I needed to know if that was good or bad news. He confirmed all the data he was asked. And he told me that she has a letter in english and german and he told me that he wrote in his invitation letter for her, that she would have her very first flight and she does not speak english and he would be happy if someone would bring her to the next flight. He said, there was no 2nd call from the immigration service so this must have been a good sign. So we, my spanish speaking new friend and I, we did not miss her, but she was already caught at the customs and was brought to her flight after making sure, that she is not an illegal. We all know the restrictions, dont we? Wow. What an exciting waiting time without knowing, what was going on. I was so nervous. We were so tired after that Friday night. But finally we knew, she was over the ocean. I asked my friend in Berlin to let me know, if she arrived in Berlin. He said, he will let me know for sure.
The pressure fell down from me and we had some snack at the airport. My new friend had fun to crack the ice cubes from his softdrink in his mouth. I enjoyed the soft ice cream structure of my milk shake. We were both happy that she made it and went on our adventure, now back to Maastricht. He has been so brave. And I was so scared to fall asleep in the car. But it was not possible to stay awake. You know that? You are tired and the continuing sound of driving a car...it is so drowsy. And I slept. The presents on the back seat. My thoughts in the airplane with the girl from Panama and with my friend in Berlin. And so thankful for getting to know my new friend in this busy night.
Thank you all my friends for making my life colorful and an adventure like this. I highly appreciate spending time with you.
We arrived at my place and said good bye for now. My friend went on to Belgium. I did another online lesson with Rosetta Stone. Decided to have a nap. Lay myself down with a blanket from the couch. Fell asleep. Woke up a few times. Decided to stay where I was.
Sunday, Aug 26th 2012
And finally got up on Sunday at about 10 when the church close by called the people for service.
... had a nice chat with a friend from South Africa.
... Sunday. Day of PostSecret. Lets read some. (:
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