#and i was playing the piano in our lunch break while everyone was outside chilling

[enden-k]

cherishing this forever

[discoveringjuls-blog]

7 Sept - 17 Sept

Entering & experiencing your world with youI genuinely cannot believe I have the chance to fly half way across the world to see the love of my life. 7 Sept: Sitting on the plane for 10 hours wasn’t the best thing in the world, but knowing I was going to land and see you was such a blessing for me. I remember seeing you standing there and being kinda shy, but so so comfortable already. Driving from the airport to your house, catching up was genuinely the most amazing thing I have experienced in 7 months of not seeing you.  When we got to your house, it felt so unreal to me that I was actually there. Meeting your parents for the first time was truly so special- they are amazing people. I will never be able to thank them enough for everyting they did for me.  I remember that evening, just catching up & chilling. It was far too good to see you again. 

8 Sept: This morning we took Kaia for a walk in the woods. I heard you play piano for the first time, and was truly amazed. I never knew you could play that well. It made my heart melt (just a little). We then went to the pet sotre to get dog food. After that, we went to Den Haag shopping centre and drove around for a while after that. Seeing Holland, in my opinion, was beyond unreal.  After the morning went by and afternoon approached, we headed to the farm and saw so many animals. I was so comfortable with you by my side.  We did so much on this day. Continuing further in the day, we took the scooter down to the beach and walked along the pier. The weather was crappy, but as long as I was with you, it could have been snowing & you still would’ve been the best view.  This was also the evening I relaised you were also a super good cook.  I really loved this day. I appreciated you so so much, and so thankful that you were willing to drive me around & allowed me to be a tourist. 

9 Sept: This morning, you made us an omelette for breakfast & we sat outside and ate when it was done. You took to me to the see the Hoek van Holland.  It reminded me of Sea Point Promenade, but on another level. Seeing all the World War II bunkers & trenches was a first. Walking along with you next to me made me feel so much better.  We had a family lunch with your mom’s family & it was so lovely.  We walked Kaia in the evening. Relaxing with you in the evenng, watching a movie & talking about everything is my new favourite night time routine. I love you so so so so so so so so so much! 

10 Sept: Today we went to “Mini- Holland”, which I know isn’t the real name, but that’s how I remember it. It was so much fun seeing all the sights Holland has to offer, and you were the best tour guide anyone could have asked for.  Afterwards, you treated me to a movie at Omniversum. It was the coolest place I have ever watched something before. Thank you so much for treating me & being to kind.  11 Sept: Let’s just say, this day was the buggest adventure yet.  You took my on your grandfather’s boat, and although it was pretty cold, I had the most fun. Going the the canals, on the boat, in the rain was so interesting.  Afterwards, we chilled in the boat & got warm again. On the way home, we stopped for a salmon roll, which was so delicious. Thank you for showing me these hidden gems.  After getting home & throwing clothes in a bag, we headed to Akersloot. This is where the fun really began. After checking into our room (note: the first room - Chamagne suit), we headed down to the pool and chilled there for a while. We then headed back to the room, got dressed real quick, and went to a small supermarket to stock up on snacks for the night. After getting back from the shop, we got ready for dinner. Juls, it was such a treat & I am so gratefu for you. Thank you for being the most handsome date of the night. Spending time like this with you is so special & I wish we could do it more often. My heart misses you so much.  After dinner, we headed back to the room & began to fill the bath. After chilling in the bath for a while, you tried the steam cabin, only to find out it wasn’t working. Between the people fixing the room and me laughing so so much, we were offered an upgrade (to a room with a working steam cabin).  The Japanese suit was absolutely perfect. It was the most amaxing night. I don’t think I have ever had that much fun in my entire life, and I honestly believe nothing willl top that night, ever. Even though you broke the steam cabin (note: this was the second one), we still had the most romantic evening & I couldn’t have been happier. I was at my happiest. I love you so so much. Thank you for taking me to Akersloot. 

12 Sept: Waking up to you this morning was so refreshing. Even though I was crazy to want to swim at 8am, you followed shortly. After our morning swim, we had a quick shower & headed back home. We took the bike to some shops to find a laptop charger (note: this was my fault because I broke it when I sat down). The sunset on this night was out of this world. We drove down to the pier & admired it for a while.    13 Sept: This morning, we chilled in bed for a while before walking down to fetch your van because they were busy putting stickers on it. Half way there, we caught a life with your dad. The van looked stunning & I was so proud of you for all the work you had done. You drove it home, where it was admired by your mom, dad, gran and granpa. I was so fortunate to meet them too! Once everyone was finished looking at the stickers, we headed to the Zoo for the day. This was the most chilled day in one of the biggest zoo’s I have ever seen. Thank you for taking me here. I never thought a zoo could be this stunning!

This is the letter I wrote to you half way through being in Holland: “I just felt like writing something to try and show you how much you mean to me. Even though it was a long 7 months of longing to see you, the wait was definitely worth every second. Arriving here last week, I have to admit I was nervous of things being different, but you definitely proved me wrong. I appreciate you showing me around your town and going out of your way to make me feel so so so welcome here, in less than a week. I honestly feel like I could have been here for years already. I am so glad we picked up where we left off, even better than the way we left off. I know it’s only been a week, but you have showed me and taught me things I never knew existed within myself. You have taught me to always looks for a reason to stay, and not to go. That means everything to me. It gives me the chills and melts my heart all at the same time. Since seeing you, I feel we have moved forward- and moving forward is the best feeling when experiencing it with you. You push me to feel so many things I have never felt before, and that’s really amazing for me. You make me scared because I am so used to having something bad happen, but you are genuinely too good to be true. Despite all my fears, I never have a doubt in my mind about you. You make me feel dafe, secure and comfortable all at the same time. Thinking about leaving you and this country breaks my heart into a billion pieces because I genuinely feel at home when I am with you. I know you like to live in the moment and experience all things at present, but I really want you to know that you are my future. Juls, I love you so much. You have filled my life with so much and I genuinely am so grateful I get to experience so many new adventures with you. I know I still have a few days here, but I just wanted you to know how much this whole adventure has meant to me. To see you and to see how you have grown as a person has made me the happiest I have ever been. PS. You drive me crazy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!” 14 Sept 2018: Today we went to the most beautiful little town, Delft.  This town was so so small, but I loved it so much. We walked up 100′s of stairs to get to the top of the prettiest cathedral’s I have ever seen. The view from the top was absolutely breath-taking, especially because it included you & I wouldn’t want to have anyone else with me, besides you. I love you.  After climbing back down that narrow stair case, you took me inside one of the windmills. We both got ice-cream (which we never finished) that was so goooooood. You showed me all the skew towers and buildings.  Today was so so good & I loved exploring with you. I could do this every day for the rest of my life. I appreciate you so so so much Juls. You’ll never understand how much you mean.  15 Sept 2018: Belguim was a treat. I never expected to be going here, but walking down the ‘shopping street; and seeing central station was so cool. Sitting outside that cathedral, having lunch & a smoke was so special. The view was unreal - it was just like a movie.  I never know how to tell you how amazing you are. All the time we spend together is so special to me. During this time, I discover to many things about you and end up loving you even more. I am so lucky to have you. Even though I am so far away fron home, you make me feel so safe and secure. I really like that about you. Honestly, I never wanted to leave you.  16 Sept 2018: This was my last day before heading back to Cape Town (which I really wanted to avoid). Despite this being my last day, we still adventured all the way to Rotterdam. The food market so was well set up & going up the Euromast was defintely one of the best decisions we made. Seeing these places are so cool. I am so grateful to have explored so much in so little time.  After getting home from Rotterdam, we changed, showered anf got ready for dinner. Let’s just say, it was the most amazing dinner I have ever had. I was so so so full, but it was so good so spend a chilled evening here with you before my flight tomorrow. I remember feeling so so sad on this night, but was so happy I had the chance to come and see you.  After dinner, we walked, one last time, alomg the pier where you asked me to be your girl friend. I still remember responding “no” sarcastically, but inside my heart genuinely nearly stopped. I then said “yes, definitely” because I knew I had no doubts in my mind. You were the person I was waiting for, for so so long.  You don’t know how much I love you, but i hope one day you’ll realise how amazing you have been for me and how much you mean to me. I wish I could put it into words, but there is just no way. I think I am more nervous now when I see you than I was the first night we met. You give my more than a million butterflies in my stomach & no one has ever ever ever made me feel the way you do. I am so in love with you and everyting you have given me. I love you so much my Juls. You are my whole entire world and everything beyond.  17 Sept 2018 Farewell Holland & you. Waking up early and driving to amsterdam was the most bitter sweet, but painful thing ever. I remember how beautiful the sunset was this morning. I remember getting out the car and you telling me how beautiful I looked. I rememeber sadly walking to my gate and feeling so hollow and empty inside. After what was the best week I have ever lived, I had to make the trip back home. I realllllllly wished you were coming with me, but i know you couldn’t. This became the worse day for me. Not knowing when I am going to see you again killed me so much, and it probably will until I see you again.  My boy, thank you for the most incredible week ever. You made me feel so comfortable and truly at home every second I was in holland. Thank you for treating me like an absolutel princess and for being so kind, loving and caring towards me all the time. This week and a bit was priceless & so special. I will keep these memories so so so close to my heart & remember them for as long as I live.  See you soo my angel baby. I adore you till the ends of the Earth.  This is what I wrote on the plane:  “Juls, I am sitting on the plane going through really shitty turbulence and thought I would take this time to write about these past few days. I know you hate long messages but this one is worth it, I promise. I was so nervous to meet your family, and even though you said they were chilled, I was still a bit scared. After meeting them and spending the last week and a bit together, I have realized that not only are they such lovely people but also could so easily be my second family. I will never be able to thank them enough for having me and for allowing me to stay there. Juls, I am also so happy to have met bother your mom and dad’s side of the family. For me, it’s really important to feel comfortable and I did. Juls, your business is going to do so well. I can see how happy you are and how proud you are of what you do. Just push through the hard times and the next few months because it will all be worth it, I promise. I am here, right by your side, all the way and I have your back no matter what. I know you can do it. 

Moving onto you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for treating me like an absolute princess and for giving me the world. Thank you for being a tourist with me and for really going out of you way to make time for me when I was there. I appreciate that you took off work for while I was there. Seeing ‘Mini- Holland’ and going to Omniversum was such a treat! Thank you for holding my hand as we walked along the Hoek of Holland. Thank you for making me get on the boat on the windiest day possible. Despite the cold water and being wet, you are the only person I would share these memories with. Thank you for taking me to Delph to see the most amazing churches, to Antwerp for shopping, to Rotterdam to see the food market and Euromast and as well as to Akersloot for one of the most exciting two days of my life (even though we both know you have bad luck with stream cabins). Being able to swim and go in the jacuzzi with you was so sick. Laughing with you comes so easy and I love seeing you that happy. Let’s just say, after this week, I am not afraid of heights anymore, haha. 

There are so many memories I never want to forget and I know I have them in my heart. Walking on the pier and seeing the whole of Scheveningen was so good because I really felt like I was home. Even though it was cold and windy, being with you made every second worth it.  Riding a scooter for the first time was fun and it’s something I will never forget. Also, thank you for taking me to the Zoo to see turtles fucking. It was the best.Yesterday evening and last night was so bitter sweet. Thank you for taking me for supper (and for making me try duck). I am so lucky to have had the best looking date of the evening. Walking along the beach in the sunset was genuinely the most perfect way to get together. I really am looking forward to so many more adventures with you as my boyfriend. 

Juls, I promise promise promise to trust you with all my heart and I promise to look out for you the way you looked after me. You are my entire world and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us. I know leaving is shit and being so far away from you is even more shit, but seeing you and spending time with you makes he waiting worth every second. Thank you for all the late night smokes and conversations. Thank you for always making me feel safe with anything I tell you. Thank you for listening to all my stories and secrets. I know you won’t tell anyone and that’s really amazing. I am glad I get to share things with you, good or bad. I can’t wait to come back to Holland and to live life with you. I really am not kidding when I say I love you more than words can explain. There really is so much I want to say but this message will never be enough to explain everything. Lastly, thank you for loving my body and for respecting me so much. 

I appreciate it more than you could ever imagine. You are so special to me. Thank you for being gentle (even though my back is broken) and for always giving me kisses before bed and when I wake up. I am going to miss that so much. Juls, you’re one in a million and I am the happiest with you, 100%. I love you, always. P.S. Thank you for fueling my coffee addition every day. I love you for that.”

[onewheelneil]

Israel day 7

This morning during Shabbat we are not required to be up for anything until 11 am so everyone was able to sleep in and catch some much needed sleep. I ended up getting up pretty early so I just surfed the internet on my phone. Then I got hungry so I got up did my morning routine and strolled down to breakfast. They had this really good bread pudding and pastry as well as lemon poppy seed pound cake. I filled up a plate and stacked a small plate of cottage cheese on top and when I went to sit down the top plate of cottage cheese slipped and flipped all onto my seat. The two people I was with laughed at me and said I should just sit in it. I was a little embarrassed but nothing major and quickly cleaned up so I could enjoy my breakfast. It was scrumptious except for a potato eggplant quiche that was like eating a tablespoon of salt and a bland piece of dough that looked like it was going to be sweet but wasn’t. Other than that the hard-boiled egg and other stuff I mentioned before was really good. Apparently I look Israeli because several times this week I have either come up to a person to ask for help and they immediately start talking Hebrew or I am sitting somewhere alone using my phone and someone comes up and asks if I’m Israeli. When we all were ready to start our activity the other birthright group had taken our room so we had to move to another. It ended up being the hotels bomb shelter so that was interesting. We ate snacks after a wine prayer and hung out while we found another room because the bomb shelter was too hot. We got to the dining room from the “fancy” Shabbat dinner and started our activities with a Q/A session with our tour guide about any questions we had about Judaism. We talked about the thoughts about homosexuality and mental health and what the people generally think. A lot more questions were asked including what Israelis think of muslims and what Judaism is to us. I asked what Judaism has to say about leaving earth if they believe it’s a holy planet but the guide said that god and nature are one not particular to earths nature. After much discussion we were allowed to go to lunch where we ate potatoes and beef and rice that was a little over cooked. They also tried to serve an apple crisp but they failed at making that. After lunch we had 2 hours to ourselves but they wanted us to stay in the hotel. Me and 5 other peeps decided to be rebels and go to a very nearby park to chill. I brought my unicycle and another brought his guitar. We walked/unicycled over and I noticed there were barely any cars or people outside. Since it is still Shabbat people are usually inside with their families. You can’t drive a car if you are keeping Shabbat. So the traffic drops dramatically. The park was really pretty with a big field and trees that gave shade. I explored around and actually found some sport courts and some skate parks with rails and ramps to do tricks on. I didn’t want to get hurt so I didn’t try any (as my guide said “no paperwork”). So we just hung out in the shade while the guy in our group played guitar. At one point a girl who dabbled in classical/flamenco guitar wanted to try it out and she was amazing. She used this weird strumming technique that made it sound really cool and percussive. Once the time to meet was arriving we started our short stroll back and I gotta say unicycling with no straight route was really nice and peaceful. Everyone loves the unicycling and their most popular question is “do you bring that thing everywhere?” I always answer yes it’s my baby and I bring it EVERYWHERE. They never fail to say wow afterwards. What’s so nice about this group of people is their curiosity of my unicycling and their unanimous appreciation of my hobby. When we got back to the hotel (we made sure we would be back before they found out we were gone) people were just chatting around the halls of our rooms in the hotel. One of the guys in the group wanted to try unicycling and he could get up easily using the walls of the hallway but still found it hard to feel in control when going forwards. Once it was time we headed down to do a presentation with Israeli soldiers that joined our group. They set up a little competition. They split us into 3 groups and we played did a little one person race, jeopardy round, and a guessing a famous Israeli person from a picture round. The race involved a girl in my team putting on an Israeli military uniform correctly then eating a plate of skittles with no hands. It was fun to see the three people struggle with the uniform. I observed the uniform when the Israelis first joined the group so I knew where the beret and where the ribbon went on the uniform. Then they all had to eat the skittles. The other two contestants decided to inhale all the skittles and try to chew em all at the same time. Our teammate decided to go slow and steady and actually beat out the others. Then during the jeopardy round every team answered their chosen question correctly. We actually got a question about when Jews eat fish heads. None of us knew the answer do I guessed Rosh Hashanah because when translated to English it means head of the year. It was surprisingly correct so everyone on my team was relieved. The next round each team picked a picture from a pile and tried to guess what the occupation of the person in the picture. We actually guessed all of our picture correctly. Two of the harder pictures was a model and a politician. After all the games were over my team ended up winning but we all learned more about Israel and Judaism. The next activity involved is splitting into 7 groups each with an Israeli. Then we talked about what makes us identify as a Jew. One of the main topics that was debated was supporting the IDF or marrying Jewish as something that really identifies with being Jewish. One topic that I thought resonated with being Jewish was keeping kosher/Shabbat but others did not, only because we didn’t keep kosher, but I felt like if I did keep kosher or celebrate Shabbat I would feel more Jewish. The Israeli in my group agreed with us on two things except on marrying Jewish. He felt that marrying Jewish would make it so our children would more likely to be raised Jewish. I understood so we decided tzedakah was one of the bottoms of the list of things that made us identify as Jewish. My group debated and recognized that contributing to your community was a personal trait rather than a Jewish trait. Other groups had their opinions and had debates between groups and it was all healthy debate no yelling or saying you are wrong. It was interesting to hear people’s deep feelings about this topic and give another perspective. As we all shared we all listened too which was cool. No interrupting or trying to overpower someone else with their opinion. Afterwards we had a little break to get ready for our night out and then met back in the same place in order to learn more about the holocaust. It was a very emotional discussion about how the Jews were a defenseless people and were carted off to auschwitz for extermination. Then we watched a video of how Israel got a chance to do a flyover with 3 f-15 fighter jets over auschwitz. It was very informative on what Israel means to the Jewish people. Then we were able to go out. E walked through Jerusalem to an awesome pedestrian area where it is popular to celebrate the end of Shabbat. I started walking around with two other buddies searching for a nice quiet place to drink. We roamed around looking at different crowded places until we found a nice quiet bar with a few people. These people were stoked about my unicycle. They immediately got up and tried to ride it. I told them the basics you should use a wall or railing to get on it the try to ride forward. They struggled to get on it but one guy had ridden one before and another never rode one but was super muscular and had done other balancing sports. They both got on a got a good amount of revolutions before falling. The guy who did balancing sports wanted to get one and also gave me a free shot of tequila. I definitely agreed to that a sucked it down. It wasn’t that bad no lime or anything. Then a female bartender came out and tried and struggled but had fun and offered me a free beer. It was awesome to say the least I saved about 50 sheckels so that was nice. Also I was happily buzzed after all the drinks. Then another group member came by and told us about a jazz bar we had been looking for but didn’t know exactly where it was. They headed there while I said goodbye to my new friends when I was ready to go I lost them so I started off in a direction I thought they went in. While going in a direction, two different groups of people stopped me to try the unicycle. One guy had done it for years so he hoped on and the other guy struggled immensely. After the second guy tried it out I actually asked them where the jazz bar was and they pointed it out for me where I met up with my friends. It was really relaxing music that just made the beers taste so much better. We also met the staff of the trip that sat with us (totally did not buy us shots cause that’s against the rules) and we just chatted and enjoyed the ambiance of the place. The jazz band had saxophones, a piano, drums, guitar and sometimes a singer. Eventually it was time to go so we regrettably got our things together and met everyone back at the meeting spot then we went back to the hotel and talked about tomorrow’s trip to see the holocaust museum and ride camels. After we got back I immediately passed out on my bed. Thanks for reading!