Sunny Thursday!

Welcome to Ttif!

When I arrived here in Holland, Dennis started to look for school which could give best teaching in Dutch Language Course. He was searching on the Internet and find some information regarding about this. We also heard from the Gemeente what school  here in Almere could offered nice course. The woman in the Gemeente told us that she heard some good points about the Ttif Company. So we decided to make appointment with Ttif Company. We scheduled today at 2pm and assigned to talk with Monique. All the information we needed to know were all supplied by Monique. She was so approachable and charming. She made sure that we felt comfortable in our conversation with her. She told us that in order for me to know what level I am in Dutch Language, I should take their Intake Gesprek, an exam would take for three hours, so they would know what group I should belong and it would cost  €250 for this exam (It's quite expensive!). We were thinking that it was not necessary for me to take this coz we were the one who would pay for my own course unlike before and it was not reasonable in paying more just for this. So Monique asked their boss what possible solution for this and what they could offer for me. It seemed like they were taking at risk as well as to me if they would place me directly to the NT2 group.You should have at least A2 level when you were going to take NT2 and they didn't know what level I am now. She advised us that they could put me in beginner's group where most were A1 going to A2 level and later on, they could transfer me into higher level if ever I could quickly adjust to the lessons. We agreed with that instead of  spending money for Intake Gesprek. Thus, we filled up the form and paid later for the course which cost €780 for three months. Monique also recommended to me that I could join on Brunhilde's class (A1 level) starting on Monday at 9-12 o'clock in the morning. She gave me a copy of their book wherein I could start studying by myself and easily adjust on their lessons.

Meet our three hairy daughters!

When I heard from Dennis that he had 'three hairy daughters', I felt little bit confused. I didn´t know if I would like to have a relationship with a man who already had three children. But when I repeated to say "Three Hairy Daughters???",then he was talking about his three cats not real persons. Funny! I misunderstood him. ahaha :D He treated them like his own children. It was nice that he had cats that they would accompany him and never felt being alone. I loved cats too. Thus, I adopted them and treated them as my own daughters. 

Dennis had first Noah and Shiva month later after they born. They born in year of 2003 and they are sisters. Noah is so sweet and always come to you while Shiva likes more to be alone, lie down on the corner and most of the time, she doesn't care but when their food is almost op, she comes to you and ask for it.

 

The last one and oldest was Angel who was already between one or two years old when Dennis got her. She was born in the year of 2001. She is the most sweetest cat among the three. She always come to you and sit on your legs. Every morning, she go upstairs just to say her own version of Good Morning, "Meoww".You can do everything to her without being mad on you except when you hurt her, as well as to Noah and Shiva. I hope they would have long lives with us.

From Boredom to Recreation

Every weekend, we always try to do something else aside from staying at home and do your household chores or sit in the front of the computer. So yesterday, it was Saturday and we didn't make any plans for that day. Dennis was complaining to me that he felt boring and wanted to do something different. I asked what he wanted to do and answered me that he didn't know. Thus, I just wait before dinner, so I could start preparing food for ourselves and watched movie later. Sometimes, I liked more to stay  and relax only at home. When I'm already preparing food for our dinner, Dennis' Dad called him and told that there was a competition for badminton that would held in the Badminton Club here in Almere. The badminton first players of Almere would play against the guest team, Duinwijck. Dennis asked me if I would like to watch the game, I said 'yes', coz I knew that Dennis wanted to watch it same as with me. After dinner and called his dad, Dennis, me, and his dad went to the Badminton Club and watched the competition. It was great to watch the game personally coz you would feel the intense and eagerness of the players to win the game. It was finished with result of 4-4. Both teams had same number of winners in different categories. After the game, me and Dennis decided to go the Kermis while his dad left in the badminton club because he wanted to watch also football which started to televise on the flat screen in the restaurant of the club.

That day also was our first time to go the Kermis together, where we played some amusement games and had fun with it. Kermis is like a traveling carnival which is moved from place to place in the Netherlands starting the month of April to October. It is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, animal acts or sideshow curiosities. Kermis arrived here in Almere and stayed from 21 up to 25 of September.

Intake Gesprek In Gemeente

Living here in the Netherlands is not easy! But because I want to follow my "Love of my Life", therefore, I should learn how to imitate a Dutch woman. Meaning, I need to adapt the way of living here in the Netherlands especially learn the Dutch Language and Society. So yesterday, I had my appointment in the Gemeente here in our place to tackle about the Inburgering. We scheduled to be there around three in the afternoon, of course, we were not late even we parked the car little far from the centrum (free parking) and walked in going to the place of appointment. The woman in the Gemeente (Sorry, I forgot her name.) who nicely approached us and discussed all the concerns about Inburgering (Thanks, I understand what she's saying coz she spoke to me in English.). She told me that I'm obliged to take the Integration course and pass the Inburgering Exam within 3 and half years under the Dutch Law. Unfortunately, the law changed this year and we were necessitate to pay for my own course, unlike before the Gemeente would pay for it, but we had a chance that we could also loan in. DUO coz my study would cost around €2000-4000 so it was high-priced not as cheap that I was thinking. The woman in the Gemeente told me that because I passed the  "Toets Gesproken Nederlands" with the score of 38 (37 and above- exemption) which was one of  the components of Civic Integration Exam that I took in my own country, it was not necessary for me to take it again here in Netherlands. So I was exempted one exam but need to take the other exams such as the Kennis Nederlandse Samenleving, Elektronisch Praktijkexamen and make your own Portfolio about your assessment to your school, work, and social participation. But there is another option not to take these exams, it is the staatsexamen Nederlands als tweede taal (Nt2) which is higher level than inburgering, less work, focus more on the language and makes you eligible for university courses taught in Dutch. So I think that NT2 is the best step for me to learn well the language but until now, I dont know which one I would take up coz NT2 is divided into two programs. Program 1 is designed for people who want to work in lower level jobs on the labour market or follow a training for that. Programme 2 is meant for people who want to work in higher level jobs or want to follow a training for such jobs. Maybe, the school, where I would study, would help me to choose the right course for me. Not only this, but to help me to learn how to fluently speak in dutch and pass the exam which one of the essential to get a Dutch Passport.