I CAN be contacted... seriously.

Even though I left my phone with all contact details in Amsterdam...

And I have no details for anyone... I have my own Sydney no as a reference point.

If I was meant to call you, PLEASE buzz me on this no:

+61 402 426 544

and after YEARS...

PC300120, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

I finally get my Aussie Meat Pie.

YUMMY SCRUMMY!

It is PARADISE

PC300004, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

and family catch-ups!

PC290098, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

Beach Time...

PC290071, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

Come on... it's THE NUMBER ONE thing on my holiday list..

BEACHTIME!

But it is SO HOT!

PC280028, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

Proof of the outside temperature....

42 DEGREES CELCIUS!

A bit different from the -2 I was having in Amsterdam before I left.

Yes, it IS CHRISTMAS!

PC270017, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

Sitting around the tree and having my 'Aussie' Christmas with family!

...and inside the house too.

Sydney, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

I feel SO HAPPY.

I cannot describe the feeling.

It is SURREAL

The first thing I see...

PC270005, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

I can't believe I am home.

Image(142), originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

EMOTIONAL TIMES!

I'm HOME!

Image(141), originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

It's literally been years but I have touched down on home soil.

WHAT A FEELING!

What strikes me?

1. The heat. It's damned hot - and thats with airport air conditioning.

2. The people. Friendliness 1001. Aussie people rock. The chatter, the smiles, the friendliest immigration in the world, and THAT says something.

3. My family. It's been awhile, but the familiarity of family never changes!

In transit...

So I am at Hong Kong International airport, and I had forgotten what a survival adventure the Europe to Down Under trip is.

It is epic.

Seriously.

What's it like exactly?

At this stage:

I have watched 5 movies...I mean, from start to end movies:

- The Skeleton Key
- Wedding Crashers
- A Good Woman
- Ants
- The Polar Express

and half of Noel.

I also watched an episode of Sex & the City & also Couplings.

I have lost movement in my legs - apparently wearing tight knee high boots is not conductive to long haul flights

I have not slept a wink. I blame my over reliance on Business Class whilst in Europe.... I have been spoiled, I admit it. I now long for the extra leg space.

I am about to find a spot to sleep for a few hours.... I am running on low.

and get the energy ready for the second 9+ hour journey.

Oh man, I HOPE they have some good movies.

My eyes are too tired to read - hopefully with exhaustion I will sleep!

But I know when I touch down in Sydney.... HALLELULIAH!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

HAVE AN AMAZING HOLIDAY BREAK :-)

LOVE AND HUGS

ALWAYS XXX

13, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

Friday December 23rd - 5.22pm

Happy...

Packing for home.
Listening to Christmas Carols.
Getting some small presents ready.
Preparing the tinsel and candles for Christmas Dinner at my house tomorrow night.
Writing in my blog.
Relaxing.
Home alone.
It's Wonderful.

Going home...

It's a funny feeling to be going 'home' to Australia.

I feel excited, anxious, happy, weird.

I am recalling all that awaits me. The family, my friends, the warmth, the sun, the food, the language... it is like I can feel it again. I can see Macarthur Square where I did so much shopping in my younger days, the Greater Union movie complex, our street, our pool, our kitchen.

It is all home.

But so much has happened in this time that has passed - how can I express it all when I get back?

I mean there was the Danish Chapter - living and working in Copenhagen for 14 months. Travelling Europe: UK, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium, Latvia, Serbia & Montenegro, France, Germany. Working for the AIESEC Denmark Team.

Then there was the Canadian Chapter - living and working in Montreal for 8 months. Travelling to New York, to Washington, to Chicago, to Ottawa. Working in Learning at the University of Concordia.

Then my current Dutch chapter - living and working in Amsterdam for 8 months. Travelling to Switzerland, Copenhagen, France, UK, Belgium. Working in corporate Human Resources.

But what about all the little things?
The friends, the connections, the stories, the places, the memories.

How can I share them all? I want so much too.

Thank god I have my scrapbooks... they will help me tell the story

And I have three weeks...

Of sharing... of conversations.. of catching up with what is happening in the lives of my family and friends.

Three magical weeks!!!!

AUSTRALIA...

Motivating thoughts...

* Being home with the family - Mum, Dad, Nathan & new gf, Nicky, Emmy, Grandma, Grandpa.
* Going to the beach... seeing sun, feeling sun, getting colour from sun... I am sun dry!
* NYE in Sydney - THE BEST in the world. I am sorry, I have seen others. It IS awesome.
* REAL China Town food and experience. Seriously - nothing compares.
* BBQs with the family. Family cooked food.
* Australians and the English language... will be strange but good.
* Catching up with friends: Bretto, Andy, Lil, James, Goggo, Sharon, Arthur etc.

God, I have to write a to do list to make sure that I can fit everything in!!!!

WOO HOO!!!

SOOOO excited!

I LOVE my reindeer ears..

IMG_0129, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

don't you???!

Candy & Mazzy

IMG_0114, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

or as we like to say...

TOTALLY FAB
TOTALLY RAZZAMATTAZZ
TOTALLY...

HIP AND HAPPENING GIRLS!!!

add...

IMG_0119, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

an American - Charles Ray...

Yes, he gets lots of name jokes!

Leanne and Dan

IMG_0113, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

One of my fave people in the bank - Leanne from Ireland. She works in Communications. Here with Dan from Pensions.

Christmas Time

IMG_0115, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Sofie, Candy and myself enjoying some nice wine and food at Bar Ca in Amsterdam for Christmas!

Happy Bergio

IMG_0187, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

With his Italian sweetheart! :-)

My desk...

IMG_0192, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

I ATTEMPTED to make it more Christmas like!

Olena & Alvin

IMG_0188, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

At Monday drinks

Christmas Market

IMG_0169, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

In the centre of Amsterdam

Meet the Bosses!

IMG_0199, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

My lovely supervisors Kilian and Claire

Ice Skating at Dam Square

IMG_0182, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Last Sunday night, Ice skating with Bergio. OH WHAT FUN!!

Going... 'Home'!!!

It's done.

It's booked.

I am going home to AUSTRALIA!!!!

I will leave on Tuesday 27th 2005 and return to Amsterdam on Monday 16th January 2006!!!

I AM SHOCKED!

But so excited, sickly excited.

My heart is in my chest!

I will also have a day in Hong Kong.

So if you are in Oz, then LET'S HOOK UP!!!

THANKS DAD, MUM and Family for making this possible!!

See you soon!

I am homesick...

BIG TIME

Christmas Plans...

... still have not decided.

Yes I am last minute - whats new???

1. Portugal
2. London
3. Amsterdam
4. Random trip to an exotic location...

Ahhh DECISIONS!!!

NYE 2006

I have finally decided...

I will spend it in ...

AMSTERDAM!!!

SO many cool people will be in town;
It is a hip and happening city;
It is cheaper than going abroad;
It is where I live... so what better way to welcome the new year in my new home city!

PLUS my German sister, Kristin may be joining!

WOO HOO!! Let the Party BEGIN....

NOW I am actually getting excited about it :-)

SO If you are planning on coming to Amsterdam, let me know. I would be more than happy to meet up with you and let you know the plans - it is going to be awesome.

Ice Skating and all things... CHRISTMAS!

So it has been a crazy few weeks.

Too much to tell.

Too little time to disclose.

Yes, this IS Christmas

RAHHH!!!

6aa2, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Too much fun???

c1c6, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

CRAZZZZZZEEEE!!!

6c73, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

4 in 1 Party

1845, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Signs...

I go to meet up with an Aussie at the pub...

An Aussie friend rings me from London, Eddie.

An Aussie friend rings me from New York, Jen.

Mils arrives at the pub, Aussie.

My cousins arrive, Aussies.

They bring their friends, Aussies.

I go home, card from family... Australia.

I get a coke in the morning, Aussie singer on the radio.

I get into lift, see a guy that looks like my high school economics teacher, an Aussie.

Ok, THIS is getting RIDICULOUS!

A clue...

bod, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

...to my recent passion work!!!

What brings a smile to my face...

* Sharing the weekend with Kim & Jukka!
* Charades at Matt and Heidis new house
* My new bedroom on the 4th floor of my new house
* Hearing voices in my house, and seeing 14 people just randomly pop by
* My big London starbucks mug where I have all my hot chocolates
* The Passion and Dreams workshop I am organising for ABN AMRO - ALL PLACES FILLED
* Acting in the dutch Christmas night - and being told I was good at it
* Knowing I will be working in an area I am passionate about FULL TIME from January 2nd.
* Organising the floor and my team XMAS events... its getting me in the spirit
* Knowing I will visit Australia and home just around the corner
* Talking to mum and nicky on msn, and getting family photos in my inbox
* Dancing on the street - and seeing people stare.

Its the little things....

Lidia and Paul - Strictly Ballroom!

IMG_0099, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Eoin and Mannie

IMG_0084, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Look serious guys!

Paul, Maria and Mils

IMG_0073, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Luiz and Joni

IMG_0076, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Sandy and Unidentified Dutch Man

IMG_0064, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Mils and Maria

IMG_0068, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

The Masque Ball

IMG_0063, originally uploaded by Mazzy.

Jeff, Zoe, Luiz and Brenda

Sinterklaas Night!

zwartepiet, originally uploaded by Mazzy2.

Last night was crazy.

We celebrated at the pub the traditional dutch Sinterklaas night.

I was the Zwartepiet (like the women in the picture here)

Will post more pictures soon... but it was HILARIOUS!!

Aha....

One of the main reasons I have been offline the past few weeks is because I was really organising some crucial parts of my life... namely, where I will leave and what my employment will be post January.

After much effort, these details are now confirmed.

The New Job Role

So, exciting news is that I will be joining zoe and another brazilian Luiz Ramos, in the Global Diversity & Inclusion team at ABN AMRO for the next 6 months. This is perfect. I wanted very much to stay put for awhile longer in Amsterdam, and D&I is the main area in the bank I think I can make a difference in/am most alligned with from a personal point of view. So as of January 2nd, I move to the Gustav Maherlerlaan Building for a new work chapter.

The weird thing is that this man will also be working down the corridor, as is Rueben the Global Co-ordinator and Heidi from Finland will also start on January 2nd. Thats pretty crazy stuff. So no doubt, it will feel instantly like home.

The New Housing

I have also moved houses this weekend, and could not be happier. I now live in the famous 'Sarika House'. This place is AMAZING! It is a 3 storey modern apartment, with HUGE living areas, and common areas. But the thing I love is that on the third storey there are only 2 bedrooms (of the total 5), and mine is one of them. For me that means privacy in an insanely social house... so I get the best of both worlds. More pictures of the house will come soon!

REALLY HAPPY! Getting the basics right...and I feel so balanced. It's wonderful!

It's been awhile...

Yes, I am alive.

Yes, I am ok.

Yes, I have been crazy busy.

and Yes, I will update soon.

It's been TOO LONG!