16 Sep 07

This day is Travel Day, I went to many places around Rotterdam.

First, we (Me and N’Nut) went to Utrecht, departing from Rotterdam Centraal around 12 o’clock (in fact I asked him to guide me to Delft but he asked to change to Utrecht). It took about 45 minutes from Rotterdam to Utrecht, by (intercity) train. When we arrived, it almost the empty city!!! No shop opened, except food shops at Centraal (refer to Central Station, in Dutch) and food shops nearby Centrum. However, we took the chance to walk around city centrum (city center, in Dutch). It is a pretty city, I think. Small rock road and block building, it gives a feeling of old city.

Then, we came back but took a stop at Guoda, the Cheese City of Netherlands. Here, it was also almost the empty city!!! No shop opened, except food shops around city centrum. Fortunately, the weather is very good and very sun shine today, so many Ditches came out, otherwise we would see a real empty city. However, even the shops closed, we also saw the being of Cheese City; there are cheese sign everywhere and there is Cheese Museum too. The city centrum here is very pretty and very cool; there is a city hall or ancient church or something like that in the middle and surrounded by the old buildings, which are adjusted into shops.

When we came back, coincidently we met group of N’Imron going to Euromast, the sky tower for sight seeing Rotterdam city. The height we going on is around 170 meters. Very cool!!!

Though, this day was Zondag and I intended to go to church, the Catholic church this time … 5555. When I get in, I doubted why the ceremony was still unfamiliar!!!

Finally, I found out that, unfortunately, this day they had some kind of seminar for religious coordination between Christ, Jewish and Muslim. So, I have to come out … Oh! Poor OAK .. T_T … God doesn’t let me to see thy yet.

18 Sep 07

I got mad at GR&SS Office that until now I have not got my internet access yet!!! The ICT department said my name and student number wasn’t on the system yet. Only thing GR&SS Office said was “We already send your profile to the right department, we really don’t know what is going on, you have to wait” !!! … What’s the FUCK!?!?!?

They didn’t have just a bit of helpful face and tone. What is SS mean?? Student Support??? … I think no, it would rather be “Student Self-support”. And it should be renamed SO instead, stand for Student Obstacle.

That reminded me what Dr Karen (professor of Organizational Behavior course) said the day before. Her classroom was cancelled and we had to move to study in Auditorium. She found out about half an hour later that the administrative office (which GR&SS office is one division in it) cancelled her classroom because they “thought” that Dr Karen would be in India. She said, “How come!? I will go to India next week in fact, but I will go on Tuesday anyway so no class will be missed” … So, she continued, “this is a concrete example that there is no link between the verb “to organize” and word “organization” …. 5555 the whole class laughing.

Anyway, in the afternoon, I and groups of Thai student in Rotterdam went to Den Haag to help the Embassy’s Event, “Khon” Show for Sala Chalermkrung as “to celebrate the 80^th Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand”. Guess what!? We were late again 5555

Though, we went there in order to help them check tickets. It was not necessary in fact, since they handed out the tickets for free and over the number of seat, but the real comers appeared to be less than the seats though. So, just let them in and make the event looked good!!! That’s easy 5555

But the point was …. I just knew that the embassy gave us 40 € each for “work” and free dinner too …. WOW!!! Such a good deal, wasn’t it?

We watched the show and it finished around 11 pm. Then I arrived dorm around 1 am of 19 Sep 07. Such a long day.

And I have to go to the University tomorrow even I have no class in order to fight with the GR&SS Office for the internet again. …. L

4 Sep 07

It was raining this day!!!! Since I arrived, I have told and saw that most of Rotterdamer wear clothes with hood or jacket with hood. I had been told that here, in Rotterdam, it can rain any moment so people wear clothes with hood. This day, I met raining myself!!!! It is pity that I took off 2 hooded clothes when I packed … T_T … Poor Oak (AGAIN).

I have to buy an umbrella, then. 

6 Sep 07

11 Days arrived Rotterdam and I didn’t get my internet access yet!!! How non-managed they are!!! Just said “I didn’t get the name of Master Programme yet, we have only IBMS” …. Suck!!!

This day was an official start of 1^st Block though and we suddenly got homework!!

I think (6 Sep 07) the Dutch are very rush to make a decision heavily based on opinion. Very curious !?!?!?

7 Sep 07

This day was 11^th day I arrived The Netherlands and I didn’t get my internet access yet!!! SO I started to clamour for the reason and solution. A big woman totally ignored me (She always said go to this, go to that, it’s very chaotic here!!! …. HER response is very chaotic to me too … DAMN!!!). However, eventually, there was a helpful woman came to me and ask. Finally, she helped me find out that the Office still needed a few documents from me to process my name into the school’s system.

Very curious!!! It took 10 working days for them to find out what was missing!?!?!?!?

OK, now I started 4 subjects. It is very interesting that from 4 subjects I got started, I have teachers from 4 Nationalities; Canada, Columbia, England and America. Maybe, what they mean by “International Programme” mean the multinational of the lecturers.

Oh …. This day I met a new guy from Taiwan and he is major in Consultancy and Entrepreneurship too …. Aha! Not only one Asia in class anymore.

8 Sep 07

There was the Thailand Grand Festival this day at Amsterdam. I went as a staff though.

We met at Imron’s house (Thai guy, he came from Pattanee) and went to Rotterdam Centraal Station at 12 pm. Lucky, Imron has a discount card so we can buy train ticket at 40% discount; the transportation cost can be taken from the Thai Embassy anyway.

Train here is very great, very nice!!! It took about 1 hour to go to Amsterdam.

Well, my first impression of Amsterdam is it is definitely more crowded and nosier than Rotterdam. The building are more classic (most old building in Rotterdam was bombed during WW II so they built the new city) with very western style.

The Thailand Grand Festival was not as grand as I thought. It was like a small “Temple Fair” (งานวัด) without playthings; i.e. roundabout or Big Wheel. There was only shows and food booths. And there was also a small exhibition about our King and Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and Chaipattana Foundation.

The food were very expensive; 5 euro for food and 2 euro for drink => a plat of rice and curry, it will be around 25 – 30 Bath => They sold for 5 euro ==è that’s about 240 bath!!!!! 10 times, Man; 10 times!!!

I was a Bin Boy, though; looking for the full bin and replacing garbage bag. However, there was very little work to do, so we just walked around and get free food (Staff can asked free food and drink from booth, that’s the point) …. About 2 hours later, I was really full 55555

I will go again tomorrow. J

Free food and Free beer … That’s the whole point!!!

9 Sep 07

This day, we ha an appointment to prompt at Rotterdam Central Station at 10 am. However, N’ Imron just tell when I arrived his apartment that it was changed to be 11 (OK, That’s all right, I will use his internet longer then)

Finally, with the waiting, with the miscommunication, we ended up departing from Rotterdam at 12.11 o’ clock!!!! Almost the same time!!! … I knew how they work now.

As we had arrived the event, this time they just told us to have lunch from whatever booth we wanted … J WOW!!! I got the rice with sour/sweet fried fish (ปลาผัดเปรี้ยวหวาน) … very good one

I worked at deep fried booth this day. There were fish cake (ทอดมันปลา), Spring roll (ปอเปี๊ยะ – in Dutch they call Ru-pier รูเปีย), Chicken Sate (ไก่สะเต๊ะ) and Chicken legs (น่องบนไก่ทอด).

It was a very busy crazy booth …. Farang are very favour in deep fried things … I have rarely a rest!!!! Very little to eat today …. T_T. Even worse, there was a “Pa” (ป้า) (and I mean a man) coming just when I took the position. She (or he) was very bossy and fussy. Everything was never as fast as she wanted, so she came to take over. And She (he) kept saying “the child are not ready, not fast and not able to catch up with the flood of order” (Partly true, but what is the point of keep saying that????).

Work was very tired this day.

However, still worth for Free food and Free beer …. J

I’ve got really fun.

And N’N’ also said that we would have been invited for Thank you Party at The Embassy of Thailand in Den Haag a few week later …. Yaaaa!!! Free food and Free beer, AGAIN!!!

10 Sep 07

This day was a real suck!!!

I had to get up so early, going to Stadhuis (the City Hall) to get the “GBA” thing that the GR&SS office ask (to fulfil my student status, then I could get my ID and internet access). But, just to find out, after waiting for half an hour, that it was that form I already filled at the 1^st day of general introduction (28/8/07) WITH THEIR SUPERVISION!!!! So how come they ask that form from me again!?!?!? … And that made me 10 mins. Late for class this day …. DAMN IT!!!

Then, at noon, I went to ask GR&SS office. Guess!!! They said “Oh!, OK. But we think your Dipolma don’t work. We need it with SEAL” …. But They just told me it was OK on Fri. !!!!! and I already told P’Morn, didn’t need to send it. I have to make an urgent call to P’Morn and N’Earn to send it APSP with the fastest possible way… DAMN IT!!! 

After OBR class, we had a IPD meeting again to see the Power Point Presentation, Mr. H did. It was a fine, nice presentation, though. But without any info. I gave him , … That’s  still fine. But, suddenly, he started to snap “someone” who he think was not so contributed by giving useless information to him (what is “useful” information he meant??? He said “I want information that is a key point only, one that I can just simply cut and paste, if you please”… !?!?!?)

After a meeting, I, then, tried to cut information that he “didn’t need”, shot to the point and resent to the group. What did he say??

Oak,

Your question is to show a already well based relation between China and Holland.

So, can you please show us why we have a already well based relation with China, so far you haven't convinced me/us.

WHAT!?!?!? … DAMN IT!!!

Lastly, I went out from the school quite late and it was raining …. Oh, GOD … please has a mercy on me!!!! 

26 Aug 07 @ Suwannaboohm, Thailand

Only Family, AC friends and Friends from Choir at St. Louis church came to farewell me at Suwannaboohm. No sign of BE friends … T_T …. Just a few calls … Poor Oak!!!

26 Aug 07 @ Amsterdam, Netherlands

The school sent Chinese girl to pick me up. Anyway, she is a good girl, tell me many precautions I should know (she is chubby … so not my type !!!). I came to the dormitory and had to be very surprised …. I have to buy bed stuff (e.g pillow, blanket, bed sheet, sort of things)!!!

I discovered later that the Chinese at this dorm brought everything from home, bed stuff, electronic rice cooking pot, someone with pan and chopper!!! … I should have listened to my aunt to bring one … T_T … Poor Oak!!!

The sky here is very weird. Even 8 pm., it is still bring like 4-5 pm in Thailand.

28 Aug 07 @ RBS, Rotterdam Hogeschool

This was the first day of introduction for foreign student. A lot of document stuff. They also feasted us. The course was a burger with 2 pieces of cheese, a bottle of water, one bar of MARS and a sweet bun!!! That’s it !!! (Know later that it is a traditional Dutch meal … how poor!!!)

29 Aug 07 @ Rotterdam

Hah!!! Finally, I met Thai students; most of them study bachelor degree though. They also gave me a welcoming feast. Rice, sour and sweet chicken, fried morning glory and deep fried meat ball. Very nice!!

They said there will be Grand Thai Festival in Amsterdam on 8-9 Sep and convinced me to go as a staff … I said yes. To be friendly, right???

Oh!! This day, the school also brought us to outing at lake somewhere north. It is quite good anyway. They set us in groups to build raft and to row to another side of the lake. It was good that no one fell into the water. Our group is the winner, though. 5555

30 Aug 07

There was school tour today. Here, in Rotterdam (or in Netherlands), if you don’t have Bank account, it is almost impossible to by things!!! Here, we must have bank account and bank card, transfer the money from bank account into the card (They call chipkaart or PIN card) and use it as a credit to buy things.

Till this day, I didn’t get the internet access yet!!!! So, I asked to use the account of N’ kon Thai at Erasmus instead. Finally, can get the contact to the world.

1 Sep 07

I went to market fair at Blaak today. There is market fair at Blaak every Dinsdag and Zaterdag (Tue and Sat in Dutch). It was very crowded and there were lots of things. The Chinese friends said that things are relatively cheap here.

Also went to supper market in China town. There is Mama (มาม่า) too. It is 0.4 euro (about 20 bath … 4 times more expensive than Thailand!!!).

2 Sep 07

This day was Zondag (Sunday). So, as a good roman catholic guy, I intended to went to church. There is one big and gorgeous church in Blaak, can see from the market square. I thought “Oh this fantastic and old-looking church must be catholic church since we, the Roman Catholic, had a tradition to build extravagantly gorgeous church” so I went in and attend the ceremony. It is a unfamiliar ceremony though, I though “there might be a cultural difference though”. Then, after the ceremony, I asked “is this a catholic church??”, and they answered “No, this is a christain church” !!!!!!!!!!! …. T_T …. Shame to me … Poor Oak again!!!

So, I came out walk a bit further and see the cross over one simple build. I went in, it is a very simple room though but with the very familiar alter table. So, I asked “is this a catholic church??”, and they answered “Yes, this is a chatolic church” … Ah, Finally, My Holy Father, I found your home…. Dear Oak, don’t make a mistake, going to the wrong place again!!!

I took a tour to see Rotterdam harbour today. It is claimed to be a largest harbour in Europe and (used to be) biggest in the world. And it is, it really is, due to how large area it covers. It can support 300 million tons of containers a day!!! Very good inventory and logistic management too.

3 Sep 07

At Introduction to Graduate Student today, I finally met my classmate. 2 Thai (inc. me), about 10 Dutch, 2 Russian, and about 20-25 of Cinese!!!!

When we split by major though, I am only one Asian in the Consultancy and Entrepreneurship (CE) major. …. It should be cool or what !?!?!? … Wait and See