It was a beautiful sunny day!! I went to Utrecht to join a Jumat Agung (Good Friday) ceremony in one of the Catholic Church there. I walked around the city center after the ceremony and before Toastmasters. This was my first time walking around the artistic city of Utrecht even though I go there every now and then to visit Bulang Utrecht or every 2 Fridays of the month for Utrecht Toastmasters evening. I really enjoyed it! The city is a lovely 3D picture of canals, small alleys, compact houses, churches, bicycles, people sitting or chatting under the sun!
Afterward, I sit in a snack bar nearby the Toastmasters venue in Nobelstraat, eating my dinner (lamshoarma and patat) and continued reading the "Winner Stands Alone" -- Paulo Coelho. The guy behind the counter who was also the 'chef' was nice and polite. He came from Afghanistan and has been struggling from day to day in the Netherlands for 9 years now! He speaks fluent Dutch and quite good English. I practiced a bit of Dutch with him.. :) He said Indonesia is a beautiful country, yet I was unable to make a good remark about Afghanistan... He also said that he is not thinking of going back to Afghanistan because his parents dislike him. Wow Sis! I was unable to think of any proper response to that remark and I just put a sympathetic smile on my face...
While I was reading, he came and said "You're a nice girl! You're reading. I like to see nice girl instead of bad ones..." He went on saying that he works on weekdays to get money and then spend the money to have fun and alcohols in the weekend. He said he doesn't read books and he was praising me because I was reading. Sis, the moment I heard 'nice girl', my mind went to those similar remarks I've received my entire life from people, especially men... hahahaha.. Well, you know these stuff Sis!
Well... I was thinking, probably I could find him a nice, simple, and short book and drop it by for him when I go to Utrecht Toastmasters next time.
Maybe a good idea rite Sis?!
Hope you're well! Till next post...
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