Phone mania!

Just over a year ago I bought myself my first touchscreen smartphone.

It's a Nokia 5230 [picture] as many know Nokia is my favorite make.

If you had a Nokia in your life you should already know of the quality that comes out when you purchase a Nokia. The power, the speed and of course, the durability.

Having a smartphone is like having another brain. It helps you remember things and also connects you to the world, your friends, family and loved ones from where ever you are.

Yes, I know what some of you iPhone fanatics are thinking:

"Psh! Nokia?! Come on mate, I have an IPHONE! It beats your phone by light-years!"

Well now, I have been around in Belgium and saw so many people walking around with that piece of fruit, showing it off whenever they could. But when I asked the majority of them "what can you do with your iPhone? What do you use it for?" the same reply comes out.

Well, music of course, and calling and texting and also browsing important things on the internet. And of course, games!"

My heart cries for you...

Facebook, twitter, gmail, youtube, being able to skype with it.

Sending your location to your friends to let them know where you are at the moment, what you're up to, blogging and of course USEFUL applications. Those are the things that your phone is capable of. It's everything you need in this fast growing technological world. But still, the minority of the people even know it can be done.

Why touchscreen?

As many of you know, touchscreen is the new "thing" and something everyone wants. But it's only when you actually know how to use your phone when you realize just how useful it actually is!

It makes things easier, your screen bigger and of course, shows the "smartness" of your phone.

The other day I read a CNN report that said that 90% of Americans still use "default" phones. Yes, I'm talking about that thing you had 10 years ago and is lying around somewhere i your drawer gathering dust.

Obviously there's nothing wrong with still using a default phone. Most of them can connect to the internet and you don't really need anything else.

At the end of the day, a smartphone only gets used out of necessity. Is it really necessary for you to be able to access all those (awesome) functions your phone is capable of?

I can still remember when I had my Nokia 5200. It was useful, strong and learned how to swim numerous times.

[NOKIA 5200]

Of course the only real reason why i bought my 5230 was out of actual necessity. Not just having to want to be able to use it for more purposes but also to be able to actually hear some one (speaker for the ear broke after 5 good years of service).

This is a list of what I use my phone for and how frequently:

Reading CNN (every day)
MSN (almost every day)
Facebook (not frequently)
GPS (not frequently)
Skype (frequently)
Music (ALLOT)

Games (not frequently)
Twitter (fairly frequently)
WhatsApp (every day)

Photos and Videos (frequently)

sms (frequently)
calling (not frequently)

So as you can see, a smartphone is something that actually only reigns supreme when using the internet and multimedia.

As for me, I'm happy with my Nokia 5230 and won't replace it even if I win the lottery. It's like a buddy and even has a name (the same as my PC). I've so far had almost no problems with it, I think the biggest problem is probably the amount of built in memory that it has. It makes it hard or next to impossible to do your OVI GPS maps updates :/

So next time you plan on buying a phone, think about what you will actually use it for.

In the end, I found that I use it for a lot more than i was planning to!

Another Broken System

They have a saying in Belgium:

"The wheel turns, but it turns slowly."

This cannot be more true. Once you want to do something here it goes through a process explained by Douglas Adams in the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy.

For those who doesn't know, I have stopped studying and will be starting to work early or in the middle of next month.

Sure enough, the school system threw me off balance and failed me on everything they possibly could for the most fubar reasons they could possibly find.

One of which "your English is on too high a standard to teach here"... yeah, I know right?

Now, getting a job here in Belgium is no child's-play.

One needs to go through the necessary proceedings to just be able to look for a job. You need to REGISTER for it.

Granted, being "registered" as "werkzoekend" (unemployed) gives you some advantages in some things. For example if you follow a course offered by the institute where you registered as jobless, you get a nice free bus pass. Also if you're below the age of 25 and live with your parents you still get children tuition.

This institute can be quite helpful and also quite useless at the same time.

In the sense of them actually being there to HELP you find a job they actually have almost no contact with you at all (save for the odd email about a job opening which most of the time doesn't even match your job profile).

But in the good sense being registered with them actually gives you an advantage when you actually GOT the job. End of the matter is that for at least a short while, you get paid more. And that's pretty great.

The job that I got is as a shop assistant and cashier, I will be paid a boat load of money for that.

Most of the money will be used to firstly buy myself a new laptop (damn screen croaked on me again for the second time and it's coming to the end of it's very long life), saving up with my bro for an apartment and of course taking extra courses in my free time to build up my resume.

All of this will obviously be revolving around being able to visit my girlfriend as much as I can and sometimes spoiling her rotten (we've been together for over 3 years now and it's still going GREAT and always will without a doubt).

Now of course everything runs back to the "system" (if you can call it that, since Belgium STILL doesn't have a ruling government and I think it's nearing 2 years now).

Of course I'm not a Belgian yet so thus I need a working permit to work here.

Trouble is applying for it, what you need, what type to apply for and what you need to send with it. Not even mentioning precisely WHO actually needs to apply for it.

For me it's a work permit B and my employer needs to apply for it.

No idea how long I'll need to wait for it but in the end it will be well worth it!

Further on, life is better than the previous year.

I have a lot of friends, my dad has a job again (after being unemployed for almost a year) and me and my bro might do the same job and be able to move into our own place soon!

I just love it when everything comes together, it might be a slow Belgian wheel, but hey, at least it's turning.

UPDATED:
[I'll be trying to post more on my blog from now on. As a matter of fact I'd much rather choose to let you all know about things on here than on Facebook...]

Rooooaaad trip

This Wednesday I went to a very interesting and nice place.

Basically it's an indoor tropical resort called "Aqua Mundo" from "Centerparks". It was an awesome experience a

nd more relaxing than anything else.

Stepping into a +-28 degrees Celsius place with tropical tre

es around you in their full bloomy state in the start of autumn while it's about 18 degrees outside was a bit of a shock.

You walk into a building that looks more like a tropical forest with shops all around you and people walking around in t-shirts.

[The dome of Aqua Mundo]

I thoroughly enjoyed the swimming pools, which was a bit warmer than a normal swimming pool

in the summer, the waterslides and of course the hot-spring-replicas.

Paying 4 euro brought me also a full day pass to the spa area where you can enjoy a nice steam-bath, a sauna and a relaxing atmosphere.

Unfortunately I could not take pictures from inside

the "resort" so you'll have to be happy with pics on the outside.

A one day pass is 18

euro, the food is inexpensive and I think it was completely worth it.

[The driver]

The idea randomly sprung from my one friend, Willem who drove us there and agreed to pay for my entrance until I pay it back later, when it's comfortable for me ^_^

So thanx mate, is it was awesome.

Further on I recommend this place highly if you want some relaxation for a day or half a day, more that that I honestly think would be a waste of money and time.

A POST?!

Ok so I haven't put on a post in ages.

Why? Well I forgot my username and password, and funniest thing of all I forgot on which blog site it was. Yeah, it's pretty bad isn't it? But then again, there are so many blogging sites out there.

Well the past year was pretty rough but I'll try to put it together in as least posts as possible.

Various posts for the reason that one long one would be boring.

First thing's first:

I got into college after a VERY long struggle. It's called the Catholic University College of Leuven and it's one of the best in Europe!

I met a lot of friends there and went through a lot of cool experiences. But unfortunately I didn't do so well since I only joined in the second semester in a language I never spoke before until about two years ago.

Now is the stress full time of writing ourselves in again for the next study year and the uncertainties of scholarships and student loans.

[AT THE TOP IS A PHOTO OF MY COLLEGE]

Hungary!

Hungary was for me the past two times I was there really an awesome experience.

for a third world country they have ALLOT of LONG history and awesome true stories and also folklore about their past.

While being in Hungary last time in summer my girl told me allot of stories and it was really interesting to me.

All about the Turkish invasions and the Austrians and the Italians.

It looks like a very dark and ruined place in winter. Almost like movies and pictures I saw of Russia (just less snow).

But in summer the true colours and beauty of the country blooms.

It looks completely different and gives chance for allot of festivals, beware, some can turn out very dangerously as most Hungarian males do not know the meaning of respect, self respect and/or morality.

I went to allot of cities, my favourite outside Budapest is Eger.

They have a nice huge castle there with hourly gaurd changes and cannonfire every few hours.

Remember to take your student card with if you're a student, you get till half price less.

The food is also very good and as far as I know they don't eat anything wierd, except for cabbage O.o

Life

Yes, I can write hours about life, but i'm not going to bother, but there are a few things I think everyone should know.

Life is not like a box of chocolates, it's not a bitch and it's not any other physical or mental object you can think about.
Life is by all and other meanings, life.
A thing is what it is, and how you use it is your own decision.

If life throws you an orange, blow the !#%&er up!

I believe in every person, I believe everyone is capable of good and strong things.
You are not born into good or bad.
Everyone are born losers.
They come into this world as nothing, and own nothing. They can not speak, read or write.
All they have is air, the gift given by God.

So whatever is going on in your life, there is always a choice, some choices are given in sacrifise and in some you sacrifise your way of living.
But as long as it lets you live, do it.
If there is no other way, do it, as long as you live.
Murder or suicide is the coward's way out, and no one has to be a coward.

So if you're having trouble and on the verge of giving up in your life, pull yourself together and start over!
Life is a gift, it's awesome and we are capable of ANYTHING!
I'm rooting for you!

Traveling in Europe

As a South African it's only a dream to be able to travel europe, and you can not understand how people in europe can just go to another country for a holiday.

When I learned that my girlfriend traveled to various countries such as Romania, Italy and Greece I thought that they must of saved up allot to go.

When I arrived in Belgium I was focused on making a crapload of money to be able to go visit my girlfriend in Hungary.

Then I heard from family friends living here in Belgium (who moved here from the UK) about 2 air-agencies that lets you fly there for next to nothing.

That is when I checked on a place called "wizzair" for tickets to Hungary and found that it was surprisingly cheap!

Since then I flew to Hungary 2 times and also went for a little drive to Germany on Christmas. Also to Paris for my 21st birthday and to the Netherlands to go pick up my sister from the airport.

The cheapest airline prices from Belgium to other countries are undoubtably Ryanair, where sometimes flights to Italy, England etc are form 20 euro to absolutely nothing, where you only pay for your bagage fees.

This photo was taken in Summer 2009 over Germany on my way to Hungary via Wizzair.