Stress vs Growth

I have long known that due to my stress from either uni commitments, private life or work, that it actually prohibits my muscle gain. On the other hand, my primary reason for going to gym was to reduce stress ‘peaks’.

Stress Management
To make it easier to explain, if i am stressed that means that the brain is pretty much too busy focusing on how stressed i am instead of building up my strength after my fitness training. No matter how much training i do, if i go stressed that means it’ll effect my sleeping pattern, which then reduces my metabolic rate. Muscle growth usually happens when i am resting, which is why a right amount of sleep is so important.

When i have an exam or essays due next week and need to prepare for them, i do either maintain my fitness routine or add another day of week to actually put a downward pressure on my stress level. If i don’t go to gym because of other commitments, my stress level spikes dramatically which then leads to pattern of poor micro-tasking and organising skills. Even if i am pressed for time, i will still spend at least 30min in training to keep myself awake and energised. Otherwise i’ll feel fatigued from research and studying that often leads to procrastination.

I would not expect my fitness performance to improve especially in resistance training when i am in ‘priority mode’. In fact, i’d expect it to stagnate as i want most of my energy devoted to placing a plug in my stress level and soften the ’spikes’ caused by a sudden exam preparation time.

Also, i would not be dedicated to eating properly in times of stress. Usually quick snacks and off back to work. That of coarse will effect my fitness.

Growth
Once the ‘priority mode’ has gone passed, then my stress level would plummet as i have less activities to keep myself busy. Mentally, i would feel much more at ease and relaxed with more time to spend for recreational activities. That’s when i do start feeling muscle growth with drastic improvement. I do add more weights in resistance training every week which obviously shows i am performing better than previous week.

Review: In Qontrol Amsterdam RAI 2008

Travel
Left my home in Amsterdam at 8.34PM. Oddly enough the sun has not set yet but the nightlife crowds are starting to creep into the city centre. The quickest way i know is to ride the tram 4 from Amsterdam Centraal station to RAI, which takes about 30min, give or take 5 minute depending on city centre traffic.

By the time i got to Centraal Station, there was a mass exodus of young Dutch mostly in hoodie jumper or leather jacket descending to the tram or the metro station. Just the party-boys filling the Damrak precinct which is at the mouth of the Centraal Station.

When i boarded the tram route 4, there were like 20 who went with me. Some spoke Dutch, others just pairing up of Italians, French and English. The tram also filled with tourists and creepers who are just going any of a half a dozen bar precincts dotted around this city.

By the moment i arrived in RAI, there were about a hundred queuing at the press/VIP section. All lined up in rows as dictated by the 6 fences to ‘quarantine’ them for drugs, weapons or any flammable liquids which can become a hazard in the party. It took a fair bit of time to sort just about 200 altogether VIP/Press crowds. One security guard checked my wallet and padded my body while the other checked my small bag which only included a spare jumper and a camera.

“You can proceed”

So i’m finally inside this big exhibition centre made out of corregated iron, like a one big multi-use warehouse. Well made for the party like In Qontrol. A lady behind the counter asked me to put my left arm out to tag me with a band on a wrist so it gives me access to VIP deck and our own cloakroom.

After that, the first store i saw was an official In Qontrol merchandise selling point. There were heaps just eagerly wanting to buy any of the merchandise. The biggest hit was the brown hoodie with In Qontrol logo at the back. I bought a ‘L’ (large) for 40 Euro. I paid more for a hoodie elsewhere, so i think it’s worthwhile. Besides, i want to get every official hoodie of these big parties as many as possible. So far i got Qlimax and In Qontrol. Thunderdome, Sensation Black and possibly Defqon1 will be next.

You can always tell how excited the party-animals are by how thrilled that they are wearing the official merchandise. It’s the brand name of ‘Q-Dance’ that is really synonymous for its theatrical and over-sized parties ready to be entertained by solo DJs choreographed by the lighting arsenals. In Qontrol shouldn’t be any different. And so these blokes who bought the merchandise had high hopes that this party will push them into a new benchmark level of ‘raves’.

Within the hall where that merchandise store was located was filled with ‘picnic chairs’ and a table and around the sides were food stores, bars and toilets in a corner. There were like three halls like this within the RAI for tonight…all between the venues so that crowds can help themselves and go dancing again.

Okay, i’m totally lost. You can literally travel around in a golf-buggy in this huge indoor mini-town. There are two pedestrian sky bridges connecting from the smaller venues to the main arena and in each sector there is this big map locating that ‘you are here’ and somehow you gotta follow this coloured wiggly lines to your destination.

(Click thumbnail map below)

It took me ten minutes today to figure out where the heck was everything. I think i started between the ‘underground’ and the ’sincity’ DJ list bubbles and slowly walked clock-wise all the way to the South of this map. That’s there the general entrance was and a hall of ‘lockers’.

When i arrived in the main arena, it was just patchy crowds and a small bunch way at the front.

May as well take this opportunity to walk around this exhibition centre to familiarise myself with the surroundings.

This was taken in Evolution Sector venue. Ultraform was playing.

I took them in an elevated VIP deck which was located on the left side of the hall. Pretty great view. I enjoyed watching him DJing as he seems to be an entertainer pleasing the crowd. The interior design was great too. The my serial pyramid shape steel beam foundation with CRT TV boxes on three bottom levels with DJ on the top of the peak.

Then here is the SinCity venue.

A mix of gabber and hardstyle as a taste of this venue. DJ Mad Dog was playing.

Then here’s The Underground venue. The sphere is the ‘control nerve’ for the lights and queues.

Closer look at the front

Adlay doing the gabber dance.

Gabber all the way. Bass V & The Viper was playing.

Back to the VIP deck. Nice view ay? An elevated room at the back with our own bar and chill-out room area at the rear.

Tommy Pulse & Fausto

For those kandy kids back in Australia, here’s the European version. This group is from Ireland. Fluro wear with fluffy boots. No coloured beads on their wrist nor the usual baby-wear, angel wings and so on. There are many kandy kids but definitely not as prominent as in Sydney’s party. Most of the ones i have met are either Irish or British.

This is the rear of the main arena. You can see the elevated VIP deck on the left. Walking towards the chill-out area.

A bloke waiving the French flag.

The laser cannons were decent. They didn’t centralise it like in Qlimax. Less dramatic, but able to fill the space by attaching some from the ceiling.

The grey spectrum is just pure bliss to watch.

See what i mean? The laser cannons just soaking it from the ‘above’ vantage point.

Flame-throwers going off.

This bloke pretty much danced till no tomorrow!

When DJ Nosferatu was playing.

The chill-out area from behind.

Now it’s getting filled up in the Evolution Sector venue

At 4:22AM Dano was playing.

At 6:01AM The Outside Agency was playing in SinCity venue.

Last pic at 6.09AM

Conclusion
Overall it was a party i will remember. The crowd was much younger than Trance Energy or even Qlimax. Many more at my age. The type of crowd was pretty diverse. From skinheads to kandy kids, lads, clubbers, bar, old-skool and so on. Many nationalities as well, but most are Dutch. Most behaved well without much incident of brawl. Beers continue to get pumped and drugs are handed in like candies. The blokes i met there asked me a few times if i wanted it.

When Dana started playing, i was quite disappointed. In my opinion, she has gone downhill for 2 years. The MC was chanting that she’s the ‘Queen of Hardstyle’, but either the speakers are playing up or that she is getting worse at mixing. It sounds like she is really trying diligently to scratch with hardstyle track which makes high screeching tones, but that’s just irritating. The crowd in the main arena did start to thin-out as i could tell that the rear end was showing large patches of emptiness in dance area.

Another point to note. Donkey Rollers only played for 30 minute. What’s up with that? He is worth more than 30 minute, and as far as i’m concerned he was playing better than Dana in which she had 75min worth of tune pumping.

Overall, it was a well planned party. The layouts and interior designs for the stages were fantastic with well queued laser shows.

Next week is Sensation Black in Antwerp, so watch this space!

Daily routines i have changed since arriving in Amsterdam

A handful of my mates asked me if i am doing anything different daily compared to what i did back in Sydney. That really lead me to think hard about what stuff am i doing in Amsterdam that is so different. There has to be a difference in my schedule or routines…

So let’s check:

Read magazine

Sydney: Used to be photography magazine weekly

Amsterdam: Now it’s Economist magazine. I signed up on the 2nd week of arriving here. I desperately needed an English reading material that i can rely on on a weekly basis. My first attitude is , what da hell? Economist? The title itself says it’s all economic lingo, but once i started reading, the majority of content is global police and development based.

Gym training

Yeah, i still continue to train. But this time i think i’m more serious about it since i am in control of what i eat and when i train. I got all the schedule planned on weekly basis, and back in Sydney i had heaps of disruptions happening which makes me less disciplined.

Uni

Well, in Sydney i did 4 courses per semester. It’s 3 here but more intensive and needing better control of independence since it’s less structured and all instructions are in classrooms instead of lecture/tutorial program.

Coffee

Well, i make my own coffee at home now. No, not the instant espresso. I brew my own espresso with moka aluminium boiler.

Philosophy

This has definetely changed. Especially over the last few months, i can understand what the Dutch does and their ‘liberal’ philosophy. Sydney is definitely financially conservative compared to Amsterdam.

Some of my mates say my accent has changed somewhat, but i can’t really hear the difference. Probably i talk much faster than previously, but that’s only because of my fast paced lifestyle and trying to be efficient.

Just a side note from today, i will now do squat training weekly. I should have done that earlier, much earlier, but really didn’t care about the strength of my legs since it looks ridiculously big in proportion to my upper body anyhow. I’ll review it in a few months time. But for now, my joints are hurting!

Working Paper: Integration & Multiculturalism

Notice: This is a working paper which will be continuously be amended as needed.

Difference between integration and multiculturalism

Integration is essentially a political correct terminology for assimilation of culture into mainstream or original society. It is the adoption of any foreigners who are willing to reside in a host country to become an integral part of society and leaving behind any support for background country.
Put is simply, a new migrant would pledge allegiance to the host country above all else abiding by the rule of law and responsibilities while accepting the new values he/she requires to practice.
This reference is never seen as an absolute term, which brings to another question, to what degree of integration is acceptable?

On the other hand multiculturalism is about accommodation of new migrants which brings new values and skills which are beneficial to the host country overall. The closest analogy is if a husband marries a son, both extended families would adopt each other’s values. They may have conflict of interests such as organisations and customs, but both would readily converge and create a new organic order in which there is collaboration from all parties involved.

However, obviously the scope of multiculturalism is more than a duality relationship between a husband and a wife. It is to do with diverse ethnical and religious backgrounds which can make the whole post-structuralist formation or simply ‘a unifying identity’ much harder to pinpoint.

Case Study: Cabramatta

Cabramatta’s Cultural Makeover

Cabramatta is located in South-West outskirt of Sydney comprising of mainly Asian ethnic origins. It has a significantly large population of Vietnamese population who escaped the war-torn Vietnam and being accepted into Australia as refugees. Population quickly expanded in 1980s to accommodate a new wave of refugees bring with them nuclear families.

Until recently, it was synonymous with crimes such as drug trafficking, alcohol abuse and other criminal activities in which many drug addicts commit, including assault and robbery. Many locals especially in the commercial and retail centre of Cabramatta would be regularly confronted with fear such being part of the ‘spill-over’ effect of such drug activity which plagued the suburban streets.

Sydneysiders (people of Sydney) would stereotype Cabramatta as a crime ridden suburb caused by first generation migrants who originally escaped from war ravaged countries, and brought their crime with them to Sydney. Younger generations would often be secluded in their own ethnicity and never have initiative to communicate with broader society through employment, education and other form of active contacts. Thus, many Sydneysiders feel it is a country within a country with its own culture, its own values and customs which are not compatible with mainstream Australian society.

There has been a de facto comfort zone created by such stereotype where the East would never travel to West unless being compelled, as it does not benefit them from leaving their well adopted location, whether it’s the North Shore, the South or the Eastern Suburbs.

Since the turn of 21st century, along with the state of New South Wales government and the local council vowed to clean the streets through better policing and community consultations in making the suburb more attractive and resume in building-up its slow, but important reputation.

According to the article, commerce as improved dramatically in response to the reduction in criminal activities in the area, but does not necessary mean criminal activity overall, just done elsewhere. The grass-root approach was to allow the younger generations to have opportunities for employment through improvement in commercial business such as restaurants, retail and office. If more younger generations are employed, then they have less tendency to commit petty crimes since their prosperity will be requestioned by society.

Life in Amsterdam

I wrote this to a bloke who is contemplating in moving to Amsterdam from Perth

The best analogy i can think of about living in Amsterdam is like how that clocktower you see in every district. Amsterdam is like an engineered city with all the gears and bolts stuck together and in sync. Public transportation comes by the second, the urban planning is great and people take more responsibility in their behaviour compared to Aussies (eg. the only country without drinking age). It works independently and people rely upon it. It is utilitarian.

If you have a rellie in Holland, then they will be useful. Even if you have EU passport, i can honestly say if you are planning to come to Holland, take a Working Holiday Scheme visa from Dutch consulate in Australia which you only pay €30 for a resident permit up to 12 months. Then you can extend it if you wish.

If you are of a IT/Programming, then it’s probably easy to find a job if you only speak English. There are heaps of job agencies for English speaking expats. Most likely you will work for an international company (such as KPMG, Shell, Dutch Banks) in which it’s almost standardised to speak English. You will need to learn Dutch, and its one of the first thing an expat who is contemplating on living in the long-run, should do. The tax office or immigration department are all in Dutch and won’t send English letters to you, so that means your rellies will need to help!

As for the rent….according to the expats living here there’s the 30% rule. It is quite expensive to live here because of housing shortage (worse than Perth), so you may need to look around and get that rellie to assist you. Your full-time annual salery will always take into account the cost of living, so the chances are it will be between €50-€65k. If you would ever like to find a place, don’t live in the city. There are about 4.7 million tourists coming to this damn city and the city limit itself is only 6km wide. It gets more foreign tourists than NYC. And there are heaps of tourist traps such as very expensive restaurants, retails and all. The only time you would venture off to city is to go enjoy nightlife and if you work in the centre.

So it’s best to live in the paremeter of the city centre. Not just for rental cost, but that’s where real Dutch people live. You’ll feel more ‘alone’ living in the centre than perhaps living in the paremeter since you’ll be more lazy to go around thinking that everything is in close proximity to you. I live about 2km West of Centraal Station on the River Ij literally. i.e. the wharf on the River Ij.

As an Aussie living here, there are two issues which bother me:

The weather: Perhaps in Perth it’s like 300 days of sunshine. It’s the total opposite here. 300 days of cloudy or rain. It snows in some days of the Winter (it snowed last week in the middle of Spring). Dutch weather is very coastal and it relies heavily on the incoming fronts coming from the Sea. You will see a lot of young Dutch (like me) would wear hoddies (jumper with hood) when they go venture off outside. That hoodie is like our protection from down-pour. But honestly, i have gotten use to it in 6 months. Whenever you see a Dutch walking in the rain or on bike, you do feel compelled to be like them and ride on bike in rain as well!

Living independently: That’s where a lot of expats may fall through the cracks. You have to keep yourself busy and entertained or else you will feel lonely since it feels like you’re in a foreign country and the people don’t understand you (since you can’t speak Dutch). Even if most speak English, Dutch will always remain as a default language and they will speak English if you start speaking English or know that you’re a foreigner. Which is quite hard to learn Dutch, not just because of the linguistical level but not many people will help you out since they probably have short fuse in patience in trying to get the message across. You got to learn how to cook at home. It is unDutch to have breakfast in restaurant in the morning (since it’s rarely opens before noon anyhow).

There are expats here especially the Poms. You will find them in Pom pubs and Aussie pubs (Rembrambtplein) if you ever want to release some steam from work. Check out www.expatica.com It’s the online forum for expats living in Holland. Will help you heaps in jobs, housing, etc.

You may have heard that Amsterdammers are famous for being liberal minded. It means that personal responsibility is of the highest important for social order. For example, know how much you can drink, don’t show off ‘money’ because it’s rude, act normal and be modest. I guess this liberal behaviour stems from being ‘efficient’ and independent person instead of having a nanny state where privacy is curtailed as if we’re little kids needing a big leader to look after us.

There is a book i highly recommend you to read before setting foot here for establishment. The Low Sky and yeah, that’s my site recounting my life in Amsterdam.

Personally, i am very efficient person myself. Which is why i don’t have that patience for incompetence. I go study and get things done, i go to gym 4 times a week, i ride a bike knowing that i can get there more reliably, i make very short statement which are right to the point. In most cases i do act like a ‘Dutch’ even before i came here. If i don’t ride a bike, you would see me listening to my music with earphone to the city, since my uni i smack bang in the centre. Locals would know that i live here coz of that hoodie and i listen to music (and since it’s so un-touristy behaviour).

After one year when your Working Holiday Scheme expires, chances are you will feel homesick. That is what expats always feel when living abroad, and it’s natural. Whenever i feel home-sick, i keep on reminding myself that i would be stuck in traffic in Sydney or the Cityrail train won’t come on time and i’ll be waiting 30min for the next train to arrive. That’ll wake me up to reality.

Understanding the Dutch?

I talked to an expat in Amsterdam and recommended me reading a fascinating book called ‘The Low Sky’ written by a Dutch, Han van der Horst. It’s about understanding the mentality, the history and the problems expats like myself could face in times of culture shock. I just recieved a book from my online order. Just skimmed over the chapters which are:

Chapter 1: Egalitarian

Chapter 2: Utilitarian

Chapter 3: Organized

Chapter 4: Trade-oriented

Chapter 5: Privacy minded

Chapter 6: A Debt of Honour

This will no doubt help me in my research on integration v multiculturalism.

Personally, for now, don’t have that kind of contention with the Dutch. I am pretty ‘efficient’ minded myself and don’t want to be bothered when travelling to and from uni. I usually do commute with earphones plugged in and do what i have to do, to fill the schedule i have to stick to. The language and communication is not that a problem. Most speak English and you really don’t need to know Dutch when doing your everyday tasks like groceries, transportation and ordering food. Once you learn how to do it, it is easy to do what the typical Dutch does.

But i do hear that a lot of expats find it difficult to learn Dutch. Not only does the Dutch speak to you in English if you sound like a foreigner, but from what other expats say, are not helpful in learning Dutch at all. I don’t know Dutch. I have uni as a matter of priority and don’t think i really need to learn it since i’ll only be here for the full 12 months. It is a common courtesy to learn the Dutch i know, but in major international firms, they often ask me to have my CV in English and communicate in English. That’s the type of impression i get.

Sure, if i am planning to say in Holland, i will eventually should learn it. But considering i had 4 courses to do last semester including the UNISCA problem, it is impractical to learn a strenuous and profoundly difficult language like Dutch.

I’m a very individual person. I can multi-task, keep myself entertained through personal training regime and do whatever i like to fill time, such as photography and reading books. This has been my regime back in Sydney, and it still compatible in Amsterdam as well.

I’ll leave it as it is, for now.

Here we go again, assessments weeks

Uni sure knows where to place mid-semester assessments don’t they? Straight after the Easter holidays so students can study in holidays instead of being with families or having festive time.

That explains what i have been doing. I had European Union law exam, series of group meetings for Conflict Studies class in our wiki project, then there’s an exam on 31st March coming up. Then another presentation for Global Poverty in showing a new model for a institution in dealing with reducing poverty.

It is not challenging in a sense of difficulty, just time consuming. For the European Union law exam, that really stuffed up my sleeping pattern. Going over about 30 cases and trying to memorise them in fingertips so i can quickly reference them to show stipulation of European Community laws.

Sample: Multiculturalism and Integration

The main theme on this issue on multiculturalism and integration are its differences to cultural and government lead influences, and also the extent in which it is successful and not so. It will open up my personal opinions in paper through my own interpretations and concepts.

I think that this project in my own personal belief that needs to be done. Even if it is outside of my studies in general, through my own experiences from work and first hand sources, it still can be achieved.

What really lead me thinking about this issue was when i was still in Sydney and a Dutch student made a surprising visit to Western Sydney to see first hand on the ‘design’ of multiculturalism. That is, how people lived, the institutions which supports such accommodation and even to the extent of flaws caused by clash of misunderstanding and culture. He talked about the problem faced in Holland and the in depth continuous division between the ethnically Dutch and the immigrants who naturalised but yet still to be integrated to become like a Dutch.