Knit wit

I just came from a wonderfully long lunch with some new friends from my Amsterdam Girls meetup group. Having realized the fundamental importance of girl friends in one's life (this would have made a huge difference back when we were still living in Singapore), I've been making more of an effort to meet more girls. And it's days like this when I feel like my efforts are paying off. With eight women from different countries and diverse backgrounds at one table, lunch stretched into a four-hour affair with lots of animated conversation.

It was also great to meet women who, like me, "gave up" a life or career back home to follow a boyfriend, partner or husband whose career leads to foreign shores. It reassures me that my choice hasn't been completely insane. That's the great thing about traveling and meeting people from all over the world—you get to see that there are so many ways to live, not just the way you're used to... or are expected to.

Anyway, the conversation turned to knitting when several of my lunchmates admitted to being enthusiastic knitters. This is something that I've noticed since moving here: women will get together, sit in a cafe in a group with their yarn and needles, and knit. And talk, of course. But mostly, just... knit. I've even seen get-togethers for knitting groups advertised online. It baffles me.

Then I realized of course we don't sit around and knit in cozy cafes because it's just not a tropical thing. Because really, what the heck will you do with all the woolly scarves, blankets, cardigans, hats and sweaters you've produced in the Philippines' sweltering heat? Aside from be hot, sweaty, itchy and bordering on the pretentious, of course. Like Singaporeans and their leather jackets.

Hmmm. Maybe there's a knitting culture in Baguio?

After lunch, we meandered around the Jordaan for a while, and happened upon a yarn store. When I stepped in and saw all these gorgeous colors, I thought: hey, maybe these girls are on to something here. So much eye candy, and so soft too! I never realized you could knit with so many different types of yarn, depending on the season: cotton, silk, various blends, even cashmere. It seems like a whole new world, one that all the pretty colors are calling to me to enter. So who knows? I may just take up knitting soon!