tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81886510829879093902024-03-19T09:54:59.670+00:00365 days in NunspeetI live in Nunspeet, a small town in the middle of Holland. This blog is about my life here, and my visits to other towns and cities. A bit of tourism, a bit of history, a bit of culture and a bit of my life.Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-64450376755300557762012-09-11T20:03:00.001+01:002012-09-11T20:03:42.191+01:00Swimming lessonsI went to visit my sister today and happened upon her in the swimming pool, waiting patiently while her little four year old started her first swimming lessons.<br />
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It's a must, here in Holland. Swimming lessons. Given at terrible times, like early mornings before school, or just around dinner time. Mothers hanging patiently around in the damp rooms, exchanging gossip, all hoping their kids will finally achieve their A, B and C swimming diplomas.<br />
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehX-FnY3LiYzmxB-TRDl_bhT6YmNdLEbhm94A2tZaTzqoGhW0-jkivNcK4f4zjGS1hOSh22XrSDt6ThqF5OIil9yJUiZQ7Irx68BhSSIcCt8Gti2rBRezC2ZoVCVqNM45xT1ioy9ObDc/s1600/100_0443.MOV"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D70c2d233ae23d478%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1349982180%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D586DF7C8A4C194A48D6567E9341ADD39B3FED27C.BA81854BFC55A793CDB5C391672F46ABFF1D4FB%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D70c2d233ae23d478%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1349982180%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D586DF7C8A4C194A48D6567E9341ADD39B3FED27C.BA81854BFC55A793CDB5C391672F46ABFF1D4FB%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>For a long long time it was common for the schools to supply swimming lessons. Which meant whole classes getting into a bus, driving to the nearest pool for maybe half an hour of lessons, and then on the bus back. Very inconveniënt, expensive, and often times unneccesary because lots of kids already had earned their diploma's in their own time.<br />
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When our son was little the waiting list at the local pool was so long that we had to go to another one. This meant a half hour bike ride, either with our son on the back of the bicycle, or him biking himself with us pushing him along. We didn't have a car at that time.<br />
In my memory it was always wet on this particular bike ride, and the wind was always blowing against us.<br />
We were very very happy to stop the swimming lessons after the first diploma was received.<br />
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For our daughter, we did even better. After her swimming techniques became worse rather than better due to a teacher she didn't get along with, we simply stopped the lessons and let her swim without her diploma. She kept her head above water, that was the most important!<br />
Believe me though, many a dutch person would be shocked if we told them this was how we handled it!<br />
<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-87577291117037588542012-09-10T19:30:00.001+01:002012-09-10T19:30:55.964+01:00UrkI went to Urk with my brother today, to give him a bit of a last feel of Holland, before he heads off to Curacao.<br />
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-10352147090496037542012-09-01T20:44:00.002+01:002012-09-01T20:44:48.724+01:00Odds and ends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was a day filled with odds and ends:</div>
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Buying paint at a store with this view: </div>
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Buying honey with this view:</div>
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Market at the windmill with these views: </div>
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-18807188327085783762012-08-26T11:13:00.005+01:002012-08-26T11:13:47.410+01:00ChurchToday's journey will take me to the International Church in Amersfoort, about half an hours drive away from here.<br />
Usually we attend an evangelical church here in Nunspeet, but lately I've been feeling a longing for some english speaking company and a different perspective. We'll see how that pans out!<br />
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Nunspeet is in the middle of the Bible Belt here in Holland. Sundays you will find many large families on their way to church. Dressed in the appropriate manner, girls with skirts or dresses only, often times with hats on and often in shades of grey and black. People will bike as much as possible and adhere to the sunday being a rest day and a day of worship. If you happen by one of their churches it's amazing to see the amount of bicycles parked in front of it!<br />
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There is actually a pretty big choice of churches for such a relatively small area. From very strictly traditional to your more evangelical type. No megachurches though. Have to travel a little bit further for those! <br />
One small catholic church has managed to stay alive and we also harbor a small community of Ahmadi muslims. <br />
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It sounds eclectic, but in practice the older, more traditional churches are quite defining for the "mood" of the town. Practically all businesses are closed, one does not work in the garden, or do odd jobs around the house that would be noisy for the neighbors. You don't wash your car out in the street and don't hang your laundry outside. Definately no loud parties or gettogethers. This is all out of respect for those who do want to keep sunday as a day of rest.<br />
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I've just been rebellious and put in a second load of laundry (but won't hang it outside). I like the sense of peace that a sunday has here though. The world is a busy place enough without adding another day of business to it!<br />
<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-37666476955904100482012-08-18T20:19:00.003+01:002012-08-18T20:19:44.521+01:00The tourist route<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-73016408340027523212012-08-17T17:18:00.000+01:002012-08-17T17:18:11.444+01:00Swimming, two ways<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzvOK088rjew2adZaphoghmloFmf0TwvSKYkmtF4TOdixlvi289bzxOmKQT_ZhmimGr0JYf9bYPrqithxLkTxfQ40vOVOLU9ib87X2yNAUgG3K0daIfK_-467Z4Rzg36FVazWkYXfYFU/s1600/zomer+2012+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzvOK088rjew2adZaphoghmloFmf0TwvSKYkmtF4TOdixlvi289bzxOmKQT_ZhmimGr0JYf9bYPrqithxLkTxfQ40vOVOLU9ib87X2yNAUgG3K0daIfK_-467Z4Rzg36FVazWkYXfYFU/s320/zomer+2012+014.JPG" width="240" /></a>Summer seems to have arrived! Glory!!<br />
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Instead of the calm tranquility in <a href="http://365daysinnunspeet.blogspot.nl/2012/07/zandenplas.html">this post</a>, the lake was filled with laughing and playing children and with teens showing off, all the while holding their smartphones in their hands. At a certain point two girls on horseback came riding by, madly twittering as they went (or whatever it was they were doing).<br />
Hubby and I enjoyed a little lakeside break and I finally got to use my wonderful present, my <a href="http://365daysinnunspeet.blogspot.nl/2012/06/bicycle.html">bicycle</a> bag picknick set.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPvf9DxZcGX_AK8rwQWim-c8STd6_FuzOwo9kvhKv9Zmq78gKgxlAFvRJEwIy0n2Ow0VSfu2VY7R3VaJwluOHfeQpHofOnN5tRqB-aKCmDXAoDVPCbIYZDYGjoDwlpemPbnDe6SZgWWE/s1600/zomer+2012+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPvf9DxZcGX_AK8rwQWim-c8STd6_FuzOwo9kvhKv9Zmq78gKgxlAFvRJEwIy0n2Ow0VSfu2VY7R3VaJwluOHfeQpHofOnN5tRqB-aKCmDXAoDVPCbIYZDYGjoDwlpemPbnDe6SZgWWE/s320/zomer+2012+001.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Earlier this week I was at my sisters house. She has transformed her back yard into a swimming paradise for her young ones. Their slide construction is ingenious and has led to lots of fun, especially for her son. Even my son got in on the fun and jumped into the relatively cold pool. As for me? I voted to take pictures instead. <br />
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-50641404645626552212012-08-15T20:53:00.001+01:002012-08-15T20:53:03.221+01:00Reading<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QpILiCsrjdvBqCenw59ql3L109voZTAIAq_hSwdDRcIktEbvb4ndKQJkJfPgtSidq1j80WWvKbzl7hyphenhyphenLCW6dcDzc2EYnA7rSZhl4uiDXL20EpMBGYwILoKo219aj-52194wIGQh2SOk/s1600/protectedimage.php.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QpILiCsrjdvBqCenw59ql3L109voZTAIAq_hSwdDRcIktEbvb4ndKQJkJfPgtSidq1j80WWvKbzl7hyphenhyphenLCW6dcDzc2EYnA7rSZhl4uiDXL20EpMBGYwILoKo219aj-52194wIGQh2SOk/s320/protectedimage.php.jpg" width="320" /></a>I got an Asus Transformer Pad for my birthday this year which has led to me almost obsessively playing with it. I have around 40 books downloaded on to it, and further investigation shows that I can also use it as a laptop. Gone is my habit of getting up in the morning, fixing breakfast and reading blogs behind the computer. Now I just check my reader at intervals throughout the day (and facebook and twitter and my e-mail and so forth and so on...). I find myself scanning all the free e-books, to see what I want to download now. It makes me feel rich to have a library at my fingertips, all chosen by me!<br />
The library here in Nunspeet is nice, but is not known for its extensive collection of english books. I've been added to the waiting list for The Hunger Games, maybe I'll get to read that before the summer is over. For the rest the choice is minimal. I also do a nice trade with my secondhand book stall man, where I only have to pay 50 cents for every book I trade. Seeing as I still prefer reading in english over reading in dutch, this doesn't make for a huge book selection. <br />
My virtual bookshelf now has a delightful mix of old books like Pollyanna and Little Women, as well as Lynn Austin and Janette Oak, but I've also discovered David Simpson, Brian James Freeman and Peter F. Hamilton.<br />
Has anybody else noticed that a lot of the free books are the first of a series? I guess Kindle hopes to lure you in to buying the next book, and the next, and the next.<br />
Whatever the case may be, I think I may have to discipline myself a bit more so that I don't get too lost into the world of reading. <br />
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I am however, also wondering if there are other great free book suggestions from you. Any books you'd recommend? Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-40494013602728355862012-08-11T19:08:00.000+01:002012-08-11T19:08:09.048+01:00Distance<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfpz761PhiagPBIDsxcz7ER40ofFl-IQyFCDUCO7WEcU4ylA8jIX5Cpj0EuejWcS9P0P0Lh2lQnwl5AH6LYWgHq1EQjBrmIlqiiqb92oj2BrlY3_g4u4TKWuj9XVl8T3BN2xotXpORKk/s1600/IMG_0863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>It's very strange to note that a sense of time or a sense of distance is so dependent on where you're living. I know a lot of americans will think nothing of driving a couple of hours for a family visit, or even more than a couple of hours. Here it's not done. Or maybe I should say, it's not something that I do often.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9xstAGgrK0sF2F6yCLjTyZWPdgTXKD1cXWoylt3H_ZSLG_wReGHhiODw1StYVZBE3GEuAI24OkcTRJ1Qapja14PQU7lDa0OGr_usN5jrsWBX03wSFrCCVPErTIb5hfMQPdhBzAkTCKw/s1600/snelweg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9xstAGgrK0sF2F6yCLjTyZWPdgTXKD1cXWoylt3H_ZSLG_wReGHhiODw1StYVZBE3GEuAI24OkcTRJ1Qapja14PQU7lDa0OGr_usN5jrsWBX03wSFrCCVPErTIb5hfMQPdhBzAkTCKw/s320/snelweg3.jpg" width="320" /></a>This week was a bit of an exception. Not that I suddenly decided to drive to another country, but I did take the initiative to drive a little beyond what I usually do.<br />
Wednesday I went to the camping I mentioned in my last post, which was an hours drive (really, what are we talking about!!). Yesterday brought me to a pretty amazing sauna in Bleiswijk, close to Rotterdam. If I include picking up my friend at her home in Utrecht, it made the trip an astounding hour and a half. All of this left me feeling quite the worldly traveller. Pretty ridiculous, isn't it? <br />
I keep forgetting that Holland is so small, and that distance is so relative. I've been thinking about going to an international church in Amersfoort which is 36 minutes away, according to the travel planner. But the fact that I pass by approximately 3 towns before I get there makes it feel far away. And it really is three towns that I travel past, not three suburbs!<br />
The challenge for me is to keep remembering distance is relative and not to let kilometers get in the way of making good and fun plans. <br />
<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-50523016561828931772012-08-08T20:16:00.001+01:002012-08-08T20:16:22.234+01:00Camping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My husband and I have never really fallen for the charms of camping. We prefer a caravan or a bungalow when we go on holiday.<br />
Not so for many of the dutch.<br />
Today I visited a friend who was staying at a relatively big camping in Overijssel, a province in Holland just to the north of where we live. She and her kids were enjoying themselves thoroughly. Evidently they ended up on a field of campers who were very friendly and sociable. Which is a good thing, because there's very little privacy here! According to my friend, these were the luxury sites, with more space than usual. To my eyes, it still looks pretty crowded. So I'm happy for her that they are in good company and enjoying their stay!<br />
Husband and I often chose to stay at small farmer type campings when we went on holiday. With space for 10 to 15 tents/caravans, not many more. But even then I was very aware of how much noise I was making, and especially how much noise the kids would make. Our kids were awake almost every night for 8 years running, so this was a real concern. One time we even resorted to using sleeping pills for our youngest, but when he even woke up crying right through the pills we just gave up and accepted the noise.<br />
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Now I'm curious. Is it just me who thinks that this camping, and most in Holland are pretty cramped? Or is it a universal thing that when camping you end up very close to your neighbors?<br />
<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-35048430599798674002012-08-07T16:21:00.001+01:002012-08-07T16:21:23.240+01:00Space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is surprising to me, each and every time, how much a sense of space influences my mood.<br />
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I've just come back from France. It was my first time, definately not my last if it's up to me! I thought the fact that I spoke no french would bother me a lot, but actually it didn't. And how many french people do you know that come to Holland and speak the language?<br />
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I spent 10 days just soaking in the views. Of sunflower and wheat fields, of hills and rivers and valleys. It was so soothing to my eyes and mind.<br />
Coming back to flat small Holland has left me feeling a bit flat and small as well. <br />
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I grew up with views. Views of hills and eucalyptus trees and lakes and valleys. Being able to look out gives my soul a sense of space.<br />
And as lovely as Holland is (and it really is!), I miss space. It can be found if I go looking for it, so again I need to remind myself to go and look. To make the effort to sooth my eyes and mind.<br />
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I can't help but wish that it was just around the corner though ;-)<br />
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-70528949489771518632012-08-05T19:09:00.000+01:002012-08-05T19:09:21.323+01:00Deventer BoekenmarktA drive with my dad to Deventer took us to the Deventer Boekenmarkt.<br />
878 market stalls filled with books, attracting more than a hundred thousand visitors.<br />
Happily, we didn't see that many of them. The weather wasn't too good, so a lot of people decided not to show up. We didn't mind, as it gave us the opportunity to park close to the town and wander around at will.<br />
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We took a boat across the water to reach the center of the town. Deventer is a charming old city, so that added to the ambiance! <br />
My dad bought a book about John Wesley and a book about the history of Hoevelaken, which is where he now lives. I bought one of Rosamund Pilchers books, for which I apologize. I tend to like easy reads, and this one of them! <br />
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-87780752767523165372012-08-04T15:16:00.002+01:002012-08-04T15:16:39.554+01:00Meeting the dutch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today was "black saturday", one of the days when the great exodus of dutch to the south is at it's worst and the highways are clogged with cars, caravans and trailers.<br />
We just had our holiday in the Auvergne in France, a relatively unknown place. But it didn't matter where we went, we were sure to run into some dutch. We heard and spotted dutch everywhere we went. It's often said that the dutch are one of the most travelled people on earth. This trip confirmed it.<br />
But not only did we run into dutch, we ran into people that my husband knows, at a restaurant in the middle of Vichy. Who would have thought!<br />
This man happens to have played an important part in my husband setting up his own business. It was practically a meeting through divine intervention. Just that morning my husband had prayed that he would be able to encourage someone that day and this meeting was an answer to that prayer. My husband was able to tell this man about how some of the things he had talked about with Herman had been so important. At a certain point in the conversation the man pointed to his arm and said "goosebumps". He had chills all over.<br />
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So not only did we see many anonymous dutch, we even met familiar ones. Wonder who we'll run into next time we're gone!Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-27208982731117379052012-07-28T11:31:00.001+01:002012-07-28T11:31:05.694+01:00La Belle France<div><p>Holland is pretty well known for it's ordered dutch houses. Things are perfectly aligned and structured and neat and cozy. Maybe that's why many dutch chose to buy a second home in France. </p>
<p>We're in one of those homes now. Probably built somewhere in the 1800's out of huge rocks. Big thick walls, little windows. Surrounded by old sheds with cracked wooden doors. This house is still in progress of being rebuilt, and so retains all it's old time charm. Building regulations are much less strict here than in Holland, so there's more freedom to be creative. And because there's so much space, you can buy a bigger house with a lot of ground for a lot less than in Holland.</p>
<p>This all makes for a lovely change of scene. After the initial shock of seeing what seems to be a rather rundown house set in the middle of weeds, I'm now sitting outside in the shade with a view over trees and hills. Bees are buzzing, the wind is blowing, the heat is shimmering on the old driveway and crickers are chirping away in the knee high weeds.  </p>
<p>Like I just read in a magazine,   "Travel and change of pace impart new vigor to the mind"</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKABjXNJMVVyiteWnSwFQetbNNYM5jAXOQqQBrmtp27OGHmiSwjnMJJA0N7BRxsG0Q338AOb5Nzx5g3RNXC9KTBmgIG2NX0g59EhuusyY-y4ZgKEpopxXYAub5HFhIv9hnlnxz0de04U/' /></div>Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-92160411037986250062012-07-23T15:50:00.002+01:002012-07-23T16:34:44.245+01:00Summertime!<br />
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At last, at last, it seems that summer has come to Holland. We are treasuring every moment while it lasts.<br />
Today I had coffee and lunch at Strand Nulde with a friend. We blissfully looked out on the water, admiring the boats, chatting about our kids (who are friends), morals, vacations, getting older, social media and husbands.<br />
It was lovely!<br />
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Seeing as Holland is so small, every centimeter of the country is used for some purpose. So maybe 300 meters behind us the highway was roaring with busy people traveling to and fro. But for us it was just sunshine, breeze and good company.<br />
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-5756580138838775532012-07-22T19:28:00.001+01:002012-07-22T19:29:39.025+01:00ZandenplasYesterday hubby and I took a drive to what we call a lake and what others might call a pond. It's just a short bike ride from here, but we were feeling lazy and took the car.<br />
He has distinct memories of swimming in it as a child, and often of not swimming in it because it was so dirty. There was a couple hanging out in the evening sun with a fire lit, which is illegal. We passed by the corners where teens go to fool around, saw the beer bottles littering the beach, candy strewn across the sand.<br />
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But mostly my eye fell on this: <br />
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-91686897694649305292012-07-17T13:37:00.000+01:002012-07-17T13:37:33.625+01:00Reclaimed land<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_YTQdo20koRUWt8IePm4oJP7BmUykoyjo9eofFgCD6br3jsAqajpLD-K3Ydrmf9Div1pbDLr6nnFKSsuFYwKCoJkwl9-XBvAaLrw4UkjK4Cp7BhrNtF_C1_pnZ396k0p6zSoqokffGM/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_YTQdo20koRUWt8IePm4oJP7BmUykoyjo9eofFgCD6br3jsAqajpLD-K3Ydrmf9Div1pbDLr6nnFKSsuFYwKCoJkwl9-XBvAaLrw4UkjK4Cp7BhrNtF_C1_pnZ396k0p6zSoqokffGM/s320/003.JPG" width="320" /></a>One of my dear friends lives in Swifterbant, which is a small town in what we call the polder. 15 minutes from my house I cross over a bridge and find myself on the reclaimed ocean floor. A big stretch of land which once used to be sea and is now home to tulips, trees and big modern windmills.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhngMiIGWJAUyGjxh1q0egYHrx0l131JJR_nkdrhTHsm1eph4WfdBdXxIZ6SJbROn2_UpEhi7TS96bqF-HuvoAXtYuQuhFFfRKyfbZuvbC30dq3yllxos_MENbcwEhqc0NSjVm7Scy64/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhngMiIGWJAUyGjxh1q0egYHrx0l131JJR_nkdrhTHsm1eph4WfdBdXxIZ6SJbROn2_UpEhi7TS96bqF-HuvoAXtYuQuhFFfRKyfbZuvbC30dq3yllxos_MENbcwEhqc0NSjVm7Scy64/s320/009.JPG" width="320" /></a>I don't particularly like this area. Because it's relatively new the towns are very modern and the roads are laid in straight lines. None of the wandering lanes which pass by idyllic farms, just level roads where one is tempted to step on the gas and get a speeding ticket. And I don't like the big modern windmills. They look like ugly robots waving their arms at me. <br />
But there is one advantage... the whole area where she lives is surrounded by water. So just a 4 minute drive from her house leads you to views of timeless nature on one hand and modern technology on the other. Boats came sailing by, in all their divers forms. We saw cars waiting in line for the the bridge to close. (The bridge was part of a four lane highway) The wind blew, the dog chased the sticks, and we had a few moments of peace and relative quiet.<br />
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It goes to show that beauty can be found anywhere, if you look close enough!<br />
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<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-15886952523926489632012-07-09T20:10:00.002+01:002012-07-09T20:10:27.333+01:00Small town mentality<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is indeed a realistic view of the area where I live in. Just a few minutes bike ride away. Of course, I could also show a picture of the ugly factory which is located a few minutes bike ride away in the other direction. Like all countries, we have the good, the bad and the ugly here. I guess it's my choice what I focus on.<br />
This morning I spoke to someone at work about the fact that I've started blogging again. To me it's my way of broadening my horizon beyond the small town cuteness of Nunspeet. I never thought that moving within Holland would be such a culture shock. But it seems to be true that living in a small town also seems to lead to people living "smaller" lives. Less aware of the big wide world, and more focussed on each other and on little details. Knowing who ones parents are is much more important in small town than it is in big city. Or is that just a cultural dutch thing?<br />
One of the questions old timers ask here is "van wie ben je er eentje", or "who do you belong to". I even find myself doing that after a while! And it also seems that the dutch norm of "being normal is good enough" is stronger here than it is in a city. One must not make an effort to rise above the rest, or be very ambitious. You can see that in the level of education that children are offered. Mediocre is fine, there doesn't seem to be much room for those who can do better. Conversations can sometimes limit themselves to gossiping about the neighbors instead of stimulating ones brain with different view points.<br />
So blogging is a good outlet. I'm glad the internet is here, that I can read about other peoples opinions, and that I do have friends that stimulate my brain and make me realize the world is bigger than this cute little town.<br />
Ok, whine over!!<br />
<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-57553231266835282342012-07-08T14:15:00.001+01:002012-07-08T14:15:03.569+01:00PainkillersWho knew that even painkillers are culturally defined? <br />
I was chatting to my girl in India who found a great painkiller there. A mix of stuff that's not available here, and definitely not over the counter. Of course India is an exception to a lot of rules, with all kinds of medication being found on every street corner that definately would not be approved in other countries. When we were there my mom went looking for some simple med's to prevent diarrhea and was instead presented with a huge selection of antibiotics. I've even read that the resurgence of some bacteria can be traced back to India, because people use antibiotics until they feel better, don't finish the treatment and therefore increase bacterial resistance to antibiotics.<br />
But I'm way off topic. I'm feeling the need for an indian painkiller because the dutch stuff isn't working for me today. And I also am feeling the need for some melatonin, because my boy isn't sleeping well without it. And that can't be bought over the counter here either.Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-45768992971623008132012-07-05T16:58:00.000+01:002012-07-05T16:58:08.948+01:00Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love our garden.<br />
We live on the corner of a row of attached houses. I looked it up, and evidently this type of house is called a rowhouse/townhouse/or terraced house. Very few houses are free standing here, there's just not enough room!<br />
Being on the end of the row means we have an extra bit of lawn, making our garden pretty big by dutch standards. Often times the gardens of rowhouses are referred to as "postage stamps". I suppose that says enough!<br />
So we're lucky with our garden. It has enough room for a picknick table, a hammock, a corner with regular seating and even a teeny tiny little vegetable garden that we planted this year. I don't particularly like gardening, but I do like seeing colors, so the effort is made to keep the garden looking sweet and welcoming.<br />
Drop by for a visit, preferably when it's warm, so we can be outside and enjoy it!Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-9344534538552897182012-07-04T14:18:00.001+01:002012-07-04T14:18:15.462+01:00VacationAround this time one of the most asked questions is "where are you going for vacation?". School has almost ended and plans are being made.<br />
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My daughter is in India, having her own vacation adventures. Son much prefers to hang out in his room, with his computer and with his friends on skype or whatever game he's playing at that time. He can't be tempted to go with us vacation. He prefers the comfort and the familiarity of home. When we were talking about going somewhere we were faced with blank stares and rolling of eyes and firm statements about his not wanting to go with us anywhere in the near future! .<br />
So alternatives have been sought, with the biggest issue being what to do with the fifteen year old computer geek? He's not old enough to stay at home alone. He had convinced us that he will be able to stay with friends, something that he will probably be arranging on the spur of the moment, as he is wont to do.<br />
We will be heading of to France with friends. Lots of dutch folks head for France, evidently it's a beautiful country. I've always had a slight aversion to it, purely because of the language. I can't speak a word of French and when I try the reactions I evoke are either blank stares of incomprehension or hysterical laughter. My husband said he would get a good laugh out of my french this vacation, but I told him I would not make even one attempt to speak it, not matter how dire the situation. Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-20007697262684937102012-07-03T11:43:00.001+01:002012-07-03T11:43:19.478+01:00Sick LeaveThis is my third week of sick leave due to feeling pretty burnt-out. In the weeks before I had been working half days, but that didn't have the desired effect of relieving my exhaustion. <br />
As guilty as I often feel about being home without any severe physical symptoms, I'm also ever so grateful to the dutch system for making it possible for me to have a paid sick leave like this. Giving me the opportunity to recuperate, reevaluate, and start afresh in what I hope will not be all to long of a time. Because I am a civil servant, I also have the option of going to see a social worker or a psychologist to help me in this process.<br />
The health care system in Holland works for our family in so many ways. I have a husband with chronic illnesses, a son with a chronic illness, and my daughter has been sickly for a long time as well. I can't imagine what our finances would be like if we had to pay for all of the medicine and medical checkups that we use or go to each year. Sure, we make monthly payments to our health care provider, but that is nothing in comparison to the actual costs that are made.<br />
This is definitely one of the blessings of living here. Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-3486721247941611982012-07-02T19:29:00.001+01:002012-07-02T19:29:39.139+01:0050<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxB1k1mecIss10FdWm31XueY_8gsPBciTEjrQfTw721uBxIwKzfbW5V0UpjVBzWqFqFS_01GbRiiA4w5YDflaQxq8XbQITGH3sHcOkMz3kknk8VV38G-30lsLhTBcTgGnnAz8ekdpmVQA/s1600/sara+pop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxB1k1mecIss10FdWm31XueY_8gsPBciTEjrQfTw721uBxIwKzfbW5V0UpjVBzWqFqFS_01GbRiiA4w5YDflaQxq8XbQITGH3sHcOkMz3kknk8VV38G-30lsLhTBcTgGnnAz8ekdpmVQA/s320/sara+pop.jpg" width="240" /></a>Tomorrow a great friend of mine is turning 50. For some reason, which this post will make me research, it's a special occasion here in Holland. That's the fun of writing about dutch culture, I have to do some of my own research, and not just accept everything as it is!<br />
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So here's what my research turned up: <br />
When you turn 50 you're said to have seen either Sarah (as a woman) or Abraham (as a man). If you're lucky, and have creative friends, a huge doll is placed in your garden so that all may know you have reached that ripe old age. The more creative your friends, the more creative the doll. And if you're not creative, you can always rent one of these gigantic blow up dolls instead.<br />
Not being creative myself, I won't be making one of those dolls for my friend, and I won't park one of the blowup ones in her apartment either. Who knows what one of her other friends may do though!<br />
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This tradition actually stems from a bible verse. In John 8:57 it says the following:<br />
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<span class="text John-8-57" id="en-NIV-26439">“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”</span><br />
<span class="text John-8-57" id="en-NIV-26439">I suppose, with the rise of feminism, women chose to include Sarah in this ritual as well. </span><br />
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<span class="text John-8-57" id="en-NIV-26439">Another one of the dutch quirks. In a couple of years I may have friends crazy enough to put up one of these in my garden......</span></div>Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-83387882768493928442012-07-01T20:21:00.000+01:002012-07-01T20:21:27.781+01:00Soccer Madness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Seeing my two "men" (husband and son) slouched on the couch watching soccer on tv reminds me of the soccer madness that hit this country just a couple of weeks ago.<br />
When the dutch play, the world turns orange. Orange flags decorate the streets. All kinds of stores offer soccer gadgets (with orange often being the main color). When a game is played by the dutch soccer team people get together dressed in orange, often with ridiculous outfits like orange braids, orange wigs, orange pants or cutesy "dutch" outfits. Vuvuzela's are prepared to make some noise and bets are placed. Here's a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgOPtcDdRFI">youtube video</a> of a number of dutch soccer fans making life very hard for a reporter. <br />
Though I'm not a soccer fan in any way shape or form, I do get a kick out of this form of patriotism. I think it's funny and it makes me smile!<br />
<br />
But why orange? According to one site "Orange is the color of the Dutch Royal Family. The lineage of
the current dynasty -- the House of Oranje-Nassau -- dates back to
Willem van Oranje (William of Orange). But while the color orange has
royal roots in the Netherlands, today it symbolizes a broader pride in
the country and in being Dutch."<br />
And <a href="http://stuffdutchpeoplelike.com/2010/11/30/no-7-orange/">this site</a> has devoted an entire blog post to explaining why the dutch like orange, so I won't bother to repeat! <br />
<br />Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-10071457978792618912012-06-30T20:05:00.000+01:002012-06-30T20:05:13.166+01:00Saying GoodbyesI posted this question on my <a href="http://www.rva.org/">boarding school</a> facebook group and it has elicited a lot of discussion.<br />
I'm curious to hear your opinions, so I'm reposting the question here. I would love to read your reactions in the comments!<br />
<br />
<div class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<i><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">I
just waved goodbye to my daughter, who is going to India for two
months. The reactions from those around me who aren't MK's or TCK's are
all about wishing me good luck, and wondering won't I miss her a lot,
and aren't you worried, wishing me strength for the time she's gone.
However much I appreciate the good wishes, they don't resonate with me. I
think it's because I'm still so used to saying goodbyes, and being in
touch with people in other countries, that I don't have that big of a
sense of loss. I know she's going somewhere safe, that she's in good
company, that she's doing something she likes and that she's confident
and capable. So, my question is, have I become hard hearted because of
growing up as an MK, or do you guys share the same feeling? (or am i
just not that sentimental?)</span></i></div>Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8188651082987909390.post-81449978412479835842012-06-29T17:16:00.001+01:002012-06-29T17:16:53.738+01:00Greeting peopleGreeting people in Holland still makes me uncomfortable after more than 20 years. I know the norm is to hold out my hand, give a firm handshake and state my first and last name clearly. But I'm more of a "Hi, I'm here and wave in the air to all the strangers" kind of person. Very often I find myself walking into a meeting and forgetting to shake everyones hand. Or meeting someone new and forgetting to introduce myself.<br />
<br />
The same thing happened yesterday. I went to pick up a number of my girls friends from the train station. I said Hi (I think) and told them I would give them a drive to our house. What followed was a very quiet drive. And then got to thinking. I think the silence came from me not following the norm. What I should have done is shaken their hands, said my name, and introduced them to the others that were driving along. Then the ice would have been broken and chatter might have ensued. <br />
<br />
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All during the afternoon and evening I watched how people greeted or didn't greet each other. Some friends came in and immediately introduced themselves. Others came in and gave me the obligatory three kisses that you give if you know people just a little bit longer. (I accepted them with good grace but felt just a tad uncomfortable). Some ignored me entirely which also didn't seem appropriate. And one or two got and gave a big hug, but those are the ones I know very well. <br />
<br />
If I had been a good hostess, dutch style, I probably should have walked up to every person and introduced myself. But like I said, greeting people in Holland still makes me feel uncomfortable! It feels so formal and distant and so not like I want to be. But yesterday I also realized that me not following the norm may have led others to feel uncomfortable as well.<br />
<br />
I suppose I need to resign myself to this dutch norm. That way it will only be me feeling uncomfortable. And who knows, maybe dutch formality will grow on me!Marithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00083577804369908856noreply@blogger.com2