It’s been a while hasn’t it? I told you guys I’d be going on vacation! It’s been a a little over a month since then but I needed time to recover because I ended up with Ms. Rona… I’m doing better now and I’m prepared to share about our trip to the Asten Castle in Asten, Netherlands. Visiting the Asten Castle was one of the few things I got to do before I got sick. It was a beautiful and…
Whew, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve written anything! We have first vaccines next week so I hope that life will go back to “normal” soon enough. We’ve had to enjoy the outside from our balcony and dream of going out again… I don’t have much to write about so I took the time for a break to recharge my batteries. And it’s been amazing. I’ve had lots of time to read, kick back and watch some shows I’ve…
There’s a single day each year where the Dutch go crazy with patriotism. They throw huge parties, dress in neon orange, and shop at stores with holiday discounts. That day is King’s Day and it’s the birthday of the current King, Willem-Alexander. For one day, the entire country celebrates as one entity and it’s quite impressive to see. But as you can imagine, people must to stay indoors. No more wild parties and street vendors. A city also would host…
Dutch words are hard to read and even harder to say. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a beautiful language. Dutch has its quirks and charms, and even those words that make you want to gag. I was disappointed when I first learned that duck was “eend.” However, if you add a -je to the end of it, eendje sounds so much cuter and is a ton more fun to say. I use -je for as much as I can.…
The Dutch enjoy the holiday season a lot and festivities begin early! We even saw Christmas treats in our supermarket in October! Sometimes it feels like Christmas season starts earlier each year but the traditions always stay the same. So how do the Dutch celebrate Christmas? Christmas Markets I’ve written about Christmas Markets before but it’s such a huge part of Christmas in The Netherlands. Christmas decorations hang from every store front in America. Outdoor house decorations get larger and…
Ah yes. The Dutch celebrate Christmas in a huge way. And nothing screams Christmas more than a Christmas Market. We’ve been to Christmas Markets before but this was our first time in Beeckestijn. This year’s location was something unique. Beeckestijn was an outdoor square in the 15th and 16th centuries. Later it expanded into a garden area as well. It’s currently listed as a Dutch monument. It’s also the place where Sander’s parents were wed! How wonderful is that? The…
The Dutch ONA is, in theory, simple. It’s the Orientation on the Dutch Labor Market. Meaning you understand how the Dutch job system works. You can also apply for a job, understand what schooling would is important and how to be a competent worker. Easy right? Especially for someone who had held a job. Ah well.. If only it was that simple. I was nervous about it so I bought the workbook to help me. I understand that they want…
The Rijksmuseum is one of the most popular museums in The Netherlands. It was established in 1885 and is host to many famous paintings including The Night Watch by Rembrandt. Most of these pieces I’ve only seen in my textbooks. Finally getting to see them in person was a surreal experience. I’m an art major, Graphic Design so art is very important to me. Art is apart of our culture. Long before we could take photographs, we painted. They were a way of…