"He spoke to her in English and she replied back in Dutch.  It was amazing to observe fluent bilingual conversations and it was life changing to discover how common they were in this foreign country.  For spring break 2015, I did a short-term study abroad trip with International Business and Psychology students to the Netherlands.  We visited various cities such as Utrecht, Amsterdam and The Hague.  To sum up my entire trip all I can say is “Wow!”  I am so grateful to have been able to take the opportunity to visit a foreign world.  Throughout my entire trip, I fell more in love with the city and all of its characteristics.  I met so many people with beautiful souls, ate some delicious foods, and observed beautiful landscaping and so on.  Coming from a student of Dutch descent, my perspective on the Netherlands was very stereotypical before the trip.  My thoughts of the country were simply: Gouda cheese, french fries with mayonnaise, tulips, windmills, wooden shoes, Stroopwafel cookies, speed skating, soccer, and last but not least, the color, Orange.  Although these are many of the characteristics that define the country, I learned so much more.  For one, the country is the most bike friendly country in the world.  Biking is one of the main sources of transportation in addition to walking, buses/trolleys and trains.  The majority of bike accidents are caused by tourists and newcomers.  I lost count of how many times I almost got trampled by a bike or even surprisingly… a bobsled.  Transportation is also very rapid.  For example, busses drive so fast they trample curves while bikers and pedestrians cut each other off as well as busses/trolleys and cars that are coming straight towards them.  One of the most absurd things that I witnessed was a pedestrian crossing the road about 3 feet in front of a bus stop with a bus traveling about 15 mph coming straight towards him and then immediately stopping exactly at the bus stop.  In the States, that instance would have looked like a suicide mission.  Biking and walking isn’t a struggle because the country is overall very flat.  About half of the country is 1 meter above sea level.  In fact, the term “Netherlands” means “Low Country” in Dutch.  For a low country, I met some incredibly tall people.  The Netherlands is home to the tallest people in the world.  Instead of kisses on the cheek, a friendly gesture in many European countries, I received kisses on the forehead due to my short height.  Although they were tall, they were not intimating to talk to.  People always seemed busy trying to reach their destination as in New York City, but stopping them to ask a question was never a crude interruption.  In return for a simple question such as “What direction is the Centrum in?” I received a complex conversation and a strong friendship.  I made many lifelong friendships this way with not only the Dutch, but surprisingly people from other European countries just passing through or living there short term.  The Netherlands is now a home away from home for me.  Seeing pictures, reading books about, or even watching movies filmed in a location is one thing, but experiencing it is another.  I advise anyone considering doing a study-abroad, either short term or long term, to do it.  It’s an experience that can only benefit you.  In the words of Henry Miller, “One’s destination is never a place but, a new way of seeing things.”  Stepping out of one’s comfort zone exposes one to new perspectives and new ways of thinking."

 

-Kimberly Hoogenboom

State of the Valley Newspaper