In Holland

Well, I am glad to say that I made it safe to Holland, and all of my luggage did too. The trip was a little more arduous than expected, it, among other things, involved a 1am phone call about a cancelled flight, being put on a standby list, and then barely making it to Newark on time. But, although I am tired beyond belief, and the internet connection is shady to say the least, I am here. I got to hug my parents and brother, and for the first time in probably two years see my mom on mother’s day. It’s been a very special day so far.

It’s funny; whenever I go back to Holland, it’s always the little things that I notice most. The fact that the lanes on the highway are so very narrow, the color of the traffic signs, and, yes, the way people dress. There seem to be a lot of men in Capri pants, and brightly colored shirts, all things which the majority of my American male friends absolutely refuse to wear. Today I also inadvertently pointed at the first yellow tag I saw, and started to exclaim that, oh my goodness, that is a Dutch car!, until I realized I was actually in the Netherlands. I also got to ride an old-style “oma” bicycle again, and almost crashed twice. Once trying to cross our gravel-covered driveway, and once while trying to use non-existant handbrakes. Dutch drivers also don’t slow down when they pass you, which was daunting to say the least. Speaking Dutch has been a challenge as well (what do you mean, you can’t say “wat is die auto doen hier?”), but all in all, it’s been great, and I’ve gotten to laugh at myself and my sudden inability to blend in a lot.

I will write more tomorrow, I need to go and spend some much-needed quality time with my family now.

To all mothers out there: happy mother’s day!