Hey All!
This week I get to go sailing. And I just found out that I get to go to Paris in October!
I will post picutes of sailing week next weekend.
Oh! And if Ms. Goepen is reading this...Congratulations!
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Differences
Hello,
Schools going great, theres nothing really to tell. So i decided to tell you guys about all the differences I've noticed between here and Holland.
1. The gas prices, cars and roads. The first leading to the second and the second leading to the third. Here, they have insanely high gas prices, very small cars and very thin roads. People in Canada complain about the gas prices but they're nothing compared to here! The high gas prices force people to drive smaller cars, I havn't seen a truck since I've been here, and the largest car I've seen has been a very small mini-van. And of course the small cars lead to the thinner roads, which at first scared me alot. We'd be driving down the road, and it would look like we were going to crash into the oncoming traffic.
2. The sheep. There are sheep here like there are cows in Alberta, they're everywhere, including towns. I'll be biking to school through Delden (on my way to Hengelo) and suddenly there will be sheep sitting in someones back yard, and I think "Oh Crap, I went to far and I miss the turn, and I'm back in the country." but really, I'm still in the city, people are just farming sheep in their back yards.
3. The food. They eat a lot of bread here. They eat it for breakfast, and lunch, and for a snack between lunch and supper, and sometimes as a snack before bed. Lots and lots and lots of bread, but it's all good. Everything I've eaten here has been really good. Though I've only eaten a couple of typical Dutch foods. I had Stamppot which is mashed potatos with cabbage and lettus and some type of crunchy meat in it, that was good. And Hagelslag, which I talked about perviously. And Oliebollen, which is deepfried pastry with powdered sugar on it. And then, there are the Stroopwaffels, which I believe is the single greatest thing that happened to the world, better than sliced bread. Stroopwaffels are two thin waffer waffle like cookies stuck together with some syrupie stuff....so good.
4. The architecture. The buildings all old style, no matter when they were built.
5. The bikes. Every one bikes.
6. The schooling. There are three different levels, VWO (me), HAVO and VMBO. At grade 6, everyone takes a test and they are put into one of these levels, where they will take 6 more years of schooling. In grade 7,8,9 every student has to take the same courses, and then in grade 10, you choose a stream. Either cultural, economic, biological science or technical science, depending on what field of work you want to go into. Also, at my school, they don't have a set lunch time, just 20 minute breaks every two periods.
Thats all I can think of for now.
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
Schools going great, theres nothing really to tell. So i decided to tell you guys about all the differences I've noticed between here and Holland.
1. The gas prices, cars and roads. The first leading to the second and the second leading to the third. Here, they have insanely high gas prices, very small cars and very thin roads. People in Canada complain about the gas prices but they're nothing compared to here! The high gas prices force people to drive smaller cars, I havn't seen a truck since I've been here, and the largest car I've seen has been a very small mini-van. And of course the small cars lead to the thinner roads, which at first scared me alot. We'd be driving down the road, and it would look like we were going to crash into the oncoming traffic.
2. The sheep. There are sheep here like there are cows in Alberta, they're everywhere, including towns. I'll be biking to school through Delden (on my way to Hengelo) and suddenly there will be sheep sitting in someones back yard, and I think "Oh Crap, I went to far and I miss the turn, and I'm back in the country." but really, I'm still in the city, people are just farming sheep in their back yards.
3. The food. They eat a lot of bread here. They eat it for breakfast, and lunch, and for a snack between lunch and supper, and sometimes as a snack before bed. Lots and lots and lots of bread, but it's all good. Everything I've eaten here has been really good. Though I've only eaten a couple of typical Dutch foods. I had Stamppot which is mashed potatos with cabbage and lettus and some type of crunchy meat in it, that was good. And Hagelslag, which I talked about perviously. And Oliebollen, which is deepfried pastry with powdered sugar on it. And then, there are the Stroopwaffels, which I believe is the single greatest thing that happened to the world, better than sliced bread. Stroopwaffels are two thin waffer waffle like cookies stuck together with some syrupie stuff....so good.
4. The architecture. The buildings all old style, no matter when they were built.
5. The bikes. Every one bikes.
6. The schooling. There are three different levels, VWO (me), HAVO and VMBO. At grade 6, everyone takes a test and they are put into one of these levels, where they will take 6 more years of schooling. In grade 7,8,9 every student has to take the same courses, and then in grade 10, you choose a stream. Either cultural, economic, biological science or technical science, depending on what field of work you want to go into. Also, at my school, they don't have a set lunch time, just 20 minute breaks every two periods.
Thats all I can think of for now.
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Pictures!
<-- My Room
<-- Inbounds in front of the castle in Gemert at DOC
<-- The 5 Canadians (It's suppose to be a Maple Leaf)
<-- Traditional Dutch Food. The blue box is Hagelslag which is chocolate sprinkels you put on bread for breakfast...so good. And in the jar is Pindakaas (peanut butter), which isn't really typical, I just think its funny that it translates literally into peanut cheese.
<-- The sign we wrote Harm
<-- The Bat
<-- The Bikes at My school....That isn't even all of them, I couldn't fit it all in a picture.
Monday, August 18, 2008
School!
Hello All,
So school starts tomorrow, I'm very excited. I really like the Dutch school system. Everyone gets to pick a stream of learning that perpares them for the type of work they want to go into. Meaning, I get to take simplified math and no science!
My schedule for the year is
Monday
1 - Lichamelijke Opvoeding (Gym)
2 - Lichamelijke Opvoeding (Gym)
3 - Economie (Economics)
4 - Spare
5 - pluz (I have no idea)
6 - Mattschappijleer (History)
7 - Music and German Liturature...I don't know why together...
8 - Music and German Liturature
Tuesday
1 - Spare
2 - Levensbeschouwing (Religion)
3 - Maatschappijwetenenschappen (Social)
4 - Economie (Economics)
5 - Beeldende Vormgeving (Art I Think)
6 - Spare
7 - Frans (French)
8 - Spare
Wednesday
1 - Spare
2 - Engels (english)
3 - Maatschappijleer (History)
4 - Spare
5 - Spare
6 - Spare
7 - Maatschappijwetenschappen (Social)
8 - Spare
Thursday
1 - Levensbeschouwing (Religion)
2 - Nederlands (Dutch)
3 - Pluz (??)
4 - Spare
5 - Spare
6 - Wiskunde (Math)
7 - Maw (??)
8 - Beeldende Vormgeving (Art)
Friday
1 - Spare
2 - Nederlands (Dutch)
3 - Frans (French)
4 - Wiskunde (Math)
5 - Spare
6 - Maw (??)
7 - Engels (English)
8 - Spare
Today when I went to get my schedule, we had an orientation thing with it. So I was with my class and one of the teachers was talking in Dutch and I sitting in the back corner trying to keep up when all of a sudden I here my name and he points at me, and every turns around and stares at me for a good 30 seconds. It was funny.
I also met a couple of people that go to my school, everyone seems very nice. And the school is beautiful.
Also, the first week in September all of my grade gets to go up to the North of Holland for a week long sailing camp. And in october I might have the opportunity to go to Paris to see all of the art museums.
Thats it.
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
So school starts tomorrow, I'm very excited. I really like the Dutch school system. Everyone gets to pick a stream of learning that perpares them for the type of work they want to go into. Meaning, I get to take simplified math and no science!
My schedule for the year is
Monday
1 - Lichamelijke Opvoeding (Gym)
2 - Lichamelijke Opvoeding (Gym)
3 - Economie (Economics)
4 - Spare
5 - pluz (I have no idea)
6 - Mattschappijleer (History)
7 - Music and German Liturature...I don't know why together...
8 - Music and German Liturature
Tuesday
1 - Spare
2 - Levensbeschouwing (Religion)
3 - Maatschappijwetenenschappen (Social)
4 - Economie (Economics)
5 - Beeldende Vormgeving (Art I Think)
6 - Spare
7 - Frans (French)
8 - Spare
Wednesday
1 - Spare
2 - Engels (english)
3 - Maatschappijleer (History)
4 - Spare
5 - Spare
6 - Spare
7 - Maatschappijwetenschappen (Social)
8 - Spare
Thursday
1 - Levensbeschouwing (Religion)
2 - Nederlands (Dutch)
3 - Pluz (??)
4 - Spare
5 - Spare
6 - Wiskunde (Math)
7 - Maw (??)
8 - Beeldende Vormgeving (Art)
Friday
1 - Spare
2 - Nederlands (Dutch)
3 - Frans (French)
4 - Wiskunde (Math)
5 - Spare
6 - Maw (??)
7 - Engels (English)
8 - Spare
Today when I went to get my schedule, we had an orientation thing with it. So I was with my class and one of the teachers was talking in Dutch and I sitting in the back corner trying to keep up when all of a sudden I here my name and he points at me, and every turns around and stares at me for a good 30 seconds. It was funny.
I also met a couple of people that go to my school, everyone seems very nice. And the school is beautiful.
Also, the first week in September all of my grade gets to go up to the North of Holland for a week long sailing camp. And in october I might have the opportunity to go to Paris to see all of the art museums.
Thats it.
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Back!
Hello All,
I am back from DOC and life in Bentelo is good. Tomorrow I go to my school to pick up my scheldule and meet with my counsler and vice-princepal, then on tuesday school starts! Everything is great here.
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
I am back from DOC and life in Bentelo is good. Tomorrow I go to my school to pick up my scheldule and meet with my counsler and vice-princepal, then on tuesday school starts! Everything is great here.
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Just an update...
Hey Everyone!
I am still here at DOC and everything is going great! Dutch is going pretty good and everyone is really nice.
Not much has happened since I last wrote.
Yesterday we (all the inbounds) went to a Rotary meeting in Gemert, and it was very different than the ones in Medicine Hat. Everyone had to get up and introduce themselves to the club (Hallo, mijn naam is Jayden Lloyd, Ik kom uit Canada. Ik woon in Hengelo.). After that we danced and talked and socialized and stuff.
Three days ago, Sara and I were watching Miss Congeniality 2 while Harm was visiting a client. In the middle of the movie, a bat flew into the room, made a couple circles, and flew out into the hallway. We didn't know what to do, so we just shut the door so it wouldn't come back in. After the movie we walk out of the room to see if the bat was still there. It had progressed into the bathroom. So, not knowing what to do, we trapped the bat into the bathroom and wrote a note on Harms chalkboard that there was a bat in the 2nd floor bathroom, in case we fell asleep before he got home.
After about half an hour, we realized that that was probably not the most curtious thing to do, so I phoned him. Explaining to my host father that there is a bat in his washroom (wc in dutch) is something I was expected doing this week, but he just laughed at us. So he came home and got the bat out.
As I'm writing this, i realized that it doesn't sound as funny as it actually was, but let me assure you, it was absolutly hilarious....
I think thats about it.
I'm still loving Holland.
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
I am still here at DOC and everything is going great! Dutch is going pretty good and everyone is really nice.
Not much has happened since I last wrote.
Yesterday we (all the inbounds) went to a Rotary meeting in Gemert, and it was very different than the ones in Medicine Hat. Everyone had to get up and introduce themselves to the club (Hallo, mijn naam is Jayden Lloyd, Ik kom uit Canada. Ik woon in Hengelo.). After that we danced and talked and socialized and stuff.
Three days ago, Sara and I were watching Miss Congeniality 2 while Harm was visiting a client. In the middle of the movie, a bat flew into the room, made a couple circles, and flew out into the hallway. We didn't know what to do, so we just shut the door so it wouldn't come back in. After the movie we walk out of the room to see if the bat was still there. It had progressed into the bathroom. So, not knowing what to do, we trapped the bat into the bathroom and wrote a note on Harms chalkboard that there was a bat in the 2nd floor bathroom, in case we fell asleep before he got home.
After about half an hour, we realized that that was probably not the most curtious thing to do, so I phoned him. Explaining to my host father that there is a bat in his washroom (wc in dutch) is something I was expected doing this week, but he just laughed at us. So he came home and got the bat out.
As I'm writing this, i realized that it doesn't sound as funny as it actually was, but let me assure you, it was absolutly hilarious....
I think thats about it.
I'm still loving Holland.
Doei!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
DOC!
Hallo,
I am currently in Gemert, Holland, which is about 2 hours away from Bentelo (where I'm staying). Which is kind of crazy because its all the way across the country. The distances between places is strange here. It takes all of like 4 hour to drive across the entire country, which is insane, in Canada you can't get anywhere in 4 hours!
So I'm in Gemert now for DOC (dutch orientation camp), to learn Dutch and experience Dutch culture and stuff. And its really cool, I'm living with a Rotarian for a week, his names Harm, and hes really cool, he's an Architect. And I'm also living with a girl named Sara, who is another inbound from Washington.
Today we started DOC, we didn't have any language class, but we went and saw a castle and a farming museum, and got to know our fellow inbounds. At DOC there is 5 Canadians, 5 Americans, 5 Mexicans, 2 Argentineans, 1 girl from Venezuela, 1 girl from Thailand and 1 girl from Japan.
On another note, the weather in Holland is so much different! It's humid here, like you never really dry off. And it has rained off and on for the entire time I've been here! But I like it, everything here is sooo green!
And on another hand entirely(I know I'm jumping around a bunch, there is so much to tell), everyone bikes here. I know that you all know that Holland is like the bike capital of the world, but I always thought people were exaggerating a little when they said that. But no, there are bikes EVERYWHERE! And the bikes are all built for tall people(everyone in the Netherlands is tall), so starting and stopping is not very much fun, I can only touch the ground on my very tippy-toes, so starting I always wobble because I cannot push myself to start going and stopping I cant touch the ground to stable myself when I stop moving, Harm laughs at me a lot.
Ohh! and I almost forgot, my host family got me a clock! and...it ticks! very loudly. The funny thing is, I can't sleep with it! I thought that was funny.
Doei! (informal goodbye, Tot Zeins is very formal)
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
p.p.s There aren't any pictures yet, which is kind of sad, because it is a beautiful place. However I forgot my camera install disk at home, so I am emailing my parents right now to see if they can mail it to me! so pictures coming soon!
I am currently in Gemert, Holland, which is about 2 hours away from Bentelo (where I'm staying). Which is kind of crazy because its all the way across the country. The distances between places is strange here. It takes all of like 4 hour to drive across the entire country, which is insane, in Canada you can't get anywhere in 4 hours!
So I'm in Gemert now for DOC (dutch orientation camp), to learn Dutch and experience Dutch culture and stuff. And its really cool, I'm living with a Rotarian for a week, his names Harm, and hes really cool, he's an Architect. And I'm also living with a girl named Sara, who is another inbound from Washington.
Today we started DOC, we didn't have any language class, but we went and saw a castle and a farming museum, and got to know our fellow inbounds. At DOC there is 5 Canadians, 5 Americans, 5 Mexicans, 2 Argentineans, 1 girl from Venezuela, 1 girl from Thailand and 1 girl from Japan.
On another note, the weather in Holland is so much different! It's humid here, like you never really dry off. And it has rained off and on for the entire time I've been here! But I like it, everything here is sooo green!
And on another hand entirely(I know I'm jumping around a bunch, there is so much to tell), everyone bikes here. I know that you all know that Holland is like the bike capital of the world, but I always thought people were exaggerating a little when they said that. But no, there are bikes EVERYWHERE! And the bikes are all built for tall people(everyone in the Netherlands is tall), so starting and stopping is not very much fun, I can only touch the ground on my very tippy-toes, so starting I always wobble because I cannot push myself to start going and stopping I cant touch the ground to stable myself when I stop moving, Harm laughs at me a lot.
Ohh! and I almost forgot, my host family got me a clock! and...it ticks! very loudly. The funny thing is, I can't sleep with it! I thought that was funny.
Doei! (informal goodbye, Tot Zeins is very formal)
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
p.p.s There aren't any pictures yet, which is kind of sad, because it is a beautiful place. However I forgot my camera install disk at home, so I am emailing my parents right now to see if they can mail it to me! so pictures coming soon!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Made it!
Hello!
I am here in the Netherlands! The flight was very long but i made it. I cannot believe I have already been here for a full day...it feels like much more.
Today we went into Borne and got my bank account set up, got me a bike and a phone. I also got a tour of the Winery (which is very cool) and finished my dreamcatchers with Emy.
I love Holland, the buildings are really cool, and the people are very nice. I really like my host family, and the kids are great. Mart (my 10 year old host brother) is just like Josh.
Tomorrow I am going to my Dutch Camp, so you might not hear from me for a while (depending if I have internet access or not).
Tot Ziens!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
I am here in the Netherlands! The flight was very long but i made it. I cannot believe I have already been here for a full day...it feels like much more.
Today we went into Borne and got my bank account set up, got me a bike and a phone. I also got a tour of the Winery (which is very cool) and finished my dreamcatchers with Emy.
I love Holland, the buildings are really cool, and the people are very nice. I really like my host family, and the kids are great. Mart (my 10 year old host brother) is just like Josh.
Tomorrow I am going to my Dutch Camp, so you might not hear from me for a while (depending if I have internet access or not).
Tot Ziens!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Almost There!
Hello Everyone!
So I have 3 days until I leave for Holland, and I could not be more excited!
Before I leave, I have many people to thank for making this journey possible.
First of all I would like to thank both my Sponsor and Host Rotary Club for making this exchange possible. My Host Families for bring me into their home, and everyone else that makes this exchange happen. Finally, I would like to thank all my family and friends for being so supportive in the past year preparing for my exchange, and for the year to come. I will miss you all so much.
Tot Ziens!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
So I have 3 days until I leave for Holland, and I could not be more excited!
Before I leave, I have many people to thank for making this journey possible.
First of all I would like to thank both my Sponsor and Host Rotary Club for making this exchange possible. My Host Families for bring me into their home, and everyone else that makes this exchange happen. Finally, I would like to thank all my family and friends for being so supportive in the past year preparing for my exchange, and for the year to come. I will miss you all so much.
Tot Ziens!
Jayden
p.s. remember! i love comments, so if you have something to say, or just to say hi, let me know your reading and post it!
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