A Windmill, a Pancake, White Cows, College Tours, a Gourmet Dinner, & Goodbyes
Sunday, May 24
The plan for Sunday was to drive around the area so that I could see a windmill and the Netherlands countryside.
And see a windmill I did!
This windmill is only about 15 minutes from Joyce's town.
I saw a bit of the countryside outside of Hilversum and Utrecht and it was so lovely. Mini horses, sheep, and cattle grazing in the green pastures. There are even proper bike paths in the country to get between towns. I wish we had that!
We drove through some cute towns where the houses all have little canals in front of them and on the sides. The landscaping is beautiful and the houses are charming. I feel like every house I've seen here belongs in Better Homes & Gardens or on HGTV. One house even had a peacock hanging out in the front yard! What!
We spotted a restaurant on a lake that offered pannekoeke, which is a mix between a pancake and a crepe. We each got an apple one and I couldn't eat all of mine, but it was delicious! (I added syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream to mine--a little excessive, but that's me and dessert!)
Monday, May 25
Monday was Whitsun or I guess the religious holiday Pentecost, so mostly everything was closed. Joyce and I went on a long walk around Hilversum. We walked in town, but then came to a forrest area that Joyce called the meadow, but she kept saying "meedow" and it was cute. It's a huge, wide open area where white cattle graze and it has a ton of walking paths. I would venture to say that the area was a couple of miles wide? Very large.
It seemed like everyone had a dog with them and that made me happy because I love watching dogs because they are so cute, especially because they love being free outside. It made me want one.
Tuesday, May 26
Yesterday I went to Joyce's college with her. I helped her level 2 students with their English by answering their questions about America. People have been guessing that I am 25 years old or younger, so that's a good thing. While Joyce was in class, I walked to the mall nearby. I realized that I am shy in a country that speaks Dutch when I am all alone!
Later on in the afternoon, we met up with the other American visitors at the Tech and Bouw & Interieur (Building and Interior) Colleges for a tour. Here they do a number of programs: mechatronics, electronics, concrete, flooring, furniture making, upholstery, painting, woodworking, welding... basically anything inside or outside of buildings. We saw students using state-of-the-art equipment. The facilities at these colleges are really very good.
Next we traveled to the Horeca & Travel (Hospitality & Travel) College, which was just a few blocks away. The students that graduate from these programs will be cooks, facilities managers, and hospitality experts. We had a tour of the college and then a presentation on the ROC Academy, which is basically their faculty professional development program. We had dinner at this college last night and it was a gourmet meal! The food was prepared by students, served by students, and the manager on duty was a student. We had an awesome salad with tuna (which I would like to make for lunch every day at work; I think I might try it!) and breaded salmon with fettuccine pasta and white asparagus (the asparagus is white here because it grows indoors). Dessert was a bunch of little mini-desserts (a cream puff, ice cream, a pudding pie, raspberry sorbet). Good wine, good company.
Wednesday, May 27
Today we visited government officials, which means we visited the people who keep truant students on track. Since I don't think we have such a thing in America, this was interesting. I definitely learned a lot about their system and processes. We also stopped at Joyce's college one last time... for goodbyes. I can't believe that's the last time I'll be at ROC Midden Nederland Business & Administration College!
Tomorrow is the last "work day." I can't believe how quickly the time has passed, but I'm lucky to have a third weekend with Joyce, getting the full Dutch experience!
The plan for Sunday was to drive around the area so that I could see a windmill and the Netherlands countryside.
And see a windmill I did!
This windmill is only about 15 minutes from Joyce's town.
I saw a bit of the countryside outside of Hilversum and Utrecht and it was so lovely. Mini horses, sheep, and cattle grazing in the green pastures. There are even proper bike paths in the country to get between towns. I wish we had that!
We drove through some cute towns where the houses all have little canals in front of them and on the sides. The landscaping is beautiful and the houses are charming. I feel like every house I've seen here belongs in Better Homes & Gardens or on HGTV. One house even had a peacock hanging out in the front yard! What!
We spotted a restaurant on a lake that offered pannekoeke, which is a mix between a pancake and a crepe. We each got an apple one and I couldn't eat all of mine, but it was delicious! (I added syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream to mine--a little excessive, but that's me and dessert!)
Monday, May 25
Monday was Whitsun or I guess the religious holiday Pentecost, so mostly everything was closed. Joyce and I went on a long walk around Hilversum. We walked in town, but then came to a forrest area that Joyce called the meadow, but she kept saying "meedow" and it was cute. It's a huge, wide open area where white cattle graze and it has a ton of walking paths. I would venture to say that the area was a couple of miles wide? Very large.
It seemed like everyone had a dog with them and that made me happy because I love watching dogs because they are so cute, especially because they love being free outside. It made me want one.
Tuesday, May 26
Yesterday I went to Joyce's college with her. I helped her level 2 students with their English by answering their questions about America. People have been guessing that I am 25 years old or younger, so that's a good thing. While Joyce was in class, I walked to the mall nearby. I realized that I am shy in a country that speaks Dutch when I am all alone!
Later on in the afternoon, we met up with the other American visitors at the Tech and Bouw & Interieur (Building and Interior) Colleges for a tour. Here they do a number of programs: mechatronics, electronics, concrete, flooring, furniture making, upholstery, painting, woodworking, welding... basically anything inside or outside of buildings. We saw students using state-of-the-art equipment. The facilities at these colleges are really very good.
Next we traveled to the Horeca & Travel (Hospitality & Travel) College, which was just a few blocks away. The students that graduate from these programs will be cooks, facilities managers, and hospitality experts. We had a tour of the college and then a presentation on the ROC Academy, which is basically their faculty professional development program. We had dinner at this college last night and it was a gourmet meal! The food was prepared by students, served by students, and the manager on duty was a student. We had an awesome salad with tuna (which I would like to make for lunch every day at work; I think I might try it!) and breaded salmon with fettuccine pasta and white asparagus (the asparagus is white here because it grows indoors). Dessert was a bunch of little mini-desserts (a cream puff, ice cream, a pudding pie, raspberry sorbet). Good wine, good company.
Wednesday, May 27
Today we visited government officials, which means we visited the people who keep truant students on track. Since I don't think we have such a thing in America, this was interesting. I definitely learned a lot about their system and processes. We also stopped at Joyce's college one last time... for goodbyes. I can't believe that's the last time I'll be at ROC Midden Nederland Business & Administration College!
Tomorrow is the last "work day." I can't believe how quickly the time has passed, but I'm lucky to have a third weekend with Joyce, getting the full Dutch experience!