German Christmas Markets

I have always dreamt of visiting Europe at Christmas. This may very well be due to watching one too many Rick Steves' specials on PBS.  Images of small villages lit up and dusted in snow, Christmas trees sparkling in ancient city sqaures, and beautiful hymns being sung by choirs in glorious cathedrals all come to mind when I have thought about how Europe celebrates the birth of Christ.

Although Holland celebrates the Feast of St. Nicholas, or Sinterklaas as they call it, on December 6th, and the streets and city center are festively decorated for the season, we wanted to experience the German Christmas Markets at this most wonderful time of the year. My mom came to spend the holiday with us and during her stay we made a day trip to Dusseldorf, Germany to get into the Christmas spirit.

The Christmas markets are set up in the city center and wind around the city, each with twinkling lights and different themes to attract natives and visitors to the array of goods and treats being offered. We walked around for the greater part of the day admiring handmade crafts - carved wooden figures and villages, ornaments, blown glass, woolen gloves and scarves, and delightful holiday decorations. And it wouldn't be a Christmas Market experience without sampling warm Gluhwein (mulled wine) which is served in special mugs that can be kept as souvenirs. I enjoyed a soft, warm German pretzel and Ryan and my mom had traditional bratwurst in a crusty roll. We also took home some delicious sweets.

All and all, it was a special day and one that I know my mom and I will cherish in our memories forever.

Dusseldorf Christmas Market

 

My mom and I enjoying hot Gluhwein

We hope to visit more European cities next Christmastime and maybe even see some snow. To all our family and friends back in Seattle, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year 2012!!

Postcards from Delft

My mom arrived last Monday to stay with us through Christmas. I am so thankful to have her here and visit some of the sights around Holland together. After she recovered from jetlag, we decided to take the train to Delft and explore this charming city.

Delft is the home of Johannes Vermeer, one of the great Dutch painters, and is also where the famous blue and white Delftware pottery is produced. Although the weather was extremely cold and there were a few raindrops, we still enjoyed perusing the specialty shops, strolling the Markt, taking in all of the holiday decorations, and visiting the Nieuwe Kerk where Willem of Orange is buried. We took cover to warm up at a really cute cafe and ordered Chocomel, which is a Dutch hot chocolate drink served with whip cream. Yum!

I am impressed with myself that I was able to get us there without Ryan's keen sense of direction. As many of my friends and family members can attest to, I am very directionally challenged even if I have been somewhere many times. I purchased our train tickets, found the track our train was departing from, navigated us around the main part of town, and got us home in one piece. Phew! I plan to take on Amsterdam alone with her one day this week. I do believe that my confidence is building and I am becoming more independent and daring as the days go by. Who would have guessed?
Here are some postcards of our day in Delft.

Oude Kerk



Town Hall



Worldly Goods

We received an e-mail on Monday that our little Volkswagen Golf had finally made its way across the ocean and was ready to be picked up. The car arrived at the Port of Rotterdam and was trucked down in the container it had been in for two months to the city of Roosendaal, where the shipping company is located. Roosendaal is the final stop in the Netherlands before the border of Belgium. This past Tuesday we made arrangements to take the train there (it is about an hour and a half ride) to pick up our one car and all the worldly goods we jam-packed inside it from home.

You see, we have been waiting some time for all the details of this shipping process to come together. It has been a bit of a headache. When we first arrived in Holland we talked with several people about all the details of shipping in a car from outside the country. Everyone said the same thing: Don’t do it! Well, it was a little too late at this point seeing that the car was already halfway to its destination. But I believe they are right. Between coordinating with the U.S. shipping company, the Holland shipping company, the Customs (Duwane) office, paperwork processing, and additional fees, and believe me there were definitely additional fees unbeknownst to us, I can say without a doubt that we would not have done this had we been more informed. However, it is my opinion that every decision has a consequence, and with that, comes a learning experience.

After disembarking the train, we walked in the rain for some distance through a residential neighborhood to find down a long one way street the shipping company that had our car. After paying more money and waiting outside in the cold, a nice Dutch employee pulled up our car in front and handed me the keys, saying with a smile, “You’re the driver, right?” We thanked him and just stood there looking at our little car stuffed to capacity with the only remnants of home. We had been waiting so anxiously for this day that it didn’t seem real that it had come. We got in the car (Ryan in the driver seat!) and prayed that we would not be stopped on our long drive back to The Hague. We did not have insurance yet, nor had we gone to the office to pick up our new Dutch license plates. We made it back safely to our street where now the task that faced us was carrying all the items in the car up two flights of stairs to our apartment. And no friends to help us!

I have to admit that back in October it was very hard for me to decide what items I would really need to bring with us and what had to be left behind in storage in Seattle. It is difficult, since as humans we are very attached to our worldly goods. What didn’t help matters is that the only room we had was the suitcases and boxes going with us on the airplane and what we could fill in the back seat and trunk of the car. I was very sad about this for awhile, but slowly God changed my heart. He told me that it was okay to let go of these things, as I would find that I might not really need all of them where I was going. I ended up packing essentials and a few personal items – but what is funny is after being here almost two months I couldn’t really remember what all was in the car.

Once we began unpacking everything, Ryan and I were excited with each item we unwrapped - kitchen utensils we desperately needed, spices, Christmas decorations, artwork, clothing, shoes, a Bible, a few books, photographs, cards and letters from friends, and our blankets, one which means a great deal to me. It is my kitty quilt or the KQ as Ryan so affectionately calls it. I have had it since the age of three and it is a twin size quilt with grey cats sleeping on it. I have had it through all of my youth and brought it with me to college and into my new home when I got married. Now it is here with me in Holland. It is a little piece of home.

We now have everything here that we chose to bring with us. It is certainly not all of what we had back in Seattle, but I believe we have everything we need. As I meditate on Advent this year, I am grateful that God helped me part with physical possessions, as it is Him who I should anticipate and want the most.

Sojourning

“I invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and those who are sojourning in foreign lands to set apart the last Thursday next of November as a day of Thanksgiving.”  - Abraham Lincoln, 1861



Pieterskerk



Yesterday we rode the train to nearby Leiden to attend an ecumenical Thanksgiving Day Service at Pieterskerk (Peter’s Church) for Americans residing in the Netherlands. It was a beautiful service with choral and concert music, scripture, and reflections given by a Catholic priest, protestant ministers and Jewish rabbis. What we didn’t know as we stepped into this gothic church built back in 1121 was the historical significance it held for the Pilgrims before they made their way to the New World. Leaving England behind, the Separatists and their minister, John Robinson, came first to the Netherlands and lived in the city of Leiden from 1609 to 1620. The Dutch accepted them and they were free to practice their faith in the very same church that we were visiting. Ultimately, many of the Pilgrims decided to leave Leiden as they felt that the Dutch customs and manners were too liberal and that they would lose their identity, language and culture. So thus began their journey across the Atlantic to America. However, John Robinson stayed behind with part of the congregation and is buried in the Pieterskerk. It is amazing to learn of the history of this holiday that we never knew until coming here!

The definition of sojourn is a temporary stay or a brief period of residence. I haven’t ever given this word too much thought – but it stood out to me as I read the above quote from Abraham Lincoln in our service program. I am a sojourner, staying for a time in Europe, but really we are all sojourners, pilgrims making the journey and awaiting the time when we will live in our true home.  

I must admit that it is strange and difficult not to be home with our families to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday this year. Besides missing the feast of delicious food, it is the gathering itself, coming together with family and friends, that my heart misses the most. Though we are far away from those we love, I am grateful for all of the rich blessings God has bestowed on us. Like the Pilgrims who sat down at the first Thanksgiving far away from the country they called home to give thanks for God’s goodness and provision, I too, give thanks today for all the wonderful people in our lives and my faith in the One who gives us everything we need, even when we are sojourning in a foreign land.

I will leave you with the benediction which was sung so beautifully by the Jewish Rabbi in both Hebrew and English that I found myself welling up with tears. It is the Priestly Blessing found in the Old Testament Chapter of Numbers.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kansas or Oz?

Today marks exactly one month that we have lived in Holland. Wow! Where has the time gone? It seems like just the other day we were going through all of our belongings and deciding what to sell, what to bring with us, and what to pack up in storage.

We recently attended a networking event that brought together both local and international businesses in the Netherlands. I was introduced to many different people and the question that I got asked over and over was “How do you like it here in Holland?” My response was that so far I like it. Then they’d say “It’s really not that different, is it?” Well I suppose people are people no matter where you are in the world. People here go to work, they walk their dogs, they sit and eat at cafés, they go out with friends for drinks, they read the daily newspaper headlines, they watch the evening news. It’s the same, right?

Well, yes and no. One obvious difference is the language. They are a bilingual culture but Dutch is what I hear, or shouted, when I walk about this new and different city. I must say it is strange not to hear my mother tongue and stranger still not to know what people are talking about. Then there are the trams with tracks running everywhere. The first advice I was given here is to look both ways (twice!) before making your way across any major thoroughfare, cobble stoned side street, or even park, to avoid being squashed. They come fast and don’t stop for pedestrians! And of course there are the bicycles which well deserve a post unto themselves.

And what about grocery shopping, you ask? There is one main grocery store chain, or should I say monopoly, in the Netherlands - Albert Heijn. There are FOUR Albert Heijn stores within less than a mile radius from our apartment. I kid you not! We have yet to discover an equal competitor. Sure there are smaller stores where one can purchase a few perishable items they need, but AH, as I like to refer to it, is where we do the majority of our every day shopping. It does not resemble the supermarkets of home, but I rather enjoy shopping on a daily basis buying fresh food that is never wasted. Besides, it is all our little refrigerator can hold!

So I guess I can relate to Dorothy, when upon entering Oz, exclaims, "Toto, I've a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore." Kansas we are definitely not, but perhaps it really isn’t that different.

Postcards of Autumn

We have had some amazing autumn weather in The Hague. This past week I have been out exploring my new hood by bicycle. The Dutch say that the Netherlands is just one big village surrounded by parks. I think they might be right! Here are a few "postcards" I captured of autumn's loveliness.

"After a breathless dawn the wind blows free, upturns the silver poplar leaves. They glance, pale faces, restless, up and down the tree. Life poplar leaves, the words within me dance,but does some secret hope pervade my heart? And might I be content for youth to play its part, then reach its nadir at the end of Fall? Perhaps my words glisten against their will. Soon, will their transient luster turn to yellow -- a gold, translucent foil -- enough to fill the cracks of footpath, hill, and rock hollow? Come Fall, word-weary minds dream of recess--the lightness, and the light, of leaflessness."

Overleaf by Luci Shaw

First Impressions

It has been two weeks since we moved into our apartment here in Den Haag. After hauling up five suitcases, two big moving boxes filled to the max, a bag of records (how could I leave these back in the States?), a dog crate, and some other miscellaneous items up two flights of Dutch stairs, we finally arrived in what is to be our new home for the next few years.  After several days of jet lag, I adapted quickly to the new time zone which is 9 hours ahead of Seattle. To add a little bit of confusion we just fell back an hour into Standard Time this past week, and so for the time being we are only 8 hours ahead…

My friend Jenny came for a visit right after we arrived in Holland to help us get situated and assist with all the items we needed to get accomplished our first week. We live in the Centrum of Den Haag and parking is a premium so the first thing on our list was to obtain a parking pass, which is only 36 Euros for the entire year. To give you a better idea of how much it costs to park a car here the meters are 5 Euros for two hours and the parking meters run until midnight. Crazy! Most people use car parks which are underneath the city center. We are grateful to have a parking pass for sure. Also, it’s a good thing we only have one car as it is an additional 400 Euros to add a second automobile. Again, crazy!

So far I really like it here. I have been taking our corgi, Sele, out around town for several walks a day. On foot I have become more acquainted with where things are and have yet to get really lost. As Jenny says, “All roads lead back to the Taylor pad.” The standard of living is fairly high in the Netherlands and the city is very clean – even in the main square by our house. Broken glass is swept up and trash is not left on the ground. It is a bit unusual for me to walk everywhere even though I lived in Ballard and was used to doing this often. But I am also used to just hopping in my car and driving ridiculously short distances. Here I walk to the grocery store, pharmacy, restaurants and beautiful park that is only 5 minutes away!

After reading a great deal on the manners of the Dutch, I have been pleasantly surprised at how kind and helpful those I have interacted with have been. The Dutch are often described as impolite and rude. All stereotypes have some truth to them, but I will give two examples that illustrate the Dutch going out of their way to assist us, realizing we are new to their country and don’t yet know all the ins and outs of their culture and procedures.

The first was the woman we spoke with at the parking permit office. We had a rental car for our first week since my VW Golf is currently on a container making its way across the Atlantic. We had to drive to the parking permit office twice since we had left the rental agreement papers at home. Once we arrived at the office for the second time (after getting lost through the city) the woman said she needed a copy of our NL resident cards. Oh no!! We told her that they were in Amsterdam and we’d be getting them the following day after we picked up a friend at the airport. We were expecting a curt no and to come back once we had the cards. But she seemed to understand our plight. If we didn’t get the pass that day, we’d be paying an exorbitant amount for parking on the street or in a car park. Instead she gladly wrote down her email information and asked that once we obtained our cards to send her scans. She even pulled out two different maps and explained what parts of the city our permit would be valid in. We couldn’t have asked for better hospitality or service!

The second individual also went out of his way to accommodate our needs. After being told at the information desk at The Hague’s City Hall that the next available appointment to register in the city wouldn’t be until December (whaaat?) we were feeling pretty discouraged. I decided to head over to the expat center where the Netherlands has one of the best rated organizations for foreigners in the world. The first woman I talked to was not very helpful. A man who was sitting close by overheard our exchange. He immediately walked up to Ryan and said “You’re tall enough to be a Dutchman” and from there was friendly and a wealth of knowledge! After finding out that Ryan had a special visa, he looked on the list to see if Ryan’s company was qualified for expedited registration in the city. His company was on the list (Hallelujah!) and the guy made copies of all of our information so that we could submit it quickly and be on the fast track to getting ourselves registered here. Without this it is difficult to get a bank account and without a bank account you cannot get a cell phone plan or anything else for that matter! He sat down and had tea with us and gave us a general overview of other helpful information including websites to look at, employment advice for me and gave us some books and literature to read about the Netherlands. Just what we needed on our second day living in a different country!

These meetings were a God send. I truly believe that. God is, indeed, guiding us step by step on this new road we are travelling. Perhaps one that is a little less traveled by, but I am looking forward to the scenery along the way.

Farewell Seattle

Well the day has finally arrived. Ryan and I fly out tomorrow (Monday) at 4:30 pm to embark on our new European adventure. I have mixed emotions as I say goodbye to our families and friends. However, I know we are following God's will as we make this epic move across nine time zones to our new home in The Hague, Netherlands.

I am truly excited to share my journey with you as we become expats in Holland. I am starting this blog so we can keep in touch with family and our dear friends. I have always secretly wanted to be a writer and perhaps this online journal will be a catalyst for something bigger. Who knows? The world is definitely my oyster! When thinking about a title for my new blog, Postcards From Far Away was the first idea to pop in my head. You may know that it is the title to a beautiful, yet simple piano piece by Coldplay. Most of my friends know that I am a big Coldplay fan, and an even bigger fan of the lead singer, Chris Martin. I will save that topic for a future blog. But the idea of postcards also came to my mind as a theme. What is a postcard? A 3x5 card with pictures from far-a-way places with a few words scrawled on the back. Wish you were here. Hope all is well. Write soon. I love receiving postcards from my friends who are traveling all over the world. And so you will be receiving some postcards from me.

Ok well that is all for now. My next post will be from the Netherlands. This isn't goodbye Seattle. It's just see you later.