Commanderji – Dutch culture through the eyes of a native

We took a required field trip to Commanderij College (which is actually a high school, apparently they use the word college for high school and university for college) today for my intercultural communication class. My professor, Chester Lee, prepared us for the trip by asking us to make a power point presentation about ourselves and American culture to show to the students upon our arrival. After a long bike trip to Weeze this morning, a hurried lunch, and quick shower I met my class in the courtyard to travel to Commanderji about a thirty minute drive from the castle. 

I felt like a strange cross between an animal in a zoo and a celebrity as we entered the school grounds. Every student turned to look as we walked toward the school immediately picking us out as foreigners and curiously taking in every aspect of us from the clothing to hairstyles to our accents, we were completely different from anyone they had ever encountered before. We were greeted by a “Welcome American Students sign.” Professor Hubes came to meet us in the main hallway and walked with us to a huge classroom with computers and more staring students. Shortly after our arrival each of us was paired with one of the Dutch students. Liza shyly greeted me, but even behind her timid first glance I could tell she was very excited to meet me. We showed each other our powerpoint presentations and talked about ourselves and the cultures we each grew up in. She told me about the different provinces of Holland and talked about her favorite musical artists. We talked about the differences between our homes and the asked each other questions about our cultures. Her English was excellent, every once in a while she would forget a word and look away from me mumbling, “uh uh how do you say . . . ?” But moments later one of us would be able to think of the word and the conversation would continue.
At one point in our conversation I asked her about driving cars vs. riding bikes. She noted that there are more bikes in Holland than there are people and that she only asked her parents for a ride when she was in a huge hurry or late for something, she will be able to get her own drivers license when she turns 18. I told her that we can drive at 16, and she responded with “yes but we can drink at 16” and we both laughed.

She took me on a quick tour of her school showing me the classrooms and common spaces for teachers and students. I learned that she had only been studying English for a few years and was also taking French, German, and Latin. We stopped to talk with Katie and the student she was paired with to talk about television shows, and Katie noted later that Liza’s English was amazing compared to the students she had spoken with. We each posed for a picture with our students and exchanged gifts with them, receiving a bag filled with mints, pads of paper, and pens.

As I got together my things to leave we exchanged a few last minute questions and she expressed her joy at being able to meet a native speaker from the language she has been studying. I departed with a hug and goodbye wave and got on the bus for the short ride home.