Judgements

Person:           "So what are you doing over spring break?"

Me:                 "Flying back home."

Person:           "O right! How long is the flight to Denmark?"

Me:                "You mean..Holland?"

Person:          "Yes.. Isn't that a province in Denmark?"

Me:                "No... It's a separate country..."

Just an example of a conversation I had a while ago. People can't seem to find the difference between The Netherlands and Denmark. But that's not the only thing.

Person:        "You smoke weed everyday right?"

Me:             "No??? Do I look like I do???"

Person:        "Well.. you are from the Netherlands!"

Me:             "That doesn't mean I do drugs..."

Or the question so many people ask: "Have you been to the red-light district?" no..No...NO!

People have very interesting judgements and views on Holland. Just like we think that all Americans are fat and eat donuts all day. But once you actually go to the country you are judgemental about, it will prove you wrong (for the most part). I mean: Yes, softdrugs are legal, so is drinking when you are sixteen, and yes prostitution is legal, but it does not mean everyone does it/or uses drugs etc. The same here in the USA: of course, there is a big obesity problem, but it does not mean that EVERYONE is fat, and that EVERYONE lives on donuts. The world generalizes negative judgements about different country, and thinks every single citizen in the certain country is that way.

Asians are from a different planet.

All immigrants are criminals.

Every muslim is a terrorist.

Are any of these statements true?

No.

Will they ever be true?

No.

Is it fair for us to judge?

No.

Yet it's a human thing.

I got the best of both worlds

A short note: sorry for not blogging for so long, I can come up with a million excuses but I've just been lazy. Sorry. Here I am again! You should thank Steve, a good friend of my parents, who I've known for many years now, for reminding me to update my blog. Thanks Steve! :)

School is over. I made honor roll, all 3 terms, which is really exciting because this has been my first year at an American school! So i've studied hard, made new friends, faced difficult times (oh tell me about it), and had an awesome first year!

I've had he roommate issues, the bad grade, the annoying teacher, the bitch that gossips about you. Yet I also had the awesome roommate technoparty, the awesome grade, the lovely teacher, and the best friend! So it all evens out. I'm thinking about (don't get your hopes up yet!) writing & publishing a book about my boarding school experience. Exciting or what? This will not happen soon though, think about a couple of years.

So, to give you a heads up: this summer I've been everywhere! Prague, Vienna, Holland, USA. I made tons and tons of pictures, I selected a couple and posted them on my Flickr photostream, check it out:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauradelight/ :)

What have I noticed lately? The difference between my Dutch and American friends.

I've grown up in a city, independent, and not sheltered at all - this is the way most of my Dutch friends grew up as well. I'm not scared of traveling by public transportation alone, going to a city alone, biking at night alone (maybe not the smartest thing, but oh well), etc. Most of my American friends grew up very sheltered; driven by car everywhere, not exposed to certain types of people, not very independent.
Conversation topics differ a lot depending on what continent the friend is from. Let's put it this way: I can talk about religion and politics with the Dutchies without having it to end up negatively. Oh man, I remember sitting at dinner tables at school and people walking off as if they were ready to burst out of anger.. I guess my Dutch friends don't really care as much. My American friends have a different sense of humor, are more relaxed and laid-back. Oh, and a tiny detail about my American friends: I live with them. I know them very well, and they are all amazing people.

Another thing that people ask me a lot: Do I feel like a foreigner in my home country after having been gone for SO LONG? The answer is no. It feels as if I never left every time I see the grim, rainy sky through the window in the airplane. It's all the same, nothing changes, but I am confused. I feel at home in America and The Netherlands now! People then ask me: "But if you had to pick one.." I say: "Hannah Montana didn't have to choose, she had the best of both worlds, and so do I!" (smile).