Update!

Well, on Saturday I returned from the Dutch Orientation Course. The course was fun, I got to meet all the inbounds and we all had a great time being together. I did not learn as much Dutch as I expected to, but it will come along. On Tuesday I went shooting with my host club and I was much more sociable because I no longer had jetlag. The shooting was a contest, but the game is unique to Limburg, some parts of Germany, and some parts of Belgium. I came in 2nd by the way! Anyway I just think it is really cool that I am living in a province that has so many things that are unique to it. Yesterday I met with some kids that are going to be going to the same school as me. They were super nice and very friendly and I think we are going to be really good friends. We hung out for a couple hours, talked, got some ice cream, and just got to know each other a little bit better. Then I spent the rest of the day with my host family, who is awesome as well. They make me feel right at home.

In the Netherlands!

Well for all those reading, I apologize for not updating in such a long time. Anyway, I am now in the Netherlands! My host family is amazing and so is the town I am living in. Right now I am at the DOC (Dutch Orientation Course) that Rotary designed to help all the inbounds try and get a head start on the language. I arrived on the 8th of August and the first few days I was exhausted the whole day because I was not adjusted to the 9 hour time difference. The Netherlands is an amazing country, and so far the experience has been incredible. I have visited several cities near where I live, and I have also gone to Amsterdam which was awesome by the way. I am surrounded by wonderful and willing families and I could not be happier. I feel so blessed to have the host families that I have. In a few weeks I will be going to a culinary festival in Maastricht (the oldest city in the Netherlands!) but I hope I update before then. I will try my best to keep everyone informed as much as I can while I am here in the Netherlands. And for all those wonering about what an exchange year is like, it is not easy. I have only been here for about a week and a half, not even the whole year, and it is quite hard. Adjusting to the host family, the country, and being so far away from home is mind bobbling, but the key is to keep your mind away from all that stuff. An exchange year is no vacation, but it is one great experience!