Back in Holland Bitches! (Special Last Edition for Reed's People)

Do you know that moment when you're watching a movie and you keep seated when the credits appear, even though you know nothing is going to happen and the film you've just watched is finished? Well then, this is exactly how I feel now back in Holland -like this whole exchange was some sort of film, but a very good one indeed. So now for all of you people from Reeds who played a major part in my time here, thank you and come to Holland anytime. Now you won't think I would end my notorious blog with just this little sweet paragraph right? Especially for Reed's people I've presented my very own credits of this film, and guess what? You're all in it!

Sophie Pierce (a.k.a. Sjofieee)- Starting with you your role was obviously big in my film, meaning if you weren't here this exchange would have been different. Thanks for all the good times we had and I'll miss you loads, even though you've been calling me 'africa' for six weeks long. 

Sam Boulton- since you were the very first one mentioned in my blog you of course, deserve a place here again as well. Thanks for making my bus rides a little more bearable, if it wasn't for you, I would have been stuck with that 3rd former kid half an hour long. Lets not forget the nickname which you gave to me, and I don't think I'll here that one ever again.. (Meerkat - Ask boulton, not me.)

Bethan - well you were just awesome, duh. Miss you and your weird habits of hugging teddy bears in the girls room! Visit me sometime!

Nick Beven- I don't even know why you're up here, maybe because you asked me like a hundred times? Or maybe because you were really not too bad at all, and because you are an awesome dancer.

Sophie Story- Definitely one of the coolest people here. Thanks for the fun times at hockey and hope you're not too angry when I'll upload all the pictures on facebook, including well, you know what I mean.

Mr.Michael- Well thanks for being a great coach and teacher, but let's face it, that is obviously not the reason why you're up here. Secretly I just admire the fact how fast you're aware of the latest gossip -man you're even faster than gossip girl herself.

Emilly- When you put two bitches next to each other you thought it might not really work, but instead sometimes nature even gets it wrong. Class with you was always fun, and you turned out to be a real sweetheart and a great friend. Emily I'll miss you and all our interesting conversations during film studies!

Dan Jay-  Talking about gossip, you should pair up with Mr.Michael. Being known for spreading rumours I'll really miss you because well, with you a psychology lesson is never boring.

Jenna- What can I say, friends with everybody and probably one of the nicest people out there. So of course I have nothing else but good things to say about you. Thanks for being such a nice friends and making my exchange even better. O and ps. I hope everything sorts about between you and Chicken.. ;-)

(peter) Chicken- If Reeds ever decides to give out ´Most-Funny-Guy-in-the-Year´-Award, well you should definitely get this one. 

Thomasine- You too made my time at Reeds much better! Of course a miss perfect like you would! Thanks for everything thommy and hope to see you sometime in Verbier. Then we can see if you´re skiing skills are really that good, which I have the feeling they are..

Rory & his italian friend Alex: Awesome people, what more can I say?

Franky & Eva: these girls practically ruled the girls room. Thanks again for being so nice to me and treating me not like the little fifteen year old baby every other normal (Dutch) 18 year old would do and I´ll miss you guys!

Robyn - This tutor group buddy (ugh I hate that word) will be missed as well!

 the Dutch people - including Charlotte, Naomi, Alesya and Saskia, thanks for speaking Dutch with me. It is always fun to talk in another language when nobody can understand you. Will remember you all!

 This Reeds exchange was absolutely amazing so thanks to everybody out there who helped make it so special. O and don´t worry if you were not mentioned above, I basically don´t feel like writing anymore.

Hopefully I gave you guys some real stuff to talk about now and don´t you dare to forget me!

XOXO,

Lisa (The Dutch Girl)

The end is near

My last week here at Reeds has officially started. Yes I knew this exchange would go by fast, but this was just insane. Why can't school always go so quickly? This sure has been a great experience! But yes, I guess you would have get that by now since I have been saying that pretty much in every blog update.

Sunday, the school had a carol service in the Guildford Cathedral, and I found it suprising that people were literally singing. Come on, a school full of teenagers, where at least half of the sixth form was suffering from a severe hangover from their wild saturday nights, singing songs about bethlehem just doesn't feel right. Anyway, I thought this was again very nice to experience, because in my school people would likely succeed in that hangover part, but I don't think they will even make it through to the singing bit. No, definitely not. So yes that is why I was probably one of the only people actually enjoying myself there. I guess some people may have found it really boring, but kids bringing in playcards was a bit over the top, even for the British.

Today we had house hockey, and I never had thought this would be so competitive. Some girls just turned into complete animals, with their stick almost being a weapon. Great, I guess this big blue weird looking egg on my thumb would be just another souvenir of my time here at Reeds. Sadly though, my house chapel was defeated; badly defeated. Yes this can be pretty embarresing when apparently lots of people have nothing better to do than watch you at your little house competition. Well I guess we tried.. right?

I've also just returned from a very nice dinner, with my normal hockey team, the seconds. The dinner was organised because the hockey season is over for this year at Reeds, but I especially enjoyed the team dinner since I am leaving already this friday. And also, it was nice to finally not get potatoes with your food for a change. Honestly, I think I have eaten more potatoes during my stay here, than I have ever in my whole life.

Well with only less than 3 days left, the clock is really thicking now. I am also looking forward to go back to Holland, but I think I will really miss Reeds as well!

Business as usual

Since it is already the 8th of december, tomorrow I have exactly one more week left of this amazing experience. Of course I also miss my Dutch family and friends, so I'm looking forward to see them again, but to be honest leaving this school is really a pity. I mean it would be perfect if this school would just move to Holland, and I bet most of you guys out there won't mind to stay in Amsterdam for a while ;). (Yes my friends, there are people out there in the world who think "legal weed and prositutes are heaven".)

The thing I probably won't miss is the little school bus. After already five weeks, I just seem to still can't cope with those. Every morning it is a rush to get to the busstop,  then I have to wait in the cold while listening to the conversation of two tacky girls from some other school whose daily interest appear to be fake eyelashes and sigarrets, since that's all they ever seem to talk about. So that is basically the first phase of my whole buss ritual in the morning. The next thing, which is probably my least favourite, is getting on the bus itself. Every morning I have the same struggle of even opening the door, get in properly, and closing that slide door, which apparently doesn't like me very much since I am always emberassed if some younger kid has to do it for me. To make it even worse, last week when I finally managed to get inside the bus, I actually sat on a first former. Yes, you've just read that correctly: I was so enthousiastic that I finally got in properly that I leaned backwards and literally dropped down, but I knew something was not right when I heard the teeny tiny 11 year old boy squeake under me - Once again, extremely awkward. Fortunately all the other kids in the bus were so busy laughing that they got rid of their morning moodiness right away.

So yes, next time when I'm back in dreary old Holland, being all grumpy on my worn-out bike on my way to school, I'll just have to think back of my exciting morning ritual and maybe then I'll even start loving my bike. Okay let's not exagerrate, that moment will probably never happen.

I think I will also miss my host family, they've been extremely nice to me. And lets not forget the people at school who made me feel like I was just in my own school again. With only a few days left, lets make them count shall we!

Sinterklaas @ the UK

When you're abroad for already a month now, soon or later you are going to miss bits and pieces of your own culture. This I realized yesterday, when I was sitting inside hiding from the cold, writing essays for A-levels here, while I knew that in Holland everybody was already celebrating 'Sinterklaas', or busy preparing for it. Now trust me, that is not exactly the nicest feeling in the world. Luckily I still got to enjoy a little bit of the Dutch tradition, since the Dutch teacher organised a little celebration with all the Dutch students.


So there we were, having priority over all the other students in the gigantic que waiting for their lunch, -you should have seen their faces when the teacher said: "Stop! Another Dutch girl!" Skipping in front of all those people really gives a good feeling. Yes, I think I can get used to that Paris Hilton sort of style, in this poshy little place called Oxshott.
Anyway, back to my whole Sinterklaas -story... When we were having our lunch the Dutch teacher who organised it all made us sing Sinterklaas Kapoentje. Yes, in the cafeteria. Even though we were kind of in a seperate part, we still had some stares, but it was fun to sing together in Dutch anyway. Then the Dutch teacher gave us all some presents - really nice fancy bath stuff - and lots
of the usual Sinterklaas -sweets. It was all really nice and cute, and it made me feel a little bit like I was home again.


Since it is the fifth of december tonight, my host family decided to all put our shoe at the fire. 
(With an apple and water for the horse, and all of the usual cliché traditions) This ment that they obviously,
 if they wanted to receive a present or sweets, had to sing. So proud as I am I learned them three 
Sinterklaas-songs. Sadly my blackberry doesn't have internet connection here to upload it, but I promise,
 as soon when I am in Holland this must go on  facebook. 


Well this was it for now and hope you follow my last two weeks here living the "British Life"!

England vs Holland

You know how I'd always used to speak my mind on this blog? Well apparently now people at England are reading it too- isn't that just great.. not. Anyway, before I begin with these weekly updates you have probably been reading for the last few weeks, just to get a sneek peek of my life here, I would like to mention that there is this one kid in my school Sam Boulton , who thinks he deserves to be in my blog. (So Sam if you read this.., well, now you're in my blog. What an honour right?) 

The longer I stay here the more I notice how 'foreign', -never liked that word, makes me feel like I'm some sort of alien, - I am. The differences between the Dutch and the English culture is just becoming greater and greater. Adjusting to the English has been going pretty good, only it is not like I never face any difficulties. First of all, the English can be such softies. Secondly, if I see another potatoe I think I will start to go mental. 

That first problem I just mentioned, has been a major issue during hockey. All our matches here, are way to friendly, and believe me, in Holland, being friendly  on the pitch is not exactly the correct word. No, people say we just look like a bunch of cavemen with a stick in their hand, and yes, you should have the general knowlegde to know that that is a very dangerous combination. Also, you know how in sport everybody tells each other when they have just lost for the hundred time: 'It is not all about the winning?'. Come on, don't fool yourself, we all know you want to win, don't even want to go there how much you want to score. Anyways, the English seem more interested in their little match tea than in their match itself... Last time, we even didn't have a goalie, (one was ill, and the other was already of with the third team), but enough fieldplayers. So of course a normal person would have felt relieved when they saw the opponent had 2 players short. Next, the team seriously started to discuss if we should give one of our players to the opponent, or if we should play with nine as well.I know my Dutch team would really start to laugh right know, when they read this. When I kept on stressing we should just keep on playing with our full team, saying we should take the advantage out of this. Well then they started laughing and when the coach said, "Well we're not in Holland anymore", I just simply gave up. 

Furthermore, I want to say that I truly think the Enlgish people are really lovely here, but man, some people just need to stop stereotyping. No I don't go to the red-light-district when I'm bored,  neither do I have marihuana in my suitcase, and NO I do not live in in a windmill!!! Please why does everybody keep thinking that people in Holland live in a freaking windmill? 

In short, I might be repetitive, but I do want to point out,-yes, again- that I'm still having a really good time here. And I'm sure I'm going to miss it when I'm back in Holland again.

The City Never Sleeps

London, the place where it all happens. And since, it's certainly a lot more exciting that our 'lively' little Wassenaar, I was happy that my family from Holland decided to come over and visit me. I don't think I have ever seen a city with so much culture like that, and no, with culture I do not only mean Bond Street & Harrods.

Even though I've been to London quite a few times before, each visit you discover something different. Since my mom was totally obsessed with that series, The Tudors, we of course could not have missed the Tower of London, where you can almost still feel the presence of the feared Nobility of the 16th century. I can still remember this museum from the London trip with school 2 years ago, and I must say, it is still as impressive for the second time. It certainly belongs to one of my favourite museums!  What I still find extremely amusing to watch, are those funny little guards. You know what I mean, those ones with the furry big heads who walk up and down the road in the most hideous way you probably have never seen before.  Exactly, those ones. Man, that must be the most embarrassing job ever..

Overall, I was just really happy to see my family again. However, this weekend also meant that I'm halfway on the exchange, and it is just awesome. (Yes, take that, British.)

This morning when I entered the schoolbus, it felt like I was on the North Pole or something. With only 2 degrees and everything frozen, and then also hearing my first christmas song on the radio this year, you could imagine that I really got that christmas feeling. However, it was kind of contrasting with the bag full of 'Pepernoten', which I said my parents were obliged to bring me some, and I had those in my bag to share with my friends at Reeds. Some of my Dutch friends there went all crazy and when I took out that bag, they literally looked at me as if I was Sint Nicolaus himself. Even the English people liked it, so don't look up strange when in 10 years or so they will be in the English supermarkets.

I'm making lots of progress in my subjects here as well, and I don't mind all that extra homework so much either. (I mean, lying on the couch and watching films with Julianne Moore for film studies is not exactly the most tiring homework in the world.)

Well, I guess that was my update for today. Also, since my English little 'sister' is practising her 'lovely' skills on the violin right now, my concentration is not going too well either. Anyway, with only less than 3 weeks left, I am really going to enjoy the rest of my English life here!

Loving Reeds

Since I have been here, I've noticed how important sport is at Reeds. Normally you would think that sport was more about being actif and having fun, well here it is more about the results than the sport itself really. During their weekly assembly on monday, a representative of the girls and boys in the 6th form give you a detailed report on how Reeds had scored in sport games last week. They're not shy with giving out quotes such as 'man of the match', or calling out names either. So that also means that if you made a complete fool of youself by missing an open goal with hockey, now thanks to these 'exciting' reports the entire 6th form will get to know it, don't worry. Well this will not be the case this monday, since Reeds has just won 5-0, including me scoring and setting up the other goals. The only thing I don't understand, but I don't mind it either, is how they interpretate their 'Match Tea'. In Holland you get watery lemonade and if you're lucky you might get a little biscuit. No, here at Reeds, the girls seem to have no problem with it that when they just burned all those calories, to eat them all again with their 'little' Match Tea: a whole buffet full of cake, pie and sandwiches, not forgetting the tea of course. No wonder they're saying England is getting more and more obese...

My hostfamily is so nice as well. Their little son, Jamie, is really funny and reminds me of my own brother. They really have a lot in common. Only I think my brother would think Jamie is a real hero when he hears that Jamie locked the door of his sister with a piece of rope only. (Yes luca, you still have a lot to learn ;-) )
And Annabel, what can I say? Everybode loves her, even though I've never met somebody with such bad Dutch pronounciation. (I seriously think a video of her saying a simple "Hoe gaat het?" would be a real hit on youtube. Trust me.)

I'm also really excited about the fact that my parents are visiting me this weekend in London! However, this also means that half of the exchange is already over, and that thought is everything but pleasant. I really love Reeds, and I think that all the extra work when I come back is definately worth it!

Fitting In

Somewhere towards the end of this 2nd schoolweek, I realized I was at a major turning point: from being just that exchange student from Holland, to a new, (potential) friend. From gossiping in the girl's room, to sweating on the hockeypitch, it feels like I'm really going to fit in more and more. Somehow, it just feels right. Not only the students, but now also the teachers realize I have become one of the crowd. Unlucky for me they took that a little too serious since I got to join in in tests now aswell...

The subjects which I follow are also really amusing: a combination of photography & graphic design, film studies, pschychology, and history. Although they are quite different from the subjects I have in Holland, I must say that they are very interesting too. Even the teachers are different here: they seem to have much more energy, and are actually excited about their subject, compared to some of my Dutch teachers at home. Trying to make schoollessons "fun" is for most teenagers mission impossible 5, but Reeds is doing a very good job to proving that this does not have to be true!

This morning we had "Tea & Biscuits", no not cookies, which was apparenly very funny since people started to laugh everytime I said that. Plus, my pronounciation turns out to be a little odd sometimes..., o well. Anyways, the English crave tea like the Dutch crave weed; some just can't seem to live without it. Therefore, at only 10 am in the morning, the 6th form house's kitchen was packed with teenager socializing while drinking tea and shoving biscuits into their mouths. I don't know why they have that morning, but I do know that I don't have any problems with it either ;) .

Tomorrow I have a hockeymatch, just like I would in Holland. I'm playing with the second team, just because I wanted to spend the most time possible on the field! The hockeypractices here are feeling really usefull. The first team and I are being drilled around the field, and sometimes it feels like I had signed up for kccf, which is an army activity at Reeds, instead of hockey. Serious stuff guaranteed!

I'm also really concerned about the fact that one third of the exchange is already over, (NO!), and that fact makes me really sad. However, then I realize how lucky I am to even be here at all, and I go back to enjoying this exchange as much as possible!

British Culture: Quite Surprising

Even though the American and the British speak the same language, their culture is not alike at all. The problem is that I, who is quite used to the American lifestyle, sometimes forget that fact which leads to rather interesting “culture surprises”. (Yes, I know it's supposed to be culture shocks, but since I'm not living  in some sort of freaky jungle where I have to eat sheep brains all day, I thought saying that would be kind of exaggerating.)

First of all, the British language had caused some problems in general. Their fancy little accent just annoys me: every time I speak after them, it makes me feel like I'm some sort of hillbilly from texas or something.

(Ha, and I thought I was ever going to speak that accent.. uh no.) It is also just hard to understand them, but I guess by their facial expressions that they feel the same way about me. I try hard to adapt to the British Language, but it just doesn't seem to work out for me really. Sometimes I try to change my vocabulary when I speak though, just like last week....

(Me:)"Excuse me, I need to go to the 'loo'."  

(Those British) "Uh.. what?" (Okay okay, I admit: in real they're actually extremely polite, which doesn't help with that 'me feeling like a hillbilly-thing' much either.. So lets just pretend they were rude morons, just to make me feel better.)

(Me:)"The loo-hoo!," starting to feel slightly awkward now, because I probably can't pronounce it right.. an-noy-ing. 

No reaction of the British, just staring, odd looks. (You see, another lovely british word..)

(Me:) THE TOILET FOR GOD'S SAKE. 

(The British) "O, the loooooh!" saying it with their poshy accent again.

*awkward moment*- lets not talk about it anymore.

See what I mean? Think I'd be better off giving up on the British accent..

Their fashion seems to be quite different too. Yesterday, my host-family took me out for shopping in Gilford, which is a lovely town nearby, located on a hill and just gives you a very cozy feeling. I was just walking through the street when I saw all the girls wearing leggings, without a skirt. Yes, you've read that correctly: no skirt! Did they lose it or something? Apparently it seems to be very popular to wear it like that here in the UK, o well..!

Maybe I'll find out some more interesting things about the British culture this week, we'll see..!

So Far So Good!

How come everything that's fun goes by so quickly? Well people always say that is a good sign, but I just wished it took longer! It really is amazing at Reeds, now that I actually start to make friends here. They all just appear to be very nice, and open for new friendships. Also, getting to know the school a bit better is nice too, (okay lets just forget the fact that I came in late today with film studies, thinking of an excuse, than finally went for saying the truth: "Sorry sir, I was lost," realizing it seriously sounded like the worst excuse ever. Awkward. )

Reeds just keeps getting better by the day, but the differences between the RLW and Reeds appear to become greater and greater too. To be honest, Reeds has more in common with Zweinstein than my Dutch school. In addition, all those teachers with that whole "look-at-me-I'm-so-cool, that's-why-I'm-wearing-a-harry-potter-toga-to-the-assemblies" attitude isn't helping either. Come on, togas? Seriously? 

On the other hand, the way people treat each other here is very different too. Of course they have their daily gossips, but they have much more respect for one another. In their weekly assemblies, the students get lots of rewards and applause for academic and sport results. Also the more you're involved with the school, the higher status you have. (And no, not a status as a geek, what would probably be the case at the RLW..) 

Sport is taken very serious at Reeds too. Yesterday I played with the 2nd hockey team (out of three), we had a match against this other school. We luckily won 2-0, and I've also got "promoted" to the first team, so I guess that's good! I had another hockey training with the first team today, which was a so called "intensive training". Running around the field basically the whole practise. How lovely.. 

Reeds really has been good so far, and everyday is just getting more fun!

That awkward first day!

Finally, the day were I have been looking forward to ever since I visited Reeds school two years ago, had begun. I am still waiting for that point when somebody wakes me up, and I realize it is all a dream, but frankly enough this hasn't happened yet.

It all started yesterday, when my parents brought me to my host family. I can't believe how lucky I am with the host family I've got. They make me feel at home, and after one day it already feels like I've known them for ages. Their two little children, are really cute and also excited about me staying at their home. Yesterday evening, they already took me out to their friends, because it was bonfire night. (An English traditional celebration where there are lots of fireworks,bonfires and music). So yes, you could say that that was a "warm welcome"! The house is cozy too, and my room is incredible! More than I had ever dared to hope for!

Anyways, this morning when I was sitting at the bus stop waiting for the reeds bus, I finally realized that this was serious stuff, and that I was just about to become "the new girl" again. So there I was, sitting in the country of England, waiting for a schoolbus,  (yes, really, a schoolbus),and  about to begin an "adventure" which I'll never forget. When I arrived at school, luckily Mrs.Lams (the Dutch teacher), was waiting for me, and brought me to my tutor group, where I met my first new 6th form classmates. I've met so many new people today, that they must have thought I was a complete retard when I asked for their name the third time ;) Haha, well actually the people at Reeds seem all really nice, and offer to show me around, bring me to the next class, and well, they take really good care of me! The only problem which I had to deal with today was that the school is GIGANTIC! I really felt like a firstgrader with my timetable out all the time, not knowing where to go. However, the people here are extremely kind and offer to help me at any time! Today I also had my first hockey practice, with the first team! Wednesday I will join my first match with the second team, and then after that I am allowed to join the first team, which I really like!

Well that was basically it for that "terrifying  first day", and I think it will only be a matter of time until I won't want to come back anymore. I'm already looking forward to tomorrow, and I'm going to enjoy everyday, every hour, and every minute of this exchange.