Over the two months that I have been here so far, I have seen the world from multiple perspectives. First, I arrived as an outsider or tourist in a foreign land. My only knowledge of the Netherlands was gathered through books, videos or conversations with other Americans. I had formed ideas and borrowed the classic Dutch stereotypes. For example, I thought most people would have blonde hair and blue eyes, own a pair of wooden clogs and decorate their homes with tulips. I also thought that people would only ride bikes and that windmills would be everywhere!
I did have the opportunity to ask questions to my cousin who had happened to visit Amsterdam. She had visited a friend from college one summer. Talking with family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, teachers and other people is a wonderful way to learn about the world! Life experience is a valuable commodity and it can be shared through story-telling. From my cousin, I learned about the prevalence of museums in the Netherlands and their rich collections of artwork. She was the first person to encourage me to buy a museumkaart to gain access to hundreds of museums across the country.
I also spoke with my mentor teacher from my summer working at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut. She had lived in Eindhoven for many years and worked there as a teacher.
