Pictured from L to R: Terri, Shane, Jason, Sean, Fitz, Sarah.
The Netherlands Team met again on Saturday January 3, 2009 and had a nice outing! First stop (well the first stop after getting a bit lost anyways...) was Rosenblums in Jacksonville Beach. We met with Fitz who fitted the guys for our Rotary blazers we will wear on the trip and the girls found our sizes. We then headed down to the Plantatation at Ponte Vedra to meet with Walther from the Ponte Vedra Rotary. Walther is Dutch and has been living in the US since 1978. He graciously volunteered his time on a Saturday to give us a behind the scenes look at the updated Plantation House and the management of this over 500 acre establishment. He also gave us some first hand insight into the Netherlands. Here are some of the things we learned:
-The US through the Marshall Act helped rebuild the Netherlands after World War II. Therefore the Netherlands have a very thankful attitude, but US policy shouldn't push this thankfulness too far.
-Law enforcement is automated there. If you run a red light, the camera will take a photo and you will be mailed a ticket. If you get on the highway, it will mark your time and will mark your time when you exit. If you get off too early for what it should take you for that distance, you will be sent a ticket. Drunk driving accidents are not covered by insurance. Drunk driving accidents are left on the roads for everyone to see on Mondays as a reminder.
-Things are very regulated in the Netherlands including soft drugs.
-Walther gave us some places to visit as side trips such as an amusement park, the newly opened Rotterdam interpretive museum, Belgium and Germany for beer stops (we must find the best beer while we're there, right?), soccer match, and an area where the rivers meet.
-He said that our families will probably want us to get seconds on food so don't get too much the first time and make sure to clear your plate. Sounds like we Southerners will fit right in!
-Tips may be only at 10% which is normal.
-Families like to drink sherry because historically ships used sherry for long voyages as this would preserve longer.
-It is nice to give flowers as gifts when we move to a new home.
-Netherlands phrase-ik ik ik, everyone else can stick it. This means, Netherlanders may like to get ahead for themselves, maybe not wait in line, but push forward. Maybe the nature is a bit competitive there.
-Netherlands phrase-If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much. We hope to say this in our presentations!
-Dutch we learned-
Doie-hip way to say goodbye
Proost-cheers
Bedankt-Thank you
Thank you Walter for spending time with us and for giving us so much interesting insight into the Netherlands!!
Next meeting January 14.
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