My Son Is Going To Holland for a YEAR

[jpratt]

My youngest son has decided he want to be a foreign exchange student next year, his sophomore year. He turns 15 in July and has been accepted to attend school for the entire year somewhere in Holland. We are excited and scared about this. The wife goes from laughing to crying about missing her baby boy. I think this will be the chance of a lifetime and wish the world for him. He is scheduled to leave around the 21st of August so we have lots of time to prepare. Everyone we have talked to that has been to the Netherlands has nothing but good things to say about it. I have been all over Google and Wikipedia absorbing as much about the place as I can.

Any of you been there or have any experience with sending a child overseas for such a thing as this?

 

[RIFF RAFF]

My son

Is going to france first time for us to .. Same effect with mom shes all over the place with emotion .. But we are trading we are taking a kid from france and their family is taking our son .under the international student exchange .hope he likes drag racing ,paint ball guns , mini bikes ,go carts .and all other speed fun .. We hear they have a goat or two .. I think my son will be awakend to the other side of the world. You now the stuff they cant get from books ..

 

[allblackcars]

Skype can make it easier...web cam conversation on a daily basis. From your computer to his ipod or laptop. I do it with my oldest in college. I dont know much about Holland, sorry.

 

[gn85]

I lived an hour from Holland in Germany. Three hours from Amsterdam. I used to fly out of there all the time when I went to the states.

The people in Holland are very friendly (IMO) to Americans. The Dutch have very strong English skills, so that should make the transition smooth. I don't know if your son is gifted or interested in language, but living in ANY country is a golden opportunity to open up to a new language. I speak German, so when I hear Dutch it's really strange... kinda like I should understand but I don't. It's a cross between a few different languages (including German and English).

A word of warning for your son. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE homesickness and culture shock. Being a continent away can throw you. For a 15 year old, it can be even stronger. So, be on the lookout and be prepared for the pep talks.

Also, I don't know who the agency the exchange is conducted with, but make sure you do your homework there. Some agencies are great. Some are not.

Of course, there is the issue of the 'drinking age' and other activities. Dunno how responsible your son is, but be prepared. It's a different culture there and a younger man experimenting with alcohol or other 'substances' is not as frowned upon. You might want to brace yourself for that... or that secret. I don't know what Holland's law is, but Germany's drinking age for beer and lighter alcohol is 16.

Good luck and congratulations.

 

[gn85]

Meant to say... I agree A LOT with the Skype. Great! I used to have two appointments a week with my parents. I would call on those days.

Also, care packages from home go a long way. My parents used to send video tape of shows or events (football, Nascar, etc) every week. Nowadays, there's hulu and other internet resources. Don't ASSUME that your son will have regular access to internet.

 

[O SO LO]

My daughter went on a People to People trip for 3 weeks plus when she was 13... had a hard time letting her go, but she was mature for her age and she still talks about it almost 4 yrs later... I realize it's not a year. I have been to Holland twice, my wife's relatives are there- and I agree, it's a different way of life- and I'm sure an experience he will never forget... Ann Frank House, Amsterdam, etc, etc. lots to learn and see- if he gets a chance check out Parthenon Museum...

 

[hang10]

I would want to be with my kids as long as i could. It was hard enough when my kids went away to college .I WOULD give anything to have back a year with them @ home. They are only kids once....

 

[turbofabricator]

I have been to Amsterdam on business. It is a beautiful place. But the people are NOT outgoing or friendly to strangers (at first) I found the Dutch to be quite cold. I had co-workers giving me the "eye" and it took a bit to get them to warm up. After we established common interests, we got along GREAT. Walking the crowded streets, they will NOT even look you in the eye. If they critisize your work/interests, it's because they are genuinly interested in what/who you are. But at first it's hard to understand. I enjoyed the city. BUT....alot of drugs are tolerated and there are litterally thousands of bars in just the city of Amsterdam. The beaches are.......well........interesting. Most beaches and parks will have topless women if the sun comes out. Saw lots of women sunning them selves in the city park during their lunch hour. The people of Holland are in great shape physically because they all ride bikes everywhere. All beat up POS bikes stacked up like cord wood everywhere. The Red Light district is "different" to say the least, too. The Dutch are more tollerant to Americans than say the French are. He should have alot of fun. I work with guys that have spent many years there and all of them say that it's not bad, BUT...there just isn;t anyplace as nice as the good old USA.
PM me for my number if you want to hear more details.

 

[Silver Fox]

My youngest son has decided he want to be a foreign exchange student next year, his sophomore year. He turns 15 in July and has been accepted to attend school for the entire year somewhere in Holland. We are excited and scared about this. The wife goes from laughing to crying about missing her baby boy. I think this will be the chance of a lifetime and wish the world for him. He is scheduled to leave around the 21st of August so we have lots of time to prepare. Everyone we have talked to that has been to the Netherlands has nothing but good things to say about it. I have been all over Google and Wikipedia absorbing as much about the place as I can.

Any of you been there or have any experience with sending a child overseas for such a thing as this?

I've lived in Holland on and off for about seven years. Let me know what questions you have. Also, do you where will be going in Holland? I'd be glad to talk to you about it.

Get the Rosetta Stone program for him and have him start studying the language.

Rob

 

[phillyturbosix]

I was in Amsterdam last year for 2 weeks in June. Great place to visit for sure. I feel it's a "must" on places around the world just to visit and experience. It's loaded with history over there for sure. As long as he stays away from the red district in Amsterdam or anywhere around that area he should be fine. There are a a lot of seedy people in that area and that's about the only spot a good kid could go bad in a hurry over there. The people are very simple and keep to their self. That area is about 75% tourists most of the year. I actually got sick of seeing people dragging suit cases around behind them everywhere you went.

The dutch are open, warm, and very nice people in general. I had a great time in many small bars/restaurants/pubs all in and around the Netherlands. They like it when you adapt to their way of living and people realize they are a guest in their country. Most people go over there acting like Americans typically do thinking they own the place and they don't like that at all. That's when you'll get the evil eye. I have friends who moved over there and love it.

The food over there is amazing! Everything is fresh and unbelievable. Most eatery's take awhile to get served because everything is made fresh! They also don't rush you. It's typical for someone to sit down for a few hours for dinner. And you don't have to tip. The servers have their own union and are paid very well. You can leave tips but it's not typical over there. They have buses and trains they can get you everywhere and anywhere. It's almost like a controlled chaos there. You have the sidewalks, bike lanes, driving lanes, taxi lanes, trolley lanes, and then it starts all over again. The nice part is you can get anywhere by bike with ease.

As long as you feel you can trust your son and he won't go off hanging in the hash bars that are all over the place you should be fine. The main thing is he has to realize he is in their country. To respect their ways of life and living and he'll get along fine. Unlike living here you can act like an animal and get away with it almost anywhere. Not going to happen like that in the Netherlands! I can't wait to go back next year!

 

[turbofabricator]

<<They have buses and trains they can get you everywhere and anywhere. It's almost like a controlled chaos there. You have the sidewalks, bike lanes, driving lanes, taxi lanes, trolley lanes, and then it starts all over again.>>



Boy you can say that again. Man! I almost got killed stepping off the sidewalk. Sidewalk---bike lane---two car lanes--two train tracks--two car lanes--bike lane--sidewalk. BE CAREFUL and pay attention when crossing the street in Amsterdam. THe traffic all seem to run at differnt times and stops for NO ONE. My first taxi ride from the airtport to the hotel was at OVER 90mph!! Woo-Hoo! Driving down the very narrow alleys at 35-40 mph with bike riders and pedestrians INCHES from the taxi. My butt was trying to chew a hole in the seat.
Oh, and the Dutch HATE the Germans, still today after 60 years. A taxi driver made a comment to me about a park that the Dutch prisoners made during Nazi occupation. He said it was the ONLY good thing the Nazi's did during WWII. I corrected him and said "No......the Nazi's did TWO good things in WWII!" HE got VERY hacked off and and shouted "WHAT??? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!?!?!??!" I said "Well..........They built this park, and ...........they LOST the war!" He started laughing histarically and said "Oh!!! That's a GOOD ONE.........I'll use that now!"