Life in Holland!

Hello from across the ocean!

I have been in Holland now for exactly one month, and what a month it has been! I have lived in 3 different locations, been through 2 injuries, met a team full of new girls, and have coached a variety of U12 girls teams! A few of my observations of this foreign land so far:

1) When they were deemed are the tallest country in the world, they aren't lying!

2) The are probably the "Greenest" country I have ever been in, which I absolutely love. Why, let me tell you:

A. Almost everyone bikes everywhere. You see people on bikes in their business suits and dresses on their way to work, you see babies on the front of bikes in a little bike seats, and the best is when you see grandparents biking with someone sitting on the back of the bike, it is amazing.

B. They don't give you grocery bags. You can buy a bag, and then they expect you to bring that back next time you come to the grocery.

3) You always have to be prepared for rain. You can leave in the morning and it looks like it will be a beautiful sunny day, and then an hour later it is down-pouring on you while your riding on the bike, but that doesn't stop people from biking!!

4) Cheese, Cheese, and more Cheese! They love their cheese and bread, and I can see why. I am slightly addicted to it right now as well. No Kraft cheese here, it is all the real deal. They have so many different old cheeses, goat cheese, and more.

5) And of course you can't ignore the smoke shops. Yes, they are all over the place. You will be walking down the street and you just get a wiff of marijuana. It is just a normal part of life here to see them on every other corner. It seems as though it is much more for the tourists that visit than for the locals though.

6) The hockey. The club system here is amazing. The club I am a part of has something like 1500 members, ranging from 6 years old to 50 plus. They have 5 turf fields and a club house with locker rooms, showers, and a bar with food and drinks. It is really a cultural experience. After all of our practices the club feeds us dinner and we just sit around and socialize for an hour or so. It is so nice to spend time with everyone off the field as well.

7) The people. Everyone has been super friendly, going over and beyond to help make me feel comfortable here. I can't wait to become even more engrossed into their culture and give back for everything they have provided me.

That's all for now. Check back for more updates and pictures!

Lauren