Show Kay Keeler Says Ik Hou Van Holland 4 d J v A 4 l f lf n f Mv M v t t v l' l Hf l i lil i I f v 1 9 v j tAt t 11 Jj tri ii KAY KEELER Editors Editor's note The following following following follow follow- ing letter was written by Kay Keeler who ho is spending spending spend spend- ing a year in Holland as part of the student exchange exchange exchange ange program Miss Miss Keeler asked that the letter be published published published pub pub- to her many friends December 28 1961 Dearest After being in Holland six months I decided to write you youa a letter while I am ani enjoying the freedom of an eighteen day Christmas vacation It is impossible to tell you about everything and besides Ive I've Ive got to have something to say when I g get t. t home but Ill I'll try to give you an idea of the type of life I am encountering Dutch people are very friendly and w warm rm They are very proud of their country and it shows by its appear appear- ance Everything is so neat and clean Truly Holland is isone isone isone one well kept garden Ive I've never seen so many flowers in my life Even in the dead of winter a familiar sight is isa isa a flower cart by the road side I even saw a big semi truck with a real lighted Christmas tree on top The chief means of transportation trans is the bicycle I soon got used to seeing old as well as tots cycling as profession profession- als I dont don't mind it a bit but through e experience Ive I've learn learn- ed to avoid the cobble stone streets Not too many people have television or refrigerators but the Twist is a rapidly growing growing growing grow grow- ing entertainment The second world war really really real real- ly has affected the Dutch people people peo peo- pIe and their culture Always I hear Before the war during the war after the war One can distinctly see the difference i in n the buildings and architecture of before and after the war I Iwas Iwas Iwas was astonished to see the modernization modernization mod mod- of this country having expected to see thatch- thatch roofed ed-roofed houses windmills tulips and wooden shoes In that respect Holland is very much like America Now only the farmers fishers and men associated with mud and water wear wooden shoes Very few people wear their native costume However a afew afew afew few villages live exactly like we hear about in the story storybooks storybooks storybooks books but it is very much for forthe forthe forthe the tourist trade That old topic of the weather really can add some color to ones one's conversation Its It's possible to have all four sea sea- seasons seasons sons in one day Rain or rainy weather dominates but many people do manage to get very suntanned I tried but now as I look back I wonder how many many people h had d. d natural tans One would be foolish to go out without a raincoat or um um- brella Winter is very cold this year and skating has lias become the chief interest There has not been actual skating weather since 1956 and we certainly got it this year i Skating contests are taking place from by the theold theold theold old Zee as I read about in my childhood It seems so very exciting to be actually living in a world of long ago dreams and imaginations I love school and school life E Even en if we dont don't get all the fun activities there is a circulation of acquaintances and associations constantly going on in our fifteen minute lunch hour Monday morning speech class party and a dance of a lifetime The school program is very different but Im I'm afraid Ill I'll have to wait until in the future future future fu fu- fu- fu ture to relate it since Im I'm running running running run run- ning out of space because right now I want to thank everyone everyone everyone ev ev- for their wonderful friendship and faith you have in me Without it I couldn't do it This experience has been very difficult and trying but Ive I've never learned so much and been happier It was impossible for me to send Christmas cards to ev ev- so Id I'd like to thank you all for y your ur lovely cards and gifts and wish you all a prosperous and Happy New Year and I hope your Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- mas was the best one ever I Ilove Ilove Ilove love you all Well as we say in Dutch en tot KAY |