Among the fields of tulips are peoples who, still to this day, wear the traditional wooden shoes that Holland is so famous for. We were surprised to find that some of the workers who sweep and clean the many cobble stoned walkways and court yards, wear these shoes, not for show, but because they find them more comfortable while doing this type of work.

Our trip, arranged through our local Friendship Force of South Central Minnesota, allowed us to, not only experience a new land, but to get to know some of the people of that land as well. As we rode by bus from the airport in Amsterdam, and as we entered Nijmegen, a city near the southwestern border of Holland, we soon saw signs of what makes Holland (The Netherlands) so unique. Scenic plots of land housing Tulips in patterns that suggest the appearance of a family crest, swayed gently in the breezes that flow over the peaceful countryside. Several windmills of various architectural designs provided little doubt that we were in the land of the storybook Dutch. These structures are so important to the heritage of the Dutch that the government requires that landowners not only keep these prized structures on their land, but make sure they stay in good repair as well.

Within the city of Nijmegen we came upon a large cobble stoned courtyard surrounded by many beautiful old buildings. Our bus stopped at a very old pub which was at one time a brewery. There we were to meet our host families. Each couple (or single) was assigned the host family for which they had previously been given a profile report. An attempt is made to match "ambassadors" and hosts by mutual interest or occupation.

An elderly gentleman greeted Ramona and me. He explained, in the best English he could manage, that it was his daughter and son-in-law that we would be staying with for the upcoming week but that both needed to work that first day. Umpa (Grandpa) was a delight and was very helpful getting us oriented to our new surroundings. It was obvious that Umpa was pleased that we could understand him. I am always in admiration of someone who can speak a language not of his own.

After some welcoming remarks from the leader of Holland's host Friendship Force group, and after some of this pubs finest beverages, we dispersed to our various host homes. We had had a long flight, a long bus ride and a long party - so - Umpa, being an aware and wise man, suggested that we might like to take a nap before his family arrived back home. We gladly agreed and were led to the room that would be ours during our stay. Shortly after we entered our bed the frame broke, sending us to the floor below. The mattress was soft and strong. No harm was done except for the embarrassment of telling Umpa we had broken his daughters bed.

Early in the evening Evon, Peter and their endearing little one year old daughter (Monan) arrived home to great us. We spent most of the first evening sharing stories about our backgrounds and getting oriented to our surroundings. Evon and Peter have a home that is part of a series of homes attached in a row. (Row homes). Theirs has three floors. The main floor includes a living room and a very large kitchen where we all gather to visit and eat. The second floor is comprised of two bedrooms, a sewing room and a bath. Daughter Manon slept in the sewing room for the week allowing us to use hers. The third floor was an open area for storage and laundry facilities. Their yard was small but nicely landscaped and filled with plants and flowers.

The time we spent with Evon and Peter was filled with activities, much of which we would never have experienced on our own. As well as having the opportunity to visit many of their friends in a number of different homes or social settings, we were able to experience much of the day to day living that our friends encounter regularly. We shopped the neighborhood open air markets. We enjoyed a neighborhood disco. We strolled through neighborhood parks and experienced a variety of eating and drinking establishments less well know to the common tourist.

During our 16 days we also had Friendship Force group activities. We spent a day sightseeing the inner parts of Nijmegen. During World War II the Americans destroyed this area thinking they were bombing a city in Germany. (We in America didn't hear much about that). All remaining structures, even if damaged, are kept to this day. Many of the structures have been renovated or architecturally redesigned making their facades partially old but then, somewhat new as well. The result is an inner core city that becomes a fascinating assortment of design.

Occasionally our group toured other parts of Holland, visiting Amsterdam and many of the areas of "man made" country side. These areas, once all part of the surrounding ocean, have been diked sufficiently so that they may be used for homes, businesses, parks and other uses.

Midway through our Holland experience, Ramona and I left our group and hosts for four days so that we could take advantage of visiting a cousin in Sweden who I had recently met. You can read about that experience by clicking HERE . When we arrived back in Holland four days later, we were met by a couple who would host us for the remainder of our stay. With them we stayed in an upper floor of a rather newly constructed apartment building that overlooked a portion of the city. Because of our side trip to Sweden, our stay with our second hosts was short but we were afforded the opportunity to experience the diversity of the people of Nijmegen. Brenda and David were a young couple, he a native of Nijmegen and she from a tribe in a remote area of Africa. We were fascinated by the differences in Brenda's way of life now compared to her cultural beginnings. Some of her learned customs still remain. As guests in their home, they cooked wonderful meals. But, as guests, it was our responsibility to keep the apartment clean and to do the dishes. We had fun doing so and it was not a burden.

For one entire day, we were given bicycles to venture off on our own throughout the city of Nijmegen. With only a map, Ramona and I took full advantage of visiting neighborhoods with little stores that fulfilled the needs of its immediate area. Paying close attention to street signs (and writing the strange street names down for reference), we came across cheese shops, clothing stores, and a wonderful bakery (one of my favorite types of places) where we communicated by replacing the unknown language of Dutch with finger pointing to indicate the pastries we wished to purchase. Everyone was kind and patient with us and seemed pleased that we chose to visit their world.

In the evening, our hosts and we would talk about our pasts and hopes for the future while we played board games that were new and strange to Ramona and me.

Our final day, all hosts and their guests gathered at a pub, said our goodbyes, and then the members of the friendship force of south central Minnesota entered tour buses that would bring them to the airport for a departure back home.