AboutAnneke Oosterink Expertise Customs and daily life in general. More specifically, schools and universities. I know a lot about the way people live here.
Experience Schools and Universities, daily life and customs
My name is Elizabeth. I am doing a project on the Netherlands. I am 8 years old and in 3rd grade. I have learned that Germany and Belgium border the Netherlands. The official language is Dutch and a few other facts. I know that they make cheese and tulips but I would like to know what else the Netherlands is famous for. What is the name of the current king or queen? Who is the most famous person living in the Netherlands today? Also, what is your favorite thing about living in the Netherlands? Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Elizabeth
Answer Dear Elizabeth,
A very nice source is wikipedia, this are several websites about the Netherlands: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_culture
Something the Dutch are also famous for are wooden shoes (klompen in Dutch), windmills and more recently also the dykes and flood control, these keep the lowest half of the country dry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afsluitdijk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_control_in_the_Netherlands (this one has a picture of places vulnerable for flooding.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Works
There are some movies about the flood control on youtube, if you want me to, I can send you the links.
Our current queen is Beatrix, her son Willem-Alexander will follow her. He has now three daughters, so after a king we will get a queen again.
Their last name is Oranje-Nassau (oranje means orange, so that's why our national colour is orange.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange-Nassau
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Royal_House
There are many famous people, including people from long ago. Right now there are many famous people. An actress for example is Carice van Houten, who played in a lot of Dutch movies and stageplays, but now she has played in a movie with Tom Cruise. For sports all the speedskaters are very famous. Just a few days ago the World Championships were held in Heerenveen (a Dutch town) and the Dutch skaters did very well. Right now Sven Kramer is a famous speedskater, and Ireen Wüst is also a famous speedskater. There are many more famous people, both in the Netherlands and internationally, but that list will get very long.
I like a lot of things about the Netherlands, that schools cost very little, and that university is not very expensive. That all schools are the same, so no private schools. Also that gays can marry, that drugs that are not very harmful are legal, this all means that you can choose what you want to do. This doesn't mean that every Dutch person uses drugs or something, but if you wanted to you could. That is what I like the most I think. I can do what I want to do.
I hope this is what you needed to know, if you need to know more you can just contact me.
Kind regards,
Anneke Oosterink
