Maartje in Amerika: Student van de week!

"It has been a blessing to have Maartje join our family this year! I admire the courage it must take to adventure out into a new country with new people, learning a different way of life and experiencing so many new things. And her language skills amaze me!

After arriving in mid-August, we were able to spend some time at the lake, have a blast tubing, and check out some of the North Dakota attractions along the way. In October, we also attended an Ed Sheeran concert together. She also had the opportunity join a couple other exchange students on a local news show to be interviewed about her experiences as an exchange student. She did such a great job!

She jumped right in to school life by making new friends and joining clubs such as FCCLA and Big Brother/Big Sister, and participating in the school’s 5th Quarter activities. She is doing well academically in school with all A’s so far. As she intends on becoming an elementary school teacher, she is especially enjoying here JET class (Junior Educator) where she is able to help out in an elementary class room.

High School USA Meer info over een tussenjaar in Amerika?

She joined the basketball team where she worked hard, learned a lot and improved a great deal in just one year, especially for someone who was brand new to the sport. She plans on joining track and field this spring, where she will again be trying out some new events.

She has been learning about our traditions, including pumpkin carving and sharing in our Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s traditions, as well as things like attending our favorite college football games, and our Super Bowl watch party.

I have greatly enjoyed her sharing her food and traditions with us as well. She has made us some traditional meals from the Netherlands. On New Year’s Eve, we even tried our hands at olieballen (Dutch doughnuts). In December, she shared her traditional celebration of St. Nicholas Day where there are a lot of special treats and you put your shoes out at night for the gifts to be placed (usually candy), and then exchange gifts and play some games together as a family. I can see us continuing this one.

She has adapted well to our harsh winter weather, making the best of it with some skiing (where she taught us a thing or two), as well as trying out a cold weather experiment and coming to enjoy the idea of snow days! We also enjoying going to the movies together, and other activities such as attending a Fargo Force hockey game.

She loves our German Shepherd, Lambeau, and has made him somewhat famous in the Netherlands with the fun pictures she posts of him. He has become attached to her too! Having Maartje here has been a wonderful experience and it has taught us all a lot."