Going Dutch
November 2012
6
All heads were turned towards the
windows as we waited for the Queen’s
golden carriage on Prinsjesdag
22, 24
Our Membership team was busy greeting
Members new and old at our two Fall Kick
Offs
54
Everyone went home smiling with their
new silver pendants after our silver clay
workshop
The Magazine of the
American Women’s Club
of The Hague
5 Officers and Chairwomen
6 Prinsjesdag Luncheon
8 Message from the
President
9 November Annual General
Meeting
10 Letter from the Editor
12 Membership
13 Kids’ Club
14 Ongoing Activities
16 One-of-a-Kind Activities
18 Tours
19 Bakers Needed
19 AWC Recipe Book
20 Holiday Bazaar 2012
22 Kick Off 2012
26 Heart Pillow News
31 Thanksgiving Service
32 The Dutch Daily
34 Announcements
36 Bookshelf
38 AWC and the Arts
39 DFAS
40 Redheads Unite in Holland
42 FAWCO Corner
44 Facts about Water
46 Welcome to Slovenia
50 Toastmaster Extraordinaire
52 Classifieds
53 Index of Advertisers
53 Rates
54 Silver Clay Workshop
NOVEMBER 2012 3
AWC Clubhouse
Johan van Oldenbarneveltlaan 43
2582 NJ Den Haag
Tel: 070 350 6007
info@awcthehague.org
www.awcthehague.org
Going Dutch Magazine
goingdutchmag@gmail.com
Clubhouse Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Monday and Friday Closed
Editor
Melissa White
Design and Layout
Teresa Mahoney
Cover Photo
Haagse Bos
Photography
Greetje Engelsman, Melissa White,
Wikimedia Commons
Advertising
Open
Proofreaders
Celeste Brown, Elanna Reiss, Diane
Schaap
Contributors
Jane Choy, Dena De Clute-Melancon,
Johanna Dishongh, Roberta Enschede,
Jan Essad, Becky Failor, Eileen Harloff,
Elizabeth Kennedy, Rachel Kuppers,
Laurie Martecchini, Dru van Harten, Anne
van Oorschot
Printer
www.drukwerk-centrum.nl
Dues (Effective 2012-2013)
€ 110 per year (€ 55 after January 1)
€ 90 business, professional
€ 55 valid US military id
€ 35 student
Add € 15 new member registration fee
AWC Bank Account Number
Deutsche Bank
51.99.10.206
KvK Den Haag
40409274
Deadlines: Submissions are due no later than the last Monday of the month preceding the publication month.
For example, for the January/February issue, submissions are due before Monday, November 26.
Please Note: Articles submitted to Going Dutch will be published subject to space limitations and editorial approval.
All rights reserved; reprints only by written permission of the Editor. Please email to: goingdutchmag@
gmail.com
Legal Notice: Articles in Going Dutch express the views and opinions of their authors alone, and not necessarily
those of the AWC of The Hague, its Members or this publication.
4 GOING DUTCH
2012-2013 AWC Officers
Honorary President Tricia Nolan
President Johanna Dishongh
awcthehague.president@gmail.com
First VP Karen Goodman
awcthehague.firstvp@gmail.com
Second VP Laurie Martecchini
awcthehague.2ndvp@gmail.com
Third VP Diane Letner
awcthehague.finance@gmail.com
Treasurer Kim Gebhart
awcthehague.finance@gmail.com
Secretary Penny Middelraad
awcthehague.secretary@gmail.com
Ways and Means Open
Membership Dru van Harten
awcthehague.membership@gmail.com
Magazine Editor Teresa Mahoney
goingdutchmag@gmail.com
Philanthropy Dena De Clute-Melancon
awcthehague.philanthropy@gmail.com
FAWCO Elizabeth Kennedy
awcthehague.fawco@gmail.com
Communication (at large) Melissa
White
goingdutchmag@gmail.com
Committee Chairs
Activities Jan Essad, Fiona Muir
At Home in Holland Becky Failor
Caring Committee Naomi Keip
Council of the Arts Jane Choy
Heart Pillow Eileen Baker
Holiday Bazaar Leslie Collingridge
House Relocation Laurie Martecchini
IT/Communications Open
Library Laurie Martecchini
Kid’s Club Elanna Reiss, Heather Weber
Newcomers Open
Parliamentarian Georgia Regnault
Philanthropic Gala Jan de Vries, Sophie
Dencher
Programs Janine Dumont, Roberta Enschede
Public Relations Open
Tennis Molly Boed
Tours Becky Failor
Volunteer Coordinator Open
Women with Dutch Partners Rachel
Kuppers
Front Office
Sarah Dunn
Rachel Kuppers
Laurie Martecchini
Pamela Schellekens
Julie Schipper
AWC Purpose Statement
The AWC of The Hague is an association formed to provide social and educational activities
for American women living in the Netherlands and to promote amicable relations
among people of all nations as well as acquiring funds for general public interest. The
association does not endeavor to make a profit.
NOVEMBER 2012 5
AWC Prinsjesdag Luncheon
Message from the President
by Johanna Dishongh
This month, we will continue on our
journey “outside the box” by having
our November Annual General Meeting
in the evening (see next page). In accordance
with the AWC Constitution, we are required to
report on the activities of the past completed
year and render an accounting of our finances
as well as submit the current budget and audit
committee nominations for approval by the
general Membership. All Regular Members
share the responsibility to vote and should
take this opportunity to participate in shaping
the future of our Club. It is essential to have
a quorum of the Membership for the vote.
If you are unable to attend this important
meeting, please complete and submit a proxy
ballot, available by email request from info@
awcthehague.org or in the Front Office, prior
to November 14. While Associate Members
are not entitled to vote, I encourage your attendance
and participation in the discussions.
November is always a busy month for us
at the AWC, beginning with our Annual Holiday
Bazaar held the weekend of November 10
– 11 at the Carlton Ambassador Hotel. Bazaar
Chair Leslie Collingridge and her team have
been hard at work putting together an exciting
collection of new and returning vendors for
this traditional kick off to the holiday season.
As with any event of this magnitude, an army
of volunteers is required, so please graciously
volunteer to help.
Holiday traditions continue with the
Thanksgiving season. Naturally, you won’t
want to miss the service
at the Pieterskerk
in Leiden, home
of the original
M a y f l o w e r
P i l g r i m s .
O v e r s e a s
A m e r i c a n s
R e m e m b e r
(OAR) will
host their
annual service on
8 GOING DUTCH
Thanksgiving
Day (see page
31), after
which Jan
Essad will
lead a group
to a fabulous
lunch at Het
Koetshuis de
Burcht (see
page 16). The
Thanksgiving
weekend will
round out with
our Family Potluck Dinner (also see page
16) on November 24. Given that many of
us do not have a work or school holiday on
Thanksgiving Day, this is a new twist to our
previous tradition with the goal being that
every AWC Member has a place to celebrate
Thanksgiving. I know that my household
is planning to have turkey and dressing
twice: once on November 22 and again on
November 24.
Last November, for the first time, we
made eight gingerbread houses (from scratch
I might add), which were distributed to hospitals
and shelters in hopes of bringing a little
joy to those in unfortunate situations during
the holiday season. I assisted in the delivery
of these houses and can still picture the faces
of those on the receiving end. Plans have
been made to attempt this feat again this year
with work sessions at the end of November
and early December (see page 17). It is not
necessary to attend every work session, so
don’t let a schedule conflict hinder you from
signing up. I hope that you will join me in
supporting this worthy effort.
The Region 4 FAWCO conference was
held in early October, hosted by AWCA
– Amsterdam, which coincided with their
club’s 85th anniversary celebration. AWC
The Hague was represented by our FAWCO
rep and Region 4 Coordinator, Elizabeth
Kennedy, and Emily van Erten, who >>
November General Meeting
by Janine Dumont
The AWC 2012-2013 Budget Presentation
will take place at our Annual
General Meeting. As we continue to
mix things up this year, we will host this
meeting in the evening so that our working
members can join us. During this meeting, we
will report on the activities and finances of
the Club during the past year. In addition to
the Budget, nominations for the Audit Committee
will be presented for your approval.
The Executive Board and Finance Committee
(Johanna Dishongh, Kim Gebhart, Diane
Letner and Georgia Regnault) spent a significant
amount of time preparing the budget,
which was approved by the Board in October.
As can be expected, the committee was
conservative in revenue estimates. Although
the bottom line appears to be quite healthy,
this is mainly attributable to the interest earnings
from the proceeds of the sale of Nieuwe
Duinweg. Beginning November 1, copies of
these documents will be available in the Front
Office for your review. Proxy forms are also
available at the Front Office if you cannot
attend this important meeting.
Join us before
the AGM
for an old fashioned
potluck
dinner. Due to
the small size
of our kitchen,
please bring
your dish
ready to serve.
In an effort to
facilitate a balanced
meal,
contact the
Front Office no later than Tuesday, November
13, to sign up for a dish category (salad,
main, vegetable/side or dessert). Coffee and
tea will be provided; the Tulip Café refrigerator
will be available for the purchase
of other drinks.
Our apologies, but child care is not available
at evening meetings.
Thursday, November 15
Potluck Starts: 6 p.m.
Meeting Begins: 7 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
Please note the date change of the November meeting!
>>
serves as the FAWCO Parliamentarian.
Along with presentations on tax issues for
Americans living abroad, domestic violence
initiatives and the FAWCO Target Water
Program, our own Eileen Baker presented
on the Heart Pillow Project. Speaking of
the Heart Pillow Project, see page 26 to see
how Eileen rallied the troops after an urgent
request from several local hospitals. Many
thanks to all of the stitchers, snippers and
stuffers who helped with this achievement.
Although I took advantage of early voting
while in Texas in October, I will eagerly be
watching the election returns on the big
screens at the Who’s the President? Breakfast
on November 7 at the Kurhaus (see page 34). I
hope to see many of you there, as well as at the
Holiday Bazaar, AGM, Gingerbread House
Making, Aachen bus trip and the many more
activities that Jan and Becky have organized.
Get your rest now as you will need it!
Tot Ziens,
Johanna
NOVEMBER 2012 9
Letter from the Editor
by Melissa White
I
hope you’ve had a chance by now to visit
our new Clubhouse. Frankly, after viewing
several somewhat dismal commercial
properties, I was relieved when I first walked
into Johan van Oldenbarneveltlaan (which I
can almost pronounce now, at least in my own
head if not out loud) and felt the warmth of
the space. I love all the natural light that flows
through the large windows and skylights. My
hat goes off to the ladies of the Relocation
Committee for thinking outside the box and
looking beyond standard commercial space
to find the Club a great new home.
Who can’t relate to the idea of
leaving one chapter behind and
moving on to the next?
~ Mike Shinoda
Speaking of boxes, my house is currently
full of them. While I had nearly come to terms
with the inevitability that we’d be spending
our fifth winter living in a house without insulation,
everything changed in mid-September:
after an extended search, we’d finally found a
new rental. As my family prepares to celebrate
our 7th anniversary in Holland this month, we
are moving not only into our third house, but
our third city and an entirely new phase of
our Dutch adventure.
Our first phase was the 2.5 years that we
spent living along a main canal in a suburb
of Leiden. The house was built in 1935 and
had a plaque out front as a reminder that it
had been hit by shrapnel when Allied bombers
tried to disable the nearby train bridge. We
became users of public transport for the first
times in our lives as I took the girls to school
by train and tram; my husband enjoyed his
long cycle rides to work. We made friends
with our Dutch neighbors and hated to have
to leave when the owner sold the house (and
we couldn’t afford to buy it).
10 GOING DUTCH
The current phase has been nearly 4.5
years living in Leidschendam within cycling
distance of school and the AWC, which has
led to increased physical activity for the girls
in the family. This single-family home was
built in 1964 and has a swimming pool, which
sounds much more glamorous than it is. Without
a heater, the pool can only be used for
about two weeks per year. James enjoyed the
challenge of building his own solar heating
system, but it merely extended the useful life
of the pool by perhaps another week. Granted,
the yard is fantastic and we will really miss
hosting large garden parties, but the house has
limited useful space due to its heavily sloped
ceilings and is always cold due to its cement
block construction. Surrounded by apartment
buildings, from a social standpoint it has been
like living on an island.
Our next phase will be to move this month
to Voorschoten into a modern home with underfloor
heating, which sounds like heaven
to me. More importantly, we will now have a
bonus room so our two teenage daughters will
have some space of their own. It will be so
nice for them to have slumber parties without
their parents hanging out in the same room
for lack of another room to escape to. And for
the first time, we will live in a neighborhood
surrounded by other expats and classmates.
Unlike many of you who have moved
between countries for different assignments,
we had never lived abroad until we moved to
the Netherlands. However, moving between
cities in the same region has allowed us to
experience several new beginnings. Luckily,
boxing up our belongings won’t be as daunting
of a task as that faced by AWC volunteers
when clearing out the stuff accumulated in all
those years in Scheveningen. Like the AWC,
we will now have a lot of built-in shelving
that should help us to tame years of living
amongst clutter. And much like the renewed
energy that I sense when I walk into the new
Clubhouse, I think good things will come out
of this new adventure.
NOVEMBER 2012 11
Membership
by Dru van Harten
RSVP for all Newcomer Events to awcthehague.membership@gmail.com so
we can make restaurant reservations.
Day in Delft
AWC Member and Delft enthusiast Kimberly Vered will
take us through this quintessential and historical Dutch
town. While appreciating the lovely canals and sights, she
will share her tips and discuss living in the Netherlands.
She will also take us to a typical Dutch restaurant and
help you read through a Dutch menu, and will reveal
where you can find the best apple pie in the local square.
To end our Delft Day, we will visit a few reputable Delft
Blauw shops for some shopping. Meet at the Starbucks
in Den Haag Centraal Station (DHCS) and bring your
OV-chipkaart or money for train fare and lunch.
Friday, November 16
12:15 – 3:30 p.m.
Meet at DHCS Starbucks at 12:15
RSVP by November 13
November Birthdays
Ethelyn Goble 4
Lisa Brunslev 5
Jo Nell Costello 5
Pearl Waterreus 13
Paula Looijmans 16
Sasha Goldstein-Sabbah 16
Marianne Lemstra 17
Michele Hill 18
Laurie Martecchini 20
Lynne Roukema 21
Teresa Mahoney 29
12 GOING DUTCH
Welcome New Members!
Maitreyi Bery
Celeste Bennekers
Lisa Brunslev
Lou Ann Endries
Julie Mowat
Gloria Mkushi
Lisa Massih
Rebecca Niles-Pourier
Leah Sheaffer
Kids’ Club
by Elanna Reiss and Heather Weber
Kids’ Club Meet-Up
Please join us for our first Kids’ Club Meet-
Up at our new Clubhouse. This will be a good
opportunity to get to know some new moms
and their kids as well as catch up with friends
you have not seen in a while. Ideal for ages
birth – four, but don’t hesitate to bring your
older kids if they are off from school. A light
lunch and snacks will be served.
Thursday, November 1
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
€ 2 per person
RSVP: awcthehague.kidsclub@gmail.com
November Americana Program
The Americana Program seeks to expose
American children living abroad to the history
and traditions of American life and culture.
This is a great opportunity for your child to
interact with other
American youngsters
and learn
a little bit about
where they come
from.
This month’s
topic will be
Thanksgiving.
Children older
than four are welcome.
Sunday, November 18
Coffee: 1:30 p.m.
Lesson: 2 – 3 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
€ 2 Child
RSVP: Elizabeth Kennedy at
awcthehague.fawco@gmail.com
NOVEMBER 2012 13
Ongoing Activities
Book Club
The AWC Book Group is open to all book
lovers and is always open to new Members.
There is no obligation to attend every meeting
or lead a discussion. We take turns bringing
a snack. We pay a minimal fee to help offset
the purchase of one copy of each book chosen
for discussion for the AWC Library. If you’ve
always wanted to try out a book club, this is
your chance. Happy reading!
The November Book Group selection is The
Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by
David McCullough:
Between 1830 and
1900, hundreds of
Americans – many
of them future
household names
like Oliver Wendell
Holmes, Mark
Twain, Samuel
Morse and Harriet
Beecher Stowe –
migrated to Paris.
McCullough shows
how the City of
Light affected each
of them, and how
they then helped shape American art, science,
medicine, writing and politics in profound
ways when they came back to the US.
Thursday, November 15
10 a.m.
AWC Clubhouse
Free
Book Club Planning Ahead:
• Wednesday, December 5 The Art of
Fielding by Chad Harbach
• Thursday, January 24 The 5th Child
by Doris Lessing
14 GOING DUTCH
Recap of the September Discussion
To Save a Life: Memoirs of a Dutch Resistance
Courier: While many of us felt that
this collection of anecdotes about the Dutch
Resistance could have been edited better, we
all agreed that our eyes were opened to the
harsh realities of life during the Occupation
and greatly admire the author’s bravery.
Bridge
AWC Member Sara Crabtree is trying to
gauge the interest for starting a Bridge group
among our Members. Ideally, she hopes to
start an intermediate level group in the New
Year. Please email Sara at saracrab@gmail.
com if you are interested, indicating your experience
level. She is willing to host refresher
sessions and work with beginners if there is
enough interest.
Chat, Crafts & Cake
Let’s get creative! The AWC will be open to
all crafters. If you’ve been looking for an open
space large enough to lay out that king-size
quilt, or need more table space to organize
your photo albums or scrapbooks, or just need
an excuse to stitch, pack up those supplies and
bring them to the Clubhouse so you can chat
with fellow AWC Members and visitors while
you work. You might even be able to pick up
some suggestions from a fresh pair of eyes.
Each week a different Member will bring a
cake made from a never-before-tried recipe
for tasting and critiquing. Once a month, we
will help the Heart Pillow Project. Questions?
Contact: Suzanne Dundas at awcthehague.
crafts@gmail.com
Tuesdays
10 a.m. – Noon
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
Visitors Welcome
Heart Pillow Project
This is our fifth year of making heart-shaped
pillows to support the arms of breast cancer
patients recovering from surgery in four local
hospitals. A set of pillows, one large pillow
for under the arm and one small pillow for
under a car’s seatbelt, is packaged in a plastic
bag bearing a bow and tag with a bilingual
message that is signed by a volunteer. If you
can cut fabric, stuff fiberfill, thread a needle,
or tie a bow, we need you! Needless to say, we
enjoy lots of socializing while contributing to
a worthy cause. The emails we have received
from Dutch patients are touching and show
that women are linked beyond nationality by
this terrible disease. We are very proud to
continue providing women with support
as well as comfort during a difficult time
in their lives. No sign-up is necessary. For
more information, contact Eileen Baker at
ewbaker1976@yahoo.com
Tuesdays, November 13, December 11
10 a.m. – Noon
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
Visitors Welcome
Tennis League
The AWC Tennis Group plays doubles every
Tuesday from 1 – 3 p.m. at Dekker Tennis
Club in Warmond. Ladies move up and down
the courts according to a ladder tennis system.
The emphasis is on having fun! The league is
available for all levels except true beginners.
If you are interested in being placed on the
waiting list to become a regular player or
would like to be on the sub list, contact: Molly
Boed at mollyboed@yahoo.com or 065 067
8731.
AWC Guest Policy
Guests are welcome to participate in AWC
activities and tours on a limited basis. As a non-
member, a guest is limited to attend two func-
tions per calendar year and will be charged an
additional nonmember fee. Only Members are
entitled to use babysitting services.
Cancellation Policy
Members may reserve a spot for an AWC tour, activity or event in advance. Payment is required
within five (5) business days of the reservation or before the deadline date (whichever
is sooner) otherwise your name will be moved to a waitlist. It is the responsibility of the Member
to notify the Club at awcthehague.finance@gmail.com to cancel a reservation prior to
the cancellation deadline. Please note that there will be NO REFUNDS (no exceptions) after
the cancellation deadline. Members may find a substitute in lieu of cancellation provided
that arrangements are made with the tour, activity or event organizer. Members shall be held
responsible for their guest reservations in accordance with this policy.
NOVEMBER 2012 15
One-of-a-Kind Activities
by Jan Essad and Fiona Muir
RSVP to awcthehague.activities@gmail.com. Payment for all Activities must be made
within 5 calendar days of reserving or your name will be moved to a waitlist. Payment can be
made in the Front Office by PIN or by bank transfer to the AWC account #51.99.10.206.
Jar-Filling Activity
Please join us for a fun and easy jar-filling
activity at the Clubhouse. These beautifully
finished gift jars of cookie and brownie mixes
will be sold at the Holiday Bazaar Bake Sale
to raise money for our Club. All the ingredients
will be set up assembly-line style,
so there will be plenty of time to chat with
friends (and sneak chocolate chips!) while we
work. If you can measure, dump, cut fabric
rounds, and tie ribbon, we need your help!
Feel free to bring your lunch along.
Tuesday, November 6
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
Free
Sign-up deadline: November 1
Wine and Cheese Tasting
Always wanted to know more about cheese,
wines and their combinations? The cheese
and wine-loving staff at the award-winning
De Kaasespecialzaak will teach us all we
need to know about harmonizing the two to
make an unforgettable taste. While tasting
eight different wines and cheeses from various
European countries, we’ll learn what to
look for when deciding on combinations, the
influence of temperatures on both, and the
background of each combination. This will
not only be an educational experience, but a
true taste sensation.
16 GOING DUTCH
Tuesday, November 6
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
De Kaasespecialzaak
Farhenheitstraat 625, Den Haag
€ 23 Members (€ 28 Nonmembers )
Min 20 / Max 40
Sign-up deadline: October 26
Thanksgiving at Pieterskerk and
Lunch in Leiden
Each year, OAR ~ Overseas Americans
Remember hosts a wonderful non-denominational
Thanksgiving Service at the Pieterskerk
in Leiden where our Pilgrim story
began (see page 31). Following the service,
we will lunch at Het Koetshuis de Burcht.
This gezellig restaurant sits at the base of a
historic castle ruin (built in the 11th century).
It was a coach house from 1657 until being
opened as a restaurant in 1981. After enjoying
a warm Dutch lunch, we will train back
to The Hague. We will meet at Den Haag
Central Station (DHCS) at 10 a.m. to train
to Leiden. We’ll then take a short walk to
arrive at Sint Pieterskerk at approximately
10:45 a.m. Specific train details will be sent
to participants prior to the event.
Thursday, November 22
Meet at DHCS: 10 a.m.
Service: 11 a.m. – Noon
Lunch: 12:30 p.m.
Train and Lunch will be at your own
expense
Cancellation deadline: November 19
Thanksgiving Family Potluck
Does the recent change of the leaves and
arrival of fall make you smell turkey with
dressing or fresh from the oven apple pie in
your sleep? Then be sure to come along to the
AWC Thanksgiving Family Potluck. We will
arrange for the turkey and would like each
participating family to bring their favorite
holiday dish (side dish, vegetable, salad or
dessert serving 10 – 12 people) to accompany
our feast. As cooking facilities are limited,
please bring your dish ready to serve. Coffee
and tea will also be provided; the Tulip Café
refrigerator will be available for the purchase
of other drinks. In an effort to coordinate
dishes, please stop by the Front Office or
email info@awcthehague.org indicating the
number of attendees and holiday favorite you
plan to bring.
Saturday, November 24
Doors Open: 5 p.m.
Serving Line Opens: 5:30 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
FREE + Dish to share
Sign-up deadline: November 18
Making Gingerbread Houses
Back by popular demand, we happily invite
you to make gingerbread houses with us for
the holidays. Based on an authentic German
recipe, Members will learn how to make the
dough and assemble the houses, and will get
hands-on experience mixing icing and decorating
the houses with loads of colorful candy
and chocolate. The class has three sessions
at the end of which participants will receive
the recipe and instructions for making gingerbread
houses on their own, along with a
lebkuchen-gewurz spice packet imported from
Germany. The houses will be donated to these
local organizations: Bronovo Hospital, the
Leger des Heils (Salvation Army) Women’s &
Children’s shelter in Den Haag Centrum and
Vliet en Burgh, the Leger des Heils children’s
foster home in Voorburg.
Tuesdays, November 27, December 4
10 a.m. – Noon
Thursday, December 6
12 – 2 p.m.
Min 6 / Max 12
€ 20 Members (€ 30 nonmembers)
Cancellation deadline: November 19
Holiday Ornament Exchange
Let’s get into the Holiday Spirit! Join us for
this fun and festive way to celebrate the holiday
season. All you have to do is purchase an
ornament, wrap it up and come to the Club for
an ornament exchange the “White Elephant”
way. Of course, there will be delicious cookies
and hot holiday beverages. Sounds like
a very cozy way to spend a frosty morning,
not to mention spread some holiday cheer!
Friday, December 7
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
Bring one gift wrapped ornament (€ 5 – 7)
Sign-up deadline: December 3
Luxury Champagne and Sweet
Wine Tasting
This is our final wine tasting of the year, culminating
in an evening with AWC Member
Anne de Berard taking us through a tasting
of sparkling and sweet wines coupled with
holiday treats to include the exquisite chocolate
of Pierre Marcolini.
Friday, December 14
7 – 9 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
Details to Follow
NOVEMBER 2012 17
Tours
by Becky Failor
One-Day Christmas Market Tour
Join us for a one-day trip to the Christmas
market in Aachen, Germany. The Aachen
Christmas market spreads between the cathedral
that was consecrated in 805 AD and
the 14th-century City Hall. Reviewers give
this market high marks for the quality of the
food and crafts as well as the friendly atmosphere.
We will depart by bus from near
Den Haag Centraal Station at 8 a.m., ride in
comfort to Aachen chatting along the way,
shop till we drop and then ride back to The
Hague arriving around 9 p.m. Final sign-up
deadline is November 26 or when the bus is
full, whichever comes first.
Thursday, November 29
Meet at Bus pick-up location no later than
7:45 a.m.
€ 30 Members (€ 35 nonmembers)
Min 30 / Max 35
Cancellation deadline: October 28
Vienna Christmas Markets Tour
Every year, the AWC explores the Christmas
Markets of a different city. This year we have
chosen to visit Vienna where there are an
incredible 13 markets. If you love Christmas
Markets, you will be in heaven in Vienna!
Classics include the market in front of City
Hall (known as the Rathaus Market), the
traditional Viennese Christmas Market on
Freyung, and the markets at Spittelberg, by
the Karlskirche and at the Belvedere Palace.
The aromas of candied fruits, cotton candy
and other delicacies like Christmas punch and
roasted chestnuts wafting around the small
wooden market stalls still retain their magical
18 GOING DUTCH
Please Note: RSVP to
awcthehague.tours@gmail.com.
Payment for all Tours must be made
within 5 calendar days of reserving or
your name will be moved to a waitlist.
Sign-ups will be official when funds
are transferred to the AWC account #
51.99.10.206 or payment is made in the
Front Office by PIN.
power. Most of the markets are beautifully
decorated with festively adorned trees and
fairytale scenes portrayed in artistically arranged
displays. At the Rathauspark, a trip
on the Christkindl Express delights young
and old.
Departing on Saturday morning and returning
Monday evening, this is an ideal tour for both
couples and singles.
The price of this land-only tour includes two
nights at a centrally located 4-star hotel (double
occupancy) with daily breakfast, airport
transfers in Vienna and a half-day sightseeing
tour on Sunday that includes the impressive
Schonbrunn Palace. Airfare is an additional
cost which you will arrange on your own.
The American Travel Center is available at
atc@euronet.nl to assist you; tell them you
are with the AWC Vienna Tour. Book flights
early for the best fares. When you register, we
will provide you a list of flights that should
work with the airport transfers. Saturday,
December 8 to Monday, December 10
Land portion: € 230 Members or spouses
(€ 255 nonmembers)
Cancellation deadline: November 21
Flights: To be booked individually
WANTED: Bake Sale Volunteers
by Dena De Clute-Melancon
It’s not too late to do your part to raise
money for our Club. If you haven’t
already signed up, please email me at
awcthehague.philanthropy@gmail.com to
help with the Bake Sale. The Holiday Bazaar
is our only major fundraiser for the year and
proceeds from the Bake Sale contribute a
significant amount of income for the Club.
To make it a success, we need as many baked
goods as possible! We welcome sweet and
savory items: cakes, pies (nonperishable),
brownies, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, breads,
salty sweets and anything else you like to
bake. Specific guidelines on how to package
your goodies so they’re ready to sell are on
the AWC website. The deadline to deliver
Eet Smakelijk at the Holiday Bazaar
by Dena De Clute-Melancon
If you missed out last year, we will be
selling copies of the AWC Recipe Book,
“Eet Smakelijk” for the Holidays, at the
Holiday Bazaar just in time for your Christmas
shopping and baking! This first edition
collection of American and international
recipes from our Members features not
only seasonal favorites, but also a shopping
guide to help you find the ingredients
locally. It’s got everything from homemade
eggnog, sweet potato crunch, and chocolate
snowflake cookies to Thai fish cakes, kugel,
and authentic Dutch appeltaart. No matter
how you usually set your holiday table,
“Eet Smakelijk” for the Holidays is bound
to have a recipe you’re dying to try. Most
importantly, all proceeds from the sale of
this book will be donated to the Mamma-
Care nursing network as our primary breast
cancer awareness fundraiser for the year.
So be sure to stop by the Bake Sale booth
to pick up your copy.
them to the Clubhouse is Friday, November
9 from Noon – 3 p.m. If this is not possible,
please email me to make arrangements to drop
them off at the Carlton Ambassador Hotel on
Saturday morning.
We also need helpers on Friday from 3 – 5
p.m. to price the baked goods and put the
finishing touches on everything. And finally,
we need volunteers to staff the booth at the
Bazaar, at least six people per day. Don’t
forget that this is a great opportunity to taste
all the samples! If you’re able to work a twohour
shift (or longer), please contact Laurie
Martecchini at awcthehague.2ndvp@gmail.
com. Thank you, and happy baking!
NOVEMBER 2012 19
AWC Holiday Bazaar 2012
by Leslie Collingridge
After lots of planning, the 2012 Holiday
Bazaar is just around the corner! Please join
us on Saturday, November 10 and Sunday,
November 11 at our lovely location in the Carlton
Ambassador Hotel at Sophialaan 2 in The Hague.
We promise to put you in the holiday spirit and to
provide you with one-stop shopping for all of your
holiday gift requirements.
In addition to many favorites returning, we have
several new and exciting vendors. With so many
options, you can finish all of your holiday shopping
in one weekend. And what a perfect chance for your
husband to shop for you!
AWC Holiday Bazaar Will
Have it All!
Pewter
Clothing
Polish Pottery
Handmade Jewelry
Holiday Decorations
Yummy Baked Goods
Pen and Ink Drawings
And Much, Much More!
Be sure to tell family, friends and neighbors about the Bazaar so that they can sample
some of our delicious baked goods and do some early shopping for Sinterklaas and Christmas.
And don’t forget the kids! There will be a special area for kids and Santa will be “Coming
to Town” from noon to 4 p.m. on both days. He’ll be telling stories, posing for photos and
“making a list and checking it twice.” We’ll even have AWC volunteers to watch the kids
while you “Shop Till You Drop!”
The Holiday Bazaar is also a perfect time to volunteer. Consider spending a few hours
helping at the Bazaar with your fellow AWC Members. Please contact Laurie Martecchini at
awcthehague.2ndvp@gmail.com indicating a day and time preference if you are willing to help.
What a great way to spend a day (or two). Don’t miss this gezellig event!
AWC
Kick
Off
Day
AWC
Kick Off
Evening
Heart Pillow News
by Eileen Baker
October was a very busy month for Breast
Cancer Awareness and the Heart Pillow
Project. I must thank all the ladies who
volunteered their time to help stuff, cut and sew
almost 57 pillow sets for the local hospitals and
the Duizend Borsten Beurs. Your efforts are truly
appreciated as mentioned in a recent email from
a Dutch patient below.
Dear AWC,
Thank you very much for the pretty heart
shaped pillow, which I received after my
surgery in the hospital. It has been of great
use and I use it daily.
Very thoughtful idea!
A Friend in Wassenaar
We are proud to continue providing women with something practical, but comforting as
well. Hope to see you on our next work day on Tuesday, November 13.
26 GOING DUTCH
November 2012
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Final 2012 Events:
1 2 3
Dec 7: Holiday Ornament Exchange
Dec 8-10: Christmas Markets in Vienna
Dec 14: Champagne and Sweet Wine
Tasting
Kids’ Club Meet-Up 11 a.m
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
AWC Board Meeting
10 a.m.
Jar-Filling Activity 10 a.m.
Chat, Crafts ‘n Cake 10 a.m.
AWC Tennis 1 p.m.
Wine and Cheese Tasting
6:30 p.m.
Who’s the President?
Breakfast 5 a.m.
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Holiday Bazaar
Heart Pillow 10 a.m.
Chat, Crafts ‘n Cake 10 a.m.
AWC Tennis 1 p.m
Guided Tour of
Impressionism Exhibits at
Hermitage 11 a.m.
Book Club 10 a.m.
Potluck 6 p.m.
AWC General Meeting
7 p.m.
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Americana 2 p.m.
Chat, Crafts ‘n Cake 10 a.m.
AWC Tennis 1 p.m.
Thanksgiving Service at
Pieterskerk, Leiden 10 a.m.
Lunch at Het Koetshuis de
Burcht 12:30 p.m.
25 26 27 28 29 30
28 GOING DUTCH
US Federal Election Day
Chat, Crafts ‘n Cake 10 a.m.
Gingerbread House Activity
10 a.m.
AWC Tennis 1 p.m.
Thanksgiving:
Clubhouse Closed
Aachen Christmas Market
7:45 a.m.
Bake Sale Drop Off Noon
Day in Delft Noon
Holiday Bazaar
Marine Corps Ball 7 p.m.
Thanksgiving Potluck
5 p.m.
NOVEMBER 2012 29
30 GOING DUTCH
Thanksgiving Day Service
by Roberta Enschede
Please join us at this non-denominational
service on Thanksgiving morning at the
historic Pieterskerk. The service lasts
approximately one hour, combining a civil
ceremony with a Service of Thanksgiving.
Clergy from multiple denominations participate
including a Catholic priest, Protestant
minister and Jewish rabbi. Bring your Dutch
friends and friends from all nations and faiths.
This is a service for everyone! Consider joining
the AWC for lunch afterwards (see page
16).
Thanksgiving at the Pieterskerk in Leiden
is unique. In this church, the Pilgrims recorded
their births, marriages and deaths.
They lived in its surroundings from 1609
to 1620. Some of the descendants of Moses
Fletcher, a Leiden Pilgrim and signer of the
Mayflower Compact, still live there. Ria Koet,
his direct descendant, will tell the story of her
family. The Koets are the only non-American
members of the Mayflower Society.
On the occasion of the first visit of a sitting
American President to the Netherlands,
the Pieterskerk was the chosen site for President
George H.W. Bush to speak. The Bush
family traces their ancestry to Francis Cooke,
also a signer of the Mayflower Compact and
a Leiden Pilgrim. President Obama also has
family roots in Leiden: the Blossom family.
In Leiden, you can feel how inextricably
the values of the American nation are linked
Thursday, November 22 at 11 a.m.
Pieterskerk in Leiden
with the Netherlands. The story of a group
of English dissenters who were welcomed
there and were able to live and worship freely,
and even publish at a time when freedom of
religion and the press were certainly not the
norm, is a Dutch story as well as an American
story. It’s also the story of all nations that
aspire to be free.
The Choir and Band of the American
School will perform. The Scouts and “The
Little Pilgrims” will be on hand; children
“I felt a respect and veneration upon entering the church at Leiden.” ~ Abigail Adams
The Thanksgiving Day Service is sponsored by OAR ~ Overseas
Americans Remember. For further information, contact: Roberta
Enschede at robertaenschede@yahoo.com, Tove McGrew at
tove1@planet.nl, Anneke Beeuwkes at a.Beeuwkes@xs4all.nl,
Jessie Rodell at jessierodell@gmail.com or Anne van Oorschot at
anne_warwick2000@yahoo.com
are an integral part of the Service, as they
should be. The Congregation will sing familiar
hymns. Coincidentally, one of them,
We Gather Together, is Dutch and familiar
to Dutch people as Wilt Heden Nu Treden.
The Mayor of Leiden, the Honorable
Henri Lenferink, will welcome everyone
and the Honorable Edwin R. Nolan, Chargé
D’Affaires of the US Embassy, will read excerpts
from the annual Thanksgiving Day
Proclamation of the President. Thanksgiving
is “proclaimed” each year on the fourth
Thursday of November.
We would welcome a “cookie contribution”
for the coffee after the service. For your
convenience, please car pool or take public
transportation, if possible.
You won’t forget Thanksgiving in Leiden!
Join us. Bring your friends and neighbors.
NOVEMBER 2012 31
The Dutch Daily
by Eileen Harloff
Sweet Sixteen?
It was a birthday that Merthe, a young girl
from Haren near Groningen, will never forget,
nor will those who knew her either personally
or through what subsequently happened.
Looking forward to her coming celebration,
she went on Facebook to invite her friends
to a “Sweet Sixteen Party” on September 22.
Unfortunately, she failed to mark her event
as “private” and soon her invitation had been
forwarded the width and breadth of the land
to 30,000 people: there would be a party and
everyone was welcome. Moreover, a local DJ
encouraged attendance at what was sure to
be a jolly bash.
Once the mistake was realized, Merthe’s father
and the burgemeester (mayor) of Haren
made desperate attempts to encourage the
country-at-large to stay at home, but to no
avail. On the evening of the 22nd, while the
family took shelter elsewhere, 3,000 revelers
started arriving by foot, bicycle, car and
bus. Some wore party hats. They were not
only from Haren, but also from Zwolle, Den
Bosch, Nijmegen and elsewhere and expected
music, dancing, drinks and food. When the
“guests” were met with a police cordon and
they realized that the feast was not about to
take place, the energies of a certain group
turned to other activities: drinking, taking
drugs, rioting, throwing stones, plundering
shops in the city, setting cars on fire, destroying
garden sheds, and fighting amongst themselves
and with the police. At least 36 people
were arrested. The next day, parts of the city
looked like a cyclone had struck and the accusations
began: the burgemeester should
have planned some alternative activities, the
police should have held back/acted sooner,
etc. Obviously, no one had been prepared for
such an event in this usually peaceful town
of 19,000 residents. Whether or not it could
happen again here or elsewhere is anyone’s
bet. But one thing is sure: Merthe will be more
careful from now on when using Facebook.
32 GOING DUTCH
An Expensive Flower
Another lesson, dearly learned by a young
man from Nunspeet (east of Amsterdam) is
that one does not pluck flowers from someone
else’s bush or tree, even if that flower is
hanging over a hedge or fence. On his way
home from a party, the 25-year-old man saw a
hydrangea blossom doing what such blossoms
tend to do: one stem was sticking through a
fence that he was walking along. What a fine
idea, he thought, to just pluck that bloom
and show it to a woman friend, who would
be sure to enjoy its aroma. Unfortunately, it
was just at this juncture that two policemen
came along. They asked if he found it normal
to pick other people’s flowers and they took it
from him, saying that they would return it to
its rightful owner. The next day, he received
a citation from the police charging him with
hooliganism and rowdiness, with a fine of
€ 200. In a state of shock, the young man
contacted the owners of the hydrangea plant
to discuss the matter, but they claimed they
had no knowledge of the incident. It is not yet
known if the plucker has contested his fine.
“Dutch Tenor is Hero of New York”
This was the headline in a recent newspaper;
behind it is a fascinating story. It happened
this past spring when Dutch tenor and opera
singer Frank van Aken went to New York City
for the first time to attend a performance by
his wife, opera singer Eva-Maria Westbroek,
at the Metropolitan Opera House. The opera
was Wagner’s Die Walkure, and his wife was
Photo by Ken Howard
singing the role of Sieglinde opposite German
tenor Jonas Kaufmann as Sigmund. The day
before the performance, Kaufmann fell ill,
and unless a replacement could be found the
performance would have to be cancelled – a
prospect no one found appealing. It was at
this point that Eva-Marie’s agent suggested
that van Aken step in to take on the role, as he
was “the only one who could save the show.”
What a challenge: to sing a very difficult role
he had last performed 16 months previously
with only a few hours practice in an opera
house with unfamiliar acoustics. Adding to
the pressure, he would be performing in front
of an audience of 3,800 people and also would
be broadcast on radio. Reluctantly, he agreed.
With prompters standing by should he forget
the text and with a great deal of courage, he
succeeded. The public and the critics raved.
The reaction of van Aken to his great accomplishment
might be considered typically
Dutch in its matter-of-fact tone: “You know
the Americans, they think it’s heroic and romantic,
and it is special – a debut at the Met
with my wife. After the first act, I felt it was
going to be a success, and then I began to
enjoy it.”
Dutch Bell at Olympics
The London Olympics are now just a fond
memory for most of us, but they will always
have a special significance for one Dutch
company. The opening ceremony was enhanced
by a bell made by the Dutch foundry
Royal Eijsbouts, located in Asten, Brabant.
The bell weighs 23 tons and is 11 feet (3.3 meters)
wide. Naturally, there were grumbles in
England about the “foreign bell.” Originally,
the White Chapel Bell Foundry in London
was approached, but it did not have the capacity
to do the job. The organizers then turned
to the Dutch company, which is rightly proud
of its accomplishment.
It’s for the Birds
A newcomer at Central Station in Rotterdam
is causing much confusion at platform 9: a
starling. He can imitate the sound of a train
door opening, so passengers rush to get into
the train before the doors close, only to discover
that they have not yet been opened.
According to Kees Moeliker of the Natural
History Museum, “Starlings are a city bird
and very good imitators of sounds in their
vicinity. At this time of year many birds are
migrating, but this starling has been sitting
above the rails for some time and has mastered
this train sound.”
New Cultural Center
In 2010, fifty-four international architectural
firms competed in a contest to design a new
cultural center for The Hague next to the Stadhuis
(City Hall). The winning plans were
drawn up by Rotterdam architectural firm
Neutelings Riedijk, but a decision to carry out
the project was delayed for financial reasons.
Now the city council has decided that the time
has come to act. Construction should begin in
2013 with a goal of completion in 2018. The
complex, called the Spuiforum, will replace
the Dr. Anton Philips Hall and the Lucent
Dance Theater. It will house the Residential
Orchestra, the Netherlands Dance Theater and
the Royal Conservatory of Music and will
include three performance halls with 500 to
1,500 seats, study rooms and offices. In addition
to providing modern premises for the
performing arts, the complex will bring new
life to what is now a somewhat cold and drab
looking spot in the heart of the city.
NOVEMBER 2012 33
Announcements
“Who’s the President?” Breakfast
Every four years, all eyes worldwide are on
the US Presidential Election. Don’t miss out
on the unique opportunity to watch the election
returns while enjoying a breakfast buffet
in the historic main hall of the Kurhuas Hotel
in Scheveningen.
Wednesday, November 7
5 – 8:30 a.m.
Kurhaus Hotel
Gevers Deynootplein 30, Den Haag
www.electionbreakfastkurhaus.nl
Holiday on Ice
Buckle up, because Holiday on Ice goes into
high gear and full throttle with its brand new
show: Speed. Skaters dance to rock and dance
beats and bikers perform stunts on motorcycles
especially designed for this show. Speed
is full of unprecedented acts and thrilling
aerobatics which accelerate Holiday on Ice
to a new dimension.
Thursday, November 8 through Sunday,
November 11
Ahoy, Rotterdam
www.holidayonice.nl
Crossing Border Festival
Crossing Border, one of Europe’s largest literary
and music festivals, caters to an audience
of broad cultural interests. Hosted for the 20th
time in The Hague, one of Crossing Border’s
goals is to highlight both international stars
and new artists in literature and music as
well as their interconnection with other arts.
Wednesday, November 14 through
Saturday, November 17
Various venues in Den Haag Centrum
www.crossingborder.nl
34 GOING DUTCH
Sinterklaas Arrival
Sinterklaas arrives from Spain in the
Netherlands every year on the 2nd or 3rd
weekend in November, visiting different
towns at various times. As in past years,
he will arrive aboard the SS Madrid in
Scheveningen Harbor on Saturday, November
17. After his arrival at 11:30, he will make
his way on his white horse, accompanied by a
full parade of Zwarte Piets, through the streets
of Scheveningen and the Statenkwartier into
The Hague Centrum. Even if you don’t have
young children, this annual event is uniquely
Dutch and is quite a wonderful sight to see.
For more info including the parade route,
visit: www.sinterklaasindenhaag.nl
International Food Fair
The Parish of the Church of Our Saviour
sponsors this large-scale International Food
Fair every November for charity. The diverse
members of the parish community come together
to provide entertainment and to prepare
and sell their own national food specialties,
wines, pastries and handicrafts. Each country
or region takes pride in decorating their
booths with national flags and working together
as a team. There are kid’s activities,
a raffle with wonderful prizes, a large used
English book sale and a flea market.
This fair doesn’t only promote local community
spirit. The event’s proceeds are donated
to several charitable organizations around
the world for life-sustaining projects. These
projects include farming, carpentry, women’s
support, street children education and reha-
bilitation for homeless people, to name just
a few. In 2011, the fair raised € 42,000 with
funds dispersed to charities in 19 countries!
Saturday, November 17
Noon – 6:30 p.m.
Francois Vatel School
Granaathorst 20, Den Haag
(behind the Mariahoeve Shopping
Center)
Free entrance
www.parish.nl
Documentary Film Festival
Creative documentaries take center stage during
the 25th International Documentary Film
Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), one of the leading
documentary film festivals in the world.
The IDFA is the place for documentaries that
are cinematically intriguing or innovative,
that are relevant or highly topical to society at
large, and that stimulate the viewer to reflect,
discuss and ask questions.
Wednesday, November 14 through Sunday,
November 25
Various Locations in Amsterdam
www.idfa.nl
Antique and Art Fair
PAN Amsterdam, the Netherlands’ premier art
and antiques fair, will be presenting more than
10,000 items. PAN Amsterdam is renowned
for its high-quality, international offerings of
paintings, furniture, maps, prints and sculptures
from the 16th century to the present. The
common denominator is that all the objects
are vetted by a group of 80 experts for authenticity,
artistic quality and condition. Prices
range from € 500 to € 500,000. Over 50,000
visitors, from museum curators to private art
enthusiasts, are attracted to this fair every
year. A free app is available on their website.
Sunday, November 18 through Sunday,
November 25
Amsterdam RAI Parkhal, Europaplein
www.pan.nl
St. Andrew’s Charity Ball
The St. Andrew’s Society hosts a yearly charity
ball in celebration of St. Andrew’s Day
(the feast day of St. Andrew, the patron saint
of Scotland). A highlight will be Scottish-style
dancing to live music for all abilities. Bringing
a dance partner is uniquely unnecessary!
The € 99 ticket includes a highland banquet,
wine with dinner, many dances, a musical
intermezzo and a raffle. The beneficiary
this year will be Stichting Pink >> 51
NOVEMBER 2012 35
Bookshelf
by Laurie Martecchini
We’re Open!
The Library of the American Women’s Club of The Hague is open and ready to provide you
with your next great read! The written word is important to us, so we carved out space in
the new Clubhouse to hold stacks of books, old and new. The Library is blended into the
rooms of the Clubhouse: bookshelves line the walls of common space and meeting rooms,
lending them a cozy atmosphere.
New Hours
The Library is open whenever the Clubhouse is open: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Perhaps these hours don’t fit your schedule? It’s your Library and
we’d like to try to find a mutually convenient way for you to check out the collection, so
please email us at awcthehague.library@gmail.com.
A Change in the Collection
We’ve trimmed the collection to a manageable size: 3,500 items. On display in our new
location you’ll find a large selection of fabulous adult fiction as well as DVDs, travel books
from 2009 and beyond, the Dutch collection, and a wonderful children’s collection of picture
books and youth fiction.
New on the Shelves in November
The Darlings by Cristina Alger
“Probably the most compulsively readable fiction to come out of the Wall
Street financial scandal so far…Alger knows the ins and outs of both
Wall Street and an upscale NYC lifestyle, nailing all the details, from the
plush, hushed atmosphere of high-end law firms to the right tennis togs
for a “casual” weekend in the Hamptons. Delicious reading.” ~ Booklist
“…A financial thriller somewhere between the novels of Dominick
Dunne…and Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities.” ~ Library Journal
The Expats by Chris Pavone
“Refreshingly original. . . . Part Ludlum in the pacing, part Le Carré in the
complexity of story and character, but mostly Chris Pavone. . . . A thriller
so good that you wonder what other ideas [Pavone] has up his cloak, right
alongside the obligatory dagger.” ~ The Star-Ledger
“Bristling with suspense and elegantly crafted, The Expats introduces a
compelling and powerful female protagonist you won’t
soon forget. Well done!” ~ Patricia Cornwell
Istanbul Passage: A Novel by Joseph Kanon
“A fast-moving, thinking man’s thriller. . . tense and atmospheric [with]
sinister intrigue.” ~ Wall Street Journal
“Reminiscent of the works of Graham Green.” ~ Alexander McCall Smith
36 GOING DUTCH
San Miguel by T. C. Boyle
“Boyle’s epic saga of struggle, loss, and resilience tackles Pacific pioneer
history with literary verve…[he] subtly interweaves the fates of Native
Americans, Irish immigrants, Spanish and Italian migrant workers, and
Chinese fishermen into the Waters’ and Lesters’ lives, but the novel is
primarily a history of the land itself, unchanging despite its various visitors
and residents, and as beautiful, imperfect, and unrelenting as Boyle’s
characters.” ~ Publishers Weekly
The Sisters by Nancy Jensen
“This is a gripping novel of how one missed connection between two
sisters can affect the generations to follow . . . The novel covers generations
of women beginning in 1927 and ending in 2007. Each of their lives
changed because of one misunderstanding. Each generation struggles to
find their own way in life and to maintain the fragile connections of family.
Hauntingly real, this will make a great book club choice.” ~ Karen Vail,
Titcomb’s Bookshop, Massachusetts
The Time in Between by Maria Dueñas
“Maria Dueñas weaves a spell, conjuring the heat and the glamour, the
hardship and the thrill of Morocco and Spain in the late 1930s. The world
of Casablanca comes to life as war breaks and Sira Quiroga, a beautiful
and betrayed seamstress, is forced to discover her own strength. At a time
when everyone must do what they can to survive, some will go beyond.”
~ Kate Morton, New York Times bestselling author of The Distant Hours
NEW DVDS IN THE AWC LIBRARY
BEST FOR BRITISH GROCERIES
WE STOCK OVER 2000!
12 varieties of sausages, 20 varieties of English cheeses,
fresh breads and cakes, extensive frozen food choice
and the famous MacSween Haggis.
Fresh deliveries every week!
“ This is the only place to shop for your everyday groceries, speciality goods and seasonal treats!
Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you find what you need and all your favourites,
and we are open 7 days a week.” Owner, Amanda Dunn
Just look what we have coming up:
for Christmas – Over 200 speciality products, everything from cards, crackers and decorations,
to mince pies, Christmas cakes and puds, Turkeys and lots of baking products.
We look forward to welcoming you - or shop online
031 703 58 75 86
thehague@thomasgreen.nl
www.thomasgreen.com
Frederik Hendriklaan 71, 2582 BT, Den Haag, KvK: 27271384
Opening hours: Mon 12:00-18:00 Tues, Wed & Fri 09:30-18:00 Thurs 09:30-20:00 Sat 09:30-17:30 Sun 12:00-17:00
THE BEST OF BRITISH THE BEST OF BRITISH
NOVEMBER 2012 37
AWC and the Arts
by Jane Choy
Tour of Impressionism:
Sensation & Inspiration -- Highlights
from the Hermitage and Van Gogh
Museum at the Hermitage
We will have a guided tour of two special
exhibits at the Hermitage Museum in Amsterdam.
If there is enough demand, we can
request a second tour guide.
The first, Impressionism: Sensation & Inspiration,
will show us the world-famous Impressionist
paintings from the vast collection
of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg
in their artistic context. Masterpieces by
pioneers like Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro,
Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Alfred Sisley will
be accompanied by the works of other influential
French painters from the second half of
the 19th century, such as Eugène Delacroix
and Jean-Léon Gérôme. Seldom has such a
rich survey of this period been on display in
the Netherlands. The exhibition will deliberately
place the Impressionists in the company
of their predecessors, contemporaries and successors.
In short, the Hermitage Amsterdam
will offer a clear and fascinating overview
of the many currents and controversies in
the turbulent French art scene between 1850
and 1900.
38 GOING DUTCH
When Cézanne and Gauguin are mentioned,
a third artist cannot be overlooked: Vincent
van Gogh. Equally original, their brilliant
Dutch contemporary was also indebted to
the Impressionists. As the leading post-Impressionist,
Van Gogh explored the limits of
the movement. Due to the temporary closure
of the Van Gogh Museum, a large portion
of the Van Gogh Museum collection will be
relocated to the Hermitage Amsterdam, including
75 highlights, works on paper and a
selection from the letters. The two exhibition
wings will both be open to the public. Never
before has the famous Van Gogh collection
been on display under the same roof as so
many famous French contemporaries from
the Hermitage.
Wednesday, November 14
11 a.m. – Noon
Hermitage Museum
Amstel 51, Amsterdam
€ 10 Members (€ 12 nonmembers) PLUS
Museum Entrance Fee (€ 17.50 or free with
Museumkaart)
Min 12 / Max 15
Cancellation date: November 3
Contact: Jane Choy at 070 387 2606 or
jechoy@me.com
State Hermitage Museum St. Petersburg
The AWC is not
responsible for
accidents or injuries
occurring at Club
activities or on Club
property. Sports and
exercise instructors
must carry their own
liability insurance.
DFAS (Decorative & Fine Arts Society)
by Jane Choy
DFAS starts its new season with lectures
covering a variety of subjects such as early
20th century Russian architecture, magic,
archeology, jewelry, the palaces of William
& Mary, and Tahiti from Cook to Gauguin.
DFAS exists to stimulate enjoyment of the
arts through a series of illustrated lectures
and other activities delivered in English by
leading British and European speakers. All of
the speakers, who are brought in especially
to address the DFAS audience, are experts
in their own field. DFAS is associated with
NADFAS, the National Association of Decorative
and Fine Arts Societies in the UK, linking
us to an international membership of over
90,000 art lovers. Lectures are held the first
or second Tuesday of the month. The annual
subscription is € 60 (€ 110 for a couple). New
members and guests are always welcome. Individual
lectures may be attended for €12. To
learn more, visit: www.dfas.nl and Facebook.
Isabella d’Este: First Lady of the
Renaissance
by Dr. Paula Nuttall
Isabella d’Este (1476–1530), Marchioness
of Mantua, was known to her contemporaries
as “The First Lady of the World.” She
was stylish, cultivated, feisty and “hungry
for art.” As a female
patron in a
male-dominated
world she was an
exceptional figure:
paintings by
Mantegna decorated
her study,
she scoured Italy
for classical
antiquities, and
she stole a statue
by Michelangelo
from her parentsin-law
in Urbino.
She was also an astute politician and, luckily
for us, a great letter writer.
Tuesday, November 6
Doors open at 7:15 p.m.
Lecture begins at 8 p.m.
Cultural Centrum Warenar
Kerkstraat 75, Wassenaar
Free for DFAS members
Non-DFAS member fee is € 10
Contact: Jane Choy at 070 387 2606
or jechoy@me.com
Our next lecture will be Tuesday, December
11: Fedor Shekhtel – Architect of the Russian
“Style Moderne” by Jethro Lyne
NOVEMBER 2012 39
Redheads Unite in Holland
by Penny Middelraad
If you are one of us, you have heard all the
nicknames and comments many times:
“Red,” “Carrot top,” and “Oh, I love your
hair – who colors it?” You also know what
it’s like to stand out in a crowd. In fact, you
are used to it by now – that feeling of always
being just a little bit conspicuous, no matter
how much you try to blend in. Well, I’ve
found the place where you can really blend
in and be part of the crowd for a change. It
is Redhead Days in Breda.
Early in September each year, this festival
in Breda celebrates red hair. September
2012 was the sixth annual event and once I
heard about it, I knew that I had to attend.
My husband Roland and I went with Elanna,
Bailey and Scott Reiss. Roland and Scott are
both redheads, too. After we listened to the
opening remarks, we discovered that even
Australians came to attend this event. Then
we redheads strolled to a park nearby for a
group photo session. The goal this year was
to set a new record of redheads together in
one place, and we succeeded. There were over
1,200 of us for the photo session for Guinness
World Records.
I also learned a few pertinent facts about
red hair. First, only 1 – 2% of the world population
has red hair, but it does exist throughout
the world, even in places like Africa and
China where dark hair is so prevalent. The
hair color occurs with the presence of two
copies of a recessive gene on chromosome 16,
causing a mutation in the MC1R protein. This
mutation in the MC1R protein has been traced
40 GOING DUTCH
back about 50,000 years to Mesopotamia,
which basically corresponds to modern Iraq
and is where much of civilization as we know
it started. I’ve heard from some who have
visited northern Turkey that there are still
plenty of redheads in that part of the world.
Of course, we all know that having red hair
makes us more susceptible to sunburn, but did
you also know that we are more sensitive to
heat? We seem to feel pain more easily, so a
little extra Novocaine at the dentist is a good
idea. Finally, our reputation for having a fiery
temper may not be entirely justified. We just
naturally have higher levels of adrenaline
than the rest of you.
It was really a wonderful experience to
participate in this event. At times I did feel
a bit strange being around so many other
people so much like me; the redhead boys
with me, Roland and Scott, said the same
thing. I remember once while in New York
City I was waiting at the ferry terminal to go
to Ellis Island. Standing in that large room
of hundreds of people, I looked around and
saw absolutely no one with red or even blond
hair. I was the lone red in a sea of dark. That
was an extreme event for me. Coming from
the Gulf Coast, I am used to being in a very
small minority. Since moving here to Holland,
I see many more redheads than I was used to
back in the States. The largest concentration
of redheads is the UK, of course, but Holland
is not far behind.
Manifesto of Gingers
by Anonymous
We, the natural gingers of the world,
hereby declare the following principles as
part of the forthcoming revolution:
We strive for a ginger utopia. A world
where red headed people not only are not
ridiculed and ostracized, but where our
tonal superiority is envied and celebrated.
Our status and privilege will be great and
abundant.
We are varied in tone. Our hair ranges
from strawberry blonde through to dark
auburn and everything in between (this
includes shades of dull orange, orange,
copper, burnt orange, red, dark, red and
auburn).
We exist without skin colour, eye colour,
religion, nationality, age, creed, sex or class.
We do not discriminate on this basis. We are
bonded through our hair colour alone...
About ten years ago I decided to let my
hair grow longer while it is still red, in order
to celebrate my uniqueness. While in Breda,
I discovered what it felt like to be so similar,
too. So next year, if you are one of us, come
join me in Breda. If you don’t have red hair,
come anyway to see all the beautiful shades.
You can read more in English about the festival
at www.roodharigen.nl.
NOVEMBER 2012 41
FAWCO Corner
by Elizabeth Kennedy
Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas, a United Nations NGO with consultative
status with the UN Economic and Social Council www.fawco.org.
Update on Eleanor Roosevelt’s
Leadership Program
Earlier this year, AWC The Hague made a
donation in support of the wonderful Eleanor
Roosevelt Leadership Program which helps
instill in young women, ages 14 to 17, the
skills and mindset necessary to become
principled and socially conscious leaders.
This past summer, 72 spirited young women
were welcomed to Hyde Park in New York
for this 9-day program. It is truly a global
program: 15 of the participants came from
the Hudson Valley; 7 from the UK, Jordan,
Greece, France and Germany; and the remainder
from across the US. Coming from
different social, economic, political, religious
and cultural backgrounds, the girls
served as an example of diversity at its best.
The girls engaged in workshops and activities
designed to build self-awareness, foster
empowerment and motivate action. One of
the highlights of the program was the two-day
trip to New York City arranged by Eleanor’s
great granddaughters, Wendy Roosevelt Fahy,
Nina Roosevelt-Collmer and Christina Roosevelt,
where the girls connected with and were
inspired by women leaders from different
industries. Other highlights included workshops
called: Leading in a Diverse World; The
Challenges of Being a Leader; Human Rights
& Savvy Activism; The Practice of Leadership;
Self Expression & Social Change; and
Finding Your Passion & Purpose.
Kathleen Durham is the executive director of
42 GOING DUTCH
the Eleanor Roosevelt Leadership
Center at Val-Kill. Applications
for the 2013 leadership
program will be available in
December on its website: www.
ervk.org. FAWCO is proud to
be a continuing supporter of the
Eleanor Roosevelt Girls’ Leadership
Worldwide program.
US Tax and Banking
This fall, FAWCO’s Tax & Banking Team will
be developing a committee to put together
a web-based resource library for expatriate
tax, banking and legal issues. They will also
participate in Tax & Banking Seminars at
several FAWCO Member Clubs. They are
looking for additional committee members
to research specific topics in a variety of
countries and legal jurisdictions, If you
have a little time to contribute, send them
an email at ustaxbanking@fawco.org and
specify how much time you can give them
(e.g. a few hours a month or two days per
quarter) as well as where you live; what
countries you know something about;
or topics you might feel comfortable
researching in addition to your contact info.
They would love to add you to their team
and will be in touch to fine tune your input.
As an AWC The Hague Member and hence
a FAWCO Club Member, you are encouraged
to email the Tax & Banking Team with
any problems you are encountering on the
overseas banking front. They are especially
interested in being informed of any solutions
you have found that could be shared with
others! All personal information will be kept
confidential. Please contact Margaret Nelson
Spethmann for the FAWCO Tax & Banking
Committee: ustaxbanking@fawco.org.
IRS Announces Plan to Help
Delinquent Overseas Filers to
Come into Compliance
On June 26, the IRS issued IR-2012-65, a
plan “to help US citizens residing overseas,
including dual citizens, catch up with tax
filing obligations and provide assistance for
people with foreign retirement plan issues.”
IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said, “Today
we are announcing a series of commonsense
steps to help US citizens abroad get
current with their tax obligations and resolve
pension issues.”
Save the Date for FAWCO Conference!
The FAWCO Annual Conference will take place in Bern,
Switzerland on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 beginning at
9 a.m. and ending on Saturday, March 9 in the evening.
Please mark your calendars to plan to arrive Tuesday night
and depart on Sunday.
Did you know that any English-speaking woman may
join the AWC?
Invite your English-speaking friends from other
countries that have an affinity for Americans to join
us today!
Delinquent filers will still have to file back tax
returns and FBARs (Foreign Bank Account
Reports), but a large majority who are “low
compliance risks” with simple tax returns and
who owe little or no tax will face no “penalties
or additional enforcement action.” This is a
wonderful effort to both encourage people
to come into compliance with the law and
to assuage the fears of those wishing to do
so, but fearing severe financial and criminal
consequences.
NOVEMBER 2012 43
FAWCO and AWC The Hague...
Changing the Flow
by Anne van Oorschot, AWC Member & FAWCO Target Program Chair
As most of you know, our Club is raising
money to support the Target Project, a
well digging project in Cambodia. Our
involvement – and that of other FAWCO clubs
worldwide – has raised $106,160 to date,
resulting in the creation of 151 field wells
(kitchen use + irrigation) and 244 family
wells (kitchen use) in Cambodia. More funds
will be added before the end of December
2012 when the program ends, so even more
wells can be dug. (Look for the FAWCO Table
at the Holiday Bazaar for a fun and decorative
way to support this water project!) A
total success, you may think? While it is,
the Target Program is not just about raising
money. It is also about raising awareness to
the immense problems and challenges associated
with water. Read on and see if you can
increase your awareness…
Ten Startling Facts about Water:
• 884 million people in the world lack access
to clean water; that’s almost 3 times
the population of the United Sates!
• An American taking a five-minute
shower uses more water than the average
person in a developing country’s
slum uses for an entire day.
• People living in informal settlements
(i.e. slums) often pay 5-10 times more
per liter of water than wealthy people
living in the same city.
• The Earth is a closed system, meaning
that it rarely loses or gains extra
matter. The same water that existed on
the Earth millions of years ago is still
present today.
• Somewhere between 70 and 75 percent
of the Earth’s surface is covered with
water, but much more fresh water is
stored under the ground in aquifers than
on the Earth’s surface.
• About half the world’s hospital beds
are occupied by someone with a water-
44 GOING DUTCH
related illness.
• It takes over 11,000 liters of water to
produce a pound of coffee.
• Of all the water on Earth, humans can
use only about three tenths of 1% of
this water. Such usable water is found
in groundwater aquifers, rivers, and
freshwater lakes.
• Nearly seven times more water is used
to make a disposable water bottle than
it contains.
• Bottles used to package water take over
1,000 years to biodegrade. If incinerated,
they produce toxic fumes. It is
estimated that over 80% of all singleuse
water bottles used in the US simply
become litter.
NOVEMBER 2012 45
Welcome to Slovenia
by Eileen Harloff
is beautiful” is a slogan that
truly applies to Slovenia. Although
“Small
it is one of the smallest of the 27
European states, it is second to none as far
as the variety of scenery and culture is concerned.
Located in central Europe, it is the
northern part of the former Yugoslavia and
a crossroads where Slavic culture meets the
Germanic and Latin influences of its bordering
countries, Italy, Austria and Hungary.
Flying into the main airport, Brnik (just add
vowels for pronunciation), the visitor sees a
vista of mountains (some snow-capped), forests,
valleys and plains. Once on the ground,
the road infrastructure is good, the people are
welcoming and there are plenty of natural
and man-made sites to see. It is laughingly
said that the country is shaped like a running
chicken with its head and beak in the northeast
protruding into Hungary, its tail feathers in
the northwest Alps Mountains and its hind leg
along the Adriatic Sea. It can be crossed east
to west or north to south in just three hours.
My stay was only three days long, but I
saw so much natural and man-made beauty
that it seemed much longer. From the airport,
we headed west to the double-named towns of
46 GOING DUTCH
Portoroz/Potorosa and Piran/Pirano, located
on the Adriatic Sea and Italian in their history,
architecture and culture. As we stood
on the shore at Piran, it was exciting to see
in the distance some of the towers of Venice.
We visited the Gothic Minorite Monastery of
St. Francis of Assisi, dating back to the 14th
century, which has a beautifully decorated
pulpit. In addition to its high altar, there are
five other altars; under the floor are 32 vaulted
tombs. Adjacent to the monastery is a cloister
which, through time, has been used by the
monks as well as local citizens. In 1954 all
religious edifices were nationalized and the
buildings were put to use for a variety of other
purposes, such as storing munitions, goods
or whatever else government officials might
desire. In 1997 the religious buildings were
denationalized and returned to their owners,
who then had to carry out extensive renovations.
Today the covered cloisters surrounding
the quad have been restored to their traditional
peace and calm.
Our next adventure was to visit the world
famous Postojnska Cave, where we boarded
a train that took us down along dripping stalactites
and stalagmites into the depths. We
eventually disembarked and walked a small
portion of the 13 miles (21 kilometers) of
galleries, tunnels and halls. There was even
a display of some of the 100 species of underground
animals that make the caves their
home, the most interesting being the olm, an
amphibian long believed to be the descendant
of a dragon.
Next door to Piran is the town of Koper,
a port that was established during the time
of the Roman Empire. This port has played
a big part in the development of the area by
being one of the most important transit routes
for goods traded between Europe and Asia.
Koper, too, has a Venetian-style city square
with a restored Praetorian Palace, a Cathedral
of the Assumption
undergoing restoration,
and a bell tower from
which, it was stated,
there are great views
of the city (too many
stairs for me).
At the Slovenian
Salt Works, we could
walk along the edges of
formerly family-owned
and worked ponds,
from which salt was
“mined.” One of the
former homes is now a
museum preserving the
various traditional tools
that are still used; the
production is continuing
in order to preserve
the natural and cultural
heritage of the ponds.
The area is also home
to over 280 bird species,
at least 4 of which
nest only here; insects,
particularly bees; vertebrates
such as shrews,
bats and wall lizards;
and invertebrates, particularly
shrimp, which
are being farmed in the
nearby Dragonja River.
En route to a winery,
we stopped in at the church at Markovec
to view the highly impressive mosaics by
Marko Rupnik of the birth, life and death of
Jesus Christ; these covered the entire length
of the curved front wall. The bright colors and
graphic scenes were startling to say the least
and a testimony to the trend toward modernity
visible in many churches today. From there
we visited a winery whose present owner is
the fifth generation of his family to run the
business. Their tasting was done with style,
complete with snacks and gifts; unfortunately,
the winery has no outlet here in The Hague.
Ljubljana, the country’s capital, dates
back to the 11th century. It has much to
offer: Baroque, Renaissance, Art Deco >> 48
NOVEMBER 2012 47
Slovenia (cont.)
Continued from Page 47
and modern buildings; medieval squares; Baroque
churches and cathedrals; shops, cafés,
workplaces and restaurants on the banks of
the Ljubljanica River; and the bridges over
that river. One of these bridges is called
Butchers Bridge, and has oversized sculptures
at both ends and a row of “love padlocks” that
couples attach to steel wires along the sides
of the bridge. There is also a castle, topped by
a dragon and an outlook tower overlooking
the city; Urbanc House, the city’s first department
store, built in 1903; and one of Europe’s
first residential “skyscrapers,” the 13-story
Neboticnik built in 1933, which now houses
shops, offices and residences. The city has
many parks, sports facilities, museums, art
galleries, and a university with 23 faculties.
In sum, the city has something for everyone
in an attractive, congenial atmosphere.
To the south of Ljubljana is a marsh that
covers 163 square miles. Houses and other
buildings here are built on stilts to protect
them when the water periodically rises. One
such structure is St. Michael’s Church in Cma
48 GOING DUTCH
Vas, designed by the famous Slovenian architect
Joze Plecnik. The church is built of
wood and can only be entered by climbing
the stairs. Inside, the wooden walls are beautifully
decorated and enhanced by chandeliers
and the Stations of the Cross made of copper,
giving the room a softly glowing light and
feeling of calm and peace. The major part of
the marshland, which has great biodiversity
and has been the site of archeological discoveries
including the oldest wheel in the
world, is now a protected UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
Located in northeast Slovenia is the country’s
second most important city, Maribor,
which lies on the Dura River and dates back
to the 12th century. In the 15th century there
was a substantial Jewish population here with
a synagogue, Talmudic school and cemetery.
Through the ages, there were periods when
the Jews were forced to leave the country.
The most recent of these was in 1941 when
Germany invaded Yugoslavia, annexed part
of the country to the Third Reich and sent
any remaining Jews to concentration camps.
The synagogue survived the war and is not
only one of the oldest preserved temples in
Europe but also only one of two remaining
in Slovenia. Next to the synagogue is a statue
commemorating the Holocaust victims of
WWII. Because it was an industrial city with
an extensive armaments industry, Maribor
was heavily bombed and
damaged in WWII. Thus it
is surprising that there are
still remains to be seen of
medieval structures such as
the city walls and the castle.
Plans have been developed
to renovate the center of the
town, but for economic
reasons they are yet to be
realized.
One of the special sites
of Maribor is the 440-yearold
grapevine, the oldest in
the world according to the
Guinness World Records. Maribor was named
one of the European Cultural Capitals for
2012, and has been designated as the European
Youth Capital for 2013. It is also a sports
and recreation center, and has organized many
world-class sporting events. On our way back
to the capital we stopped off to visit one of
the country’s many pilgrimage churches with
its beautiful 15th century reliefs and brilliant
modern stained glass windows.
One of the highlights of our tour was a
visit to Lake Bled, a glacial body of deep blue
water with a small island, on the top of which
are perched a church and a castle. Special
boats piloted by single oarsmen deliver visitors
to the island. Once disembarked, the visitor
ascends a stairway of 99 steps up to
a terrace and then, after pausing to catch >> 51
NOVEMBER 2012 49
Celeste Brown - Toastmaster Extaordinaire
by Susan Cave
Celeste Brown was the first person I
met at the AWC when I staggered in
one cold and drizzly day a year ago. I
was soaked, having gotten off the tram at the
wrong stop. She immediately made a pot of
coffee and introduced me to everyone in the
building and enthusiastically went through the
activities she thought might be of interest. I
remember thinking what a beautiful, poised
and confident woman she was and was not at
all surprised when she told me she had been
President of the AWC in the past. In recent
years, though, she has been busy with another
organization as well – Toastmasters – and
has recently become the first woman in the
Netherlands to be awarded the title of Distinguished
Toastmaster (DTM), the highest level
of accomplishment within the Toastmasters
International organization.
Toastmasters is a non-profit organization
in which members have been developing
public speaking skills since it was founded
in the US in 1924. Currently there are over
280,000 members in 116 countries. Celeste
knew about Toastmasters while living in the
US and was intrigued, but was then too busy
with other activities to join.
Toastmasters came to the Netherlands in
2002 when the Amsterdam chapter opened
its doors. During Celeste’s first term as President
of the AWC in 2002, she set the ball in
motion to begin Toastmasters of The Hague
(affectionately called TMOTH) at the AWC,
which officially chartered in 2003. With The
Hague being such a diplomatic hub, she believed
there would be enough people who
would want to join this club to improve their
communication skills. And come they did.
There are now 20 clubs in the Netherlands,
and Celeste and her husband Jaap have been
active not only giving speeches and stimulating
the growth of new clubs, but also running
the Toastmasters organization in this country
and on the European Executive Committee.
It’s come a long way in ten years!
50 GOING DUTCH
B e f o r e
Celeste came to
the Netherlands,
she had been
a high flying
career woman
working for a
pharmaceutical
company in the
US. She had
climbed the
slippery pole
with success
and was looking for her next challenge.
How could she possibly have known that
that challenge would present itself at a jazz
concert in the Indianapolis Zoo? Forty-five
years old and never married, she met and fell
in love with Jaap, a divorced Dutchman with
three growing boys.
Since living in the Netherlands, Celeste
has built her life around three different
volunteer organizations: AWC The Hague
(President 2002-2004), FAWCO (President
2007-2009) and Toastmasters. She credits the
confidence she has built from Toastmasters as
being the catalyst for moving forward to new
challenges and opportunities in life. She says
“Whether you want to become more confident
as a speaker at work, a PTA meeting, church
or any other place in your life, Toastmasters
teaches you the skills to be successful through
its friendly, safe and encouraging atmosphere.
It’s a fun hobby for us. After all, if it isn’t
fun, why do it?”
Three years ago, Celeste started her business,
Speech Coach Consultants, and is sought
after for her expertise to help people who are
preparing for an important presentation or
speech; she also runs workshops. Keeping
her steady, though, is her regular attendance
at Toastmasters meetings in The Hague and
Leiden where, apart from being a brilliant
public speaker, she says she has learned so
much about people, life and subjects she never
dreamed about in her adopted country.
Slovenia (cont.)
Continued from page 49
one’s breath, on up to the castle. Formerly a
famous health resort, the island is now known
for its church and castle/museum. The view
from the top is spectacular even when it’s
raining, as it was when we were there. When
we were descending to our boat, the sun came
out and we came upon guests for a wedding
in the church, beautifully dressed and coiffed,
trudging up the hill in their stylish spike heels.
What a romantic spot for a wedding, but what
a chore getting there!
Slovenia is well worth a visit. Its history,
culture, ancient towns, modern accommodations
and activities have appeal for a wide
range of visitors. And it’s easy to get to since
Announcements (cont.)
Continued from page 35
Ribbon. Kilts are not obligatory! Tickets are
on sale until November 16 through Marion
at maria.janine@ziggo.nl or 065 117 3229.
If you want to practice a few dances before
the ball, you are welcome to join the reel
club which meets every Friday in the British
School on Diamanthorst from 8 – 10 p.m.
Saturday, November 24
6:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Den Haag
www.standrews.nl
Cinderella: Shaken Not Stirred
Distinctively British, a panto is a popular
form of family entertainment incorporating
song, dance, slapstick comedy, cross-dressing
and audience participation. This holiday
season, the Anglo American Theatre Group
(AATG) presents an original version of the
traditional Cinderella panto. The king of
Schevenwasserschotenburg (a key but almost
unpronounceable country, somewhere in
Europe) has already met a grisly end after
consuming a particularly tasty but incredibly
it joined the EU in 2004 and adopted the euro
and the Schengen Treaty in 2007.
deadly bowl of poisoned custard. Who will
be next? No one is safe! British Intelligence
must call in their best man, 007, aka James
Bond to stop the activities of the international
terrorist group SoFoWoDo (Society For World
Domination). Will Ivana Rooldawurld and her
sidekicks, the aptly named “Ugly Sisters,”
succeed in their diabolical plot to take over
the kingdom? Can 007 stop this evil before it’s
too late? Featuring
the age old battle
between good and
evil, kitschy songs,
energetic dancing,
and hilariously bad
jokes, Cinderella is
good, clean fun for
the whole family.
Friday, November
30 – Sunday,
December 2
Theater aan het
Spui, Den Haag
www.aatg.nl
NOVEMBER 2012 51
Classifieds
Alexander Technique The
Hague/Rotterdam
Would you like to move with
more ease, improve your
posture/performance and
look taller and more “present,”
or get rid of head/neck or
backache and other pains due
to bad habits or stress? Try the
Alexander Technique.
Information:
wendelienverbeek@zonnet.nl;
www.alexandertechniek.eu,
070 392 0165
Counselling International
For professional, confidential
individual counselling or
coaching, relationship/couple
therapy or conflict mediation.
Experienced, multilingual
professional Els Barkema-Sala,
MPhil, MBACP.
Contact 071 528 2661 for
FREE initial telephone consultation
or for an appointment.
www.counsellinginternational.
com
Sculpting Art Classes
Atelier anart offers weekly
lessons given in small groups
guaranteeing personal
attention. Anat’s generous
approach ensures each
individual’s progression. Her
teaching method guides and
stimulates your creativity to
its full potential.
No expertise or previous
experience required.
Contact:
www.atelieranart.webs.com
E: anart@xs4all
T: 064 806 8688
Member Privacy
If you or someone you know has experienced domestic violence
in a foreign country, contact us:
International Toll‐Free Crisis Line
866USWOMEN
(866-879-6636)
When calling the crisis line from the Netherlands, first dial the
AT&T operator at
0 800 022 9111
AT&T operators by country:
http://www.business.att.com/bt/access.jsp
For help from The American Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis
Center by
email:
crisis@866uswomen.org
52 GOING DUTCH
Personal Trainer
Nice dress, but does it come
in your size? Oops!
Try Meryl’s method to lose
weight while building up
muscle tone.
I am Meryl Defares, a Certified
Workout Motivator in The
Hague offering personal
training for reasonable rates
in the convenience of your
home. Recommendation from
AWC Member available on
request.
Call: 06.523.14.922
Email: mbm2009@live.nl
Please be reminded that the AWC Membership List is for AWC Member
reference only and use of this information in any communication
other than AWC official business is strictly prohibited. Members
may not share the list with anyone other than another AWC Member
in good standing and never to any third party.
The AWC takes care to protect Member information and adherence to
this policy is critical to maintain Member privacy. Members are asked
to report suspected misuse of the list to any AWC Board Member.
Index of Advertisers
ACCESS
Bodytreats
page 17
American Travel
Center
page 49
Aveda Lifestyle
Salon
Inside Cover
page 35
The British
School in the
Netherlands
Back Cover
de Groen Pens &
Stationery
page 30
Graafstal Optiek
page 45
Nice Home
page 27
Restaurant
Rousseau
page 39
Your Cleaning
Service
page 30
Going Dutch is Available Online
Go to www.awcthehague.org to share the current month’s issue with friends and family. You
will also find links to our annual advertisers, whose support makes this magazine possible. If
you visit or contact one of our advertisers, let them know Going Dutch sent you!
Rates
Flavor’s
Classified Mini-Ads:
Deadline: In general, the 1st of the month prior to the
month in which your ad will appear, although subject to
change due to holiday schedule.
AWC Member Rates:
For 45 Words For 25 Additional Words
Per Issue € 10 € 5
Eight Issues € 70 € 30
Non-Member Rates:
For 45 Words For 25 Additional Words
Per Issue € 15 € 8
Eight Issues € 110 € 55
page 41
FRITSTAXI
Airport Service
page 43
The Hague
International
Centre
page 45
Kaatje Gifts
page 13
Marcel
Vermeulen
Jewelry page 11
Ocean Dry
Cleaning
page 30
Petros Eyewear
page 11
Payment Information:
Please indicate the name of your ad on your payment so that
we are able to match up your payment with your ad.
By Bank Transfer:
Deutsche Bank 51.99.10.206
Studio 40
Thomas Green’s
page 37
Wassalon
Weissenbruch
How to Submit Your Ad:
Email your ad to: goingdutchads@gmail.com
Inside Cover
page 30
Display Ads:
For full, half, third or quarter page commercial display ads,
email our magazine staff at goingdutchads@gmail.com
NOVEMBER 2012 53
FUN
WITH
SILVER
CLAY
Change language