AWC Going Dutch Nov 2018

one stop shop 

for all your beauty desires 

Going Dutch 

November 2018 

The Magazine of the 

American Women’s Club 

of The Hague 

5 Officers and Chairwomen 

6 Prinsjesdag Collage 

8 Message from the President 

9 November Annual Meeting 

10 Letter from the Editor 

12 Membership 

Denneweg 56 

2514CH The Hague 

Tel. 0703458442 

www.lifestylesalonthehague.nl 

Prinsjesdag at Garoeda 

AWC Holiday Bazaar 

Trekking in Nepal 

6 

22 

38 

13 Newcomers 

14 Ongoing Activities 

19 Tours 

20 One-of-a-Kind Activities 

22 Holiday Bazaar 

26 Thanksgiving Day Service 

27 Thanksgiving Day Lunch 

28 October Calendar 

31 Restaurant 

Recommendations 

32 Welcome Back BBQ Collage 

33 AWC and the Arts 

34 The Dutch Daily 

36 FAWCO Corner 

37 Handbag Auction 

38 High Altitude Trekking - 

Part I 

44 Nepal Collage 

46 Thank You from Puerto Rico 

48 Announcements 

52 Classifieds 

53 Index of Advertisers 

and Ad Rates 

54 Proost! Interview 

NOVEMBER 2018 3

Editor 

Audrey Goodman 

2018-2019 AWC Officers 

Committee Chairs 

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 and Thursday 

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Monday, Wednesday and Friday Closed 

Dues (Effective 2018-2019) 

€ 110 per year (€ 66 after January 1) 

€ 90 business, professional 

€ 55 valid US military ID 

€ 35 student 

€ 35 Outside the Netherlands (Going 

Dutch magazine not included) 

Add € 15 new member registration fee 

Design and Layout 

Teresa Mahoney 

Cover Photo 

Wassenaar Woods by Melissa White 

Photography 

Jane Choy, Sabine Crowley, Greetje 

Engelsman, FAWCO, Amber Gatewood, 

Suzanne MacNeil, Tim MacNeil, Teresa 

Mahoney, Julie Mowat, Melissa Rider, 

Melissa White 

Proofreaders 

Celeste Brown, Jane Gulde, Diane Schaap, 

Debbie van Hees 

Advertising Manager & Invoicing 

Open 

Contributors 

Jane Choy, Susanne Dundas, Greetje 

Engelsman, Roberta Enschede, Dena 

Haggerty, Marsha Hagney, Eileen Harloff, 

Jaimie Keppel, Suzanne MacNeil, Julie 

Mowat, Melissa Rider, Holly Savoie, Anna- 

Lena Thuren-Vogel, Melissa White 

Printer 

www.dwcprint.nl 

AWC Bank Account Number 

IBAN: NL42ABNA0431421757 

KvK Den Haag 

40409274 

Honorary President Diane Hoekstra 

President Suzanne MacNeil 

awcthehague.president@gmail.com 

Vice President Marsha Hagney 

awcthehague.firstvp@gmail.com 

Treasurer Sheyla Karman 

awcthehague.treasurer@gmail.com 

Secretary Heather DeWitt 

awcthehague.secretary@gmail.com 

Club and Community Development 

Naya Pessoa 

awcthehague.community@gmail.com 

Clubhouse Administrator 

Jan Essad 

awcthehague.clubhousemgr@gmail.com 

Communications Audrey Goodman 

awcthehague.communications@gmail.com 

Member-at-Large 

Sunita Menon 

Front Office 

Liduine Bekman, Siska Datema-Kool, 

Dominique Duysens, Amber Gatewood, 

Machelle Hollar, Paula Looijmans, Melissa 

Rider, Robin Rose, Holly Savoie, Carol 

Schapira, Chelsea Wald 

Activities: Greetje Engelsman 

Arts: Jane Choy 

Assistant Treasurer: Teresa Insalaco 

Board Advisor: Jessie Rodell 

Caring Committee: Naomi Keip 

Chat, Craft & Cake: Suzanne Dundas 

eNews Amber Gatewood 

Events & Tours: Open 

FAWCO: Julie Mowat and Teresa 

Mahoney 

Front Office Coordinator: Open 

General Meeting Programs: Dena 

Haggerty 

Heart Pillow: Jan de Vries 

Historian/Archivist: Open 

Holiday Bazaar: Jaimie Keppel-Molenaar 

Hospitality: Open 

IT Administrator: Julie Otten 

Kids’ Club: Lindsey Turnau 

Library: Dena Haggerty 

Membership: Melissa Rider 

Newcomers: Holly Savoie, Greetje 

Engelsman 

Parliamentarian: Georgia Regnault 

Philanthropy: Holly Savoie 

Public Relations: Open 

Social Media: Ceci Wong and Julie Otten 

Tennis: Molly Boed 

Volunteer Coordinator: Laurie 

Martecchini 

Webmaster: Julie Otten 

Women with Dutch Partners: Loren 

Mealey 

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 

AWC Mission Statement 

The AWC 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. Membership in the club is open 

to women of all nations who are friendly and welcoming to American culture. The association 

does not endeavor to make a profit. The AWC is a 100% volunteer organization. 


Prinsjesdag 

Luncheon

Message from the President 

by Suzanne MacNeil 

I’m pleased to share that all Board positions 

are now filled. Audrey Goodman, the 

same Audrey who is the Editor of Going 

Dutch, has stepped up to chair the role of 

Communications Officer! She met with the 

Communications team not long after taking 

the job, she helped her team sort responsibilities, 

and has made an impact on the Board 

in a short time. You can read her Letter from 

the Editor on page 10! I know I speak for the 

entire Board in welcoming Audrey. 

I cannot believe we’ll be celebrating 

Thanksgiving this month! In just a few weeks 

many of us will try to figure out how to cram 

a 10-pound turkey into our teensy ovens (no 

can do in my kitchen!), while others will be 

traveling back to the U.S. to enjoy the holiday 

with family. This most traditional American 

celebration leaves me feeling a bit down because 

we’ve not crossed the pond to spend 

time with our families in all the years we’ve 

lived in The Hague. 

I did realize a few years ago that even if 

we can’t be with our relatives, our friends 

and fellow expats are the family we need as 

we head into the holidays. The first year I 

was an AWC Member we were invited to 

the home of a friend in the Club and it felt 

like Thanksgiving. It wasn’t just the food, 

though. It was the warm welcome, the casual 

conversation, and being with other Americans 

who were also away from home. Another year 

we joined a long-since repatriated Member 

who hosted almost 20 guests at her home. 

Some of the guests were 

fellow Members, others 

were her family. 

The noise, the 

chatter, the variety 

of food that 

guests brought 

that are part of 

their family’s 

Thanksgiving 

made it feel like 

home. 

8 GOING DUTCH 

Sharing 

is one of the 

great experiences 

about 

Thanksgiving. 

If you’re hosting 

a dinner, think 

about Members 

of the Club who 

may be away 

from home for 

their first time 

and invite them 

to sit at your 

table. There’s something special about sharing 

your family traditions with families who 

are still trying to find their footing as expats. 

I appreciated it all those years ago, and if I 

had an oven large enough to roast a turkey, 

I’d invite a gaggle of guests! 

The Club will be sharing an early 

Thanksgiving after our Annual General 

Meeting on Thursday, November 15. As is 

our tradition, we’ll have turkey, all the fixings, 

and friendship to start the holiday season. It’s 

a lovely way to jump start this hectic time 

of year and I hope you’ll join us. The meeting 

itself is an important one for the Club 

as we’ll review finances, share updates, and 

look ahead at what we hope to accomplish 

this Club year. 

While we may long to be with family, 

there is a way to turn this year’s Thanksgiving 

into much more than just turkey and dressing. 

The Dutch connection to the Pilgrims 

who landed at Plymouth Rock is strong. 

The Pilgrims didn’t sail straight to the New 

World. They first stopped in Leiden, where 

they lived for 11 years, before returning to 

England and then crossing the Atlantic. Many 

of the Pilgrims chose to stay in Leiden, and 

are celebrated every year at the Pieterskerk 

(Peter’s Church) in Leiden. The service at 

Pieterskerk is as American as it gets in the 

Netherlands and I highly recommend that you 

attend on Thanksgiving morning. If you >>45 

Annual General Meeting 

and Thanksgiving Dinner 

by Dena Haggerty 

Plan to join us for the Annual General 

Meeting in November, a key meeting 

for all Members. Sheyla Karman, the 

Club’s Treasurer, will present the proposed 

budget for the 2018-2019 Club year. A copy of 

the budget will be available at the Clubhouse 

after November 1. In addition, Emily van 

Eerten, who is on the Budget Review Team, 

will present an overview of the 2017-2018 fiscal 

year. There will also be reports reviewing 

the previous Club year’s activities. 

It is important that all Members vote on the 

proposed budget. If you are unable to attend 

the November 15 meeting, please submit 

a proxy ballot. The ballots are available at 

the Clubhouse on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 

between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. or call the 

Clubhouse 070 350 6007 during open hours. 

Once the meeting ends, it will be time to 

celebrate Thanksgiving a bit early with a 

potluck lunch. Join us for turkey and traditional 

sides with friends at the Clubhouse. 

The Board will provide the roast turkey and 

we request that you bring your favorite side 

dish. Look for an email with instructions to 

sign up for appetizers, bread, salads, vegetables, 

dressing, and desserts. 

The Prinsjesdag Luncheon 

Thursday, November 15 

10:00 a.m. 


Free 


Letter from the Editor 

by Audrey Goodman 

The holidays are upon us, and I’m certain 

many fellow expats share the same 

homesickness I’m feeling. For my husband 

and I, this will be our first Thanksgiving 

away from family. It’s his favorite holiday, 

and it’s certainly not one that is celebrated 

in the Netherlands. Our Thanksgiving is 

traditionally spent watching multiple football 

games, cooking entirely too much food, 

cracking open beers or bottles of wine by 

noon, and finishing the festivities with card or 

board games. The next morning is usually full 

of Black Friday shopping, fueled by several 

cups of coffee. This year will be a bit different, 

but I’m looking forward to it. 

the Koetshuis de Burcht (for details, see 

Greetje Engelsman’s article on page 27). 

We hope you’ll join us! 

That evening, my husband and I have 

been invited to a fellow expat’s home, for 

a dessert potluck competition. My husband 

accepted the invitation before realizing each 

person needs to bring a dish, not each couple. 

This should be interesting. I plan to 

make the same dish I always brought to the 

annual “Friendsgiving” we celebrated back 

home with several friends. It was a favorite, 

so I’m hopeful it will be well-received at 

the potluck competition! 

“Alone we can do so little; Together we can do so much.” 

-Helen Keller 

I just learned the Pilgrims spent over a 

decade in Leiden, before they began their 

journey to the New World. This is a bit 

of history that I’m excited to explore this 

November. Overseas Americans Remember 

(OAR) hosts an annual Thanksgiving 

service at the Pieterskerk in Leiden (see 

Roberta Enschede’s article on page 

26 for more information). Afterward, 

Members of the AWC will have lunch at 

10 GOING DUTCH 

That weekend, another expat friend is 

hosting a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. 

We might not be able to fit a full-sized turkey 

in the oven, but we can certainly deep-fry 

one. I’ve already located all the necessary 

ingredients for a few traditional side dishes 

like cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, 

and stuffing. And there will be plenty of beer 

and wine to go around. 

When we first moved here, I dreaded the 

holiday season and feared it would be lonely. 

But I’m not even remotely lonely. I’m busier 

than ever and surrounded by so many amazing 

women. They all understand how I feel, because 

many of them are in the same situation, 

far from family and the familiarity of “home”. 

These next couple months are a time when 

other expats may need a little extra support. 

The AWC has been just that for me: a home 

away from home, full of wonderful and supportive 

women. And who knows, maybe I’ll 

pick up a new tradition or two! 

Audrey 


Membership 

Newcomers 

by Melissa Rider 

by Holly Savoie and Greetje Engelsman 

Our Membership needs to grow! Help 

recruit new Members by inviting 

friends to our activities and events 

throughout the year. If you are interested 

in being on the Membership Team, please 

send an email to awcthehague.membership@ 

gmail.com. 

Welcome New Members! 

Pamela Domittner 

Jen van Ginhoven 

Emma Patterson 

Royalty and Democracy in the 

Netherlands 

At Prinsjesdag (Princes’ Day) we celebrated 

the beginning of the parliamentary year in 

the Netherlands. And we enjoyed the tour of 

the King and the Queen in the Golden Coach 

in The Hague. But, what do you understand 

about the relationship between democracy 

and royalty (government, parliament and 

the queen/king) in the Netherlands? How 

does it work and who is the “boss”? 

more information, please contact Greetje at 

awcthehague.newcomers@gmail.com. 

Thursday, December 6 

Time TBA 


FREE 

Sign up on GroupSpaces 

Wanne Sinterniklaas 

Lilly Todorovic 

Join us at the AWC Clubhouse, to learn about 

the differences between the U.S. and the 

Netherlands. Greetje Engelsman is Dutch 

and has always been interested in Dutch 

democracy. As a child she was a royalist, 

as all children are. Now she is a democrat 

and has mixed feelings about royalty. For 

Credit: doof.nl 

Did you know that any woman who speaks English is eligible to join the 

American Women’s Club? 

Unique products 

for entrepreneurs 

Invite your English-speaking friends, wherever they’re from, to join us today! 

1061246 

Birthdays 

Due to changes in European privacy laws, and because Going Dutch will soon be posted on 

our external Facebook page, we won’t be sharing birthdays in print any longer. Instead, you’ll 

see Members’ birthdays in the weekly eNews, which is sent to your private email account 

and is more secure. We value our Members’ privacy. If you have any questions, please contact 

Melissa Rider, our Membership Coordinator, at awcthehague.membership@gmail.com. 

Sligro The Hague Forepark is the perfect fit for you as entrepreneur. 

We inspire and support you with our products and services, that will 

help you with your business. Our people are always there for you 

with professional and tailored advice. 

sligro.nl 

Linge 2, The Hague 



Credit: Goodreads 

Ongoing Activities 

Book Clubs 

The AWC Book Clubs are open to all 

readers, and new Members are especially 

welcome! There are no requirements that 

you must attend every meeting or lead 

a discussion. Snacks are provided by a 

different Member each month. There are 

two Book Clubs hosted by AWC Members: 

One in the daytime and one in the evening. 

Questions? Teresa Mahoney organizes the 

daytime group, and Dena Haggerty handles 

the evening meetings. For more information, 

please contact them at awcthehague. 

bookclub@gmail.com. Happy reading! 

Daytime Book Club 

November Selection: 

Educated: A Memoir by 

Tara Westover 

An unforgettable memoir 

about a young, homeschooled 

girl who leaves 

her survivalist family 

and goes on to earn 

a PhD from Cambridge 

University. Educated is 

an account of the struggle 

for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family 

loyalty and of the grief that comes with 

severing the closest of ties. With the acute 

Daytime Book Club Reading List: 

Wednesday, December 12: Factfulness: Ten 

Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and 

Why Things Are Better Than You Think by 

Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling 

Rönnlund 

Thursday, January 24: The Secret Scripture 

(McNulty Family) by Sebastian Barry 

insight that distinguishes all great writers, 

Westover has crafted a universal coming-ofage 

story that gets to the heart of what an 

education is and what it offers: the perspective 

to see one’s life through new eyes and 

the will to change it. 

Thursday, November 8 (note new date!) 

10 a.m. 


FREE 

Daytime Book Club Recap – September 

Sebastian Barry is a poet and we know it, 

even though we’ve never read one of this 

Irishman’s poems. In his ninth novel, Days 

without End, Barry regales us with the 

fluidity, the economy, the lyricism, and the 

power of his remarkable skill with words. 

Days without End is difficult to categorize. 

It’s a colorful first-person narrative that takes 

place all over the American western frontier 

in the mid-1800s. Barry draws us in with a 

cheery tale of two young teenage boys who, 

out of desperation, become chaste ballroom 

dancing partners for rough miners in a 

settlement with no women. When the novel 

turns into a bloodbath of the U.S. Army 

butchering entire Indian villages without 

remorse—and vice versa—we’re already 

hooked. This book opened our eyes to the 

savagery of the young United States but 

is, at its core, a story of friendship among 

the dispossessed, homosexual love, and 

the building of a family. The protagonist, 

Thomas —or Thomasina, depending on the 

situation—and his lover adopt an Indian 

girl whose family was murdered by their 

Army regiment. We highly recommend 

Days without End and we’ve already added 

another Sebastian Barry novel to our reading 

list. 

Evening Book Club Reading List: 

Wednesday, December 12: A Gentleman in 

Moscow by Amor Towles 

Wednesday, January 9: The Only Story by 

Julian Barnes 

Evening Book Club 

November Selection: A 

Long Way from Home by 

Peter Carey 

A Long Way from Home is 

Peter Carey’s latest style 

masterpiece; a thrilling 

high-speed story that starts 

in one way, then takes you 

to another place altogether. 

Set in the 1950s in the embers of the British 

Empire, painting a picture of the Queen and 

her subjects, black, white and those in-between, 

this brilliantly vivid novel illustrates 

how the possession of an ancient culture 

spirals through history and the love made 

and hurt caused along the way. 

Wednesday, November 14 

7:30 p.m. 


FREE 

Credit: Amazon.com 

Chat, Craft & Cake 

Chat, Craft and Cake is a weekly highlight 

for those who enjoy crafts and camaraderie. 

Whether your craft is knitting, quilting, 

needlepoint or simply mending your 

clothes, or whether you are a beginner or an 

expert, you are welcome to join us. Fish that 

UFO (Unfinished Object) out of the drawer 

and get going on it again. CCandCer’s are 

always ready with a helping hand, a lesson, 

or some advice. Each week, a different 

Member brings a cake—tried and >> 16 

Cancellation Policy 

Members may reserve a spot for an AWC tour, activity or 

event in advance. Payment is required within five 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. 

AWC Guest Policy 

Guests are welcome 

to participate in AWC 

activities and tours 

on a limited basis. 

As a nonmember, a 

guest is limited to 

attend two functions 

per calendar year 

and will be charged 

an additional 

nonmember fee. Only 

Members are entitled 

to use babysitting 

services. 



Ongoing Activities (cont.) 

Continued from page 15 

true, or experimental. Babysitting is not 

available and there are lots of sharp objects 

about (pins, needles, scissors and wit) so 

we cannot accommodate children. Contact 

Suzanne Dundas at awcthehague.crafts@ 

gmail.com for more information 

Every Tuesday 

10 a.m. – Noon 


FREE 

Heart Pillow Project 

Members work together to make heartshaped 

pillows designed to help support 

the arms of recent mastectomy patients. 

Each pillow is made with TLC, wrapped, 

and comes with a note signed by an AWC 

volunteer. No sewing skills are needed, as 

you can cut, stuff, or wrap the heart pillows. 

We are proud to provide men and women 

with something both practical and comforting, 

and we know our work helps because 

we often receive thank-you notes and emails 

from the patients who have received a heart 

pillow. For more information, please contact 

Jan de Vries at awctehhague.heartpillow@ 

gmail.com. 

Tuesday, November 13 

Noon – 2 p.m. 


FREE 

Visitors Welcome 

Tennis League 

Players needed! The AWC Tennis Group 

plays doubles every Tuesday 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. Contact 

Molly Boed at mollyboed@gmail.com for 

more information. 

Every Tuesday 

(except specific holidays TBD) 

1 – 3 p.m. 

Dekker Tennis Courts 

Veerpolder 14, Warmond 

€275 Members / €325 Nonmembers 

Thirsty Thursday 

Need a Ladies’ Night? Join us for the 

November Thirsty Thursday at Paluco in the 

van Hoytema neighborhood. Paluco closes 

at 7 p.m. but is staying open for an exclusive 

Thirsty Thursday. We do need a head 

count, so please RSVP in GroupSpaces. 

Contact Suzanne MacNeil at awcthehague. 

president@gmail.com for more information. 


6 – 9 p.m. 

Paluco 

Paul Gabriëlstraat 62 (Corner of Paul 

Gabriëlstraat and van Hoytemastraat) 

€15 for two drinks and food 

Sign up on GroupSpaces >> 18 



Ongoing Activities (cont.) 


German Christmas Market and Tours 

by Suzanne MacNeil 

Walkie Talkies 

Whether you count your steps or just want 

to walk with friends, the Monday morning 

Walkie Talkies is a fun, healthy and energetic 

way to start the week. The group meets 

in front of the Clubhouse before heading out 

to walk to various destinations in the area, 

usually racking up 10,000 steps along the 

way. Sign up on GroupSpaces to receive 

email updates or contact Emily van Eerten 

a month without having to drive to the clubhouse. 

One Member will host a casual coffee 

at her home at 9:30 on the first Thursday 

of every month. Prospective Members are 

welcome too. Suzanne Dundas coordinates 

these meetings and can be reached at 

awcthehague.crafts@gmail.com. Because 

the location changes every month, contact 

Suzanne if you are interested in attending or 

for more information. 


9:30 a.m. 

FREE 

We’re heading to Aachen, Germany on 

Tuesday, December 11 for our annual 

Christmas Market trip. Aachen’s market is 

considered one of the top five markets in 

Europe! We’ll take a private coach from Den 

Haag Centraal to Aachen, spend the morning 

shopping and then be treated to an Englishlanguage 

tour of the spectacular Aachen 

Cathedral. Construction of the cathedral 

started c. 790-800, it is a UNESCO World 

Heritage site, and is Charlemagne’s burial 

place. We’ll also tour the Aachen Cathedral 

Treasury which houses a collection of sacred 

gold and silver items including chalices and 

alter pieces. 

a medieval center, half-timbered houses, and 

narrow cobblestone streets. We return to Den 

Haag late on Wednesday by coach. If you 

haven’t been to a German Christmas market, 

this year’s trip is not to be missed, especially 

if you haven’t tried glühwein! 

or Greetje Engelsman at awcthehague. 

walkietalkies@gmail.com. 

Mondays 

9:30 a.m. 


Free 


Wassenaar Coffee & Conversation 

If you live in or north of Wassenaar, join your 

neighbors for coffee and conversation once 

That evening we’ll dine together and may 

want to drop in to the city’s spa to rest and rehab 

after the busy day. Sabine Crowley and 

Liduine Beckman are organizing the trip 

and we’ll be staying at an Aachen hotel, with 

more details to come. You can opt for a single 

or double room, to be priced accordingly. 

Wednesday, December 12, we will drive to 

the neighboring town of Monschau, called 

the Pearl of the Eifel. This small town boasts 

Tuesday and Wednesday, December 11 - 12 

Estimated cost € 200-250 (includes transportation, 

hotel, spa, Aachen Cathedral 

tour, and breakfast) 

Registration/Cancellation Deadline: 

November 20 

Look for more details in eNews 

If you are interested in joining us, please 

email Suzanne MacNeil at awcthehague. 

president@gmail.com, for a head count to 

finalize transportation details. 



One-of-a-Kind Activities 

by Marsha Hagney 

RSVP directly on AWC GroupSpaces.com. Direct any questions to 

awcthehague.firstvp@gmail.com. 

Payment 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 NL42ABNA0431421757. 

Visit from FAWCO’s Amanda 

Lane 

Amanda Lane, 

Executive 

Director of 

the Collateral 

R e p a i r 

Project, will 

be visiting 

to discuss 

FAWCO’s 

Target Project: 

Hope Beyond 

Displacement. 

This is a great opportunity to ask her questions 

and learn more about the efforts to 

support refugees. See the FAWCO article in 

September’s Going Dutch for more information. 

Monday, November 5 

10:30 a.m. – Noon 


FREE 


AWC Members, please connect 

with us on LinkedIn 

https://nl.linkedin.com/in/ 


awcthehague 

Tour of Private Art Collection 

The AWC and The Arts are honored to offer 

this very special activity. The collection you 

will visit is a private art space that houses 

a multidisciplinary collection spanning the 

genres of painting, sculpture, photography, 

installations and video. You will visit this 

collection in a unique building which in part 

is built eight meters underground. It is situated 

close to The Hague; you will receive 

location information once you have signed 

up on GroupSpaces and confirm that you 

will be taking part in the tour. For more information, 

contact Jane Choy at jechow@ 

me.com. 


10:30 a.m. – Noon 

Location will be provided upon 

registration 

Maximum 22 

€ 10 Members (€ 15 nonmembers) 

(Late registration is possible, if there are 

still spots available) 


Members: eNews Distribution 

A weekly electronic newsletter 

is sent to all AWC Members. 

If you have not been receiving your 

eNews, please contact Melissa at 

awcthehague.membership@gmail.com. 

Thanksgiving Ceremony and 

Lunch in Leiden 

Each year, Overseas Americans Remember 

(OAR) hosts a wonderful non-denominational 

Thanksgiving Ceremony at the 

Pieterskerk in Leiden, where our Pilgrim 

story began. After the ceremony, we will 

have lunch at the Koetshuis de Burcht. This 

restaurant sits at the base of a historic castle 

ruin, built in the 11th century. For more information, 

please see the articles on pages 

26 and 27, or contact Greetje Engelsman at 

awcthehague.newcomers@gmail.com. 


9:45 a.m. – Meet at Starbucks in Den 

Haag Centraal Station 

11:00 a.m. – Ceremony begins 

FREE Ceremony (Lunch at own expense) 




Chat, Craft and Cake – Open 

House 

Several Members joined our Club specifically 

to participate in Chat, Craft and Cake, 

so we are opening up one regular CCandC 

meetings to the entire community. Think of 

it as a recruitment morning. If you know of 

anyone who enjoys crafts and would like 

to craft along with a lively and welcoming 

group, invite them to join us for our 

November 27 meeting. We’ll be displaying 

some of our completed projects and are 

willing to advise on projects or solve a technical 

problem or two. We welcome women 

who do any sort of craft, from needlework 

to quilting to scrapbooking to sewing. Invite 

your friends to our open house and, remember, 

all AWC Members are always welcome. 

Contact Suzanne Dundas at awcthehague. 

crafts@gmail.com for more information. 


10:00 a.m. – Noon 


FREE 

German Christmas Market 

We’re heading to Aachen, Germany for our 

annual Christmas Market trip, with a stop in 

Monschau! Please see Suzanne MacNeil’s 

article on page 19 for more details & RSVP 

information. 

Tuesday, December 11 – 

Wednesday, December 12 

Cost is estimated around € 200-250 

(Food and shopping at own expense) 



Details TBA on eNews 

NOVEMBER 2018 21 

Photo credit: Aachen Tourist Service e.v.

Ho, Ho, Ho Holiday Bazaar 

As the days are getting shorter, so is the 

time to do your holiday shopping. Let the 

AWC’s annual Holiday Bazaar take some 

of your stress away! We have over 40 vendors 

that will cover your every gift-giving 

need. So much to highlight—where should 

I begin? Let me just give you a sampling of 

the vendors for you to explore… 

Some of our new vendors: 

Chocolate sculptures, by Anat Ratzabi 

www.thechocolatesculpture.com 

Vintage advertisements, by Srok Ads 

www.srok.nl 

Jewelry from nature, by Floralia Jewelry 

www.madebyshanti.com 

Some of our returning vendors: 

Romanian wine, by Roemwijn 

www.roemwijn.nl 

Paintings of the Netherlands, by Typical 

Dutch www.typicaldutchart.nl 

English books for youth, by Usborne Books 

www.usborneonline.org/debra_lambert 

Can you give us a hand to share the holiday 

spirit at the Holiday Bazaar? We’re 

looking for volunteers: 

• Entry Table: Welcome visitors and 

sell entry tickets 

• Floor Monitors: Help as needed 

• Bake Sale: Selling at the Bazaar, as 

well as baking 

• Raffle Table: Sell raffle tickets and 

highlight all the wonderful donations 

• Payment Tables: Accept payment 

for goods using a PIN machine and 

tallying funds received. No prior experience 

needed, just a comfort with 

taking payments. 

by Jaimie Keppel 

Some of our Members who are 

returning vendors: 

Essential oils, by Ginny Mees 

www.essentialoilsforhealth.eu 

Handmade cookie dough, by Julie Otten 

www.JuliesAmericanCookies.com 

Handmade 3D Christmas cards, by yours 

truly (Jaimie Keppel) 

www.jaimiesjoyfulstampin.wordpress.com 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Saturday, November 10 

11 a.m. – 6 p.m. 

Sunday, November 11 

11 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Hilton Hotel, Zeestraat 356, Den Haag 

Entry: € 2 Adults / Children FREE 

Kids’ Corner: Now you can leave your 

child in the good hands of the Playball 

volunteers while you shop! 

€ 5 per child, ages 2 to 10 

It’s Fun to Give as Well as Receive 

by Jaimie Keppel 

Will you come and help? Please contact 

our master Volunteer organizer Laurie 

Martecchini at lmartecchini@gmail.com 

to let her know in what area you’d like to 

work and your availability. 



Meet us in the Kids’ Corner at 

the Holiday Bazaar 



Thanksgiving Day Service 

by Roberta Enschede, Coordinator 

We hope you will join us at the historic 

Pieterskerk on Thanksgiving morning. A 

Catholic priest, Protestant and Anglican 

ministers, a rabbi and a cantor will conduct 

a non-denominational service. Bring your 

Dutch friends and friends from all nations 

and beliefs. This is a service for everyone 

and everyone is welcome! 

Thanksgiving in the Pieterskerk in Leiden 

is unique. In that church, the Pilgrims recorded 

their births, marriages and deaths. 

Their Minister John Robinson was once interred 

there. They lived in its surroundings 

from 1609 to 1620. Some of their descendants 

still live in Leiden. In fact, the Koet 

family are the only non-Americans who are 

members of the Mayflower Society. Ria 

Koet is Dutch and a direct descendant of 

Moses Fletcher, a signer of the Mayflower 

Compact. She will talk about what the 

Pilgrim’s story means to her and her family. 

There will be music and hymns we love 

to sing. Coincidentally, a hymn familiar to 

most Americans, “We Gather Together” is 

originally the Dutch hymn, Wilt Heden Nu 

Treden.” Mayor Henri Lenferink of Leiden 

will welcome the congregation and the 

Honorable Shawn Crowley, the US Chargé 

D’Affaires will share his thoughts. The 

Scouts of all ages will Present the Colors 

and “Little Pilgrims” will walk with them. 

JAKK, the American School chorale group 

will sing and, for the first time, the ASH 

String Ensemble will play during the offering. 

A young student will speak of his 

memories and a small child will share her 

Children’s Prayer on Thanksgiving. 

In Leiden, one feels how inextricably the 

values of the American nation are linked 

with the Netherlands. The story of a group 

of English dissenters who were welcomed 

I felt a respect and veneration upon entering the church at Leiden. 


~ Abigail Adams 

there and 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, an American 

story and a story of all nations that aspire 

to be free today. 

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 

photo credit to Pieterskerk Leiden 

Barack Obama has family roots in Leiden 

too —the Blossom family who sailed on the 

second Mayflower in 1628. 

Some historians speculate that the idea 

of Thanksgiving after a winter of hunger 

might have come from Leiden. After the 

Hunger Time in 1574, when the Spanish 

Siege was lifted, there was a Service of 

Thanksgiving in the Pieterskerk that continued 

year after year. Though the Pilgrims 

were Separatists and did not worship there, 

perhaps after that first harvest and their 

hunger winter, they remembered the stories 

of the Hunger Time in Leiden and were 

familiar with the service of thanks in the 

Pieterskerk. 

by Greetje Engelsman 

You won’t forget Thanksgiving in Leiden. 

We hope you will join us. 

COOKIES 

Please bring some cookies for coffee after 

the service. 

CAR POOL if possible! 

(Unless you have a Permit from the 

Pieterserk, you will be ticketed if you park 

in the area in front of the church!) 


11 a.m. 

Pieterskerk, Leiden 

FREE 

Information: oarinnl@yahoo.com 

Sponsored by OAR – Overseas Americans Remember 

Thanksgiving Day Lunch 

Each year, Overseas Americans Remember 

(OAR) hosts a wonderful non-denominational 

Thanksgiving Ceremony at the 

Pieterskerk in Leiden, where our Pilgrim 

story began. Please see the article on 

the facing page, by Roberta Enschede, 

Coordinator for OAR. 

We will meet at Starbucks in Den Haag 

Cenraal Station at 9:45 a.m., to travel to 

Leiden Centraal Station by train (bring your 

O.V. Chipcard). In Leiden, the group will 

walk from the station to the Pieterskerk to 

listen to the Thanksgiving ceremony. The 

church opens at 10 a.m., and the ceremony 

begins at 11 a.m. 

After the ceremony, we will have lunch at 

the Koetshuis de Burcht. This 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. For more information, please contact 

Greetje Engelsman at awcthehague. 

newcomers@gmail.com. 


9:45 a.m. – Meet at Starbucks in Den 

Haag Centraal Station 

11 a.m. – Ceremony begins 

FREE Ceremony (Lunch at own 

expense) 





November 2018 

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 

1 

2 3 

Save the Dates: 

December 11–12: Aachen Christmas Market 

December 14: Christmas Lunch 

February 21: Handbag Auction 

Wassenaar Coffee and 

Conversation 9:30 a.m. 

Guided Tour of Dutch 

Masters from British Country 

Houses 6 p.m. 

4 5 

6 

7 8 

9 10 

Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m 

Chat, Craft & Cake 10 a.m. 

Daytime Book Club 10 a.m. 

Presentation from FAWCO’s 

Amanda Lane 10:30 a.m. 

AWC Tennis 1 p.m. 


11 a.m. – 6 p.m. 

11 12 

Buddy Check 12 

13 


14 

15 

16 17 


Tour of Private Art 

Collection 10:30 a.m. 

Coffee 10 a.m. 

November Annual Meeting 

10:30 a.m. 


11 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Heart Pillow Workshop 

Noon 


Evening Book Club 

7:30 p.m. 

Thirsty Thursday 6 p.m. 

18 19 


20 



21 22 

Thanksgiving Ceremony 

and lunch in Leiden 

9:45 a.m. at CS / 11 a.m. at 

the Pieterskerk 

23 24 

Happy Thanksgiving 

25 26 


27 

Special Chat, Craft & Cake 

Open House and Display 

10 a.m. 


28 29 30 



Restaurant Recommendations (NEW!) 

by Audrey Goodman 

AWC Member Jessie Rodell came up with the wonderful idea of adding a Restaurant 

Recommendations section to the magazine. This is a work in progress, so feedback is 

wanted and welcome. I’ve started with a few of my favorite restaurants, but I certainly 

hope future issues will contain selections from other Members. Please feel free to email your 

comments and recommendations to goingdutchmag@gmail.com. 

Tri Tunggal 

This is absolutely my favorite Indonesian 

restaurant, and the service is fantastic. 

Space is limited, so reservations are recommended. 

Noordeinde 143, 2514 GG, Den Haag 

070 360 0152 

tritunggal.nl 

Indonesian, Asian, (vegetarian friendly) 

€€ - €€€ 

Monday – Friday, 6 – 10 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday, 5 – 10 p.m. 

Little V 

The lunchboxes and their specialty (nonalcoholic) 

iced teas are simply amazing. A 

must-visit venue in the city center. 

Rebbijn Maarssenplein 21, 2512 HJ, Den 

Haag 

070 392 1230 

littlev.nl 

Vietnamese, Asian (vegetarian friendly) 

€€ - €€€ 

Tuesday – Sunday 

Lunch: Noon – 3 p.m. 

Dinner: 4:30 – 9:30 p.m. 

Encore by Simonis 

A beautiful view and wonderful food make 

this a great spot for a date-night, or to celebrate 

a special occasion. 

Doctor Lelykade 5, 2583 CL, 

Scheveningen 

070 306 0070 

encore-bysimonis.nl 

Seafood, Sushi 

€€€€ 

Monday – Thursday, 5 – 11 p.m. 

Friday – Sunday, Noon – 11 p.m. 



AWC and the Arts 

by Jane Choy, AWC Member and Mauritshuis Docent 

RSVP for all Arts Activities directly on 

AWC GroupSpaces.com 

Direct any questions to jechoy@me.com 

Welcome 

Back BBQ 

Tour of a Private Art Collection 

The AWC and The Arts are honored to offer 

this very special activity. The collection you 

will visit is a private art space that houses 

a multidisciplinary collection which spans 

the genres of painting, sculpture, photography, 

installations, and video. You will visit 

this collection in a unique building which is 

partly built 26 feet (8 meters) underground. 

It is situated close to The Hague. 

You will receive the information about the 

location once you have signed up on Group 

Spaces and confirm that you will be taking 

part in the tour. For further information, 

contact Jane Choy at jechoy@me.com. 


10:30 a.m. – Noon 

Location will be provided upon 

registration 

€ 10 Members / € 15 Non-members 

Maximum 22 / No Minimum 

Non-refundable 


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! 


Credit: de Volkskrant 

The Dutch Daily 

by Eileen Harloff 

Good Luck, Wilson! 

There is no one solution to the problem of 

large collections of plastic and other materials 

in the world’s oceans. Obviously, 

the place to start is where plastic items are 

made, used and disposed of. The harbors of 

many cities are often regarded as garbage 

disposal sites for food and unwanted items 

of everyday use. And when the debris of 

one city goes out to sea and joins the debris 

of other cities, the eventual result is one 

huge circle which swerves about with some 

items ending up on the sea bottom, while 

the rest of it morphs into one huge plastic 

soup. Local and national governments are 

adopting and attempting to enforce laws 

relating to trash and waste disposal, now 

and in the future. But the results of former 

years’ habits are still floating around in the 

world’s seas, a danger to sea creatures, fish 

and those who eat them, and sea birds. 

Last year we reported on the idea of the 

now 24-year-old former Delft Technical 

University student, Boyan Slat, who was 

working on a way to clean up the oceans 

by way of a large U-shaped “plastic gatherer”. 

His idea received wide attention and 

last summer a trial run took place outside 

Scheveningen Harbor. This resulted in 

technical changes and a great deal of interest 

from scientists, environmentalist technicians 

and the general public. And now 

the gatherer, named “Wilson” after the volleyball 

that kept Tom Hanks company in 

the film Cast Away, has been launched in 

San Francisco’s harbor and is under way to 

attack “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch”, 

which is estimated to contain some 1.8 billion 

plastic items. Wilson consists of a tube 

600 meters long that will become U-shaped 

by the force of the currents. It contains 

lamps and sensor-location determiners to 

warn ships, and a screen underneath which 

will drive the plastic together and under 

which fish can swim. Will Wilson be able 

to withstand the harsh conditions of the 

ocean, where the waves can be 12 meters 

high? Will it indeed sweep up the plastic? 

Will there be any as-yet unknown after effects? 

And will it be possible to recycle the 

plastic? Time will tell. 

The Story of the Wooden Bicycle 

The former “night mayor” of The Hague, 

René Bom, was renowned for riding his 

wooden bicycle through the city streets 

until two years ago when his vehicle was 

stolen while parked outside his house. This 

past summer a Facebook user saw, to his 

astonishment, a picture of a wooden bicycle 

that was up for sale on a Polish website. 

He informed Mr. Bom of this fact and Bom 

confirmed that it was indeed his long-lost 

cycle, as could be proved by the tear in the 

saddle’s covering and the wooden steering 

bar. Feeling like a detective, the Facebook 

user then contacted the Polish seller and 

convinced him that the bicycle had in fact 

been stolen in The Hague. Arrangements 

were then made for it to be taken to a spot 

Credit: The Ocean Cleanup 

Credit: Oertijdmuseum Credit: René Bom 

in Poland from where it could be returned 

to The Hague. Once in The Hague, the bicycle 

was taken to the shop where it had 

been purchased, was renovated and renewed, 

and was then brought back to its 

owner. The end of the story, though, is that 

not only the original but also an electric 

version was delivered to the delighted Mr. 

Bom, who had originally purchased the 

wooden bike and had been a long-time customer. 

For Bough Bikes it was a gesture of 

friendship intended to give him a new start. 

A Diplo for Ourselves 

Have you ever seen or heard of a 

diplodocus? Probably some young people 

who are interested in paleontology will 

answer, “Yes”, while the rest of us will ask, 

“What is it?” The answer, not surprisingly, 

is that it is a long-necked dinosaur who 

lived on this earth 150 million or so years 

ago. Its bones were found in Wyoming quite 

a while ago and since then have been lying 

for many years in the basement of a Swiss 

museum. Now these bones, and a bit of 

skin, are being reconstructed in a speciallyequipped 

laboratory and will eventually 

be on display in the Oertijdmuseum 

(Prehistoric Museum), in Boxtel, the 

Netherlands. During the reconstruction 

period of three years visitors can view 

the daily work in progress. The museum 

already has replicas of a diplodocus inside 

and outside the building, but having a real 

skeleton—even if its long neck is made of 

artificial material—is a matter of pride. 

The Boxtel diplo will be the third of its 

kind in Europe. 

IN SHORT 

• The Hague is one of two cities in the 

Netherlands with the most 100-yearold 

citizens. According to a study by 

the Central Bureau of Statistics, the 

largest number of people over 100 

live in Rotterdam, with 107 residents 

over a century old. The Hague has 91 

residents over 100, of which 82 are 

women and only 9 are men. Together 

they form 3.4% of the total population. 

In the nearby city of Zoetermeer, 

15 women and 1 man are older than 

100; in Delft there are 11 women; 

and in Westland there are 13 women 

and 1 man who have reached the century 

number. The oldest woman in 

the country lives in Gorinchem and is 

113-year-old Geertje Kuijntjes. 

• Despite protests from both sexes, 

a study undertaken by Leiden 

University has determined that when 

it comes to map reading, there is no 

difference in ability between men and 

women. The findings go on to say 

that men overestimate themselves, 

while women are better at it than they 

think they are. Clearly stereotypes 

play a role in which one sex is better 

at a task than the other sex. This was 

a conclusion following a testing of 

8,000 people of all ages, who were 

asked to play an online game in which 

they were shown a video whereby they 

were required to follow a route on an 

unknown planet. They were then asked 

questions, requiring them to point out 

where certain items were located, 

which had been passed by in the game. 

The result was barely any difference 

between men and women. 



FAWCO Corner 

by Julie Mowat, AWC The Hague FAWCO Representative 

Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas, a United Nations NGO with 

consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council 

www.fawco.org. 

• FAWCO.org is a wonderful website 

with lots of information. As a Member 

of AWC The Hague, you are automatically 

a member of FAWCO. Check out 

their website and sign up. There are 

several monthly newsletters that you 

can receive if you wish. Topics include 

issues on human rights, the U.N., environment, 

health, education and U.S. 

issues. 

• Our Biennial conference will be held 

in Edinburgh, Scotland from March 21 

to 24, 2019. All are welcome to join. 

Please go to FAWCO.org for registration 

information. It should be very interesting 

and fun. 

• Our target fundraiser for Hope Beyond 

Displacement (February 21 —more 

details to follow) will be our popular 

Handbag Auction. We are adding a 

new item this year—art! If you have 

art that you loved but now needs a new 

home, please consider donating to our 

auction. And, of course, your handbags 

as usual! 

• November 25 begins the yearly U.N. 

Human Rights 16 Days Campaign. 

This is a campaign to end gender-based 

violence. The FAWCO Human Rights 

Team has decided to make this a yearlong 

campaign. We will be sharing info 

throughout the year. We are recommending 

that everyone watch the movies 

Miss Representation and the Mask 

You Live In. If there is interest, perhaps 

a group viewing of one or both films 

can be arranged. Let Julie Mowat or 

Terri Mahoney know! 

• If you are repatriating to the U.S., 

FAUSA (alumni of FAWCO) is a great 

group to join. Check out their website 

at FAUSA.org 

• CSW63 and the NGO Forum will 

be held at the U.N. in New York 

from March 11 to 22, 2019. If you’re 

interested in global women’s rights, 

join the FAWCO delegation. You do not 

have to attend both weeks of CSW; you 

can do both—experience CSW and go 

to the FAWCO Biennial Conference! 

Check out details at FAWCO.org 



High Altitude Trekking – Part I 

by Melissa White 

Two weeks before departing for Nepal, 

James joined me, Carlin and Kent for a long 

weekend of trekking in the Lake District in 

England. We started with a hike to the top of 

Helvellyn, the third highest peak in England. 

The following day we hiked up Scafell Pike, 

England’s highest peak at 3,209 feet (978 

meters), which made the hike to Helvellyn 

look like a walk in the park. The path started 

out interesting enough with several waterfalls 

and stream crossings, but eventually we 

reached boulder fields. Little did I know just 

what good preparation this hike would be for 

EBC. 

After spending two nights in Kathmandu in 

late August, we had an early wake-up call 

for our flight into the Himalayas. We were 

lucky since all flights were cancelled due 

to poor weather the day before to Lukla, 

Nepal’s second highest airport at 9,334 feet 

(2,845 meters). It is considered one of the 

world’s most dangerous airports due to its 

very short runway of 1,729 feet (527 meters) 

with a 12% gradient ending in a mountainside. 

Our 14-seater plane had no overhead 

bins; our daypacks were wedged in front of 

our seats. I ended up sitting behind the copilot 

and could see out of the windshield. We 

were given cotton to protect our ears against 

the loud engine sounds. The 35-minute flight 

was quite smooth and never actually scary. 

It was remarkable how fast the passengers 

and luggage were off-loaded and re-loaded. 

Our guide Ishor was on the next flight. He explained 

that since tourists pay $150 per flight 

and locals only pay $50, tourists always have 

priority. Once Ishor was on the mountain, he 

would stay there until the trekking season 

was over in late-November with no visits 

home to see his wife and toddler son until the 

two month break between seasons. 

The trek began! We walked just above the 

runway and then through the village of 

Lukla. Ishor got our trekking permits and we 

passed under the National Luminary Pasan 

Lhamu Memorial Gate, dedicated to the >> 40 

Although I can’t remember when the 

topic of trekking in the Himalayas to 

Everest Base Camp (EBC) first came 

up, I do remember the logic: this trip would 

be a compromise to allow my friend Kent to 

see Mount Everest without having to climb 

to the top of the world. Two summers ago my 

husband James and I hiked across England 

with Kent and his wife Carlin, so it wasn’t 

surprising when we were invited on this latest 

adventure. James was in the midst of starting 

a new company, so he couldn’t commit to the 

almost three-week trip or the dozens of training 

hikes. Financially it was a bad time for me to 

be splurging on a trip without him, but I found 

it impossible to pass up this once-in-a-lifetime 

opportunity. I started thinking about who could 

join me and I quickly thought of my old Going 

Dutch partner-in-crime, Teresa Mahoney. I was 

thrilled when she said yes. 

By November 2017, Kent had booked a private 

tour for the four of us with Himalayan 

Wonders (www.himalayanwonders.com), 

a trekking company based in Kathmandu, 

Nepal, that he’d been referred to by some 

folks he’d met while climbing. Kent always 

does his homework and books a local trekking/climbing 

company for their expertise on 

the route as well as the culture. 

Our training got off to a slow start as we 

didn’t begin walking together until April, and 

it was rare for the four of us to be in the same 

place at the same time. We also knew that no 

matter how far we walked in flat Holland, it 

wouldn’t be enough to properly prepare us 

for the steep hills of the Himalayas, so we 

needed to get further afield. Teresa ramped 

up quickly by hiking for a week in coastal 

England and then for another week around 

the base of Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s 

highest peak. 



High Altitude Trekking (cont.) 


first Nepalese woman to climb to the summit 

of Mount Everest in 1993 (unfortunately, she 

did not survive the descent due to bad weather). 

The scenery was beautiful with lush 

greenery and amazing waterfalls. As usual, I 

was the weakest link on the rocky bits, going 

very slowly whether we were going uphill or 

downhill. 

At one point on that first day, we stopped 

for a slight rest and to buy some water (tap 

water would need to be purified, so we usually 

bought bottled water). That particular 

teahouse’s idea of a toilet was rather novel: 

an outhouse with three planks with gaps in 

between to stand over the ground. I’ll spare 

you the descriptions of the many other less 

than stellar loos that we encountered. Just 

know that we always carried toilet paper and 

hand sanitizer. 

Teresa and I were both quite nervous when 

we encountered our first suspension bridge, 

mostly because we were worried that there 

might be a way to fall. Once we discovered 

that the bridges were very well constructed 

with absolutely no way to fall, our fears 

evaporated. In fact, the following day we 

crossed five suspension bridges and didn’t 

even hold on as we were too excited about 

taking photos to be worried. The highest 

at 425 feet (130 meters) above the raging 

Dudh Kosi River was named in honor of Sir 

Edmund Hillary, in 1953 the first non-Nepalese 

to climb Everest. 

We also encountered our first of many yak 

trains. Yak and yak/cow hybrids are used to 

carry heavy loads up and down the mountain. 

I should mention that there are no cars anywhere 

in the Khumbu region (also known as 

the Everest region). The closest bus goes to 

Jiri, but that is still a ten-day hike away from 

the airport. While the same plane that flew us 

to Lukla can apparently fold down the seats 

to carry cargo, and helicopters can bring 

cargo to several of the mountain villages, the 

majority of goods and food are carried by 

yaks, mules or human porters. There is definitely 

a “yak tax,” meaning that the higher 

up the mountain you go, the higher the costs. 

I had read several warnings to make sure to 

always keep against the mountainside when 

being passed by a yak train, so a wayward 

yak doesn’t accidentally bump you off into 

the abyss. 

Our group had two porters carrying our four 

duffel bags containing clothes, toiletries and 

sleeping bags. These “trekking porters” were 

hired for the duration of our trek and were 

paid by the job. The porters carrying goods 

and food are paid based on the total weight 

and distance. We saw porters carrying some 

crazy large loads of goods ranging from giant 

steel bars, rice, mattresses, toilet paper and a 

small freezer. It seems that many Westerners 

have been misusing the word Sherpa as it is 

actually the last name for an ethnic group native 

to the eastern Himalayas. Not all Sherpas 

are porters or mountain guides nor are all 

porters or mountain guides Sherpas. Ishor is 

not a Sherpa, but he worked first as a trekking 

porter until his English was good enough for 

him to become a guide. 

With two exceptions to allow us to better acclimatize 

to the high altitudes, we spent just 

a single night in each teahouse as we made 

our way up. Each had the same basic design: 

a large and cozy dining room with benches 

along the outer wall, tables and chairs, a 

stove that could burn wood, oil or yak dung, 

plus guest rooms with no heat. We always 

ate dinner and breakfast wherever we were 

staying, and the food was surprisingly good. 

The higher we were up the mountain, >> 42 





the higher the risk of food having spoiled 

from lack of refrigeration, as most had been 

transported up from Katmandu. All of our accommodations 

had electricity and one or two 

Western toilets in the hallway. A few were 

even en suite, ranging from a decent two-star 

down to barely a one-star made of plywood. 

Once we were above 12,800 feet (3,900 meters), 

there was no running water, so we used 

buckets of water to flush the toilet. At the 

highest elevations, we were happy to rent hot 

water bottles to keep us toasty warm in our 

sleeping bags. 

Technically we started our trek at the end 

of monsoon season, about two weeks before 

the peak trekking season begins. Ishor 

called many of the waterfalls “monsoon waterfalls,” 

because they are only active during 

monsoon season (June through August); this 

was an unexpected advantage of taking a 

risk in trekking before the season officially 

started. Another advantage was the lack of 

crowds both on the trail and in the teahouses. 


We were especially fortunate that it never 

poured on us. While there were heavy rains 

most days, we were safely inside before they 

were fully unleashed in the late afternoons. 

I wished that I had bought a proper poncho 

to fit over me and my pack as Teresa did: I 

looked like a complete goofball whenever it 

did start to rain, in the hot pink poorly fitting 

poncho that I purchased on the mountain. 

Unlike in England where we hiked up, up, 

up and then down, down, down, we encountered 

a constant series of up and down referred 

to as “Nepali Flat.” There was nothing 

flat about it! It was not uncommon for us to 

get excited that we had successfully climbed 

1,200 feet only to discover that we would be 

losing all of the gain during the next descent. 

What Ishor would call “gradual,” I would often 

call “steep.” I got in the habit of hiking 

directly behind him and just locking my eyes 

onto his shoes while trying to ignore how difficult 

or scary the trail was. This was especially 

successful when we reached a dreaded 

boulder field next to rushing glacial waters. 

Just like at Scafell Pike, I heard Kent in my 

head: Don’t intellectualize it, just do it! 

Ironically, one of the best ways to avoid altitude 

sickness is to go slow. Ishor kept saying, 

“slowly, slowly,” but I just laughed as 

I only had one speed. Unfortunately, Teresa 

got fairly sick on our third night, but she got 

a good night’s sleep and started taking the 

high altitude sickness medicine and was fully 

recovered by the next morning, which was a 

huge relief. I avoided the medicine until the 

seventh day when I had a bit of a breakdown 

after my oxygen levels read very low; luckily, 

I felt better the next day in time for the big 

push to EBC. 

Once we crossed above the tree line, the terrain 

changed drastically to that of an alien 

landscape. There were some bushes, but 

mostly just rocks and dirt with a mossy covering. 

It was crazy to realize that we were now 

higher than any mountain in Western Europe. 

Our final day to EBC started with a four-hour 

trek to Gorak Shep, the highest trekker’s village 

in Nepal at 16,800 feet (5,125 meters), 

where we would be eating lunch and then 

later spending the night. 

After lunch, we lightened our day packs for 

the big climb to EBC. Ishor suggested that 

I hire 21-year-old Sagar to carry my bag as 

he knew that I would be struggling in the 

high altitude. I was worried how I would access 

my hydration pack, which I referred to 

as my morphine drip since I seemed to be in 

constant need of water and electrolytes, but 

Sagar made it easy for me to grab my drinking 

tube whenever I needed it. Nonetheless, I 

was still so slow that I suggested that Teresa, 

Carlin, Kent and Ishor go on without me. I 

had set a turnaround time since I didn’t want 

to be stuck out after dark and wasn’t confident 

that I’d make it up to the camp. By then 

it had started to lightly hail, so I put on my 

lovely hot pink poncho. 

I was so thrilled that Teresa and gang were 

still at the site when I arrived about 15 minutes 

behind them. We all hugged―it was very 

emotional. It was also a bit anticlimactic: as 

it was not Everest climbing season (May – 

June), there were no tents. There’s also no 

view of Everest from this spot at 17,600 feet 

(5,364 meters), which is ironic, but at least 

we’d been warned. Most importantly, we set 

ourselves a goal, and on our eighth day of 

trekking we succeeded. The following morning 

began with an optional trail to Kalapather 

to watch the sunrise over the peaks. I opted 

to sleep in, but Teresa, Carlin and Kent thoroughly 

enjoyed seeing Everest in all of its 

majesty. 

To be honest, I never actually saw Everest, 

but I saw enough other beautiful peaks to 

more than make up for any disappointment. 

Most of all, I am proud of what we accomplished. 

We only hiked for a little more than 

three hours on our first day, but most days we 

trekked for six to eight hours. We had two 

so-called “rest days” to help with acclimatization, 

and yet we hiked for over four hours 

on each of those as well. We were by far the 

oldest group of trekkers that we saw while 

on the mountain. The majority of the groups 

were university kids; the only other group we 

encountered around our age had helicoptered 

up and were only hiking down. Of course, 

what goes up must come down, so I will continue 

our adventure to get off the mountain in 

another issue. >> 44 



Message from the President (cont.) 


have family visiting for the holiday, be sure 

to bring them! You can read the details of 

the non-denominational service on page 26. 

What about the rest of the holidays? 

Chanukah? Christmas? Kwanzaa? The Club 

is getting into the spirit with our annual trip 

to a German Christmas market. This year 

we’ll head to Aachen, which sits close to the 

borders of both Belgium and the Netherlands. 

While Aachen doesn’t have a large Christmas 

market, it is ranked in the top five of Christmas 

markets in Europe. The market sits at the foot 

of the Aachen Cathedral, founded sometime 

around 800 A.D. You’ll be able to taste traditional 

glühwein, a mulled cider, that will 

warm your insides if the weather is chilly. 

The details are still being sorted as I write this 

letter, so look for more information in eNews, 

Facebook, and emails. Whichever holiday 

you celebrate, there are always trinkets and 

gifts that are perfect for everyone you share 

your holiday with in the Netherlands or your 

home country. 

Absolutely. But being with my AWC friends 

will help make up for that piece of my heart 

that tugs at me this time of year. I hope you 

find yourself in the company of those you 

love, whether related by blood or this crazy 

expat life! I wish you a happy Thanksgiving. 

Tot ziens, 

Suzanne 

Will I miss my sons, my mom, my siblings, 

and my stepfamily this Thanksgiving? 


Thank You from Puerto Rico to Our AWC 

by Roberta Enschede 

The Puerto Rican town of Comerío 

has been adopted by the Puerto Rican 

Agenda, and is the recipient of the 

Club’s contribution of $ 4,160. The donation 

is being used to help in the Rescue, Relief, 

and Rebuild efforts that are taking place in 

Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane 

Maria, which is still reeling from the storm’s 

devastating effects more than one year later. 

office of my congressman, Luis Gutierrez 

(D-IL.). His parents were both born in Puerto 

Rico and I knew he was deeply involved in 

the recovery efforts. His aides referred me to 

the Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago. I visited 

their humble offices and spoke with Professor 

José Lopez, their senior advisor. After I spoke 

with him and met other caring, committed 

people, I was convinced we were in the right 

place. Our AWC did what it has always done; 

helped people in need. Puerto Rico is not an 

ocean away to us, it is part of who we are. 

Our efforts to help Puerto Rico began immediately 

after the hurricane struck and the 

2017-2018 AWC Board agreed to help! I was 

not surprised, just very moved. To find out 

where and how we could help, I called the 

Credit: The Puerto Rican Cultural Center 



Announcements 

Crossing Border Festival 

Ever since the first edition in 1993, Crossing 

Border has examined the frontiers of music 

and language in the city center of The Hague. 

It has expanded to become one of the most 

progressive international music and literature 

festivals in Europe featuring more than 

100 artists ranging from renowned names to 

promising upcoming talent. 

Thru November 4 

Various venues in Den Haag Centrum 

www.crossingborder.nl 

Affordable Art Fair 

This four-day event presents a wide array of 

contemporary art from a variety of galleries. 

You can find thousands of original paintings, 

prints, sculptures and photography all under 

one roof, with pieces from € 100 to € 6,000. 

The work of young, emerging artists hangs 

alongside some of the biggest household 

names. 

Thursday, November 1 to 


De Kromhouthal 

Gedempt Hamerkanaal 231, Amsterdam 

www.affordableartfair.com 

Annual Church Bazaar 

The American Protestant Church of The 

Hague will host its 61st Annual Bazaar. You 

can savor appetizing dishes and delicacies 

from the international kitchen, as well as 

shop for books, clothing, accessories, arts 

and crafts, and more. Free entrance with 

proceeds from sales to support charities 

worldwide. www.apch.nl 


10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

Esther de Boer-van Rijklaan 20, 

Den Haag 

13th Leiden Film Festival 

The Leiden Film Festival (LIFF) showcases 

feature films that examine the border 

between art-house and mainstream cinema 

from all over the world. This year’s theme 

is Famously Unknown. The American Indie 

Competition is LIFF’s main event that focuses 

entirely on young American talents 

who are yet unknown to international audiences. 

Friday, November 2 to 


Various locations in Leiden 

www.leidenfilmfestival.nl 

IamExpat Fair in The Hague 

The IamExpat Fair is designed for global 

citizens with local needs. It features stands 

from dozens of companies and organizations 

working in housing, careers, education, 

expat services, health, leisure, and 

family needs. Free workshops and presentations 

will take place throughout the day. 

Entrance is free with online registration at 

www.thehague.iamexpatfair.nl. 


10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Grote Kerk, Den Haag 

GLOW Eindhoven 

At this annual free festival, dozens of light 

artists give Eindhoven’s facades and public 

spaces in the city center an entirely new face 

as nightfall changes the colors and shapes 

on the city’s streets. The theme of GLOW 

2018 is Shadow & Light, a reminder that 

without shadow and light there is only a 

gray landscape. 

Saturday, November 10 to 


6:30 p.m. each night 

www.gloweindhoven.nl 

The Arts Society Lecture 

Art, Politics and Pestilence in 

Renaissance Sienna 

Italian painter Duccio di Buoninsegna 

founded the Sienese school in the early 

14th century with its refined, gracefully 

linear and decorative approach. Simone 

Martini was his pupil and had strong ties to 

the courts of Naples, Milan and Avignon. It 

was Siena’s Golden Age. Lecturer Jeremy 

Boudreau is the Head of History of Art at 

the British Institute in Florence. 


Doors open at 7:30 p.m. 

Lecture begins at 8 p.m. 

Cultural Centrum Warenar 

Kerkstraat 75, Wassenaar 

Nonmember fee is € 13 

www.theartssocietythehague.org 

Sinterklaas Arrival 

Sinterklaas arrives from Spain in the 

Netherlands every year on the second or 

third weekend in November, visiting different 

towns at various times. He will arrive 

aboard the SS Madrid in Scheveningen 

Harbor on Saturday, November 17. After 

his arrival at 10:30, 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. 


www.sinterklaasindenhaag.nl >> 50 



Announcements (cont.) 


International Food Fair 

The Parish of the Church of Our Saviour 

sponsors this large International Food Fair 

every November for charity, this year for 

the 50th time. The diverse members of the 

parish community come together to provide 

entertainment and to prepare and sell their 

own national food specialties, wines and pastries. 

There are kids’ activities, a raffle, used 

book sale and flea market. The proceeds are 

donated to small charitable organizations for 

projects such as beekeeping, women’s support 

and children’s education. In 2017, the 

fair raised € 44,000 with 100% of the proceeds 

dispersed to charities around the world. 


Noon – 6:30 p.m. 

Francois Vatel School 

Granaathorst 20, Den Haag 

FREE entrance 

www.parish.nl 


Antique and Art Fair 

PAN Amsterdam, the Netherlands’ premier 

art and antiques fair, is renowned for 

its high-quality, international offerings by 

110 galleries 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 

70 experts for authenticity, artistic quality 

and condition. Prices range from € 500 to 

€ 500,000. Over 45,000 visitors, from museum 

curators to private art enthusiasts, are 

attracted to this fair every year. 

Sunday, November 18 to 


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 dancing to live music for enthusiasts 

of all abilities. Bringing a dance partner 

is unnecessary. The € 99 ticket includes a 

four-course dinner with haggis, wine with 

dinner and dancing throughout the evening. 

Kilts are optional. Tickets may be purchased 

from Marion at maria.janine@ziggo.nl. If 

you want to practice a few dances before the 

ball, you are welcome to join the Reel Club 

which meet on Fridays in the British School 

at Diamanthorst 16 in The Hague from 8 – 

10 p.m. 


6:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. 

Crowne Plaza Hotel 

Van Stolkweg 1, Den Haag 

www.standrews.nl 

Iris van Herpen, couture collection Ludi 

Naturae, 2018 Photo by Jean Baptiste 

Mondino 

Fashion Exhibit 

From November 17 through March 24, the 

Gemeentemuseum will host the first ever 

fashion exhibition in history devoted exclusively 

to female designers: Femmes Fatales 

– Strong Women in Fashion. Never before 

have so many fashion houses been run by 

a female designer, some of whom are very 

vocal about their views on women’s rights 

and politics. The work of a range of famous 

Dutch and international designers 

will be featured, including: Coco Chanel, 

Vivienne Westwood, Miuccia Prada, Maria 

Grazia Chiuri for Dior, Sarah Burton for 

Alexander McQueen, Clare Waight Keller 

for Givenchy, Stella McCartney, and Iris 

van Herpen. In addition to the internationally 

famous names, the exhibition will also 

consider the women behind the scenes of 

many fashion houses, whose far-reaching 

influence is something that has been completely 

overlooked in fashion history. 

Saturday, November 17 to 

Sunday, March 24 

Gemeentemuseum, Stadhouderslaan 41, 

Den Haag 

www.gemeentemuseum.nl 

Jack and the Beanstalk, a 

Pantomime 

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) invites you to follow the exploits of 

Jack and his mother, Dame Trot, as they try 

to find the money to pay the rent before the 

nasty Baron throws them out of their house. 

www.aatg.nl 

Friday, December 7 to 

Sunday, December 9 

Theatre aan het Spui 

Spui 187, Den Haag 


Classifieds 

Bijoux-dor Gold & 

Silversmith 

Professionally trained gold 

and silversmith specializing 

in handmade and custom 

jewelry, and repairs. AWC 

members are eligible for a 

10% discount on custom work. 

Visit my atelier at Noordeinde 

47, 1st floor, The Hague 

or call 0687598566 for an 

appointment or send an email 

to meriemoukil@hotmail.com. 

www.meriem-dor.com 

Blossoming Health and 

Beauty 

Looking for a professional, 

licensed acupuncturist? 

Contact Linda Chen 

at 06-37315840. With a 

background in leadership 

development by Shell, Linda 

graduated with Cum Laude 

in TCM Acupuncture. She 

is a registered member of 

the professional association 

ZHONG. 

Insurance 

reimbursement of the fee is 

possible. 

www.blossoming-healthbeauty. 

com 

Member Privacy 

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 

Expat Families in Transit & 

Work Life Balance 

Ingrid offers Child & Teens 

Counseling, Life Work 

Coaching, Accountability 

Coaching and Workshops 

& Training. Experienced 

Bilingual Psychosocial 

Therapist/Counselor & Coach. 

Certified NFG member. 

Check for Coverage Health 

Care Insurance. Contact 

0640216544. FREE 30 MIN 

CONSULTATION. www. 

ingridmasselinkandreas@ 

gmail.com 

Job Search and Career 

Counseling 

HR professional with 20+ 

years U.S. experience is providing 

coaching for resume 

writing, job search tactics 

and strategy, and career 

planning. Specializing in expats 

returning to the U.S. job 

market. Certified in Myers 

Briggs and other assessments. 

Mebrennan625@gmail.com or 

www.Mebrennan.com. 

Pippa’s Friendly Pilates 

I am a certified Stott Pilates 

Instructor offering private 

matwork and reformer lessons 

in a comfortable setting at 

my home studio in central 

Den Haag. Please contact 

me at pippahillstrathy@gmail. 

com or 06 82529931 for more 

information. 

Event information, suggestions or comments for eNews? 

***New email account*** 

Please send all eNews information to awcthehague.enews@gmail.com no later than end of day 

each Friday for the following week’s eNews. 

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 

page 30 

American Travel 

Center 

page 41 

Aveda Lifestyle 

Salon 

Inside Cover 

Frans Burgers 

Tapijt 

page 15 

FRITSTAXI 

Airport Service 

Inside Back Cover 

Happy Critters 

page 18 

Petros Eyewear 

Playball Kids 

Sligro 

page 11 

page 24 

page 13 

VERHEY VAN 

WIJK brilmode 

page 17 

Wassalon 

Weissenbruch 

page 30 

Your Cleaning 

Service 

page 30 

Beacon Financial 

Education 

Marcel 

Vermeulen 

Back Cover 

page 11 

Support Fellow AWC Members 

The AWC is not responsible for accidents 

Find links to a large variety of businesses or injuries occurring at Club activities or 

owned by AWC Members at www. 

on Club property. Sports and exercise 

awcthehague.org/site/newcomers/ 

instructors must carry their own liability 

insurance. 

business-links 

Rates 

Classified Mini-Ads: 

How to Submit Your Ad: 

Deadline: In general, the 1st of the month prior to the Email your ad to: goingdutchads@gmail.com 

month in which your ad will appear, although subject to 

change due to holiday schedule. 

Payment Information: 

Please indicate the name of your ad on your payment so that 

AWC Member Rates: 

we are able to match up your payment with your ad. 

For 45 Words For 25 Additional Words 

Per Issue € 10 € 5 

By Bank Transfer: 

Eight Issues € 70 € 30 

ABN-AMRO 

43.14.21.757 

Non-Member Rates: 

IBAN: NL42ABNA0431421757 

For 45 Words For 25 Additional Words 

Display Ads: 

Per Issue € 15 € 8 

For full, half, third or quarter page commercial display ads, 

Eight Issues € 110 € 55 

email our magazine staff at goingdutchads@gmail.com 

Jewelry 

NOVEMBER 2018 53 

52 GOING DUTCH

Proost! Questionnaire 

Answers by Anna-Lena Thuren-Vogel 

Why are you living in the Netherlands, and 

when did you arrive? 

We moved to the Netherlands about three 

years ago, because of my husband’s work. 

What do you love best about living here? 

It’s close to our families in Germany and 

Finland. I also really appreciate the Dutch 

way of enjoying life. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

Perfect happiness doesn’t happen every day, 

as it shouldn’t. That moment that lasts for a 

few minutes, when you think: Now I’m really 

happy. And it can be anywhere, at any 

time. 

What is it about the AWC that you most 

enjoy? 

Meeting nice people and doing something 

good for society. 

Which travel experience made you the 

happiest? 

I cannot just mention one experience, it’s 

so many things coming together. Meeting 

people, culture and just letting go of everyday 

life. 

What is your favorite travel purchase? 

I got six hand carved wooden plates from 

Tobago. 

Which locations haven’t been ticked off 

your bucket list? 

Still so many, but Australia and Japan, just 

to mention two. 

Which talent would you most like to have? 

I would love to speak more languages and 

be able to sing. 

Who’s a better chef at home, you or your 

partner, and why? 

We are both decent chefs, but I’m better in 

cleaning up afterwards. 

What’s your hobby? 

I love to travel! 

Which living person do you most admire? 

I really admire people that have experienced 

hard times in whatever shape and form, who 

come out stronger on the other side. 

What is your most treasured possession? 

All the great memories I have from people 

I have met along my journey through life. 

Where is your favorite place in the 

Netherlands? 

I love the sea, so wherever I can find that 

spot I am at ease. 

What is your favorite drink? 

Champagne!!

AWC Going Dutch Nov 2018

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?