AWC Going Dutch April 2019

Letter from the Editor
by Audrey Goodman
I’ve been looking forward to April for a long
time. It kicks off several months of travel adventures,
beginning with a trip back home. I
haven’t been back to Baltimore, Maryland since
last April, and I’m beyond excited for my weeklong
stay in Charm City. I plan to spend the first
couple of days with my sister, several nights
with a couple friends, and a weekend sharing a
hotel room with my mom. Somewhere in there
I’ll do a bit of shopping (looking forward to
plentiful petite options again), go to an Orioles
game, catch up with friends over drinks, and enjoy
Easter brunch and dinner. And I’ll finally get
the pleasure of meeting several of my friends’
babies born over the last year.
I’ve always found it interesting to hear
what other expats miss about home, other
than friends and family: The favorite restaurant
in town, shopping at Target, a certain shampoo
that can’t be bought in Europe, summer
trips to the local beach. For me, it’s American
baseball. I was raised in a Cardinals family
but embraced the Orioles when I moved to
Baltimore. There’s something about sitting in
Camden Yards with a Hebrew National hotdog
and a National Bohemian (Natty Boh) tall boy,
singing Thank God I’m a Country Boy during
the seventh inning stretch, and praying for a
home run that bounces off the warehouse. Yes,
I’m aware of their horrible record over the last
couple (okay, many) years. But I haven’t lost
faith. Go O’s!
“If you go anywhere, even
paradise, you will miss your
home.”
-Malala Yousafzai
After filling up on blue crabs and Natty
Boh, I’ll head to Georgia to meet my husband
and his family. My sister-in-law is getting married!
She and her fiancé will have a small afternoon
ceremony in Savannah, with immediate
family and a couple of close friends. The next
day they will host a larger brunch celebration
at a restaurant along the Savannah River, likely
followed by an afternoon of bar-hopping. We’ll
spend four days in the coastal city, and it’s
sure to be a fun weekend. Not only will I get
to spend time with friends and family in my
home city, I’ll get to spend a long weekend in
a beautiful southern city filled with history.
10 GOING DUTCH
I’ve been enjoying every minute of my
time here in The Hague, but the expat life
comes with a bit of homesickness. While I’m
grateful for Skype and WhatsApp, they can’t
replace the comfort brought by hugs from
friends and family. I have one week to get my
Baltimore fix and a long weekend to enjoy
family time, then I’ll be back to continue my
European adventures!
Audrey
APRIL 2019 11