Inspiring Women Magazine November 2023

If you have children, where did you send
them to school? Tell us a bit about why
you made that decision?
I have one son. He went to Dutch schools until
he was in eighth grade. He then transferred to
the American School. His first language was
English. We always spoke English at home
except when Dutch kids came over to play. I
gave him English lessons and he learned to
read simultaneously in English and Dutch.
Roberta receiving autographed photo of herself
with President Obama. (top left)
Celebrating the Fourth of July. (bottom left)
Amongst the Dutch tulip fields (page 37)
I took him out of the Dutch system
because I felt it was holding him back.
At the time, all that seemed to matter
was test scores. He was even criticized
by an English teacher for his American
accent. At the American School, he was in
all the school musicals, did track, played
trumpet and participated in the Model
UN. In his senior year, he was even
chosen to be the Secretary-General. It
could not have happened had I left him
in the Dutch school. To be fair, I think a
lot has changed now.
What are the biggest challenges you
have had to overcome adapting to your
new country?
What really got to me were all the
formalities. You couldn’t just drop by
and say hello or call someone and say,
"Let’s have lunch.” Everything had to be
planned, put in my agenda. You had to
address people as “Mevrouw” instead of
"Hi, I’m Roberta. What’s your name?”
And ... when the telephone rang, it was
proper to say “Met Mevrouw Enschede.”
If you didn’t, the caller would ask, “Who
am I talking to?” I’d answer, “You called
me, remember.” To this day, I refuse to
answer the phone like that. I answer
"Hello" and that’s it.
You are known for keeping American
traditions alive overseas. How were
these events received by locals? Did
you encounter any resistance? If so,
how did you overcome that resistance and
make these events the successes they
are today?
The only way I could survive away from the USA
is by bringing the USA here and sharing it when
possible. I can honestly say the Dutch people
never resisted or were negative about American
events. They love them. In fact, in 2006, I was
designated “Knight in the Order of Oranje-
Nassau” for my service to both the Dutch and
American communities. I am also proud to say
that over the years, I’ve received three
Certificates of Appreciation from the American
Embassy for bringing the Dutch and American
communities together.
What is the most unusual cultural tradition
you’ve encountered?
The Dutch go to a fish store or a herring stand,
buy a herring, hold it by the tail and eat it! These
are the same people who cut up a piece of
bread and cheese and eat it with a fork.
Also, there’s the birthday calendar! The Dutch
usually have one hanging in the WC. To this day,
I can’t imagine thinking about having to go to
the bathroom to remember the date of my
friend’s birthday.
Also, if you go to a gathering, you’re expected
to walk around, shake hands with each person
and tell them your name and get theirs, which
you promptly forget before you're finished.
What you don’t forget is that the Dutch don’t
just shake hands, they SHAKE hands!!!!
What cultural traditions would you take with
you if you leave?
I would always have fresh flowers in the house.
The Dutch have a way with flowers. Even the
simplest neighborhood flower stand always
has, or can quickly make, the most
beautiful arrangements.
In your travels, what was your favorite
culture you encountered? Why?
I really can’t pick a favorite. Every place has
something special. I absolutely love the
warmth, generosity and spontaneity of the
Italian and Greek people. I love the impatient,
sometimes impolite “smarts” of the Israelis.
They remind me of New Yorkers! I love the
friendliness to strangers in small towns in Iowa
and Kansas and New Mexico. I love standing on
the shore of the Mississippi and thinking about
where it begins and ends and if it could talk,
what stories it would tell.
Do you have a favorite travel story?
One of the first holidays I had in Europe was on
the Greek Island of Kos before it was taken over
by the tourism industry. There were only seven
foreign tourists on the island – my husband and
me, a teacher from NYC, two medical students
and a physical therapist, the wife of one of
them and a young Danish traveler. The medical
students came because the island is supposedly
the birthplace of Hippocrates and the site of the
first sanatorium.
One evening, the seven of us went up to the
site with a guide who was an archeologist.
We stayed till the sun was almost setting on
the eucalyptus trees below. The medical
students and our guide talked about anesthetic
needles that were found there and perhaps
the first operations.
What advice would you give to someone
planning to embark on their own move to a
new country?
Simply said, be who you are. Find out what
parts of your own culture you can contribute
and share. Don’t expect your new country to be
like your own and criticize it when it is not. It’s
a hard lesson to learn. It took time for me to
finally realize it. When I did, I began to be
creative and do things I truly believe in. Here
are a few examples.
36 INSPIRING WOMEN INSPIRING WOMEN 37