Behind the Windmills: Adventures of an American Girl in Holland, Uncategorized

First Steps in Germany: A Rainy-Day Adventure for this American Girl

One rainy day, my friend Wendy invited me over to her house in Venlo to learn how to blog. Wendy’s blog is wonderful—I love reading it! To me, she’s brave, adventurous, and full of stories that make me wish I had half her energy. She’s an avid walker tackling the Pieterpad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieterpad, hopping on trains… Continue reading First Steps in Germany: A Rainy-Day Adventure for this American Girl

Behind the Windmills: Adventures of an American Girl in Holland

A Little Day Tripper… An Afternoon in Den Bosch

‘s-Hertogenbosch, more commonly known as Den Bosch, is one of the many charming cities just a short distance from Eindhoven. The town’s name means “The Duke’s Forest,” and it was named after Henry I, Duke of Brabant. Founded in 1185, the city has managed to hold on to much of its history, with beautiful old… Continue reading A Little Day Tripper… An Afternoon in Den Bosch

Behind the Windmills: Adventures of an American Girl in Holland, Uncategorized

Lost in Translation… Press 1 for English

I’ve decided I’m officially adding Dutch to the list of languages I “know.” My current level of fluency mostly involves calling a company, getting put on hold, and randomly pushing buttons until I finally reach a real person who speaks English. One of the many adventures of moving to a foreign country is learning a… Continue reading Lost in Translation… Press 1 for English

Behind the Windmills: Adventures of an American Girl in Holland

French Fries, Ketchup, and Mayo… Oh My! Life in Holland

I’m getting a late start to this little story of mine because the first couple of months here were all about getting to know the area and, more importantly, the food. One thing I learned very quickly is that in the Netherlands, there are many more food groups than the usual four. Sure, there’s meat,… Continue reading French Fries, Ketchup, and Mayo… Oh My! Life in Holland

Behind the Windmills: Adventures of an American Girl in Holland, Uncategorized

Hit the Road Jack

I don’t know how it is for others learning to drive in a foreign country, but for me, it was downright intimidating. Let’s just get this out in the open: I know how to drive, and I do it well. I was born and raised near Detroit, the Motor City. Cars were part of my… Continue reading Hit the Road Jack

Behind the Windmills: Adventures of an American Girl in Holland

The Trek to Holland

Originally written during our move to the Netherlands in 2011. Funny how life can be moving along one day, and the next, everything you own is packed into boxes and crates, ready to be shipped across the world. After growing up in Michigan and spending my adult life in Texas, our family was moving to… Continue reading The Trek to Holland