Learning Dutch

Dat is mijn fiets – That is my bicycle

It is hard to learn a new language at 45 years of age.  Especially  when all of the locals want to speak English (why I don’t know).  In Germany, I had to learn German, while most Germans spoke English it was easier to break ice if I spoke Germany.

Now that life in the Netherlands is mostly settled and routinized, I decided to start learning Dutch.  I am starting with Rosetta Stone .  It is new to me.  Most of my education from learning a foreign language including German involved textbooks, classes and lots of red marks across my assignments.  Yes I am a slow learner.

I am enjoying the program, I spend about 30-60 minutes every day going through the lessons.  It has been fairly intuitive matching pictures with words and using context to understand, but I feel like I am acquiring basic knowledge that I did not get in a traditional class.

Even more exciting the terms coffee – koffie and bicycle – fiets are already in the second lesson a huge motivator.

I think  Rosetta Stone will help me learn enough that I will be able to communicate in a day to day basis – shopping, touring, eating out and basic conversation with the neighbors.

I know the more Dutch I learn to more I will enjoying living in the Netherlands for the next five years.

Heller Route or Hellerrondje

On Sunday, a nice warm day (40 F), my wife and I decided to try out a hiking route, the Hellerrondje, that starts about a mile from our house and goes for about two miles, making it about a four mile hike from our house.  The hike was relatively easy.  The only difficulty was the sheer amount of mud along the route.  My wife put her trekking poles to good use traversing the some of the muddier points.

Three Lands Point – Belgium, Germany, Netherlands

Last week I received an e-mail from long time friend and bicycling buddy that he would be in Germany flying in from WV, USA and planned on coming to visit me and Crystal for a couple of days.

Running in Limburg, NL

I have to confess when it comes to bicycling and rain, I become a recluse (I know send cheese with this whine).   I don’t mind cold or wind, but rain stops me from starting a ride.

Review. Everyday Bicycling: How to Ride a Bike for Transportation, by Elly Blue

Review.  Everyday Bicycling: How to Ride a Bike for Transportation, by Elly Blue

In June 1992, with my bicycle I boarded a jet to Germany, leaving my home, Portland, OR behind.  In Portland, my bike was both transportation and recreation.   It continued that way for a couple of years in Germany until pressures from work and home required me to get a car.  Bicycling became an on and off recreation and fitness valve for me until this year when I left Germany and moved to the Netherlands.

Kerstallendorp Schimmert or Christmas Village Schimmert

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Several days ago, I saw a new sign posted as you enter town “Kerstallendorp Schimmert” .  Of course not speaking Dutch, I had no clue what it meant except it had to do with Christmas. I went straight to the all knowing Google Translate and got a translation of:   Christmas Village.  Instantly I envision something […]

Top 12 Events of 2012

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Over the course of the year I had a lot of adventures and experiences, alone, with Crystal (my wife), with family and friends. It was both a rewarding and challenging year.  Below are probably the top twelve events for me. 

First Snow in the Netherlands

Our first accumulation of snow.  I had wrongly assumed that being close to the coast (about an hour away) that if we got any snow it would like melt on impact.  However we have about an inch (2-3 cm). on the ground.  Enough that I had to go and break out the Bavarian snow shovel to clear the side walks and the driveway.

Thanksgiving in Nice

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Over the holiday weekend my wife had an opportunity to attend a conference in Nice, so  I joined her. Nice is an absolutely gorgeous French city.  It is even better on the off season when it is a little cooler and fewer tourists.  The weather was fantastic with highs in the mid 60’s each day.  […]

Boererij en Heemkundemuseum Schimmert

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Recently, I pedaled over to the Boererij en Heemkundemuseum Schimmert. I guess it roughly translates to Ranch Museum.  The museum depicts traditional farm/ranch life in the early 20th century (1900-1950). It is a pretty interesting place.  The museum has gathered traditional equipment from around the Limburg, Netherlands region. The museum has a diverse collection collection from […]