Bridging Cultures
I love the fall season as it brings the many opportunities to share cultures with my Dutch friends and neighbors. Starting with Halloween on 31 October and dressing up to go "Trick or Treating." Over the past several years I've had more and more Dutch Trick or Treaters ringing my doorbell, being lured by the carved pumpkin glowing on my doorstep. I am always excited to answer the door in my witch costume and to hand out candy. I love the excitement the kids have as I fill their bags. Then comes November and American Thanksgiving. Living in Oegstgeest gives me a unique connection as the Pilgrims first settle in Leiden 400 years ago. It is here in The Netherlands that the Pilgrims learned many of the enterprising and community ways that they took to the New World with them. Each year I host an All American Thanksgiving dinner for my Dutch neighbors and friends. I love how they stand in awe at the vast amounts of "weird" food, such as yams with marshmallows or a Jell-O mold made with fruit and cream cheese. The highlight is always the 12 kilo turkey and the questions mostly consist of, 'how in the world did I fit a 12 kilo turkey into my oven?' (Hint, I have a VERY large oven by Dutch standards). Then soon after Thanksgiving is Sinterklaas. Which also gives another unique opportunity to bridge cultures, as the American story of Santa Claus is based on the Dutch Sinterklaas that was written by a Dutch biblical scholar living in New York (or New Amsterdam at the time). My neighbors taught me how to write a poem that refers back the year's events for my loved ones and my children put out carrots and hay for the horses and wake up early looking for presents! Then on December 7th, the Christmas tree goes up!
This time of the year shows us how my connections do exist and they are very important, for they are bonds that hold the world together.
- 2 december 2009
