Wheels, Water, and Windmills

2009-07-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

I have been home a month now and I am haunted by Anne Frank. I have just read the "definitive" edition of her diary, which includes extra material that her father did not want published until after his death. This book is overwhelming. The courage, wit, intelligence, and wisdom of this young girl living through extraordinary circumstances is inspiring in a way I find hard to express. There are many lessons from this book that will connect to the learning that will take place in my class in the coming year, but the real challenge for me will be connecting this life to the lives of the students I teach. It is my hope that I will be able to convey to my students Anne's joy of learning and life, her courage in expressing her opinion, plus her remarkably positive outlook. If you have not read The Diary of Anne Frank lately I ask you to consider rereading it. As Anne herself said, "There is so much to learn."

Our Top 5 Lists for The Netherlands Experience:

2009-06-30T15:08:00.001-07:00

Now that we are back, we are beginning to synthesize some of the collective peices of our experience....Independently of each other, we have created our top 5 or 10 experiences that really wowed us on our trip to the Netherlands....Here is Drue's:

Drue’s Top Five:
1. I was surprised by how happy the general population of people seem – material needs met, etc. The Dutch standard of living seems to be higher than the good old USA.
2. I was blown away by the fact that bike safety is a non-issue in Holland – no helmets anywhere! Have we as Americans become so safety conscious that it inhibits our growth?
3. I loved that the students ( 8,9, 10 yrs. old) we met on the ferry were so friendly and so interested in our group. They could not speak English but they wanted very much to communicate with us. Would American kids have been so open and accepting?
4. I loved the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. This was a wowing experience. I came home and immediately read a book about Van Gogh when he was in France and painted his little room and his sunflowers.
5. As beautiful as the countryside was (flowers, fruit orchards, charming houses, windmills, staying light until 11:00 p.m., etc), I am well aware that we saw it at its best. I know that Holland in the winter must be difficult place to be.

I have to say that many of the things Drue mentioned were also on my list, so I am going to post my top 10 things I learned from the Dutch (which was previously published on facebook)..but, it will work here also.

However, before I do that...I do have to mention that in addition to Drue's five above, I would have to add my visit to the Anne Frank House as being a particularly poignant experience for me. You can read about it, watch films about it, talk about it, imagine it...but, there is nothing that could have prepared me for the emotional experience of walking through those rooms, touching the very door jams and wallpaper, standing in Anne's room, looking up at the sky through the skylight....I was physically and mentally taken by what I felt and thought while I was there...and the presence that surrounded me. Also, hearing Otto Frank discuss on video segments...all of his revelations about his little daughter through reading her diary when he returned to Amsterdam from the concentration camp.

Tips for a better life Lenicia learned from the Dutch on her FFT Fellowship....

#1- Dig a hole in your backyard to sink your trampoline in so that it is at ground level and you don't need the safety nets.....

#2- Sit down and enjoy your cup of coffee...never take it to go.

#3- Hang your clothes out in the fresh air to dry whenever possible. Watching clothes sway in the wind on the line....is a simple pleasure in and of itself.

#4- Ride your bike. Not just for fun on Sunday afternoon but to go somewhere that actually needs to be gotten to....see how many of your Saturday errands you can accomplish using only your bike...this feels good on so many more levels than the obvious ones...oh, and let your kids ride their bikes too...and don't freak out everytime they ride out of your sight.

#5- On your morning toast, consider chocolate spread or chocolate sprinkles as a topping...stop thinking of chocolate only as dessert because this is a mistake when trying to live a better life.

#6-Patronize restaurants that allow cats to meander through the dining room and don't rush the bill. I had to practically tackle my dutch waiters to get the bill...until I understood what was going on...they don't care when you leave, they aren't trying to "turn" the table...they want you to relax and enjoy your meal....all night....and pet the cat too.

#7-Grow something you can eat and share it with your friends.....or sell it in front of your house from a cart on wheels....then use the profit to buy what your neighbor is selling from his cart on wheels just down the street.

#8- Only send your children to schools where every classroom is flooded with natural light and offers gardening in the curriculum...go one step further and find a way to ensure that this school is YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.....

#9-Don't underestimate the value of a good, simple homemade soup....on the barge, we were served hot soup 30 minutes before dinner every evening...I felt warm, loved, and less ravenous by dinnertime....it was all good.

#10- Allow for silence. Speak when you have something of relevence to say and not just to fill the airspace between you and another person...and don't expect for them to fill it either. We could do with less talking.

Ardell's Netherlands Top Five:
1)Amazing transportation system ....bikes, trams, cars, buses, trains, and pedestrians all co-mingling successfully! Add to that the canals and the opportunities for sightseeing, paddling, barge trips, house boat living and leisure boating....really something to see and experience.

2)The "language experience" and by that I mean the easy interchange of languages that I observed in many shopping situations. My most memorable experience was when a clerk addressed me in Dutch and I responded in English. He immediately switched to English without any hesitation. That experience made me think of the many comments I have heard that are something like, "He is an American, why can't he speak English?" Maybe we need more lessons in valuing other cultures????

3)The openess and friendliness of everyone we met. The lack of anti-American sentiment. All of this relating in part to the fact that we were teachers on a mission and as soon as people heard about who we were and why we were there they could not have been more friendly or kind. Having a focus question, even one as simple as What is your favorite childhood book? was a great opener and people were happy to share......

4)The picturesque beauty of the countryside...literally the fairy tale settings...amazing cleanliness everywhere...

5) When we were getting on the ferry for the 2nd time and our morning friends (the kids) starting shouting Americans! Americans! because they knew we would be getting back on the boat with them....that and the singing
and the obvious enjoyment of all is really my highlight moment of the trip :)

Now it gets good....

2009-06-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

Well, parting is such sweet sorrow...but, now the real work will begin. While we have said goodbye to the Netherlands, now we will update this blog with more pictures and videos and much more reflection about the experience we have been so fortunate to have....for those who are interested, please stay tuned for "where the rubber meets the road" as they say...

..And also singing The Lion Sleeps Tonight

2009-06-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

They also knew this little number....It was really touching how quickly they warmed up to us and even though they did not speak much English at all...they had very little trouble communicating with us....this was a fantastic day.

Dutch kids singing us a song from High School Musical

2009-06-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the 6th graders in Ms. Wendy York's class from "de Hobbitstee" school of the town of Leerdam....if you watch this video you will fall in love with them the way we did....

2009-06-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Today the gods smiled on us again and as luck would have it...we ran into another school group. They were on a field trip to the Lovenstein Castle, where we were also headed on the ferry.

Their teacher, Wendy York, accepted our gift of Aesop's Fables of Texas, very graciously. These students were so delightful and we had such a great time getting to know them on the ride over. They were 10 and 11 years old but in 6th grade.

During their visit to the castle they had student guides and were running all over the castle trying to anwer the questions in the scavenger hunt book....

We saw them again later on another ferry and they were so excited to see us they yelled and waved at us, "We love America!"...many of them asked for Drue's autograph and email address before we departed the ferry. They were so precious and wonderful. We were charmed. I will try to upload the video of them singing all the songs they knew in English to us....a sweet and touching day.

Teacher's Day in Tiel, Netherlands

2009-06-17T23:50:00.000-07:00

Wednesday we happened across a lovely school that was celebrating Teacher's Day...this is the day that the parents organize to celebrate ALL the teachers' birthdays at once...they have a picnic and they rented ponies for rides. We were able to donate two of the books we brought along to some wonderful teachers...The Legend of the Bluebonnet and The ABC's of Texas. We also learned that school is out for the summer in mid July in this town. We also met a little boy eating lunch with his mum and grandmother in the next town and gave them a book also....

The more serious side of our quest

2009-06-16T05:50:00.000-07:00

Ardell and I have spent much time reflecting and thinking about what we have seen and learned about the German occupation of the Netherlands during WWII, the bombings, the massacres, the deportation, the hiding, the suffering....and have decided that our posts regarding this topic will likely come later...after we have returned from our journey and had more time to reflect.

This aspect of our trip has been profound and we want to put our ideas all in place before we discuss it at length here.

For now, please enjoy our focus on the Netherlands as it pertains to fairytales, culture, landscape, and local educational structures.....

Below is a feast for the senses.....

Love,

Lenicia and Ardell

More beautiful places and things

2009-06-16T05:42:00.000-07:00

Beautiful things

2009-06-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

Through the enchanted forest

2009-06-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Ladies Tea in the castle grounds

2009-06-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

The interesting people you meet along the way

2009-06-16T05:04:00.000-07:00

This is Karen, she is a special ed. teacher in Reno, Nevada...she and her husband do long, long bike tours all the time....she is absolutely amazing...she is also hilarious...you just have to hear this to know what we mean...

now this is a castle...and the sun is shining

2009-06-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

We thought is was a trike...but no brother, two wheels...

2009-06-16T04:44:00.000-07:00

This is the type of two wheeler bike a dutch child may have ridden to shool instead of walking...or perhaps just for fun on the town square....

Entering a castle on a rainy day

2009-06-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

I have to be honest...I was not that excited about this castle..it was cold and rainy and I just wanted a peanut butter sandwich and some dry clothes...so instead I just made fun of the name of the castle....

Crossing the Dam with no net

2009-06-16T04:07:00.000-07:00

This was just a crazy idea....

a few random photos

2009-06-16T03:50:00.001-07:00

Along our route through the orchards on Monday, we stopped at one home to buy some fresh cherries...the lovely lady offered to make us some coffee too and even opened her home to us so that we could use her w.c......

you can see the ripe cherry trees, an old plow, Ardell sitting and enjoying some fresh cherries, and if you look in the sky above the trees...you can see cans (which are full of pebbles) tied to the ropes...you pull on the ends of the ropes to make noises near any trees by which a bird has stopped to eat some of the cherries...the noise scares the birds away...

Thatch roofs and dog poop

2009-06-16T03:37:00.000-07:00

Most homes in the Netherlands are still roofed with either Thatch or Clay shingles. We happened across a house in a modern neighborhood having its roof repaired,..you can see the bundles of thatch ready to be used in the roofer's truck....the Dutch people are like us in that they also do not care for other people's dogs pooping on their lawn....

Nijmegan-oldest city in the Netherlands

2009-06-16T03:22:00.000-07:00

The city is where the Emperor Charlemagne built is castle on top of the highest point overlooking the river and the land beyond..his castle, built in 1100 is no longer there but there stands the remains of a castle built on top of his and using some of the remnants and columns from Charlemagne's castle. These remains date back to the 1400's...also you see the guard's watchtower which now houses the very fancy Belvedere Restaurant where you can enjoy a fine meal and lovely view for about 60 bucks per entree....did we mention that there are no poor people in the Netherlands?

Also you see the town crest panted in flowers and a bridge dating back to the 1500's.

Utrecht

2009-06-16T03:12:00.000-07:00

Utrecht is an interesting historic college town...bustling with locals and tourits...notice the doors right on the canal for easy access to loading raw materials in shops and restaurants...more dutch children playing freely and unaccompanied by adults...

School in the Netherlands-history

2009-06-16T02:39:00.000-07:00

We visited a schoolhouse at the open air museum and learned that there are many similarities between our own American early schools on the frontier and the early schools of the Netherlands...in the 1600's only boys went to school and it wasn't until a century later that girls would get to go for a portion of the year,

Kids wore clogs to school (as did even our guide, who went to school in the 50's) Here are some photos of the slate that was used, a photo of some students practicing writing their cursive alphabet using a slate pen on the slateboard, a girl practicing a two-wheeler bike that could have been used to ride to school, and also Ardell...getting in trouble for her "foolish" behavior..she is wearing the stupid sign....(we have had a problem with her behavior all along on this trip, I am glad someone finally held her accountable)

More at the Open Air Museum

2009-06-16T02:21:00.001-07:00

Here are some more photos from the Open Air Museum...You can see in thse photos a typical shaded pathway to a farmhouse, the inside of a farm house, including another bed cabinet for a child, a family room scene with the clogs by the hearth, the doorway from the family room leading directly into the barn (which shared the same roof as the farmer's home), and then a shot of the barn itself....

Dutch children learning about their history

2009-06-16T02:09:00.000-07:00

We went to the Open Air Museum, which is a vast outdoor tribute to the history of the country, you can see actual schools, farmhouses, farms, windmills, gardens, churches, and interact with tools, and toys used throughout the Netherlands over the past several hundred years.

In these photos, we came across a group of school children on a field trip. The got to experience working at the dairy farm, picking apples, cooking, and farming on their "scavenger hunt" style day at the museum.

But first, our quarters and biking....

2009-06-16T01:55:00.001-07:00

Some of you might be interested in the biking and barging part of this trip...The barge is lovely and spacious. The cabins are pretty small but the beds are very comfortable and cozy. Ardell and Drue are sharing a room and then I am sharing with a woman named Melissa who works at a University in Acron, Ohio. We have almost all Americans on this trip with the exception of Winfrid, Els, and Patricia the captain, chef, and crew respectively, who are all Dutch. We eat a nice breakfast each day in the common room, pack our lunches, and then at dinnertime we are served a gourmet meal that always starts with homeade soup, then a main entree, then dessert....Els is an amazing cook, She hosts dinners here for tourists and locals on the boat when it is docked in Amsterdam. Here you also see a photo of Drue and Ardell enjoying lunch along our ride at the castle. Each day, we choose a location along our route to sit and have our lunch. We usually ride about 6 hours a day and cover anywhere between 30 and 40 miles per day depending on how sidetracked we get.

We have had one gorgeous sunny day and three cold rainy days so far...we are hoping for more sun tomorrow.

Is that true???? Yes and No.

2009-06-16T01:50:00.000-07:00

Naturally, in a land like this the line between fiction and non-fiction gets a little blurry....we also learned some non-fiction information about the castles and the cottages and the windmills which we will share with you......

More famous fairytale locations discovered

2009-06-16T01:39:00.001-07:00

Here you can see that we have found the castle where Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger on the spindle, the spiral castle where Rapunzel let down her braid, the cottage of Hansel and Gretel, and the windmill on Heidi's grandfather's sheep farm...

The settings of fairy tales are non-fiction

2009-06-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

Ardell and I have come to the realization that although the characters in our favorite fairytales are fiction (as far as we know)...the settings of these tales are entirely true, real, factual, unelaborated non-fiction.

This path through the woody glen got thicker and thicker and the path smaller and smaller as we rode through it. We are quite certain this was the same route Little Red Riding Hood took to her grandmother's house and we thought we might see the wolf behind every thicket.

It was raining and the wet air released the scent of leaves, and flowers and the fragrances of soil and blossoms....the memory of this smell in my childhood came to me full force...the rich, transending, and liberating aroma of the outdoors and all the promises it holds for a day of adventure....it is amazing what you forget about when you get older entangled in the responsibilities of grown up life.

Being in this setting....it is easy to know that the stories write themselves...they just simply unfold before you...the key is to remember them because once you leave the enchanted forest......

Inside the windmill

2009-06-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

Here you see a bed for the children in the upper quarters of the windmill...we learned that a family with as many as seven or ten children might live in one. Also, in this bed was a shelf near the foot...so we thought....actually we say that it was a deep shelf and was in reality a crib for the baby...a metal bedwarmer would be used to warm the sheets and then the doors shut to keep the children warm....

We found bed cabinets placed in locations all over the inside of the windmill (mollin)...cabinet doors to beds seemed to appear out of no where..very interesting. Also, all the beds are quite short because people sat up to sleep...they were afraid one might swallow their tongue if they slept laying down.

Lastly, you see a photo of the working room of the windmill...notice the collection of clogs in the window sill....the clogs are used so that the windmill keeper can "climb" the huge wheel that changes the direction of the windmill to catch the wind properly....

This was an amazing thing to see....how it works, what it does, and the genius behind the design....miraculous really.

We also saw a wonderful little aviary outside the mill with precious little finches nesting and their colorful mates singing and taunting us...we ate declicous apples grown on the mill farm,...

2009-06-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

2009-06-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

The Adventure begins

2009-06-13T23:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday we set sail on the Feniks and headed out of Amsterdam. Then we got fitted for our bikes by Roger Knable, of Bike and the Like (seen in this photo at the head of the table), and headed out on an amazingly beautiful, and educational bike ride, led by Suzie Knable, through gorgeous towns, saw the Duurstede castle, heard a childhood story from a native of a small sleepy town, enjoyed the bustling streets of Utrecht, saw the Dom Tower (the tallest church tower in Netherlands), got lost, rode through orchards and ate fresh cherries, saw young children riding around the streets unaccompanied by parents and yet perfectly safe, and we ate a lovely gourmet meal on deck to end a lovely day...we rode about 30 miles today...not much time to write a decent post today but hopefully this post will spark my memory for more elaboration later.

(Dom Tower constructed in the 14th century to show the power of the church of Utrecht, which was an independent region in the Netherlands at the time)

Dam Square and the National Monument Street Scene

2009-06-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

2009-06-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

National Monument in Dam Square

A Wooden Shoe vase on the plaza near the Van Gogh Museum

A treat of french fries and mayo on the avenue

2009-06-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Just for fun....this is the ugliest man we have been able to find in Amsterdam.....we are not kidding....what is in the water over here?

Today would have been Anne Frank's 80th Birthday.

2009-06-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of a chestnut tree just like the one that Anne Frank references in her diary as being the one piece of nature that she could see from the attic sky light while in hiding. Imagine being grateful for the small blessing of open sky and a chestnut tree....

Hello there!
Drue arrived yesterday and so now the trifecta is complete. We have walked around this city and marvelled in unison at the beauty, the curiosities, the architecture, the food, and the customs.

What we know for sure:
1) Night almost never comes...it is light until around 11pm and then again by 4:30 or 5 am
2) Traffic of every genre, is out to get you...tram, bus, car, bike, motorcycle, and pedestrian seem to share all types of thoroughfares together...moving together on track, street, and sidewalk...none of them mind hitting you..however, miraculously they never do...
3) No one wears a bike helmet, even small children in bike seats or on their own bikes...riding on the street in between a bus and a car....do not have a helmet on. In fact, no one wears biking gear at all...women are in heals, men in suits, all on cell phones, many smoking cigarettes...while riding their bikes.

Also, the past two days have been a time of reflection and discussion. Having visited the Anne Frank House, the Jewish History Museum, and the Dutch Resistence Museum on Wednesday, and then today, visiting the van Gogh musuem.....Ardell and I have been completely moved and inspired to all sorts of ideas about incorporating what we are learning into Reading, Writing, and Social Studies projects for our students next year.

The history of Amsterdam and the contstruction of the city, the trials and tribulations of its people throughout so many political and economic upheavels, the personal stories of Anne and Otto Frank, van Gogh, and many other less famous citizens that we have learned about over the past week...have brought to mind many project ideas related to the themes of struggle, sacrifice, determination, patriotism, loyalty, activism, democracy, believing in yourself and figting for the common good...

I think it is fair to say we are changed and we have much to bring back and share already...and we have not even begun to venture into the country...which we do tomorrow.

Our barge leaves tomorrow at around noon from the Oosterdock....

More later!
Lenicia, Ardell, and Drue

2009-06-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

2009-06-10T15:15:00.000-07:00

Ardell explains the meaning and significance of the designs of the gables on the historic canal houses in Amsterdam. The design told the profession of the owner and the width was directly related to how much property taxes they paid...thus most had very narrow but deep homes.....

2009-06-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Rijks Museum

Cool Canal House Gables

Amsterdam Parking Lot

Overachiever Biking Mom!!!

2009-06-10T11:20:00.001-07:00

What an amazing and educational day we have had! We started with a canal boat ride to Anne Frank's house. Truly moving...a loving tribute to a daughter and a message of peace for all of us. We also visited the Jewish Historical Museum and the Dutch Resistance Museum. I must not have been listening in class or I was never taught the incredibly heroic acts performed by so many ordinary citizens. Many, many lessons to be passed on and many, many stories to keep alive. Honestly, I would like to go back and spend more time at the Dutch Resistance Museum.
The day was made better by now having Lenicia's company. We both seem to appreciate the same kinds of sights....the variety of amazing architecture around us, the kinds of vehicular traffic whizzing by us, the languages we hear all around us, the genuinely kind people we have met that have been so helpful and the clocolate dipped waffle we shared! What an awesome day!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

2009-06-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

Lenicia is now also in Amsterdam but have not yet slept....wow, what an amazing city...for all you non-believers...Europe really does exist.

This city is truly beautiful and charming and I have only seen a tiny fraction....basically, the route from Grand Central to the Owl Hotel....Ardell picked the perfect hotel...historic, lovely, and close to everything. We had Thai food for lunch (dinner for me)..and now I am going to try and sleep.

Tomorrow we will visit the Anne Frank House and the Resistence Museum.

Funny Story...I left my suitcase in front of Grand Central Station, realized it when I rode the tram all the way to the hotel, caught another tram back to the station, and an hour later....it was still sitting there....the first miracle of the trip.

Ardell has already scoped out the city and will easily be able to fulfill her starring role as tour guide to Drue and I. The Rijks Museum is under construction so only a portion is open to the public...but, the building itself is such a work of art. I can't believe these people just walk around all day long surrounded by all the astonishing beauty and history...

Some things we have noticed...there are a lot of very tall Dutch people, all the cars and even the trucks are very small, there are bicycles parked everywhere...cool, ratty ones...everyone is riding bikes everywhere, the coffee is excellent no matter where you buy it, most people we have met are not from here...

More tomorrow...we will post videos and photos!

2009-06-08T00:37:00.000-07:00

Whoopee! Ardell is in Amsterdam! It was a plane, train, tram adventure but all went well and I am now settled in my cozy room in the Owl Hotel. There was a considerable amount of lost sleep on this adventure so Saturday was spent catching up with that, although I did have time to seek and find expresso, chocolate, and cookies. My kind of town! Sunday I managed a first tour of the Riks Museum (amazing) and a canal boat ride to check out the sights. Also took a stroll through Vondel Park which is bigger than Central Park...so they say. Very good vibes here and very cool. Every day is jacket day....certainly a change from Houston! My favorite LOL sight so far has been a young girl riding her bike, talking on her cell phone, AND holding an umbrella over herself all at the same time...pretty crazy if you could see the bike traffic around here :) Lots of wheels and water, but so far no windmills. Well, I am off to hit the town today...who knows what the day will bring?

2009-06-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, June 3rd

2009-06-03T16:11:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of our home for a week beginning Saturday, June 13th.....Ardell and I met today with Drue, who will also be travelling with us to go over some of our prelimary plans. We will spend some time in Amsterdam visiting sites relevent to our research such as the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh museum, prior to our bike and barge tour take-off on Saturday the 13th.

Ardell arrives in Amsterdam on Saturday the 6th, Lenicia on Tuesday the 9th and Drue on Thursday the 11th. See link below for our bike and barge itenerary.

Complete Bike and Barge Itinerary

Fund for Teachers

2009-06-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

We would like to say thank you to Fund for Teachers for funding this proposal...we would not have been able to make this trip otherwise and we have high hopes for what we will discover and the impact it will make on our students when we bring this experience back into the classroom! Ardell teaches 3rd grade Reading, Language Arts, and Social Studies and I will be teaching the same subjects for 5th grade next year.

An Idea

2009-06-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

Ardell just had the excellent idea to buy several copies of Tomie de Paola's The Legend of the Bluebonnet, and donate it to various libraries/children's hospitals/ schools that we will visit along our journey. We will affix a dedication sticker inside each book saying that it is from us and the School at St. George Place and thanks to the Fund for Teacher's Grant 2009....

June 2, 2009

2009-06-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Ardell and I are preparing for our trip to the Netherlands to see what we can find out about the home, culture, and history of the country and authors that have brought us important children's literature regarding the Dutch role in aiding the Jews and Allied Forces during WWII.