We have family wherever we travel

So, there is this weird thing called family. Take a look at this definition of family : "people you love and love you back, not necessarily blood or biological, but you trust them and they trust you, and they take care of you and you take care of them." (Source : Urban dictionary... because yes, that is where I do my research!) We have family wherever we travel. We build relationships wherever we go. We will never be alone. 

I just finished up my third week living abroad. It is strange to think that I have become a part of the family de Boer in that short amount of time. There is a saying that time flies when your immersed in new experiences, or is it when you're having fun. Either way that is what the last few week have been experiences and fun! What might normally take months to develop, has taken three weeks. It becomes a necessity when traveling to build a relationship and trust the people who are caring for you. A necessity because of the need for love. We as human beings need love. God, our creator, made us to be loved and to love.  

My host family is very similar to my own family, at least in the number of people. A mom, a dad, an oldest son followed by three daughters. Each one is unique and has their own personality. Maroes is passionate. Romijn is tenacious. Aniek is strong. Yoran is dynamic. Sure, they fight and disagree, but what siblings don't? The moments that strike me the most are when the family feels emotion together. My heart fills with joy when we are sitting around the table smiling and laughing and that language barrier that I mentioned in a previous post, it doesn't seem as large.  

It occurs to me several times a day that this is real! I pause and realize over and over again that I have a family in the Netherlands. My blood-relation family is back in Minnesota, but in the here and now I am part of a family bonded in trust, love, and tranquility (and maybe a little or a lot of noise too). Furthermore, I believe that when traveling that these are the memories that make the most impact. This is what traveling is about for me - relationships. Of course, I absolutely love scenery and finding that perfect spot where you capture the essence of your trip in an Instagram post. However, all of that is mundane unless you build relationships.

God, Creator of the World, with love you made each human in your image. Let us honor your image through the relationships we build. Thank you for the gift of love and the ability to show love. Let our actions be a sweet offering to you. 

Pizza with the family de Boer
photo credit: Wietse's Facebook

Christmas time with the Argo family
photo credit: selfie stick

My two families on two continents

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See any similarities?

#katiespiceurope
#family

Wat // What // Qué

There are many things that are different from home, not bad ... just different.  Language for one. It is hard enough being 7 time zones away from your family, and then on top of that having a language barrier!!  Here are the thoughts that ramble through my brain.

My host family consists of Esther (the mom), Wietse (the dad), Yoran (the oldest brother), Aniek (the oldest sister), Romijn (the middle sister), and Maroes (the youngest sister). They have been wonderful and very welcoming. They are patient with me and I am with them. Because English is not the family's first language, finding a word is sometimes difficult. I am grateful that they try and communicate in English. And when they do speak Dutch, Esther or Wietse translate for me. For the kids, speaking in English is harder because for some they are just starting to learn English in the school. When they do speak in my native tongue, I am impressed and thankful for a little piece of ... well, peace, knowing that we can communicate. I want to jump for joy when they speak in English.

Despite, this small connection, there are times when I feel completely and utterly lost. When the whole family is at the eating table, everyone is excited and they love to talk. Church was all in Dutch. Random strangers walk up to me and start talking Dutch, asking directions. I feel frustrated that I don't know the language.  I have to focus twice as hard to try and pick up on other non verbal cues to know where the conversation is going.

However, during the 6 days I have been in the Netherlands, I have picked up several words. My peers say the same.  I am amazed at what our brains are capable of. My host family is a huge help (and so is Google translate). I learned numbers by playing games with my host sisters: Een, twee, drie, vier, vijf. They taught me the Dutch alphabet while drawing pictures. I am also working on reading Dutch (even if I can't understand it yet) by reading children's books and reading everything in sight. The family says I am doing "goed." Dank u wel! But, its so hard and I often feel inadequate like I am butchering their language. If at first you don't succeed try again! I keep trying because I want to communicate in their native tongue to show my appreciation for their hospitality. It seems early to be thanking them for their hospitality, but the first few days are critical - the adjustment period - so I guess its not premature. Pretty soon, I hope to jump for joy when I learn more Dutch!

Lord God Almighty, Thank you for your protection and guidance. Thank you for creating each one of us unique and in your image. Thank you for language and the means to communicate. May your name be praised by every tongue and nation.  Amen  //  Revelation 7:9

#katiespiceurope
#languagebarriers