Memories

I have put off writing a blog post as long as I can. I haven't been able to find the words that can describe the last few weeks let alone the last four months here in Zwolle. They have been emotional to say the least. There are times when I come home after everyone has gone off to bed and I find myself clinging to memories of the semester. I find myself in the chair after several moments of silence and realize that I have tears trailing down my cheeks. I have been trying to prepare myself for the moment that I say my final "see you later." Its not easy to leave a place where you have made four months of memories, but the thing about memories is that you can take them with you. So, here are my top 5 memories that I hope never to forget:

(1) Saturday night pancakes followed by Wie is de mol (in the first few months). In the words of Yoran "the best night!"

(2) The horse ride in the park. What a surprise adventure! You could hear our laughter across the field and see our smiles for miles and miles! Aniek and I even got to drive the horse duo.

(3) Laser gaming. Pitting family members against each other. Blue vs. Red who will win?

(4) Baking cookies and cake pops with the girls.

(5) Tea time. Even if everyone is on their phone or the girls have gone to bed already. I love this little ritual of a cup of tea to end the day.

So as I sit here on my last evening with the family de Boer, I am sad to leave, but I am immensely grateful for these memories that I have to take with me.

***Additional memories see dinner time post

-------

Heavenly Father, I stand in awe of you and the works that you have done. Thank you for placing me in such a loving home where memories are made and you name is honored. Bless this family for they have been a blessing to me

#katiespiceurope
#family

Sister sister!

----------

I have been abroad for 12.5 weeks now and in that time I have experienced a lot and have wished that I could share those experience, share those places with my family, with my sisters, and with my friends. This week served that purpose. My two sisters (Stephanie and Elizabeth), and Alice (a family friend) came to visit me in the Netherlands for one week! Right away Friday morning, I could barely contain my energy and my excitement as I brought one (host) sister (Aniek) to meet my sisters and Alice. Aniek can attest to how excited I was the entire train ride to Schiphol airport! That excitement lasted the whole we as we traveled across the Netherlands.

Sisters can stand for a lot of different things, but in this acronym Sisters is cap stoned in silliness, with just the right mix of reality in the middle.

S Silly smiles. I have a firm belief that sisterhood is rooted in how many silly smiles you can give each other. Maybe it's even possible to have a whole conversation in smiles.

Steph and I

I  Interesting walks, as a result of our family's new best friend - Rick Steves! Narrating our way around cities we were our own tour guides.
**Tip: follow a city walk in the correct order...

Katie, Stephanie, Alice, Elizabeth (L to R)

S  Silly jokes. "Now you've seen two major artworks in their original form, and in the Delft blue!"

T  Talking... or not. This is something so neat about being with people you are comfortable with, and being with people who have seen you through all phases of life. You can talk non stop one day and then the next all you need is head nods.

E  Exploration. Everyday a new city every day, right?

Ignore the drive time.

R  Relax. Despite being away from my blood family for 3 months, I can relax and know that when I do see them that everything is going to be alright. I can take a deep breath and know that even when I feel that the world around me is changing that family will always remain your family.

S  Silly sisters. A picture can speak louder than words...

I think they missed their true calling to be cats!

The week ended the same way it began. Bringing my two families together, I was so excited, so happy, so full of joy! Two groups of people that I love, finally meeting each other and creating one larger group (if only for dinner time).

------

Lord, Thank you for family. Thank you for the opportunity to share experiences with my sisters. Please continue to guide and protect this time that I have left in the Netherlands. 

#katiespiceurope
#family

Katie interviews Katie

Q and A with Katie

SPICE 2016 group

Are you still alive?
-- Yes

Are you done yet? 
-- No

Are you fluent in Dutch yet? 
-- Nee, Ik spreek Engels. Although I did speak Dutch in my dream the other night... zo, ik spreek Nederlands een beetje

What has been the hardest thing so far? 
-- Not realizing how fast time moves. I mean we are already over halfway! I feel like it was just last week that I was stepping off the plane thinking "Alright... I can work with this... They have peanut butter thats a good sign." Everyone always say that time moves fast, but you don't realize how fast it moves until you reflect, and with SPICE we reflect a lot so its pretty clear how fast time moves.

How have you dealt with homesickness?
-- People interaction!! If I'm alone, I'm left to my own thoughts too much. Getting connected with people here whether that be the SPICE group, my host family, or making new friends at church. But, I am a processor so I also needed to talk things through with people who understand my word salad, so Skype dates are a must for me.

How have you dealt with having everything that is familiar 7 times zones away?
-- It feels so strange to say this but things here feel familiar now. I came back after spring break and realized just how familiar it is to hear dutch in the train station. But, I do miss the familiarity of buying things at and walking around Walmart. Spending Saturday or Sunday grocery shopping at Walmart was familiar and that was part of my weekly routine. Now I make my way around Hema or Jumbo after school and that has become as normal as my Sunday afternoons spent in Walmart

What has been the easiest thing to get used to so far? 
-- Having to do my Dordt homework all online. I spend my Monday's at home finishing almost all my assignments for the week.

What do you wish someone told you about studying abroad?
-- How much it will feel like home. How fast time moves. That you'll hear all this advice before you leave and not actually think its true until you get halfway and then you have your realization moment.

What is your favorite memory? 
-- See Dinner Time (My Study Abroad Recipe) blog post.

What do you still want to do in the next two months? 
-- I want to connect my two families. My sisters are visiting at the end of the month and my mom and dad are visiting at the end of the program. It will be exciting to be able to share this experience first hand with them.
-- I also really want to visit the Scandinavian countries!

Why do you blog? 
-- It's another way for me to process things and to see where things have changed along the way. Also, this way I don't have to overload everyone back at home with 4 hour long summaries of my 4 months abroad when I go home in May.

Has anything changed since you've been here?
-- A lot has changed. I've changed, America has changed, my home has changed. My home church NHLC shut its doors, which was heart breaking for me especially since I could not be there for the last service. Elections are happening so thats a big deal! And, I've changed. I think that I've become more independent. I've traveled all by myself and had to realize just how strong I have to be (to fend off the 80 year old marriage proposals), but I also have had to learn to rely on God more than ever.

Do you follow the news back home? 
-- Did I ever really follow news even when I was home? Lol! I think I follow it more now that I'm across the ocean. It's strange to me, but American news makes it in the Dutch papers and on the TV.

What is your favorite thing about the Dutch culture?
-- Hold the phone! I only get to choose one thing? Hmmm... Well, it's a tie between stroopwafels and Hagel Slag.

What other questions do you have for me?


Lord Jesus, Thank you for this opportunity. Please continue to walk with me and bless my time here in the Netherlands.

#katiespiceurope

On my own but not Alone

Chances are, people you meet when you travel alone will be incredibly interesting people.

Eleven nights on my own (living out of one small backpack), traveling and exploring the southern part of Europe by myself. Some call me adventurous, while others call me crazy. The number one question that I get asked is "Don't you get lonely." My reply... Yes, of course I do because we are creatures meant to be in relationship with other humans. I miss having conversations over meals and sharing a good laugh as we walk away from a bizarre situation. I miss the security of having a buddy when I walk down a sketchy street and having someone to talk to in order to avoid the awkward social exchange with strangers.  

But, was I every truly alone? No, with God by my side I was never alone. When I was feeling lonely there was always something or someone that came my way to give me laughter and give me company. Here are 5 stories from my trip where God provided a good laugh, comfort, and companionship.

(1) Have you ever been hit on by an 80 year old man? Well I have! His name is Aldo. He lives in Genoa, Italy, the city I took a spontaneous day trip to. At first I thought that Aldo was offering to take my picture for me, but instead he wanted to show me the Cathedral. He barely spoke English so our conversation was a lot of famous American Songs that Aldo would hum and I would sing a line or two. Inside the Church, Aldo showed me the bomb that didn't explode. As we talked Aldo would call me "bella donna, bonita!" At one point, he started to hum "here comes the bride." Before, I said my goodbyes we went for the Italian two cheek kiss, but heading towards the second cheek I was staring at Aldo's lips! Don't worry I didn't kiss him, I just called him a sneaky man and walked off with a wave. Ciao!

This is the sneaky Aldo!

(2) Have you ever mistaken a garbage can for something else? Julie did! Julie and Becca are a mother daughter duo visiting Venice the same day I did. I didn't meet them until the end of the day, but our short conversation and company on the long train ride filled me with joy. The day was gloomy, rainy, and tiring. I barely stopped walking except to take a boat ride, eat food, and visit a couple churches. The company of this mother daughter duo reminded me that its the little things that make you smile. For example, all trains come equipped with a trash can, Julie didn't realize this and thought the box was for wet umbrellas. Becca was so embarrassed that her mom put the umbrellas in the trash can, but we all found it comical and had a good laugh for a short time.

(3) Have you ever wanted a butt like a man in an old painting? Not until Milan I didn't. There's nothing like the company of people who you can call your own. Luke, Eliana, Sarah came to visit Milan, where I was their guide for the day. We spent the afternoon laughing at silly jokes, such as how firm the butts of some of the men in paintings are!

(4) Have you ever met an Angel? Well, I met an Angela in Athens. She was a true blessing, dispelling any uncomfortable feelings I had in a new city. Angela is a Taiwanese Business women, who stayed in the same hostel as me. Within 5 minutes of meeting her she invites me to eat with her. Every night in Athens, Angela and I would go out to eat and each night I would learn something more about her life, her business, her travels! This just goes to show that companionship comes in many forms.

First night in Athens with Angela

(5) Have you ever been so excited to talk to a complete stranger? After a 11 days of being on your own, a simple conversation can bring a smile to your face. On the train ride from Thessaloniki to Athens, I was tired, I was anxious, and all I wanted was something familiar. Thats when I met Elias, a 19 year old boy. We came from different places, and had different experiences, but it was the ease of conversation about school, music, and dreams for the future felt familiar. In our short conversation before we each drifted off to sleep, I felt assured that friends can be made at any time and in any place!

----

When you travel by yourself you learn a lot about who you are, what gives you strength, and where your foundation lies. One of the biggest lessons I learned on this trip was to put my full reliance in God. I had to trust that He would light my path and provide for me every step of the way. He provided friends and company to remind me that even when I travel by myself, I am never truly alone. He goes before me and walks right beside me. Never did he leave. Not once.

Matt Redman, Never Once:

"Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we've come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
...
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did you leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful"

Father God, your faithfulness continues to amaze me. Thank you for never letting go of my hand and always keeping me in your presence.

#katiespiceurope
#AdventureTime
#SB2k16

My Study Abroad Recipe

Life in the family de Boer. Its an adventure, its an emotional roller coaster. They have been my family for the last 2 months. Wow! I can't believe 2 months (Okay well maybe I'm a few days early or a week too early). They are like most any other family; they breathe, have two legs and eat food because they enjoy it and they need to nourish their bodies. you can tell they are Dutch by the food they eat, the language they speak and the way that they speak. What has stood out to me is their value on eating together. Back in America, I love shared meal times with my roommates or my family on Sunday afternoons (even 7 times zones away, I get to be share a meal with my family via a picture and video call!). At camp, we put an emphasis on shared meal times and eating "family style." Yes, some nights in the de Boer family not everyone is present or the meal feels rushed or it feels chaotic because everyone is up and moving around, but in general we eat together. All meal times are special in the de Boer family, but I have to say that dinner time is usually my favorite because everyone is home (mostly...) and everyone is talking away. One night, we played a game where we went around and said the first word that came to our mind based on the previous person's word. You can get some crazy responses that way. I also enjoy dinner time because we share good food, we share our day, we share emotions. Some nights it seems like every person is just not having it. Some one is yelling, some one is running around, someone is making faces, someone is crying, someone is quiet. But whatever is happening in life the family comes back to one thing: God. A typical dinner ends with a devotion and prayer. Christ truly is the center of this house.

Story time with Katie. So, I read a lot of cook books in my spare time. Yeah, you read that right. I read cook books for fun. Additionally, some of you may know me from my semi-famous cooking show: Cooking Colorfully with Katie. I love to cook, but I haven't taken advantage of the new studio for my show! In keeping with the theme of meals and shared time together with the de Boer family, I have created my own recipe.

Survival Goulash

1 American Student
6 Dutch family members
2 crazy cats

1 cup vulnerability

2/3 cup crazy

7 tablespoons love

1 bouillon of trust
A dash of adventure

Directions:

In a Dutch oven, mix ingredients together. Stir constantly for the first month, ensuring that the American gets a good blending. In the second month stir occasionally giving the American her space to grow. In the 3rd month, let recipe rise. Once, the mixture has risen for 1 month, a sweet fragrance will be present.

The last month... well thats up to you! Decide for yourself what your recipe needs in the last month. Maybe you just sit around a table and enjoy it for all its worth. Small bites with coffee and good conversation. Large ravenous bites to take everything in at one time. How will I end my recipe? Just wait and see!

Trouble shooting your recipe.

• You don't have a Dutch oven... well then you're out of luck try a different recipe. 
• If in the second month the American portion is being stretched too much, an extra tablespoon of love or a dash of social gathering may be needed. 
• If in the second month your mixture isn't looking right you may need to stir more often to encourage the mix to grow before you let it rise. 
• If you notice the mixture dipping in the middle, this is alright! Before the mixture can rise it may need a little time to relax first. 
• If after the 3rd month the fragrance is not sweet make sure that the American is doing her laundry (don't worry mom I do mine!).

So you think your recipe is done... well you're wrong. This recipe will never be complete. It is an organic recipe that will continue to grow, develop, and change. It is made up of living organisms that need to be cared for. This is also a recipe that is not for the lazy chef because it is highly involved and requires attention. Ultimately, cherish every second of it!!


Lord you are a gracious God. Thank you for providing every step of the way.

#katiespiceurope
#hostfamily

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

------

See any similarities?

#katiespiceurope
#family