Dutch in Translation

     It's 6:30 am. I'm merrily biking to the pool. Merrily, happily, sleepy and all. It's dark and chilly.  I love dark and chilly and quiet, rustig .  There's mist everywhere. It feels as if I were interrupting someone's spell. While at it, I'm listening to a Dutch podcast, Zeg Het in Het Nederlands. ( We've talked about it before . ) It's episode #11. It includes the story behind the Bluetooth, and I think to myself..." what a wonderful world... " Just kidding! I do think, " How interesting. Just now my earphones are connected via Bluetooth to my phone, and the app Schwung is using the same technology as well. "      Later, after having swum, taught, cleaned and cooked, I asked my sweetheart, " Did you know a Dutch guy invented the Bluetooth? " He said it didn't sound like it. He said maybe a Danish. At first, I hesitated since my Dutch is not so good ( een beetje slecht )  and many, many times I do get things wro...

To buy eggs, or not to buy... That's not the question!        The question is: Why do people keep buying brown eggs even when they are more expensive than white ones? Maybe you already know, but I had no idea! Last Monday at Dutch school , my classmates and I  finally learned the answer to this spooky question! How did the teacher introduce the topic? By watching an educational show on  Schooltv ,  Wat is het verschil tussen witte en bruine eieren? Which eggs are more expensive? Brown eggs. Which eggs are the most sold in the supermarkets? Brown eggs. Where lies the secret of the egg's color? In the chicken's earlobe! In de kleur van de kip oorlelletje ! What?! Yes. If the earlobe is red, brown eggs. If it's white, white it is! Is the quality different between the two? No. It's exactly the same. Identiek . Why, then, are brown ones more popular? In the past, chickens were usually k...

     I'd guess you have listened to her while riding the bus, on the radio, in a store or restaurant. Maybe it's even on your playlist! It is on mine. Now, why would I want to tell you about her today? Because I would love for you to understand where the lyrics of this song come from, and to know what she's achieved in spite of her pain. To me, she's simply inspiring.      This is how it all began: I was on the train  on my way to Leuven while  listening to the song Dat ik je mis .  I went to stay for a few days with my high school friend Camila who currently lives in Dubai. Why was she in Belgium? Believe it or not, she was taking a Dutch summer course! Why, for goodness sake, if she lives in Dubai, right? It turns out she is married to a wonderful Belgian man, they have three lovely daughters, and she thought it was about time she started speaking better Dutch.       Anyway, let me get back to the son...

Our First Camping Trip   Relles Mühle       Two years ago, my sweetheart and I talked about the possibility of camping. I got overexcited, as I tend to do when an adventure awaits around the corner, but he said, "Maybe next year." I was not pleased, but he was right. He usually is, not always, but quite often. (Don't tell him or I will never hear the end of it!) Why was it better to wait? To begin with, I had just moved to the Netherlands from Mexico. On top of that, we were trying to figure out: how to be together, who we were as a couple, and which were our new roles as individuals and as a family.      Fast-forwarding, I'm delighted to report that it's been two years and we feel... Well, I'll leave it to the amorous you to complete that phrase. I don't want to be too corny, as my darling would say.       Anyway, now that the hard part is over, we are focusing on enjoying more of the simple things i...

EVERY SUMMER, FOR EVERYONE IN THE NETHERLANDS, TWO FREE GIFTS: E-BOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS      Yes! The Koninklijke Bibliotheek promotes summer reading by offering a selection of e-books and  audiobooks  for free. They are available until September 1st. How can I access the material?      You just need to download the apps: LuisterBieb VakantieBieb . What does the LuisterBieb offer?      They have books for children, young adults, and adults. For example, I chose a quite new book (2019) called Antoinette by Robbert Welagen. I'm listening to it while biking; and just now, I downloaded the Kindle version so I can read it too. ( I did look for it in the library, but all copies are already taken.) What can I find in the VakantieBieb ?    Again, they have a selection for every age. For example, for young people, they are classified by age: 04-06, 06-09, 09-12, 12-15, ...

                S peaking in Dutch can be intimidating if it is something you don't regularly do.   Fortunately, the list of online resources to get ready for the exam are quite many, seriously!        Now, hold on a little. Before we go and open the treasure of goodies, I would like to talk about some tips a friend of mine was kind enough to share (she wishes to remain anonymous): Trust yourself. You might hear others recording their answers. Don't pay attention to them. Focus on what you want to say and record it. Speak with confidence. Shyness is no good company during the recording process. Even if you think it is noisy, your voice should be clear, calm, and sound. Record more than once. If you don't like how the recorded answer sounds, do it again, always being aware of time.      Nice! Many thanks for your patience. We're ready now. Are you sitting down to receive the tre...

      Has it happened to you that when you do something you enjoy, time flies? The task at hand seems easy and ideas flow, do you agree? Well, learning is one example. When you take pleasure in learning, nothing can stop you, just like the song !             As a teacher and a lifelong learner, I follow my heart as to what sources to choose in order to improve my Dutch, get ready for my inburgering exams, and feed my curious mind. I tell this to my students all the time, choose what you like and go from there. As for today, I'd like to share with you some lessons from Zenleraar Haemin Sunim I've found in the latest Happinez magazine ( nummer 4 , 2019,  pp . 22-27). Who is Zenleraar Haemin Sunim?      He is a Zen Buddhist teacher and writer. He is also known as the "Twitter monk" since he has more than 1 million followers. 

Generalizations are dangerous, like the following: Women are stubborn.  Men are selfish.  Dutch music is terrible.      Are you surprised? Probably. I told you. To generalize is a dangerous thing. A weapon out of control. Still, yes. I do want to stop and talk about the last one. Music. Dutch music. It is beautiful, important, fun. It grounds you, and it also nurtures. Let me tell you what I think. I'll give you 4 reasons. Hopefully, by the end of this post, you will add some Dutch songs to your playlist. Luckily, you will also avoid generalizations.  1. Places in the Netherlands: Song "Zoutelande"      Some songs can take you to places you might have been to, or that you would like to explore. For example, Zoutelande. It's a real place! It's in Zeeland. Have you ever been there? You might like it! ( Do take me with you, please. I haven't been there and dream of it!) Well, t here is this song about it. Nice, right?...