Going Dutch

Happy 2018! Hard to believe we're already a total of five months into our life abroad. We're still working on learning the language, navigating the nuances of daily life, and embracing the Dutchie culture. As we reflect on the past few months, I wanted to share a bit more about the activities occupying our time.

Food and Fitness

We live two blocks from a cozy bakery subjecting us to the temptation of croissants each morning. I've had to incorporate plenty of exercise into my daily routine to work off the Dutch dietary staples of croissants, bread and cheese.  My workout here is a bit different from my YMCA bootcamp class or Cyclebar spin in Nashville. I average 5 miles of walking per day in addition to the gym. 
My gym, The BBB Boutique, is known for it's heated cabin workout. It is basically a Pilates reformer in a heated pod of 120 degrees (F). Having not done much Pilates (or yoga for that matter) I was a bit skeptical that this was going to provide me the same workout as bootcamp or spinning. Turns out, I love it. It's an intense workout in a quick 30 minute class.  Who wants to open a U.S. franchise?

New Neighbors 

Establishing a network is one of the key pillars to succeed in a new city (at home or abroad). I've found it especially important now that we have a kiddo. We've been fortunate to land the neighborhood jackpot again even though its doesn’t quite compare to our close knit Richland-West End community. Our neighbors have been a tremendous asset in helping us navigate our new surroundings. From finding doctors to learning the dutch secrets on avoiding parking tickets, the insight has proven invaluable. We'd estimate about 75% of the street has kids based on the number of kid bikes, chalk drawings and toys that line the sidewalks. Ben and I knew we were in a special place as soon as we were invited to a regular post-bed time wine night. We all live next to (or above) one another as is typical in traditional row homes so our baby monitors still stay connected at each other's property. Nothing like being able to grab a bottle of wine and enjoy adult conversation without the hassle of a babysitter. Cheers to that!

Dutch Language

Majority of the Dutch population knows English so it makes communicating in every day life easy. However, you rarely hear spoken English on the street.  Living with a language barrier has made me see things in a different dimension as the words spoken are no longer the focus compared to the interpersonal aspects of communication. The expressions, tones, and gestures speak volumes as I know my own expressions do as well. I am lucky that many individuals can effortlessly switch to English as soon as I give a puzzled look along with my Spreek je Engles?  To truly embrace life abroad, Ben and I started weekly language lessons. With only a month of lessons under our belts, we already recognize more around us but still have a long ways to go. My first lesson oddly enough took place in a former prison now called De Vrije Wolf (The Free Wolf).  Not kidding! It was in operation for over 160 years and only recently was transformed into a hipster work and event space. I have to admit it was kind of fun albeit a bit distracting as each cell still retained the original format complete with toilet and basin.  Overall, I am enjoying the challenge of learning a new language while trying to incorporate it more in daily life. Tot Ziens!