Het vieren van Kerstmis en Nieuwjaar in een ander land, zonder je eigen familie blijft een bijzondere ervaring. De Italiaanse Lavinia beleefde deze feestdagen in Nederland tijdens haar High School Holland uitwisseling. Ze neemt je hieronder mee in haar ervaring.
Christmas with Italian products and gifts
On the morning of the 25th, my host family and I had a HUGE and super fancy breakfast together. Also with some Italian products, such as “panettone”, sent by my family. My family even sent us all presents so that we could put them under the tree and then open them all together on the morning of the 25th. My host parents got a Christmas themed table cloth, my brother got a hat and a scarf, my sister anti-slip Christmas socks and a Christmas sweater. I got 2 Final Fantasy themed t-shirts, a Christmas themed one, Christmas socks and a book.
Having an elegant dinner with my friends
On the 28th, my friends from my High School in Holland and I had a dinner all together. Some of them got together in order to prepare the food and the space for everybody. They even thought of those who don’t eat meat or can’t eat certain types of things. We decided to make it an elegant dinner so everybody ended up dressing up way too much. I even wore a skirt and high heels. It was really funny to see everybody dressed so seriously for something so simple.
Greeting little Felix
That same evening my host family’s newest member was born. So the day after we went to the hospital to greet little Felix and his family. It was a truly touching moment and I felt so overwhelmingly happy and special to be there that it kind of brought me to tears.
Starting the new year really good
The morning of New Year’s Eve, my family and I baked and ate oliebollen all together. On one hand it felt rather weird and perhaps even a bit lonely to not have my family around. But it felt incredible to be welcomed and start 2017 in the company of my friends that I’ve met during my time as a High School in Holland student. In conclusion, between hilarious, sad and warm moments, wishes, promises and New Year’s resolutions, my 2016 has come to an end and my 2017 has started really good.
Admiring the nature during my High School in Holland
Aside from the prior testweek stress, my winter break has been proceeding rather smoothly. Besides all the studying I’ve been doing every single day in preparation for my tests, I’ve had time to indulge in some rather fun activities. Activities such as cycling along the canal in the freezing cold and admire the nature around me. It was beautiful, but also extremely cold, and the surface of the canal had frozen into pretty thick ice.
Trying not to fall while ice skating
The same day my host family and I went ice skating on an ice rink in Deventer. It was so much fun to be on the ice again after so long and I honestly had the time of my life. It was liberating, exciting and extremely cool to be there with all of them trying not to fall and look decent in what I was doing. We spent about two hours in there, but it felt like a lot less. Even though it was extremely cold outside, we rapidly warmed up and made the most of the little time spent there.
Truly perfect and satisfying
Saturday morning I woke up and, as usual, I walked down the stairs to the dining room. But as soon as I approached the window, the most marvelous of sights appeared before my eyes. A thick coat of the purest white covered everything for metres into the distance. Everything looked so beautiful and quiet immersed in the soft and silent snow. It was truly perfect and so satisfying to see and it ended up being super fun too, as my family and I went out to build snowmen. My host brother and father made a typical and simple snowman, while my sister and I, made a snow penguin instead.
