Month: May 2017
Pub Pug
Look Toward or Turn Away
When we arrived in the Netherlands almost 3 years ago, I was immediately taken aback when people spoke directly to my son, B. when we were out in public. Almost no one assumed that just because he had a disability he couldn’t speak for himself. There was no detectable nervousness or hesitation to deal directly with him. He … Continue reading Look Toward or Turn Away
Higher Education in the Netherlands
After M. and I visited the Netherlands in the summer of 2012, we were fairly certain that the Netherlands was where we wanted to make our home. We started making definite plans to make the move. However, my daughter, K., who was just a sophomore in high school at the time, did not make the … Continue reading Higher Education in the Netherlands
Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT)
The first question we are typically asked after explaining that our family moved to the Netherlands from the US is how we managed to do it. The most common ways to apply for a residence permit to reside in the Netherlands are: as a spouse or registered partner of a Dutch citizen; as a highly skilled migrant through … Continue reading Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT)
Market Herons
I have a history with herons. We often walk past the Albert Cuyp market in the evenings when it’s closing. A cacophony of clanging metal and clashing boards, workers shout in unknown languages, hurriedly disassembling the stalls. Squeaking and rumbling luggage handling carts turned market carts careen down the street, moving products and materials to their … Continue reading Market Herons
Healthcare in the Netherlands
With all of the recent debate about healthcare in the US, I thought I’d outline the Dutch healthcare system and describe a typical visit to our family physician. For 2016, the Netherlands tops the list of 35 countries in the Euro Health Consumer Index for the best healthcare services and has consistently been in the top 3 in … Continue reading Healthcare in the Netherlands
Sid the Great
When we first chose Sid, we knew that he had the potential to be a large cat. All you had to do was to look at his feet. When we went to visit him at the breeder, a huge, black, lumbering Maine Coon made his way toward the sofa as I sat holding Sid. His name was … Continue reading Sid the Great
Introducing Sid
Sid is our 17 pound black classic tabby Maine Coon. He’s polydactyl, with 50% more toes than a normal cat– 7 toes on each front foot and 5 on each back foot. I’ve been an animal lover my entire life. I’ve owned dozens of cats of all kinds, either adopted from friends with too many kittens or from local … Continue reading Introducing Sid