*Welkom* to our blog! We are the 2008 Group Study Exchange team representing Rotary District 7620 which includes Central Maryland and Washington DC. We will be visiting District 1600, located in the southwestern part of the Netherlands as a part of a professional exchange with members from their district. This exchange is a part of the greater goal of the Rotary Club to promote world peace through the exchange of ideas and the understanding of other cultures. District 1600 includes Rotterdam and The Hague, which are the second and third largest cities in the Netherlands, following Amsterdam. We will be in the Netherlands from April 26 through May 24, during which, we will live with host families, give presentations to several Rotary Clubs and visit vocational sites related to our respective professions. Most of all, we will be immersed in Dutch culture and have many wonderful experiences. We hope you will enjoy reading about our experiences and adventures! *Dank u*

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Orange Day in Delft






On Orange Day, the day Queen Beatrix celebrates her birthday, Lisa and I (Monique) were guests of our host Frits and Janny at a reception honoring Delft residents who received a national service award. Yanny had received the award two years earlier. We briefly chatted with the Mayor of Delft, G.A.A. Verkerk (pictured with us), and mingled with long time residents of this historical community. Interesting note, the royal family's official resting place in Nieuwe Kerek (New Church) in Delft. The mayor has the important task of annually inspecting the graves. Lisa and I were curious when he did these inspections, but he laughed and said, "that is my secret, the reporters would love to know".

We spent the next few hours exploring Delft and soaking up the excitement of Orange Day. There were so many people out along the canals enjoying the day. At times it was scary because the canals that run in the middle of the streets have no guard rails, and I feared someone would fall in at any minute. No one else seemed worried though, I guess falling in would be apart of the fun.

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