[fidelmafan]

thank you, brandy, for this insightful article. having known several folks who live in the usa after surviving horrors in their homeland, i am grateful for your sharing and your suggestions to so many who read this newsletter. Also, one of my best friends was from Utrecht and shared the horrors she endured during the nazi occupation. we never know what may happen to any of us. i am so happy the dutch chose to welcome others as a result of their experience.

[lorac]

I loved your article in today's newsletter Brandy. It is so true, we don't realize how lucky we are to live in this wonderful country of ours, until we hear about the horrors that people have to endure in other countries. We are so blessed.

[Brandy M]

Thank you ladies. I knew that the members here had really big hearts, so I am so glad you could get something from the article. And you know what? This week one of the members in my class that I was talking about passed his exam and will now become a full fledged Dutch Citizen! I was sooo happy for him.

[KFiasco]

I love traveling and learning about other cultures. Instead of closing our borders and turning our nose up at outsiders I wish we were more welcoming. Some of these people have horrible stories.

Karen

[MariJ]

I enjoyed your article and sentiments, too, Brandy.

[jenrou]

I also enjoyed your article, and it made me think. My daughter has traveled to the Netherlands, and loves it there. Relatives by marriage live there from Texas.

[Cheri T]

I too loved your story in the newsletter - for both reasons - learning a foreign language and being kind to expats, regardless of the reason they are in the new country.
I have seen several people at the Free Clinic I volunteer at who are in the US due to atrocities in their home country. So very sad, but they are so grateful to be given the chance here in the US.

[Jo Corne]

loved your article Brandy and I, too, am an ex-pat although I really think of myself as an Australian now, after nearly 19 years of living down here. and having lived in a country that doesn't really treat its people so well, on both sides of the colour fence, we chose to live in a country that honours and respects all people from everywhere.

as for learning Dutch, it is so similar in many ways to Afrikaans (South Africa is the only country where Afrikaans is spoken) that reading your layout I could actually understand a fair bit...

'tot siens' is how we write it in Afrikaans, at least I think it is, lol, haven't written Afrikaans in ages, still speak it a bit though, when I don't want the kids to know what I am say, tee hee

keep up the learning, you will be fluent in no time

[Figment]

I really enjoyed your article, Brandy! My parents immigrated to Canada from 'Nederland', in the early 50's. I still have quite a few relatives in Holland, aunts, uncles and cousins. I can understand a fair bit of Dutch, but find it difficult to speak it. It's not an easy language!
I know first hand the big heart of the Dutch people, as my family hid a Jewish girl during the 2nd World War, for a short time. My Oma and Opa were very brave! Though they never believed it of themselves. It's so hard to believe that some of those atrocities are still happening today. We are so blessed to live in a free country!