Holland!!!

Finally!!! Here it is. Everyone and their mothers, and grandmothers, have been asking me how it is in Holland. I will list 5 things that stand out to me since I have been here these last 2 months. I will include some mini stories and facts that you may find interesting as well throughout this entry.

1. Bikes, bikes, bikes!!!

It's a little overwhelming at first. EVERYONE has a bike! On top of that, bikers have the right of way in most scenarios. The first thing that I saw when I got to Holland was an elderly couple pedaling away on their bikes. If you have a bike, you better take care of it though. The number one crime in Holland is bike theft. There is a random fact for ya.

2. Stroopwafels

If you are an American reading this, you probably have no idea what a stroopwafel is. Basically, it is one of the best things I've ever tasted. I compare it to Krispy Kreme doughnuts in America. I would tell you whats in them, but the ingredients are in Dutch. Sorry. My Dutch teammates told me that every American who has tried the stroopwafel become obsessed. So the first time I tried it, I was determined not to like it to break this stereotype. I took a bite and my taste buds did a mean double take. I've been hooked ever since. Smh.

3. Everyone speaks English

Thank. The. Lord!!! Everyone that I have interacted with has been able to communicate with me to some degree. When I first got here, it took a legit 10-15 minutes just to order my food. I'm starting to pick up on the Dutch language a little bit though. I can count to 10 and I know that "kip" means chicken!!! Dutch 101! Had to learn that right away. Chicken is a necessity.

4. Manual cars

For the most part, there are only stick shift cars here. No automatics. Not even semi automatics (which is a good thing lol). I have also seen horse carriages a couple of times. I have added riding on a horse carriage to my bucket list before I leave.

Learning to drive a stick was definitely frustrating. I killed the car consistently time and time again. The worst part was when I was actually trying to drive on a street instead of practicing in a vacant parking lot. Here is a good story...

My worst enemies were traffic lights. This was the case because the most difficult part for me was getting to first gear. I would always try to hurry and get through the lights. Of course, as soon as I would get to the light, it turns red. Then, a long line of cars would build up behind me. The pressure escalated...I started to twitch...to sweat...to pray. The light turns green and then....DEAD!!! This is the only time I've seen Dutch people get a little upset haha. Guess its pretty understandable. Oh well... They honked or zoomed around me. All I could do is hide my face as I started back up the car- and proceeded to pray again.

5. Dutch people are tall!

Ok, I'm already not the tallest guy. Now, I've supposedly landed in the tallest country in the world. Just my luck...*Kanye shrug*

Well I hope that you have enjoyed my rundown of Holland. Overall, it's a beautiful, peaceful country with many sights to see. I am blessed to have an opportunity to start my professional basketball career here and have been thoroughly enjoying my time so far. Thank you for reading my post! I hope you continue to follow me as I continue on my long journey.

God Bless,

Andre