The foreign exchange trip to Holland gave all of the fifteen students who participated an opportunity to see Dutch culture first-hand as they traveled around the province.  Ms. Isasi-Endress with Mr. Gonzalez ran the exchange program between Curtis and the Jac P. Thijsse school in Holland. Students  traveled around the province from February 12 – 22.

Many students visited Holland just to see what it was like. “I wanted to experience what school was like in Holland and compare it to Curtis.  School in Holland is not so different from Curtis. The classes are pretty similar although some classes speak Dutch while others speak English,” said Khaylen Foster.

Other  students visited Holland to learn some history. Sara Daghestani said, “I decided to visit Holland to learn some Dutch history.  I started to become interested in Dutch history from going to museums over the summer.” Daghestani was also pleased by how the students treated her at the school she attended.  “It was an unbelievable experience,” she said. “The kids were so friendly and were fluent in English.”

Visiting schools was not the only item on the to-do list at Holland. Foster also traveled to the Anne Frank Museum and the Van Gogh Museum.  There was also different Dutch foods to sample, like a kroket, which is similar to a mozzarella stick but is filled with meat and vegetables.

If the opportunity knocked to visit Holland once again, some students would jump at the chance. Daghestani said, “Definitely. I would really like to go to Holland again over this summer. There’s so much to see and do while visiting so I wouldn’t mind going again.”

Foster agreed, “there were so many great shoe stores as well as a mall that had only a couple of stores, and I really loved the food. This was a trip I would consider going on again.”

For anybody else who decides to go to Holland, Foster advised, “Ride the Amsterdam trains. Definitely see the Anne Frank Museum.”