Spring Lake High School students recently welcomed students from the Netherlands for the annual Dutch Exchange program, giving them a taste of life in America.
Sixteen Dutch students attended classes with their hosts and visited Chicago during their stay in February. Spring Lake’s students will get to do the same when they are hosted in the Netherlands in May.
Junior Hazel Constantine hosted Niyom Gazan, who is from Alkamaar. Constantine said the program allowed her to connect with not only her host student, but also her Spring Lake peers. “You get to do fun activities with people that you wouldn’t usually hang out with,” she said.
Constantine shared that the group enjoyed visiting the city of Chicago and viewing the frozen Grand Haven State Park Beach. “The trip was super fun to have free time to connect with the new students,” she highlighted.
Gazan mentioned Chicago was her favorite part of the trip, because “there was so much to see.” It was the first time they were meeting their hosts, and they got the chance to get to know each other.
As they transitioned to the Spring Lake area, Gazan pointed out the shocking difference between her home and what’s common here: the size of things. “I noticed how BIG the houses are in America. Everything is big there, the food portions, cars, you name it,” she explained.
The Spring Lake students will leave for the Netherlands in mid-May. While in Amsterdam, students will take a canal boat tour, as well as visit popular landmarks such as the Anne Frank house, and bike to other areas like the Grote Kerk.
While there is excitement, Constantine said there is another sad goodbye in store. “It was sad to say goodbye to everyone in the beginning, but we knew we would see them again. I’m excited to visit them, but it’s going to be so sad saying goodbye the second time, because we don’t have another set-in-stone time to see each other.”
