Milford chronicle., 1958-08-01
Carole Steiner Tells
OF Holland Visit
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band to greet us. Let me say right
here that Rotterdam is more mod
ern than any other city have ever
seen. Since it was all bombed out
in the war they have created all
ultra-modern buildings.
went by train to Steenwyvk,
where was met by Mamma Plomp,
Margaret and Yoke. We had tea
and then took a bus to Blesdyke.
The girls all look alike and Mama
and Papa are almost indescribable
Mama speaks almost no English
but she is sweet and even tucked
me in last night At 81 Papa is still
very handsome and spry. He and
Yoke speak perfect English.
MY room has only the barest es
sentials. We have no running wa.
ter but Papa plans to have it in
Stalled soon along with hot wa
ter heater He is very humiliateC
that a school master doesn't have
hot running water, so he has taker
great pains to get it. ] am 80 glad
we kept my luggage to 40 pounds
! don't think Yoke owns as much
as i brought.
My Dutch is improving every
day. Papa is teaching me. He mad
me a little Dutch notebook and ht
called it "A Small Contribution tt
the Great Purpose of the ATS, BY
w. +. Plomp. His school is just
behind the house. There are 81
children and they wear wooden
shoes. There is no discipline prob
lem. At least, no behavior prob
lem The teacher is. master The
kids know 1t, too. They also know
that they are there to learn and
not fool around.
Yoke passed her huge end-of
the-year exam at school and was
very relieved The whole family
was proud as punch. We had al
success party for her. All the kids
who pass have them. These par
ties are a lot of fun. First yea are
fed to the gills with coffee. fruit
punch, cookies, cake and anything
else available. Then they roll back
the rug and dance. The Dutch
boys are exactly like the American
boys and the dances are much the
same, too. The kids go steady but
are not so serious about it and
they seem to have more fun.
Holland is so lovely that | can't
think of any words to describe 1t.
Every day / am taken through the
most beautiful countryside. Every
square inch of ground is used for
something. There are many forests
and woods especially cultivated to
be beautiful to look at. Today we
went to the school where Foppe
learned horticulture. II is sur
rounded by gorgeous gardens
planted and kept by the students.
Just returned from our visit to
Pieter and Betty in Amsterdam
Piet Is a real character. He is a
pilot for kim and spends so much
time in New York that he uses a
lot of American slang and express
siOns. Yoke and saw lots of
z. Amsterdam and / love it! We visit
ed the Ryks (Art) Museum and l
saw scads of Yermurs and Rem
brants and even the famous
Might Watch. One afternoon we
took boat tour through the can
ais. 1t was full of American tour
lists. / met a couple from Vicks-
burg, Miss. We saw the S. S. Jo-
han Won Aldenbarneyelt in the .har-
Dor. We were so excited because
both of us go to America on this
ship. 1t is twice as big as the S. S.
Waterman and / have the feeling
that l will be lost twice as much.
My Dutch gets better every day
can speak it pretty well and am
able to understand what others
say. have conquered the Dutch
e and "ch" which are always
hard for foreigners. The dictionary
is invaluable when l talk to Mama
and Margaret for their English
isn't too good. Sometimes / switch
over to Dutch entirely because it
is less trouble than trying to make
them understand my English.
Last week all of the ATS kids
in Friedland went to Wolvega for
the day. 1t really was nice to see
all of the kids again from the ship
Everybody absolutely loves it here
the people, the food, everything
We went through a kind of coke
bottling plant only the drink is
called Rivella. The syrup is made
from cheese extract. 1t is very
good once you get used to It. Only
one thing cast shadow over the
day. The father of Phoebe Nc
Conaughy, one of the ATS girls
died suddenly since she has been
over here. She is here just as
planned
| don't think I have gained any
weight even though / am eating
like a horse ride the fiets (bike)
so much. That and my two feet
are my only modes of transporta
tion. Twenty KIN. on the bike Il
nothing-one day ! did so which
is about S3 miles. Another day AZ
Thanks so much for the article
on Alaska. I am literally starved
for news here. Though I can speak
Dutch | can't read it. so the news
papers are not much belp. When
! get news from BIC It is always
about Cyprus or the Queer's sinus
! had to find out about Alaska
statehood by making Piet e.
through a stack of old papers.
| haven't been homesick at all
too husy.
Much love.
Carole.