One of the many destinations you can choose from is the Netherlands, otherwise known as Holland. You might think of cheese, tulips and windmills as soon as you hear the name of this little country, but we have much more to offer. During your exchange program in the Netherlands you will stay with a Dutch host family. They will help you adjust to your new Dutch way of life and will help you to learn the Dutch language.
Family Life
Dutch families are usually quite close and enjoy each other's company. You will be expected to participate in family outings, join on birthdays and other celebrations. Every family member has quite a full schedule during the week, which makes the weekends the time to do things together. They visit family, mostly grandparents, watch a movie or go for a walk in the forest or on the beach.
However packed their schedules might be, families always gather over meals, especially dinner. The dinner table is often the gathering place at other times as well. In the afternoon many families gather around the table for a cup of coffee. Your host parents will want to know all about your school, your friends and activities. Most Dutch families have an open relationship, which means that anything can be discussed, from test scores to dating problems. Also you will be expected to do some chores around the house. Make sure you ask your host family what they expect of you; usually this will be doing the dishes, cleaning your own room, setting the table and occasionally preparing food.
Education
Dutch children are required by law to attend school from age 5 to 16. After finishing primary school at the age of 12, a choice must be made between the different levels of secondary school. There is VMBO, a four-year course of study that prepares for secondary vocational training; HAVO, a five-year course that prepares students for higher vocational training, and VWO, pre-university training that takes six years.
As a YFU student you are most likely to go to either a HAVO- or VWO school. You will be expected to work hard, as a lot of the work has to be done individually. Most Dutch teenagers take their schoolwork pretty seriously, as some of the work they have to do in the earlier years already makes up part of their marks for graduation. As an exchange student you should put a real effort into your schoolwork as well. We do not expect you to get the best grades in your class, but if you do not put in an effort your class will quickly label you as lazy and it might be hard to make friends at school.
You will not find many extracurricular activities, though most schools have some possibilities like drama groups or talent shows. To participate in sports or other activities, you will have to join community clubs. This is a great opportunity for you to meet new people with the same interest as you.
Language
As the mother tongue of 21 million people around the world, Dutch ranks 34th in the list of spoken languages. However, in terms of importance Dutch ranks in the top 20.
The Dutch language is not particularly easy. Still with some effort and the right motivation, you should be able to reach a comfortable level within two to three months. You can also take advantage of tutoring through school or community courses. YFU will help you on the way with the Dutch language during the orientation at the beginning of your exchange year.
The best way of learning a language is by using it, so the best advice we can give you is to talk to as many people as you can. Try to use whatever Dutch you can and don’t be afraid to make mistakes; you’ll laugh about them later.
Most Dutch people are able to speak English, so you will receive plenty of help in the beginning of your exchange. Be aware though that the longer you will keep using English, the longer it will take to pick up the Dutch language and that is one of the reasons you are here for. To learn an entirely new language is hard work, but an accomplishment you will benefit from the rest of your life.