HI!<\/p>\n
Today is a very special day.
\nIt\u2019s Dutch-American Friendship Day!
\nSo\u2026how are you celebrating?
\nDo you have both flags hanging outside your home?
\nAre you wearing red, white, blue, AND orange?
\n(It\u2019s ok, I didn\u2019t know about it either until just recently.)<\/p>\n
I\u2019m celebrating this holiday by sharing today\u2019s article from de Telegraaf, where I talk about my 30 years of being friends with the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
Thank you, Netherlands, for not laughing at me when I went to the bakery for the first time alone and with a shaking voice, asked for circumcised bread (I meant \u2018sliced\u2019).<\/p>\n
Thank you, Netherlands, for helping me when I asked for the \u2018washing up breasts\u2019 instead of \u2018brushes\u2019 in the supermarket.<\/p>\n
Thank you, Netherlands, for giving me the opportunity to grow, to put down new roots, to take risks bigtime.<\/p>\n
I jumped, and you caught me.<\/p>\n
Thank you.<\/p>\n
Thank you, Netherlands, for sharing some of your views of me with me directly, both in my face, and in my inbox:<\/p>\n
\u2018You\u2019ll never fit in if you stay so spontaneous.\u2019
\n\u2018Your optimism is totally fake.\u2019
\n\u2018You are a role model and an inspiration to so many.\u2019
\n\u2018You\u2019re ok, you\u2019re a GOOD kind of foreigner.\u2019
\n\u2018I think of my life as Before Buffi and After Buffi.\u2019
\n\u2018My German friends speak better Dutch than you and they just got here!\u2019
\n\u2018You\u2019re such a workaholic. Try to enjoy life more!\u2019
\n\u2018I wish I had your ambition!\u2019
\n\u2018I became an English teacher because of you!\u2019
\n\u2018You are destroying the Dutch music industry because you are forcing everyone to sing in English! How dare you!\u2019
\n\u2018I love your style!\u2019
\n\u2018I hate your style.\u2019
\n\u2018My cat is named Buffi!\u2019
\n\u2018What a ridiculous name.\u2019<\/p>\n
And so on, and so on.
\nHey, Dutchies?
\nThank you for being so honest with me.
\nFor being my friend, even when we disagree. I am still mad about a lot of things you do.
\nYou\u2019re not perfect, and neither am I.
\nBut thank you for laughing at my lame jokes, and for showing me new ways to be innovative, modest, creative, and kind.<\/p>\n
For giving me a home.
\nIn so many ways.<\/p>\n
Happy Dutch-American Friendship\u00a0Day!<\/p>\n
Liefs,
\nYour friend,
\nBuffi<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
HI! Today is a very special day. It\u2019s Dutch-American Friendship Day! So\u2026how are you celebrating? Do you have both flags hanging outside your home? Are you wearing red, white, blue, AND orange? (It\u2019s ok, I didn\u2019t know about it either until just recently.) I\u2019m celebrating this holiday by sharing today\u2019s article from de Telegraaf, where […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11351,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11348","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n