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Tot ziens in Holland!!

Do you want to be my pen friend?

Hello, my name is Pamela Baarda. I’m thirteen years old and I live in The Hague, Holland. I am a student of Hofstad Lyceum
I like it to mail with my friends, but now that I am in a bilingual class I would also like to mail with a child from another country of twelve/thirteen years old. Somebody in Spain would be great! Or from another country. I like to play with my younger brother and sister.But I like it the most when I do something with my friends. If we get in touch I will tell you more about my hobbies and my life. I hope so that you like too to write with someone from another country!!
When you would like to be my pen friend please send an email to our editor, Mr. Smit, and than I hear that from him. I hope it very much! This is his address: SMT@hofstadlyceum.nl. You can also click on ‘comments’ below this message

Pamela Baarda (13)

Madurodam: see Holland in two hours

Hello everybody. My name is Vito and I would like to tell something about Madurodam. Madurodam is a very special place in The Hague , where Holland is made in mini format. So the people in that miniature country are only about 5 cm talland the biggest building is maybe 2 or 2.5 meters high!Sometimes there's also an exhibition about something like ice sculptures! When I was 7 years I visited Madurodam together with my grandmother it was very beautiful! Iwas impressed by the airport, the harbor and the trains. You really feel like a giant, when you walk along the paths. I hope that when anybody who reads this and ever visits the Netherlands goes to Madurodam because it's really worth to see it!By Vito (12)

The hottest autumn ever!!

It was in all the newspapers. It has been very hot in Holland this year, also in the autumn. Many people think it’s because of the greenhouse impact (broeikaseffect).I think that’s true, because of all the industrial crap. The kind of smoke and gases that are in the air, are blocking the atmosphere and then the heat of the sun will come in but it won’t let the heat out, so that’s the reason. If we won’t stop with expelling those annoying gases, the ice on the North Pole will melt, and a quarter of the worlds land will be flooded. I hope that this won’t happen, as we live below sea level!So it is the hottest autumn ever! The KNMI has measured that the average temperature in September and October is over 1.5 degrees higher than normally is expected! The highest record before this was about 12.5 degrees Celsius, in 2005! Last year!!That record is broken, the New Record is……………………………….14 DEGREES CELSIUS!!!!It’s becoming warmer and warmer…By Kaj (12)

Randstad rail

Within a couple of months the light rail called Randstad rail will stop at some 100 meters from our school! We will just have to pass the shopping mall! I selcted a nice picture of the tram/train for you. Love and kisses, Anna van Dijk.

About our new light railway system

Hello. My name is Wouter Hartog van Banda and I am 11 years old. I am going to tell you about my experience of the Randstadrail. On the 5th of October I was going with my brother, grandmother and aunt to open station Ternoot in the district: Bezuidenhout-West. My grandmother is the president of the occupant committee of the building the “Witte Anna” (White Anna). As such she was asked to participate in the coming about of the new station. Eventually she was asked to open the randstadrail station Ternoot. She asked me and my brother to open the station! Even the alderman of The Hague was there! He arrived in a nostalgic street car (see pic)
We opened the station by pulling a large cardboard plate off the wall. The plate was attached to the wall by Velcro. Then there where a few pictures and our grandmother did an interview and some other things. It was even on our own The Hague TV channel, TV-West and in the papers!. It was a very nice day!

Kind regards,

Wouter Hartog van Banda
Class: T1A
Teacher of GEO: Mr. Smit!!! YAY! BEST ONE IN THE WHOLE WORLD!
The Netherlands

Nesestrelles celebrate membership of EU in 1986

Dear Hofstadgeographers!

In the picture our partnerbloggers in Asturias, Spain. Meanwhile you know them as Nes estrelles and I beleive that some of you are in contact with them.

They have made a "horreo", a traditional Asturian store for wheat. This horreo is made of all kind of reclycable things, like milkboxes. Our Spanish friends are very concerned about the environment. In fact this environment project iss a present for the European Union, as Spain and Portugal are celebrating the membership of the EU, that started on November 25th, 1986, so excatly 20 years ago. If you want to congratulate nes estrelles I suggest you visit their site www.nesestrelles.blogspot.com and add your wish after clicking on "comments". If you prefer an English translation (by Babel Alta fish, so with plenty mistakes!!) please click on "comments" below this contribution.

Good luck, Geo Stork

Elections in Holland are good for the animals

On the 22 of November the elections found place in The Netherlands.
The CDA (Christian Democrats) remained the biggest party, but the SP (Socialist Party) showed the biggest change from the last elections; plus 17 seats!! Very special was that we have a political party for the animals. This is unique because it is the first group representing animals in Europe that comes into the politics. The leader of this PVDD is Marianne Thiemen and her group won 2 seats. Seats or chairs mean that each group has a number of deputies in the Chamber where they discuss about The Netherlands. The political party who has got the most chairs is still the CDA. The Labour Party (PvdA) lost 10 out of her 42 seats!

I think it is very important to have politicians who represent the interests of animals, and my teacher of Dutch, Mr. van der Schaaf says: somebody who is good or ‘social’ for animals is good for the people.
I think he is right.

By Elodie (13)

For a pen friend go to www.prkorea.com !!

Hi! I`m Lan, a 13 year old girl and I`m going to tell you about how I got a pen pal from Korea.

My geography teacher, who went on a study tour to Korea, gave us a site address. He asked us if we wanted to subscribe on this site well I thought getting a new pen pal would be very nice. I tried lots of times but all the time didn’t get a reaction. I was quite disappointed about it but then at last I got a mail back from RenoAicio. It`s a boy who is 14 years old and is interested in Holland. So we started to mail quit often. His first mail was :
Hi Lan, nice to meet you. I`m interested in your country. Can you give me a daily story about
you and about Holland? I will tell about my self and I think it`s nice that we mail. Greetings, Reno Aicio.
We did it is very nice! So I say that you should do it to. I think it`s nice that we do this because we are like good friends! And just being able to communicate with some one at the other side of the globe isn’t it amazing how you just become friends with some one at the other side of the globe. Just getting to now him or her and getting to no his/her culture.

In my opinion this is something wonderful to do!!! And I advice you to do it as well (you won`t be disappointed) you will get more info about Korea. So just do it and go to http://www.prkorea.com/.

Greetings and kisses from Lan from Holland

Dog almost died of starvation

I felt very sad when I read in the newspaper that a 7 years old undernourished Danish dog was found in a house in Capelle aan den IJssel. She was left behind with 3 cats. The poor cats died because there was no food. The name of the dog was Cyra and she weight 32kg. The normal weight of such a big dog is 60- 70 kg. She must get stronger for 2,5 weeks and then she can move to a good person.
Her original boss left the pets behind because she decided to live together with her ‘lover’ and she didn’t like the pets anymore. She had taken 2 little dogs with her.
I think: this is criminal so the woman who did this must be strictly forbidden to have pets.
There are more and more pets being left behind. The pet-safety is falling down and down.
I hope that it is going to stop quickly. Perhaps now we have a political party for the animals in our parliament (the PVD)

Dennis van Viet, T1B

We live below sea level!

You may know that a great part of Holland is below the sea level. Maybe you don’t understand what I mean. Let me explain. A great part of Holland lies lower than the sea. For example: a part of The Hague, the city where I live, lies below the sea level too. Our city is protected by the dunes (natural hills). Other parts of our country are protected by man-made dikes.
The Dutch people have always fought against the water. That is why the best dike builders are Dutch! In 1953 the province Zeeland was flooded. Many people died. Such a disaster should never happen again. The Dutch people designed a system of huge sea barriers and called it the Delta Works. It took a long time to finish the Delta Works.
I think that the flood of 1953 has made the Dutch people the best dike builders of the world and I am very proud of that!!
By Rianne (13 years old )

Try these Sinterklaas sites

Dear visitors,

I selected two sites for you with plenty information of Sinterklaas. The first one is in Dutch only. As you will see, you can design your Sinterklaaspoems, play games, find out how the steam engine of his nostalgic boat works, etc.
The second one is for our international friends, as there is also an English version.

Have fun!

Geo Stork

http://www.sint.nl/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas

I am the story teller in a musical

In the Netherlands there are many schools. In The Hague, where I live, are there more then thirty! There are primary schools and secondary schools. In the primary schools there sometimes are more then 400 children! From all those children there are 40 children at least, who are last year students. Those children play in a musical. I did two musicals: www.weetwatjewilt.nl and the Lion King. The first one was at the primary school, the second musical in my secondary school, Hofstad Lyceum. We are still rehearsing. It's really hard, because we practice 7 hours a week (not during school time)! On the primary school, we practiced during school time. Then I was a mum, who didn't know anything about computers. In de Lion King, I'm the storyteller.
It's really nice to play in a musical, because on the evening of the musical you get make up on your face and really nice clothes. Then you walk on the stage and play your role. I hope you visit Holland once, and see the musical ,Beauty and the beast'.
By Rebecca Niese (12 years old)

Trainer leaves footballclub after being threatened

ADO Den Haag is the name of our footballclub. Last weekend the trainer of ADO Den Haag (Frans Adelaar) has been threatened by a lot of Ado hooligans who where not happy with the results in the national competition. The hooligans came on the field with the intention to hurt Frans Adelaar. Before the match he warned his wife and two daughters not to come to the match because he was afraid. After 66 minutes the score was 0-3 and the guards advised him to stay in the dug-out. Otherwise he could be hit by the hooligans or even killed! At that moment he took the decision to quit ADO Den Haag as there were also rumours that the hooligans would hurt his family. The arbitrator stopped the game because the hooligans were shouting mean things about Adelaar. Yesterday the main sponsor DSW stopped supporting ADO Den Haag, as because of what happened they might get a bad name. What a shame!
By Tim (13)

The North Sea is just around the corner

Hi folks!

Just CTRL + Click on the links below and you’ll find out where our school is located. As you may discover, the North Sea, the dunes and the beach are just around the corner! Hofstadgeographers are invited to go to http://nl.quikmaps.com and add their own map with the red flag on top of their home via ‘’comments’’. Do not forget your name! Visitors from abroad: please send us your map so we can find out where you live!
All the best, Geo Stork (ed)

http://nl.quikmaps.com/show/17522

http://nl.quikmaps.com/show/17525

Europe games

Hi Hofstadgeographers!

Difficulties with studying the topography of Europe? I suggest you visit the blog site of our Spanish partner school (http://nesestrelles.blogspot.com). Read the contribution with the title Aprendo jugando (I learn by playing games). More interesting games can be found in this European website: http://europa.eu/europago , English version!! Try to discover more geographical games on Internet, report it on this site and you will be rewarded!

Good luck!!

Geo Stork, editor

The secret of Hook of Holland

A couple of times a year, the year of 1914revives in the fort of Hoek van Holland. It is a great event! This time there is a huge problem and you and the other soldiers most solve the mystery. A ghost tortured the fort… Is this fort cursed, is there a message? And, there is a strange 12 year old girl and she’s got no parents… She is an abandoned child; she was growing up in this fort. But who is she and what is her real name? Is it a link? Who knows…You must find all the clues in this spooky fortress…, but be aware, there is a soldier that became crazy because of this ghost. You could be the next victim…
If you go to this event, you will have a wonderful evening! I have seen many events in this spooky fortress and for me, it is always a wonderful spectacle. This year I am a member of the cast (I am that strange girl), so it is very exiting! We act without script and by heart, so it is a little bit difficult, but it is very funny too. I hope you will come to this event! (In the picture my father, playing the role of captain of the fortress)
Fina Verbeek (12)

Holland goes warmer

The climate changes, that’s because all the wrong gasses damage the ozone layer. In that layer come substances. The warmth of the sun can come in the ozone layer, but it can’t come out because there are substances. That effect we call a greenhouse effect. All substances come by cars, factories and other things with carbon dioxide. Especially in Holland is that greenhouse effect, so we’re busy with invent petrol that isn’t detrimental for the ozone layer. We want to purify the exhaust of the factories, but that is almost impossible. Until Man has a detrimental patrol we can hold the climate like it is now (or better) when we cycle when it is not too far, and when it doesn’t rain to hardJ. Frequently people think ‘I use my car because the climate doesn’t get better when I don’t use my car’. I think that is really a wrong thought. You can make the climate better, it begins by yourself. When everyone who’s thinking it doesn’t help when I don’t use my car because I’m the only one, really don’t use his car then there are thousands and thousands of people who help the climate. I hope so that the climate’s getting better because other wise there is no good, pure world concerning.

From Richelle van Capelleveen
T1B

Our homework class

The homework class is a place at school where you can do your homework if you have problems with your concentration.
There are some rules:
-No talking
-No shouting
-No running
-No games
But you can eat and drink. However, if you go on the computer you can’t eat or drink. It’s in our reading place with an oval table where you can make your homework on. I think it is a lot better than at my home because there it is noisy and my sister is shouting all the time with her friends. And I am distracted by my computer or TV.
So I’m very happy that I’m on homework class because nobody distracts
me. And there are nice teachers to help you if you have problems.
By Colin Marshall (12)

Halloween at school

Actually in the Netherlands not so many people go out with Halloween. But we all know that its on the last day of october and some of dress us up like monsters or something and go along the houses to collect sweets and candy.
At our school, the Hofstad lyceum in The Hague, we had a school party called SOOS (short for society). The theme of that SOOS was Halloween. It was a nice party and we had a lot of fun. The music was nice too. There were not so many people as I had thought. But almost everyone was dancing and it was really fun. I liked it when there was soap and smoke coming out of the ceiling . The party ended at 23.00 PM. Quite late but I wasn`t tired, so strange…
I`ve heard that more places here in the Netherlands are thinking of celebrating Halloween. I really hope it!!

By Zainab Ashraf (12)

Our day trip to Colchester

On November the 10th T1a and T1b went to Colchester. The most of us woke up at 5:00 o clock, and then we had a little breakfast and were brought by car to Hook of Holland. After we had checked in, the boat was ready to take us to Harwich. Most of us felt sick on the boat (like me). After three hours sailing we were finally in England. In Colchester we had +/- three hours to do the treasure hunt, after that we met at Colchester castle. A nice lady showed us the castle. Then we were free to have a look around the castle. But most of us wanted to shop. Shivani found a Chinese manga book, I found postcards with a stone, like rose quarts or Jasper. There was also a little explanation of your sign of the zodiac. I bought four postcards: the Aries, the Taurus, the Capricorn and the Libra, and I have bought a really nice postcard with a fairy on the front. So did Zeynep. Ashley bought some nice games.
After the shopping we were taken by bus back to Harwich, where we had to wait a long time for the boat to take us back to Hook of Holland. We thank our teachers for organising this fantastic trip. It was really great!!!!
By Elodie

Sinterklaas

Here in Holland we celebrate "Sinterklaas" on the fifth of December. "Sinterklaas" is a good man. He brings Surprises for all the kids in Holland. That's what they tell the little kids. They believe that "Sinterklaas" is still alive, but in the history he comes from Turkey. With the name St.Nicolaas. He was very rich. One day St.Nicolaas meets two kids. They are very poor. At one night St.Nicolaas gives those two kids shoes and money. Because that is what they wanted. Some people like the story and they make surprises for each other of the family. And that is what they celebrate. They sing a song like "Sinterklaasje Bonne Bonne Bonne" or "De zak van Sinterklaas" and they eat special cookies called speculaasjes and pepernoten. I think it is great that only the Dutch and the Flemish celebrate Sinterklaas. It is really our own festival, unique in the world.

By Annebregt Treling

Halloween and Sint Maarten

There is not much difference between Halloween and the Dutch celebration of St. Maarten on November 11th each year. Halloween means that you want candy and that is the same for St.Maarten. This year I won't do St.Maarten. I can't on that day. AtHalloween you say: Trick or three and at St.Maarten you sing a song. Like:Sint Maarten, Sint Maarten, De koeien hebben staarten, De meisjes hebben rokjes aan daar kom Sinte Maarten aan! In English:Sint Maarten, Sint Maarten, The cows have tails, The girls have skirts and there comes Sinte Maarten! And we also sing Elf november is de dag dat mijn lichtje branden mag. In English:Eleven november is the day that my light may shine. Those are the songs you can sing for St. Maarten. By: Christina van der Lelie , 12 years

Operation shoebox

We are doing a project with Mrs. Hand (or bilingual English teacher) called: Operation shoebox. Operation shoebox means that someone like you (a school kid) puts nice stuff that an African kid wood like as a Christmaspresent in a shoebox. Things like:
-soap or shampoo
-school stuff
- a t-shirt
-a Christmas card
-toys that don't run on electricity (wooden toys, barbie's, etc.)
-an English book
-if you have it African money
The stuff has to be new or in a good condition. If you have enough presents you can decorate your shoebox with what ever you like. You also have to write on the box if it is for a boy or girl and for which age. You have to put elastic around it to keep it together in the airplane. After that you give the box to your English teacher andthan it will be send to Africa. I think it is very good idea to send a shoeboxbecause you only have to spend a few euros and than you can give anAfrican kid a beautiful Christmas.By Iris van der Zwan (12 years)

My geography teacher

Our geography teacher is very nice, he’s not that quick angry.
It’s too bad he’s leaving us when we get in the fourth class.

My mother has been at sailing camp with him when she was one of his students.
Mr. Smit was very delighted when I brought him some pictures of that sailing camp.

There are rules, and one of them is called the eight s’s.
That rule is:
Senior speaks, students silent,
Student speaks, other students silent.

Mr. Smit is also the maker of this site.

He’s always very enthousiast, like when we had Hogwarts Lyceum.
He was the head of the House of Raven claw.

I hope you enjoy our site.

Bye.
Wouter Zonneveld

About the trapped flood horses in the Waddenzee

I think the pictures have gone all over the world about the 150 poor horses stranded on a tiny patch of land, surrounded by flood water. And how 19 horses drowned before help arrived. Fortunately the surviving animals were saved in a combined action of firefighters and 4 brave young women on horseback, who guided the animals through the water to the dike. In my opinion these rescuers are really heroes. I agree with the Dutch political Party For The Animals, which has lodged a complaint with the police against the horses' owner in connection with the death of the 19 animals. I think this is a clear case of neglicency and mishandling, as they failed to move the horses to safety despite an official warning about the heavy storm. By Anna van Dijk (13)

Rules for writers

If you want your writings to be published in this site, these are the rules:

- 200 words maximum (in English)
- you must be a bilingual student of grade 1 or 2 of Hofstad Lyceum
- the subject must be related to geography, sociology, politics or economy (use newspapers and news sites); contributions about daily life (school life included) are also most welcome, as long as the information is interesting for students in other countries!
- write about your own neighbourhood, city, region or country. Or about European integration.
- always add your own opinion in a couple of words
- finish off your contribution by giving your name
- send your contributions to Hans Smit (editor): SMT@hofstadlyceum.nl (as an attachment to your email)
- one picture can be added, but must be sent to me as a seperate (JPG)attachment!!!!!

Who is Geo Stork?

Geo Stork is the nickname of our editor, Mr . Smit. Geo means earth, our planet. A stork is represented in the weapon of The Hague (de Haagse ooievaar). So Geo Stork is a combination of what he and we are interested in (the Hofstadgeographers) as well as the city we live in.

About the Hofstadgeographers

The Hofstadgeographers are students of the Hofstad Lyceum in The Hague, Netherlands. Their objectives with this site are to publish contributions about issues they are interested in and to come in contact with young people from all over the world. So if you react, please don not forget your name and nationality! See you along in our site!!