"A Christmas Carol" performed by one actor only

The 18th of December was a day full of joy for the students of T4 (of Hofstad Lyceum). They have done a lot of hard work to make this day a special day. Students of the Penta College and the WAVE came to our school together with their teachers. But they weren't the only people present there. There also were people from the Europees Platform, British Council and of the STET (Stichting the English Theatre). They are very important to our school, because the Europees Platform is the Dutch Government's organization who make rules for TTO (CLIL) school and they decide whether such a bilingual school becomes a specified TTO school or not. The British Council has sponsored our school for other joint projects in school already and the STET has brought English theatre to our school. In this case they had brought an English actor called Ashley Ramsden, to our school to perform the play "A Christmas Carol" which was written by the famous writer Charles Dickens for approximately 150 people, of which the majority were teenagers. It wasn't an ordinary play, because he played all of the 25 character in "A Christmas Carol". Everyone enjoyed looking at the performance. Unfortunately everything has an ending. By guest writer Darlyne (15), student of Hofstad Lyceum

A message from Portugal

Hello Hofstadgeographers! From Lisbon a Merry Christmas and a happy new year to staff and students of Hofstad Lyceum! I truly hope that in 2007 the decision makers and all the people in the world will take care for the environment. We in Portugal are starting to suffer from the effects of the global warming. For instance, some weeks ago we had a terrible situation all over the country. Many floods and extremely high temperatures for that time of the year. People lost their houses and some died. At the moment temperatures are very low and it's abnormally cold. In the summer we had those horrible fires, which destroyed many of our lovely forests. Therefore, I think it is a good idea to pay attention to the pollution like you do on your fantastic blogsite. I wish you good luck with your geography lessons on environmental problems. Manuela Costa, teacher of the Camilo Castelo Branco High School, Portugal

The Secret Of Hook Of Holland (The End)

Last weekend Lan and I performed the play in the fortress (read the other two stories if you want to know more about this) and we enjoyed it very much! I think the visitors liked it also. The funniest part was by a bully of a sergeant-major. In the daily life, he is very kind, but as sergeant-major… He asks you (as visitor) all kinds of questions, e.g. what is the name of the national anthem and how many couplets there are in that song, etc. If you say the wrong answer, you have to do push-ups. He counted like this: 1,2,3,3,3,3,4,5,5,6,7,7,8,9,10. Instead of doing 10 push-ups, you have to do 15! Must people enjoyed that part (but I don’t know what is so funny about 15 push-ups :p).
In the beginning it was very exciting, but after I wile, you “learn” how your character is, so it is easier to play that character. This play was one of the greatest things I ever done in my life and I am really glad I took part in this play. I know for sure that Lan agrees with me. The photo is of a little part of the cast. I hope you enjoyed this story! THE END
Greetings from Fina (12) And a Happy New Year to all readers of this fantastic site!!

Christmas 2006: Dutch no big spenders!

Compared to other countries the Dutchmen spend relatively little during Christmas time. So a working American spends average 920 euros on Christmas presents and the British on the average 787 euros. Only in Singapore and Japan on the average less is spent on Christmas presents than in the Netherlands. I hope my parents are going to spend a bit more than 200,- euros as my Nintendo Wii costs about E 250,- . Furthermore we go to France and go to ski. So that’s ging to cost also a lot of money. So fingers crossed for my Nintendo……………!!! Perhaps my parents are mild after reading this contribution. MAY BE!! Dutch males spend more than women!! They spend 255,- euro and the women 196,- euro. Chocolate, sweets and candy are at the top of everyone’s list. And also books, CD’s and concert tickets. And in my case a Nintendo!! If you also like Nintendo, please let me know by pushing on comments. Do not forget your name and the country you live in. That is what I had to ask you from our editor, Geo Stork. Merry Chtistmas!! CU!! Tim (12)

The active earth

If you are interested in things like earthquakes, volcanoes and extreme temperatures, I suggest you visit this site: http://www.earthweek.com/ . Weekly a new world map is published with relevant information and useful links. If you click on the icons you get a short description of what happened on that site. Strongly recommended!!! Source: http://wereldvak.blogspot.com/ (also recommended for Dutch speaking visitors!!) Bye! Geo Stork, editor

Award for Hofstadgeographers!!!!

Our beautiful blogsite has been awarded by Kennisnet/Digischool.nl with a gift voucher of E 10,-!! Furthermore our original initiative has been added to a list of good practices in modern teaching! All thanks to you! Congratulations!!! The jury must have been impressed by your nice and interesting contributions. The gift voucher will be disposed by lottery on 31 01 2007 among all contribuants (Guest writers and editor excluded). So read the "Rules for writers" published in November 2006 and give it a try. If you are doubting about the issue you want to write about I suggest you send an email to SMT@hofstadlyceum.nl. Good luck folks!!

Geo Stork, editor

2006, the year of the weather records

July 2006 was the warmest July month of the past three centuries! The month had two heat waves, what is very peculiar. Since 1948 it has not been occurred that there were two heat waves in one year. The record stands on 1947, when in an extremely hot summer four times a period of very high temperatures was registered. In 2006 also the heavy rain fall ensured a record. In the summer fell on no less than thirteen days more than 50 mm precipitation. Furthermore, the month august has been the wettest august since the beginning of the measuring in 1906. With 184 mm precipitation it has been the wettest months of all times. The warmth continued. The KNMI exclaimed September up to the warmest September month in the past three hundred years. I really like this because I love it when it’s warm. You can go to the beach and to the swimming pool. But cold is only fun when it snows outside so you can glide on the snow with your sleigh. I enjoy it when you can have a snowfight and all kind of that winterstuff. Also in the autumn the mercury raised to high values. With average temperatures in the months of September, October and November of 13.6 degrees Celsius we speak of the warmest autumn of the past three centuries. According to the KNMI we can count also the arriving winter not on cold. And that is not good, it’s not fun when it doesn’t snow in a year!! So we have to prevent the greenhouse impact that is ruining winters! Keep the world clean ! By Jeffrey (12)

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day is celebrated yearly on 11 November. It is a day when we remember the people who fought in both world wars and other wars. We don’t only commemorate the people who fought in the war as a soldier but also people who suffered from that. Originally this memorial day was called Armistice Day but we renamed it to Remembrance Day after World War II. Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day, because it is traditional to wear an artificial poppy (a kind of rose as you can see in the picture). Poppies are sold for charity purposes. Like what in Holland is common on May 4th we keep a two minute’s silence on this day. Most English speaking countries celebrate Remembrance Day(Poppy Day). By Alexandra Katanaev (12)

The best street party of The Hague

We, Mieke and Pamela, live in the same street in The Hague. Every year in the last week of the summer holiday, we have got a big party in our street. The name of the street is Viandenstraat. You can do all kind of little games and there is also a barbeque, an air cushion, music, a bar and a big fire and sometimes they even light fireworks in the evening! You can also eat a lot of things such as; kebabs, steak, hamburgers, bacon and French fries. We think that it is very much fun. It is every year fantastic and the organisation is very good. Every year the day after we attend the BIG party, which is also a little party because then we eat the leftovers from the day before and everyone helps cleaning up. Come along in the Viandenstraat in August 2007. We are sure you will enjoy yourself!!
Bye, bye! Mieke and Pamela (13)

There are dunes of 114 metres high!

In Physical geography a dune is a hill of sand built by eolian processes (wind erosion, it blows the sand hill like it is). Actually there is more… Twenty-thousand years ago was the last ice-age. The North Sea was almost dry; you could walk from Holland to England. Approximately 1300 years ago the sea level was rising slowly. In the middle ages the climate changed, but the temperature was low and there were a lot of storms. A new dune complex was formed: the young dunes. During storms the dunes started to walk . They became higher with aid of helmet grass and the wind that throws the sand on the top of the dunes. Now the dunes are quite bigger. In France is a dune called Dune Du Pila, near Basin the Arcachon. They are the highest dunes of Europe. The dunes stretch 500 metres from east to west and 3 kilometres from north to south. The dunes are 114 metres high. The name of the dune is inferred of the word pilla. Pilla means battery in the language Gascons.
My opinion is that dunes are great. I like to run on it and roll of the dunes (It is forbidden to walk on it so don’t do the same as me!). My tip is: Take a look at Dune du Pila, I’ve been there and it is really cool, it looks like a desert when you’re standing on it. I haven’t roll of those dunes because my parents forbid that.

From Richelle, class T1B

Why I feel European?

In most European countries we use the same coin; the Euro. When we go on holiday in Europe we never have to change our money, except in a few countries. The intern market has grown. There is free traffic of goods, services and persons. Holland is a trade country. We use this free market to increase Holland’s prosperity. All the citizens profit from the increase of Holland’s prosperity. We, as students, can study in Europe. Europe helps students who want to study abroad with all kinds of programmes and activities. For example, you can get an Erasmus-scholarship. We can also work and live anywhere we want in Europe. You can get medical treatment, when the waiting time is too long in Holland, in one of the countries of Europe. The insurance company has to compensate for the costs of the treatment if it isn’t more than in Holland. Holland is a little country when you look at the world map. With the help of Europe, Holland’s participation is improved. Europe is more able to face problems world-wide, with the help of all the countries of Europe. And because of all this I feel European!
By guest writer Iris Sengers (18), student of Hofstad Lyceum, The Hague, Holland

We love the seals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The seal créche Pieterburen takes care about seals, when they are hurt by fish nets or when they could drown. The seal créche Pieterburen helps this seals and make them better. When they are better they put them back in the sea. The seals are living in the Wadden Sea. This créche is in the North of Groningen. There are 19 species of seals in the world and 2 of them are living in the shallow waters of the Wadden Sea.The Seal asylum excist 35 years! That is a really long time so they have make a new logo and change the name. Now it is : Lenie 't Hart. Lenie 'tHart started to take care the seals. The first time she had a weak seal shetook him in a bath in her own back yard. So started Seal créche Pieterburen .The site you really should visit is: http://www.zeehondencréche.nl/ . Then you click on English. You can give money to Pieterburen or Lenie 't Hart. So they can help the seals better. I think the seal créche is really good because we can save the lives of a seal. Christina vd Lelie (13)

Clinton goes for Rotterdam

Bill Clinton founded the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a group of forty metropolises that work together to bring down the CO2-expulsion. On the 7th of December, he came to the Netherlands to discuss the changing weather situation and the global warming. Clinton chose Rotterdam to take part of this project, because of its impact of Rotterdam-Rijnmond and it’s harbour.
The forty metropolises are responsible for 75% of the expulsion of all the greenhouse gasses in the world. The CCI tries to solve the problem by its roots. I think that, if they work together by combining the best techniques and the highest educated people, we can change the weather situation in time. The CCI is a huge project that shows the world that we must do something before it is too late. The most important of all is to show the world that we can do something.

By guest writer Denise Meijer (18) student of Hofstad lyceum, The Hague, Holland

The secret of Hook of Holland (2)

If you want to make a stage-play, the first thing to do is to make a good story and find and a nice place for the performance. The last thing was easy: the fortress of Hook of Holland. Now my father and his friend wrote the story. They found out there was a problem. In the story, there is a girl, but she must be on 2 places! With other words: 1 person on 2 places at the same time!! I am that girl so there must be a Fina-look-a-like. We choose for Lan: because she is of the same length, has brown hair and she looks like me. Her parents gave permission so that’s okay. Because we are the same person (our name is Barbara), we must wear the same clothes. It s a brown/white dress, pair of "klompen"(wooden shoes) and also a funny hat. All the things that we wear are in the theme of the Middle Ages. We read the story over and over again until we know what to do. This is because we have no script. So we have to do it by heart. We do not mind: we love playing those roles. It is really fun!!. Greeting from Fina and Lan ! We are looking forward to reading your reactions. Please click on comments!

Royal family celebrates Amalia's anniversary

Our lovely princess Amalia has reached 3 years of age! The crown prince Willem Alexander (her daddy) made nice pictures of her anniversary, which were published in the newpapers and a different one now also on our blogsite. Amalia’s anniversary was celebrated together with her younger sister Alexia and Maxima, Willem Alexander’s charming wife. The four of them had a wonderful day, I guess. But Maxima is pregnant again!!! We don’t now if it will be a girl or a boy... I hope that it’s a girl because I’m a girl myself and then they would have 3 daughters. I have two sisters too and I am fond of them! But a new prince would be good as well, of course! ;-))) Love and greetings from Holland from Beaudine(13)

All Dutchmen walk on wooden shoes ;-)))))

If you think: in Holland everybody walks on clogs you are completely wrong. Neither do we all live in windmills or have only tulips in our back yard! But in the 18th and 19th century, wooden shoes were quite normal. And even now quite a few farmers wear them. The oldest clog ever found is +/- 1250 years old. They where made to protect one’s feet in the muddy streets and in the marshy lands. Sometimes small boards were attached to the wooden shoes, in order not to sink away in the wetlands
Originally clogs were worn by women. Around 1700 it was slowly going to be popular among men. Clogs were always made of the wood of the willow. Nowadays you can buy many types of klompen everywhere in Holland (in souvenirshops). From tiny miniatures to nicely decorated big ones. I like them very much because they are so special for the culture of Holland. Please let me know, whether wooden shoes also exist in your country!!! Bye, bye! Dennis (13)

Our beautiful dunes

Hello, I’m Casper (12). I’m going to tell you something about our dunes. The Dutch coast is mainly built up out of dunes. The dunes protect us from the sea, because our country lies below sea level. The dunes are natural shapes, but they’re very handy. They clean most of our drinking water, you can walk really nice in it, or ride a horse or bike, they protect us from the sea and so on. There live many animals in the dunes, rabbits, birds (mostly sea gulls and ducks), foxes, lizards and much more. You mostly see the birds, because they live in the middle of the day. The rabbits live in the evening, so you don’t see them very much. There are also many plants. The dunes are very rough and there isn’t much water at some places. The plants that there live are mostly plants that can really good stand drought. The plants must be very strong, because there are sand storms and sometimes salt storms. Too much salt on the plants isn’t good. The salt absorbs water of the plant, so the plant dries out. The Dutch dunes are beautiful and I like them. Sometimes I’m going with my mountain bike to the dunes and that’s fun (and good for your condition).

Callum's collage

Hi folks!

I made this collage especially for our beautiful blogsite. The ship in the front is the one we took to our trip to Colchester. It is a high speed ferry boat from Hook of Holland to Harwich, England. Unfortunately the service will not be continued... By the end of the year it is over and out!!! So if you live in GB and you want to visit Madurodam or the peace palace I'm afraid you have to swimm after January 1st. So sorry! Callum Austin, 13

Korfball: for boys and girls

Hello everybody,
I want to write something about my favourite sport korfball. I play it together with me girlfriend Lan. It is a very nice sport because you have to play together because it is a team sport. Unlike ather sports boys and girls play together in the same team!The meaning of korfball is to shoot the ball in the basket and so you score a point.Here are some rules: you have to defend you antagonist very good otherwise they score a point. You play with 8 players in a team 4 of them going to defend and the other 4 going to attack. You have to shoot from the ground to above the basket and not from downstairs! One game is 2 times 25 minutes with 10 minutes time out. If you score the most points in 50 minutes you win! After the time out you have to stand in the other part of the field and if you have defended you have to attack and the other way around. I have written something about korfball because it is not a very popular sport. I hope that you maybe going to play it with your friends and I am sure that you will enjoy it!!.
Greetings from Susan (13)