Abandoned but not forgotten
Located in North Brabant, Asten, Asten Castle has stood against time for over 600 years. It’s been decades since the Asten Castle had occupants. Many of the efforts to restore it have fallen through. We had a wonderful tour guide to explained to us the origins and history.

The most recent disaster to hit was World War II, which sealed the deal on the Castle being a ruin. It may have been erected as far back as the Middle Ages and was used as a fortified house. During the Dutch Renaissance it was converted into a castle by Bernard van Merode. There are double moats around the castle and a 2 bridge system as well. There is even a basement where food was stored during the summer. It’s cooler underground so the natural lower temperature helped to prevent food spoilage.

Outside sits a small wall, a memory of the past. It had been a dungeon where witches and even a werewolf had been held for trail. I wish our tour guide had more information!

Peaceful Grounds
The area around the Castle was lush forest and not 1but 2 moats! There were a lot of activities both for adults and kids. And the ruins itself was amazing to explore. The architecture was beautiful, even if most of it was far past the glory days. What was interesting to see, was what was missing. Locals had dismantled a few rooms for the bricks and the stone so areas, like the main seating hall, were missing. Instead the curator had displays to show where people might have spent their evenings.

More than Historical
These days Asten Castle is a national monument. There have been some talks about bringing it into the modern age but nothing set in stone. It’s currently a private piece of land but tours are available. The wonderful think about Asten Castle, is that it’s more than a piece of history, it’s a piece of heritage. As with many European countries, that heritage isn’t always the most wholesome. But the Dutch are doing their part in educating the next generation of Dutch citizens.

Castle Day
We happened to be in the area in time for Castle Day. That meant that the courtyard was alive with activity. There were food vendors, live music, and craft beer for sale. While we didn’t stay for any of the food, we had a wonderful time. There were demonstrations on many interesting topics, including Dutch bee keeping! For the children, there was a ton of stuff to do. Plenty of games, activities and even a story telling event in the forest. To get to the story teller, kids had to travel the path and answer questions about the nature around them.

Final Thoughts
I’m thankful we were able to experience Asten Castle. It’s not open everyday to the public and we came at the right time. I love visiting historical landmarks and ruins. They tell a story from the past and that’s exactly what Asten Castle is. It’s fascinating to see how old buildings were constructed, and how they stand up to the test of time. It’s disappointing that much of the castle was destroyed. But there are still memories to experience at the location. Asten Castle is a delicious slice of Dutch history that I, as an immigrant, love eating up.

Much of the information here is from the Dutch Wikipedia page and from our tour guide, but you can also find good details on Castles.nl.

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What is the Dutch Residency Permit?
Dutch Residency Permit is important for a non-Dutch citizen like myself. It allows me to travel most of Europe without a passport for up to 90 days. But most importantly it allows me to live in The Netherlands without issue. It’s the official ID for non-Dutch residents and without it I’d be living here illegally!

When can I get one?
This special permit is granted after filing for one with the Dutch Integration website. Sander and I are together and that’s the main reason for my stay. We had to prove our relationship to the government. It was an easy enough process and I received mine after a few months of waiting. After that comes the hard part. I had to complete the Dutch Integration Exams. These include (when I took them) 5 exams and one job interview known as the ONA. I had 3 years to do them, so I had enough time to practice and get pretty good scores. The Dutch Residency Permit placed me in the system and reminders came almost monthly about taking the exams… It’s actually pretty important and the fines for failure are quite high.

How long does it last?
My particular Dutch Residency Permit lasts for 5 years! There are permits that are only 1 year though so be aware of what sort of permit you have.

How can I renew my permit?
After I had gotten the results of my tests, I got silence from the government. I had no idea what I’d have to do when the ID came close to expiring so I got worried. Lucky for me, I got a letter in the mail that alerted me when I was eligible to renew my permit. The process is super simple compared to everything else. Log into the website, answer some questions about yourself, and pay the fee.

It does ask if the reason for living in The Netherlands is the same. In my case it is! We’ve applied and we’re now waiting to see if I need to go in for fingerprints and an updated signature. They also mention I might need a passport photo, so I’ll have to dig mine out! I applied for a new passport last year and that process went super smooth.

How do I become a citizen?
In my particular circumstances, I can actually apply for citizenship this year. However, there are conditions. The biggest one is, I would have to give up my American Citizenship. That’s not something I’d like to do though, as I still have family and assets in America. One way around this is to either marriage or a domestic partnership with Sander. I may need to take a few exams as well. The stress and paperwork don’t seem worth it right now so all I’m doing is a renewal. But this also means that if something happens to Sander or our relationship dissolves, I cannot stay in The Netherlands. My reason for being here is to be with him and if that reason is void then I need to go back to America!

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Orange for days
Sander shocked me this morning when he wore a neon orange shirt. I do the laundry in the house but I had never seen that shirt before! It’s safe to say that while not all Dutch wear orange on King’s day, they at least have one article of clothing in that bright shade. It’s the same shade of a traffic cone and I can’t help but laugh when I think about it. It all goes back to the history and origin story of The Netherlands but that’s a tale for another day. Still, the Dutch go all out with orange.

Delicious delights
And that neon doesn’t stop with clothing! From cookies and cakes to limited edition pastries, the Dutch have covered everything in their signature color. It’s like how Americans deck themselves out in red, white, and blue. Without showing their flag, you know exactly what’s going on. For us the bakeries are closed and that meant that Oranje Tompouce were in short supply. Our local grocery was sold out so I went with the next best thing, zoenen! These delicious chocolate covered marshmallows were everywhere! I know I said I don’t eat chocolate anymore but I made a small exception to try one. Super tasty for sure!

Flags on every pole
If there’s a flag pole, it’s got the Dutch flag and an orange wimpel. It’s a long, thin flag that flies on the best of occasions. The orange one goes up only for royal birthdays (the most important being King’s Day) but there are a few other varieties of wimpels too. Sander told me there’s a Dutch saying, “met vlag en wimpel” which has an equivalent for English speakers, “passing with flying colors.” I walked to the grocery store today almost every house had a flag and wimpel out. There were also orange banner flags, you know the small triangle ones that sit on a line. It’s so great to see pride that some people have for their country and it reminds me how I feel about American… Even through it’s up and downs, it’s still the place of my birth.

United Power
The lock down has been hard for a lot of people. I see many of the older neighbors forget to stand at a distance. The lack of communication with family and friends must be difficult for them. The same people who would stand out on the corner and talk for hours now can only wave at each other. I know Sander’s parents struggle sometimes. One of the neighbors put a sign in the hallway, that it would be nice if everyone could stand on their balcony at 4pm to share in a toast. It was a sweet gesture and a sign that things are bad now but they will get better.

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But what about real Dutch words? The ones that make you sound like you’re gargling soup. Well I want to share my favorite ones because sharing is caring!

Snuisterijen
Have you ever had trinkets in your home? Things you don’t necessarily need but you love keeping them around anyway? Items that remind you of wonderful places or nostalgic times? That’s exactly what snuisterijen are. They’re bits and bobs around the home that make you feel things. If you’ve seen Marie Kondo and her series, then you know that snuisterijen are items usually spark joy.

Spannend
There are times in our lives where we have a nervous energy that can’t be described. That feeling of taking an exam and waiting for the results. That moment when you ring the doorbell of someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Spannend can be a lot of things but it’s most commonly used for a tense feeling where the anticipation is overwhelming.

Wandeling
I’ve written about wandeling before and I’ll talk about it until the day I die. The Dutch have lopen, which is the verb to walk. But wandelen is something entirely different. It’s a walk where the goal is to just enjoy the stroll, the journey, the path being taken. It’s about taking it all in and having a walk for pure pleasure. There’s a distinct different when you tell someone lopen and when you tell someone wandelen. It’s a common word because the Dutch do it all the time. It’s popular on holidays and often becomes the main part of a vacation.

Uitwaaien
I had never known of uitwaaien before so it’s a new word for me. But it’s a beautiful one. It means to get a breath of fresh air, and the Dutch know all about that. The air here is so clean and clear most days. There are days where I open all the windows in the house just to get some fresh air. Uitwaaien can be applied to that. Or maybe after a long vacation, you’ve gotten all the fresh air in your lungs and you feel at peace. It’s a wonderful word that encompasses many situations! It can mean that there’s a strong wind outside, so go outside with caution!

Houden van
I think the Dutch have a romantic way of saying “I love you.” Houden is the Dutch verb to hold or keep. When Sander tells me “Ik hou van jou,” he’s basically telling me that he holds me close to himself. He’s told me he loves me hundreds of times in English, but he’s only said it in Dutch once. And it still makes me smile. It’s such a personal way to tell someone you love them. That you want to hold and keep them close. There’s something intimate about it that made me feel shy and a bit embarrassed around him when he said it. It felt almost like puppy love, that warm and cuddly feeling of a fresh romance. And we’ve been living together for over 3 years now!

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll also enjoy A Few More Beautiful Dutch Words!

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Christmas Markets
I’ve written about Christmas Markets before but it’s such a huge part of Christmas in The Netherlands. Christmas decorations hang from every store front in America. Outdoor house decorations get larger and crazier each year. That level of holiday dedication isn’t common in The Netherlands. Instead holiday enjoyers flock to the Christmas Markets to get their holiday cheer on. Even if we don’t go to buy anything, it’s exciting to see all the markets selling their wares.

Delicious dinners
The Dutch typically do gourmetten but this year we’re having cheese fondue! The best thing about Dutch holidays is all the food! There’s always more than enough to go around and it is delicious. Don’t forget though, if you come early you’re going to get a served a cake or pastry with your coffee! My favorite holiday snack is a bite sized gingerbread cookie with a salted caramel coat… We’ve gone through several bags now! And then after dinner comes dessert so make sure you have enough room in your belly!

Family times
The Dutch always take the time to visit family. The Netherlands is so small that travelling takes no time at all. Sometimes these family gatherings are huge and sometimes they’re intimate. Other times, family doesn’t mean blood relations. A friend from Sander’s mom comes to celebrate every year with us. It’s a beautiful and touching display of how family includes everyone. That’s just how the Dutch celebrate Christmas!

Not one but two
The Dutch celebrate Christmas on two days, the 25th and the 26th. The 26th is the Tweede Kerstdag, or 2nd Christmas day. In other parts of Europe, it’s known as Boxing day! I had no idea that the name Boxing day comes from when the donation boxes open to collect for those in need. While the Dutch don’t observe it as such, it is an extra day off for family and relaxation. We didn’t celebrate Boxing day in California so Tweede Kerstdag is still interesting for me to observe.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Christmas! I still have a few more posts before the New Year hits so until then, Happy Holidays!

Let me just note that this is how I’ve experienced Christmas in The Netherlands and I can’t speak for everyone!

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It’s also the place where Sander’s parents were wed! How wonderful is that? The interior was breathtaking. Sure there were lots of shops that took up most of the floor but the wallpaper was a total mood. Photos were so hard to take and I wish I had gotten a better shot!

Vendors line the paths around the castle and sell their wares to the crowds. Items this year ranged from candles and Christmas decorations to skincare and household goods. I’ll admit I bought much more than I had hoped to. But in my defense, I can’t pass up tea I’ve never heard of! I jump at the chance to try out new and interesting tea flavors.

It’s normal for the Dutch to travel outside of The Netherlands to visit these elebroate markets. The markets in Germany seem to be the most beautiful. Sander’s sister loves to frequent them. Infact, she’s in Dortmund right now! The photos she sent where unbelievable. The Dutch markets are less about fancy decorating and more about selling.

We also ended up buying a Dutch holiday staple, oliebollen. It’s a fried ball of dough and can come with currents inside as well. We decided to get some of each. I’ve believe that oliebollen are a New Year’s tradition. But I always see them come out around Christmas time and at festivals.

There were two main areas to explore, inside the castle and the castle grounds. We were lucky that the weather had improved over the week. There was a lot of rain throughout the week and the sun was a blessing. The idea behind these markets is to enjoy the holiday and buy gifts for the family or friends. Of course you don’t have to do that! I ended up buying a beautiful piece of canvas art because it spoke volumes to me!

It was also perfect weather to enjoy traditional Dutch eats. We saw smoked salmon and bread baked in huge stone ovens. It was a smell I’ll never forget! That’s one thing I love about the Dutch. Their traditional food is still celebrated and served after all this time. All in all this Christmas Market was a wonderful time. I would love to go again! I’m not if we have more markets planed for this year but there’s always something new and riveting to see!

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I understand that they want to make sure that foreigners understand the market… But I enjoy working from home. Sure, I’m not getting paid (this blog is too small for sponsorships!) but I love what I do here. For the time being I don’t have any intentions of becoming a member of the workforce but I needed to do this anyway…

The Dutch ONA has 8 cards to fill in.

Occupational orientation
What sort of job would be perfect for you? You can choose 3 jobs to talk about but from those you need to choose what job you’d like to focus on. This card talks about the reasons for why you choose that particular job and what are your qualifications for it.

Realistic professional image
This card addresses your personal preferences when it comes to job. What hours would you like to keep? What dress attire is appropriate? Do you need to improve on yourself to be able to take this job? Also where would you like to work? A commute is serious, how do you feel about that? These questions are all answered here.

Know your characteristics
This card is all about your personality. It’s short and to the point, which is nice!

Professional opportunities
This card is all about job listings. I used Monster.nl to find my listings and came away with 261 for my chosen field. I had to list two job listings and explain why I wanted to apply for this jobs.

Professional competences
This particular card talks about what extra course I could take to help me with my job. Thanks to my wonderful tutor, we found something that was not only relevant, but also interesting to talk about. I listed the course, why I wanted to take it, and how it would benefit me.

Building a network
Everyone has a social network but this card addressed that on a professional level. I have a few Dutch contacts that I was able to list, including Sander’s boss!

To find a job
This card was all about internships and the like. Did I want to do volunteer work? Did I want to do an internship? I said no to both as I’ve done all this in America.

Work culture
This card is about the differences in work culture. Want to know a good one? In The Netherlands people get so much time off of work. And it’s all paid vacation time!

The long wait
I’ve heard horror stories of people waiting for up to 8 months to hear back from the people at the ONA. I was so terrified about missing my due date that I worked hard and submitted my paper work as fast as I could. It took 2 weeks to hear back. Then another 2 weeks for my appointment date. I had to go in and then talk to two people about my answers on my cards.

First time’s a charm
Except this time it was not. I went in blind without knowing what to talk about. I had been busy cramming for my other exams. See this was the situation. I registered a month earlier for the last of my tests. I had signed up for Dutch writing, speaking, and general knowledge of the culture (I had saved the hardest for last). Then two weeks before my scheduled date I get a letter in the mail. You have your Dutch ONA appointment on this date. It was the same date as my exams.

I didn’t have time to review my answers or understand them well. There was information that wasn’t satisfactory. I was missing valuable knowledge for my interview and I failed. My errors list went on and on. I was heartbroken for a week.

Redo!
For my 2nd attempt I called in a professional, my tutor! We went over the answers that I assumed I got wrong. She opened my eyes to what the questions were asking for. Boy was I off in some places! Together we redid the trouble areas and resubmitted my answers. Two weeks later I got a notice that the answers were good enough for me to apply for a new appointment. And I did.

I had my 2nd Dutch ONA interview the morning of August 29th. It was at 10am and Sander dropped me off about an hour and a half early. He had to go to work of course. The commute via public transport would have taken forever so he decided to drive me. I waited in the brisk morning air for the building to open. After that I went inside and signed in. After that I had to wait another hour before my appointment. I saw my older interviewer and my heart dropped.

Thankfully I was called in by someone else. The two ladies this time around were wonderful and seemed thrilled for me to be there. We talked about my cards, my answers, my hopes and dreams and anything else they wanted to know. Mid interview I noticed that my heart wasn’t pounding. I actually felt comfortable answering their questions. They told me it would take 10 days to see my results online. I left with a smile and I don’t want to get my hopes up but this time felt so good.

The moral of the story is sometimes there are situations that can’t be helped! You have to put on a stiff upper lip and keep moving forward!

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Most of these pieces I’ve only seen in my textbooks. Finally getting to see them in person was a surreal experience. I’m an art major, Graphic Design so art is very important to me. Art is apart of our culture. Long before we could take photographs, we painted. They were a way of capturing the moment and keeping it forever.

We spent our time in the wing of 1650 to 1700 pieces. It was Golden Age for The Netherlands but not every piece was about wealth. Some showcased life as a struggle. The wealthy were the richest in the land while the poor remained that way.

It’s also important to understand that the people in the portraits and the painters, were human. It’s so easy to look at a painting and judge it as good, bad, a masterpiece or a piece of garbage. Each piece, no matter how you feel about it, meant something to the creator and the commissioner. It might have been a wedding portrait to immortalize a nobleman and his wife on their special day. It may have been a winter morning outside the artist’s front door.

Some pieces immortalized a part of history, like a war ship going down among enemy ships. Another one we saw held the surrendering of a town during war. These paintings are results of the daily times. As history buffs revel in their facts, art history buffs can swim in the stories smeared on canvas.

It is important to take note that the museum is monstrous in size. Usually Sander and I can do about 2-3 hours tops before we start to get restless. That’s how we are, both mindful of the history and we respect it enough to know when we’ve had enough. We’re going to look into getting a membership so that we can wander in when we’re in the area, which is actually more often than I thought.

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