My first Dutch Christmas was much like my first Dutch Thanksgiving, except that Thanksgiving is an American holiday that could pass by unnoticed Amsterdam. Christmas, however, is impossible to ignore. The city was ghostly, and most grocery stores, shops, and cafes were closed. So, if one does not have family or friends who do not have family nearby, there’s not a lot to do.
I had originally planned on traveling during Christmas, but I decided against doing so when a mound of work piled up on my plate. So, in town with no one to spend the holiday with, I pounced on the opportunity to attend a party that was advertised on the Couchsurfing website.
Rachelle, a woman from Amsterdam, was in a position similar to mine, so she decided to host some international travelers at her apartment and invite twenty or so other travelers and expat orphans to join her in her apartment on Christmas evening.
It was a perfect place to be when away from traditional friends and family. The attendees, who were from Finland, Canada, the U.S., Australia, Turkey, Poland, Slovenia, South Korea, France, Brazil, Mexico, and others countries I’m sure I’ve forgotten, all seemed grateful to share the company of a group of friends, even if they were only friends for that night. I know that I felt some regret at not being with family for the holiday, and some others made similar comments. But there was also some recognition that the party might be a pretty cool place to spend the holiday. I heard more than one person mention jealousy from friends who complained about being driven crazy by their family.
So, in all, a memorable Christmas, and another especially positive experience spending time with a group of complete strangers from around the world.
Rachelle, the hostess, on the right, and her two guests from Finland.
KwangSub, who is biking around the world, and all of the caricatures he drew on people's cups.
I approve of this gathering.
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