Last night was the second Dutch language class with the Volksuniversiteit. The first one was all about politics. This class was all about having an opinion and the different verbal methods used to express it. Obviously, given these two topics, it's an inburgerings cursus as well. What Dutch person doesn't like to have a strong opinion about politics?
We also learned something that I doubt they teach in the official inburgerings cursus over at the ROC. We learned that when a person turns 50 they are said to have "seen Abraham" or in the case of a woman "seen Sarah". This means that you are older and wiser and should be listened to by those who have not reached such an age. Therefore your neighbors should then take notice when you tell them to pick their dog's shit off the sidewalk from in front of your house. Good luck.
You can buy or rent Abraham or Sarah dolls or wooden cutouts to put in front of your house to advertise the event to the whole neighborhood, the same as with storks at a baby's birth. You can also buy cakes decorated with Abraham or Sarah for your birthday party. And since this is the Netherlands we're talking about, you KNOW there will be a birthday party. Gezellig.
Best expression learned last night: Over smaak valt niet te twisten.
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1 comment:
They teach me how to shop in my inbuggerings class! That's it...lol.
As for the Abraham doll thing, it is the number one reason that my Dutchie has NO intention of being in the country on his birthday this year. "No one is putting one of those stupid Abraham dolls on our lawn!!" He's a (very) lapsed Catholic number one; number two reason is that he just thinks it's dumb. But then he doesn't do Sinterklaas either because "the songs are stupid".
I'm going to flunk my MO at this rate!!
Love the blog...very informative without being overly crabby!
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