17 year old Boluwatife Salami, has come to the Netherlands from Nigeria and is finding the warm attitudes of the Dutch, combined with their organised public transportation system, a welcoming surprise.
A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT
The environment in The Hague has been nothing but welcoming, clean, organized and peaceful. Arriving here, I was surprised to meet the properly made roads and adequate caring for the shrubs and trees at the side of the roads. The safeness of the roads has also guaranteed me a more free environment to exercise my right of movement.
TRANSPORTATION THAT WORKS
The transportation in The Hague has been very effective on my coming here. The variety of public transportation has been very accommodating such as the trains, buses and trams, and the rate at which they move in accordance to the time-schedule is very functional as it enables me to arrive at school and remain extremely punctual.
CELEBRATIONS AND EVENTS
A Dutch holiday that I have been pleased to take part in is ‘The Kings Day’, which celebrates the birth of King Willem-Alexander, the day is filled with so much joy and laughter and I got to celebrate such an eventful holiday with my friends at centrum, den Haag.
One memorable section of the day was the performance of some dancers that were all covered in the beautiful national colour, orange, and I delighted in eating delicious ‘poffertjes’.
SHOPPING CENTRES
The shopping centres in The Hague, particularly at leidsenhage and winkelcentrum have been very hospitable, as they have been important aids in helping me adjust to the very cold weather in the Netherlands.
A Bit About Me
My name is Boluwatife Salami, I am a seventeen year old who moved to The Hague in October, 2013. Coming here to the Netherlands, I felt I would be totally excluded from being fully indulged in the ‘Dutch culture’. But due to the open-mindedness and patience amongst the Dutch people, they have accommodated me, even though I do not communicate quite well in their native language.
Interests and Hobbies
Since I was 10, I have always been interested in Volleyball and learning the French language, which is still in working progress. The sports centre in The Hague has helped me become more of a professional in volleyball and has further taught me how to play Badminton, which first proved difficult… but through the patience of my sports coach, I am becoming quite the professional.
Education
The British School In The Netherlands (2013-present) -year 12
