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7/16/1957 - America Through Young Dutch Eyes by Boyd R. Compton

America Through Young Dutch Eyes NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT VrORLD AFFAIRS Laan N Indle Gravenha The Netherlands July Mr W S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York6 New York Dear Mr Rogers Martien Anneke extremely attractive forth right Dutch girls twenty Two years received scholar ships American Field Service spend school seniors Americsn schools while living American families They still quite about their adventure American listening being interested impressions wince their complete honesty It accident I Mrtien Anneke haven other Dutch youngsters United States A F S since remarkable organization started giving school exchange scholarships Chances I erent stories twenty eight Dutch students participated program Mar Anneke enough however their stories cover cultural ground without going analysis Martlen affectionate fmily loving while Anneke fiercely independent In seems proper Martien south spend small Virginia Anneke north large Minnesota Naturally these fscts temperament geography color paraphrased interviews I written below It should borne fairly Dutch families A F S travel expenses pocket money young students Anneke The clouds blackening thunderstorm I Anneke interview under striped awning sidewalk Bultenhof I spied sitting front tables I wondered firmness opinion purpose could hidden behind child With straight white blond Delft Anneke looks young almost Dutch She showed seriousness erudite lecture Grotlus presented mixed American English Dutch group looking scholarly slightly elated I discovered excitement weather likes thunderstorms indiscriminately secretarial Job found before import export company You began It matter forgetting everything I learned business school fitting completely methods office That Is benefit I gained going America I learned forget position Oh first office I letters Dutch English French German I mistakes I discouraged I mother evening I think I could laughed Finally after these years This first I heard anything Of course I better From answers questions about A F S America I gathered Anneke already quite competent dealing situations years To frank Anneke I think chose American family wisely Wy would family daughters I three sisters mother least knows ethinK about girls But Amerlcan family treated would first I confused because American father wouIdn In Holland When people something wrong expect their families friends criticize If I I making mistake adjusting I directly American parents would There another A F S school German lived years East Germany She different family At first Ursula thought lucky because American family strict everything everything But after months noticed other girls school freedom After while American family One thing about Ursula honest She complained about family school country I listen But admltted things about herself For instance conceited Since I friend I Yes Ursula extremely conceited And After number months stopped complaining enjoyed American doing thlngs When ended leave Ursula cried leave Americans criticism I noticed Americans criticizing their country foreigner Just little thing against America upset I thought first Americans chauvinistic After something wrong someone saying Or school district students money If school mentioned downtown people would snobs It difflcul school I thought first Late I found school vervy compare Dutch schools courses HOlland liked Typing Speech instance We course American Problems which But I talking about problems experience I example One American Problems Integra Negro speaker It discussion students school known Negroes Outside class interested American Problems The girls interested Sometimes would about sying things I bored Then Ursula I would ourselves discussing books ideas The other girls these things At first I trouble understanding people meant I their English always compliment Someone I sweet pretty I happy first I asked myself I really sweet pretty I talked Ursula about decided Americans always sometimes hypocritical Some kidding course There groups class I celled ellte outsiders Fortunately I included elite I think because elite girls enough money entertain foreign students Even elite girls Jobs after school could clothes parts their My young American brother flfteen service station steady friend lived downtown He crazy worked T think students materialistic DUtch students matters money example I materialism I going steady obviously I asked because without weekends Heavens I would rather alone steady I It struck Ia principle feeling The important thing girls They dress Anyone different liked I people different personalities I noticed always thought classroom S hehad interesting ideas I decided become friend I found unpopulsr I became friend anyhow Another extremely religious The American students religious Dutch students general thing extreme So I I surprised addition being religious parties dances The other girls liked It difficult close American girls because their cliques If group girls gossiping Ursula I jIned would This lonely first ecided I would Just patient Part fault For example there trouble about lipstick When I America I thought It Finally American mother I better least little I wouldn I adjusting So I bought What difference The American girls pleased liked better after I looked You American clothes cheap material I couldn waste money dresses shops Finally I downtown store bought expensive dresses materlal Dutch standards The American girls clothes interested style Anneke beginning comments suddenly stopped office I succeeded paying coffee always victory question What important thing learned America nneke She already unlocking bicycle answered I think adjust group And smile artien At twenty Martien undeniably beauty auburn haired elegant fragile enough initial appearance helplessness In actual helpless friend Anneke picnic surprised every proving things first class baseball player Anomalies aside straight forward story spent small Virginia where first learned baseball Where Anneke speaks detachment analytical skill experiences north Martien tends about successes failures family social Her attitude integration Negro problem typical enlightening segregationist kindly It accident American family precisely viewpoint students white school uniformly against social contact between races I tempted think independent mined Anneke situation would upset family friends taking opposite position But Martien There beautiful schools Negroes downtown explained I Negroes would happy school I against integration I think until cultural level Negroes equal thene force pople associate conditions Negro Washington simply awful SomeoftheNegroeslivelike theyIveinsuchdirty ouses their cultural level I think would mistake force integration educated Negroes ifferemt At first I understand position Negroes Once I wrong another white change Another Negro woman getting children I helped lifted children sidewalk Heavens The trouble caused One friends American mother That night I received lecture about mistake I I really think I wrong So I prejudiced I angry I about peopS Autherine Lucy trying cause trouble Alabama Taking those photographers school I wouldn surprised bribed Martien calmed started escribe American fsmilies lived My first family fromOhio Virginia They people truth I happy there because their family different Dutch family I paying guest I toothpaste And first American mother wottldn I mistake would Once I thought I would housework bearing small I clean At dinner evening family hinting someone gotten window sills bushes house right anything directly After while I tired asked mother I wrong Then I always house The family quite money American sister wardrobe every summer At first I clothes because I Americans change their clothes every Of course I realized later climate But sister clothes every perfectly dresses skirts Salvation Once I Joked asked clothes since She seemed embarrassed nything One troubles first family interest cultural things They looked TV never missed operas My American sister listen popular record programs radio which between The important things listen Halo Shampoo record program every morning One I listened classical music station evening My mistake I forgot I The morning sister turned Halo Shampoo wonderful classical music She angry never radio again She moved other Please think I first family They people But asking about problems adjustment I Just giving examples My second American family originated Alabama They wonderful people loved enjoy family There always guests plenty bourbon house If guests afternoon might until would upset My second mother I She Martlen salad today afternoon I cleaning library living They cultured people They offered lessons That extremely course I couldn accept another thing turned TV there especil program Most whole family would together I American brothers sister could either mother father They never their children Most simple things played listened music Just books It friendly family Holland Our school included seventh twelfth grades The difficult I think standards lower Dutch schools though stress different The thing I liked about schools practical aspect studies Hers Holland study biology years finally experiment In America cutting frogs after weeks An Englis class write compositions which practicsl I think I enjoyed practical PPome Economics course where I improve cooking sewing Tn American students learn Dutch students For example HOlland might hours algebra years In America every I think learn intensive method Martlen repeated Anneke comment American students mature socially their Dutch counterparts A additional questions however brought interesting complexities opinion No I guess American students mature Dutch students social poise though social activities At school girls The girls usually place w6uld group someplace If talking everyon would start whispering going steady Here HOlla nobody thinks anything together Last course wanted accounting I asked house evening After finished working No would dream thinking there anything between In America I think would American students freer things European studentso They select their courses schooI declde study2_ They their cAothes Hare mother would never money because might garment wrong color In merica money right sweater black triangles It looks terrible proud choice In things however In HolIand I often myself night worried I surprised American girls shouldn One night Virglnla I Just before clock I thought I would highway Tasty Freeze before going Before I cream stand American mother cmealong She disturbed I myself Afterwards explained great length I shouIdn I mistake again It amazing older American students European students A funny thing happened school Iwas pproached I often school wanted Record Hop I certainly I pleased He looked asked I I Almost nineteen He laughed Whew Can I invitation I almost thireen By I becme fairly popular Some girls popular I formal dances weekend brother friends invited Annapolis dance I popular dance though I think because Annapolis thought European would intellectual serious The Admiral I understand honor Annapolis until I returned found article local newspaper about I became member girls sorority elected May Court which quite honor school On minor riumph Martien concluded commentary excused herself WTt Anneke Martien bring Unlted States along their assorted memories bobby skills dance floor bssebll diamond For thlng speak luent slangy English dress style verage Dutch woman A important quality share unusual artlculteness independence thought group discussions character istic certainly developed sharpened during lived Americsn agers And about Americ sharpness their criticisms obscure their overall Judgements informed complex frlendly R Compton Note The American Eield Service organized volunteer ambulance corps Americans living Paris It reactivated eventually provided ambulances during World War II tephan Galatti former banker broker director A E S since Under leadership organization steadily expanded progrm school scholarships foreign students This students countries American homes senior classes American schools DtLring summer months A E S helps bring hundreds American students European families Received New York