Sinterklaas Party

We went to Ron's work today to attend the Sinterklaas party in their work... Especially for the kids... Last year, Mireille was so shy and just got busy eating candies... But this time she watched the program while sitting and eating pepernoten and candies... But the nicest moment for the kids was when they received their gift from Sinterklaas...

Zwarte Piet, the assistant of Sinterklaas gaved the gift for Mireille and he helped her openning the gift as well... that's why if you will ask Mireille from who is the gift? Instead of saying from Sinterklaas she will always answer from Zwarte Piet.. This year, she got a house toy with many functions like telephone, counting and puzzle... She likes it and started pretending that she's calling her Oma or her cousin Deniz in that telephone house :)

Het Groot Dictee der NT2 (The Big Dictation of NT2)

Six years ago when Thieme Meulenhoff launched the first Het Groot Dictee der Nt2- Nederlands als tweede taal (The Big Dictation of NT2 (Dutch as 2nd language)... The dictation/spelling is annually given to all foreiner students here in Holland Nationwide... with four different levels: A1, A2, B1 and B2/C1... or simply level 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively...

Last October 30, we took the dictation and for me, I took the A2 because I'm now in Level 2 with my dutch language in school... Today, we received the result... I'm think I'm guided with angels during the dictation, I don't have any mistake... I didn't expect this, way back in Manila, my weakness in school were the spelling quizzes. I always failed with spelling quizes then... But today, it's true, my teacher gave me a copy of my paper and at first I'm a bit afraid then that maybe she made mistake in checking my paper, I was afraid that maybe I have a mistake and she doesn't noticed... but yeah, I guess that could really happen to me... :)

The Het Groot Dictee der Nt2 will give 1 bicycle per level as a prize, but of course I'm not the only one who have a perfect score in A2 level, so what the teacher will do is to submit my paper to the Thime Meulenhoff (the organizer), then they will do some lottery to get the name of the lucky winner of bicycles ( 1 bike per level) ... As for me, I will have that chance to win bicycle but I'm more than happy already to receive the souvenir mug (as shown in the photo)... that's a special prize a got from my teacher... Denk je wel Lineke!

My classmate Titirat from Thailand brought her camera that's why we have a chance to make some photos together with our classmates.... :)

11th November

Last week, 11 November we have a chance to walk in the Centrum near to our house for Sint-Maartenfeest (St. Martin of Tours feast day). Here in Holland in the evening of November 11, children walk house to house with their paper lantern and sing Sint Maarten liedjes (St. Martin songs) then after singing they would receive candy's, chocolates or fruits.

Last year, I wrote also about Sint-Maartenfeest and showed some photos too... But last year my daughter was a bit young, so she doesn't really sing any song then. All she does was to get the candy and gave it to me, hehe!

This year, it's the first time that we walked in the Centrum, it's nice that those stores which are normally closed at 5:00 in the evening, stayed open till evening to give candies to those kids that will come to their stores... My daughter was a bit shy to sing, at first three stores she doesn't really sang any song, she just proudly showed to those persons in the store that she has a very nice lantern... After that, she does other way, she doesn't want to sing in front of the stores it's good that her cousins Deniz and Tim are with her to sing but after she got the candies then that's the moment that she will sing while we are walking going to another store.... But there are stores where she sang Sint-Maarten song but it was with soft voice as if she's whispering. By the way, this is the song that she sang then....

Sint-Maarten, Sint-Maarten
De koeien hebben staarten
De meisjes hebben rokjes aan
Daar komt Sint Martinus aan

In the photos you'll see her with her cousin Deniz and with their Opa (Grandfather).