Bethel Student’s Trip to Holland
Was ‘Real Learning Experience’
By Mary Anderson

Cara Richardson, a ninth grade student at Whitcomb High School, recently returned from more than three weeks in Europe.

Richardson went with former Bethel resident Marieken Voltz and her two children. Most of the time in Europe, she lived in a transcendental meditation ashram in Holland with Voltz’s parents. Richardson noted that people really meditated a lot and paid great respect to Voltz’s father ,who started the ashram more than 30 years ago.

"It was a real learning experience," said Richardson. "There were windmills everywhere."

Her favorites were the more modern ones, which she found very interesting to look at. She also liked the different shapes of the houses, which, while smaller than most American ones, were "pretty to look at," and noted that most people seemed to ride bicycles everywhere, and the cars there were "really small."

Richardson made day trips to Germany and to a Dolphinarium, which she said was similar to Sea World. She also spent four days on a nearby island, riding bicycles and watching seals. To get most places that were beyond the scope of bicycles, she rode the train. She noticed that while she and Voltz’s daughter, Anya, would laugh and sing on the trains, the Dutch children sat quietly. When she inquired about this, she was informed that the Dutch children were used to being quiet and composed and considered American children to be less inhibited. She also noted that many people she met in Holland expressed a desire to come to the United States.

Richardson summed up her trip by stating that Holland was "really awesome. I want to go back." However, she recognizes that it will be a while before she will return. In the meantime, she’s focusing on the mountain of schoolwork waiting to be caught up on.

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