A year ago today I was in Amsterdam, as my trusty this date in '08 link tells me; a great trip in which I celebrated my Mom's 75th birthday with our extended family there, made a number of important business contacts, and presented at and attended a Pathology conference in Toledo, Spain.  In between I did a great number of things; visited Eindhoven and Groningen and Berlin, on business, toured the Berlin wall (wow...), and while in Spain I ended up clubbing in church.  But the most interesting thing was that while in Holland I [re]discovered I am one of their kind.  Which brings me to this post.

I have thought about this idea (being one of the Dutch kind) often, since...  I'd been to the Netherlands any number of times in my life, and had always felt, well, comfortable there, but it wasn't until last years' trip that I realized why.  That land and society is of its people, it was created by them and for them, and suits them, and it makes sense that as one of them (at least genetically) it would suit me, too.  Multiculturism is all very exciting, but people are different, as are their societies, and people are generally most comfortable in their own element.  Perhaps not a revelation to you, but it was to me :)  Ik ben echt wel Nederlands.