My local story will focus on sport, and most tragically the decease of Johan Cruyff a national emblem of the Dutch soccer, internationally known. 

Johan Cruyff is a former Dutch football player who played as an attacking midfielder or striker, before becoming a coach. First football player to three-time Ballon d'Or, he is considered as one of the best players in history. He was nicknamed the "Flying Dutchman", "Till Eulenspiegel" or "Prince of Amsterdam" when he played at Ajax Amsterdam, or "El Salvador" or "El Flaco" when he was playing for FC Barcelona. In club and country, he usually wore the number 14. After playing for Ajax and Barcelona he coached the same two teams with whom he had an impressive record.

On the 25th of march, during the game the Netherlands 2 - 3 France where I have been at the Amsterdam Arena, we had the right to a beautiful tribute to Cruyff in the 14th minute (number of his career) and it is at that moment that I realized how much he was respected and steeped in Dutch football culture.

Cruyff seen by other great players:

• " He was the best player of all time".
  • Michel Platini
• " If Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo worth about 100 million, then Johan would have worth billion"
  • Franz Beckenbauer
• " He gave to football a touch that some people are trying to copy "
  • Sepp Blatter
• " Creator of the football. Captain of paradise " 
  • Michel Denisot

Amsterdam port on Kingsday:

The National Day here is the birthday of the King named "KINGSDAY", it happens on the 27th of April. It's a day off in the whole country and people celebrate it by wearing orange clothes (the national color), walking and partying in the streets. It begin the night before on the 26th in the evening, they call it "KINGSNIGHT" and every bars are crowded, people celebrate it by drinking beers.

On the 27th there are many festivals in Amsterdam and I chose to go to Loveland van Oranje festival which where in the East of Amsterdam, in a park. There were good techno artist, the techno stage in Amsterdam is very good all great artist come here to perform.

At Inholland University I have learned Dutch language and culture, I can now speak a little bit, count, read the time, read the numbers and also some verbs (conjugation). I'll explain here what I've learned. It can complete the part of cultural subject.

The people: Dutch society is egalitarian, individualistic and modern. The people tend to view themselves as modest, independent and self-reliant. They value ability over dependancy. The dutch have an aversion to the non-essential. Accumulating money is fine, but public spending of large amounts of money is considering something of a vice and associated with being a show-off.

Greetings: In the Netherlands shaking hands is really important the first time you meet a person, but the difference is that when you see again that same person you don't need to shake hand anymore, a simple "Hallo" is okay.  

The dutch and foreign language: Internationally the Dutch are considered to be proficient at speaking other languages. They start learning English in the last 2 years of elementary school or primary school. According to a self reporting census, 87% of Dutch are able to speak reasonable English although the accent can be marked.

Eating and drinking: The big difference with France is that they don't eat hot food at lunch, it is mostly bread with ham of butter. Their specialities are " Bitterballen ; stroopwaffels ; hereng ; kroket ; frikandel", they really like that.

Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy since 1815, the country was occupied by France between 1806 and 1815. The monarch is the guarantor of equality of all subject in front of the courts, the maintain of democracy in the country and he is the symbolic image abroad. Constitutionally, the king or the queen (now the king Willem-Alexander) is the head of the state and head of government (function delegated to the Prime Minister) and has a role in the legislative process.

The royal family.

Until 1940 the Netherlands followed a policy of neutrality but at the end of World War II, having invaded by Germany, they are committed to the construction of the European Union and maintaining the peace worldwide. The Netherlands is member of UE, OTAN and OCDE.

More informations about Netherlands:

• 16,8 millions inhabitants
• GDP around 853,3 billions euros
• GDP per capita around 50 816 USD
• 6,8% unemployment rate

I want now to focus on energy transition in the world current context: preserve Earth from gas emissions for the future generations.

First we might say that the Netherlands are a responsible country because of their tradition rooted for their frequent bicycle trips, it is not really so. In fact Netherlands have one of the highest CO2 emission rate in Europe. The import of fossil fuels accounts for 92% of primary energy in the country. Moreover the largest natural gas field in Europe is in the region of Groningen and largely sufficient to cover the needs of the country.

Thus the Dutch court sentenced the country to take drastic measures in terms of energy transition and environmental responsibility. Netherlands have to reduce its gas emissions by 25% by 2020. That's why we can now see the establishment of large wind energy park on land but also offshore.

Of course these new renewable energy should be able to meet the primary energy needs. The government would use the energy of the wind to move all the country's rail network. Mobility would be responsible for 20% of CO2 emissions in the Netherlands. 

An agreement stipulates that by 2018, the energy required for the railway sector will come exclusively from the output from wind farms.

I think that this article would have be interesting because it shows the various advanced that are trying to establish Netherlands, in terms of environmental responsibility.  

Sources: novethic.com / bfmtv.com

Jérémie

I would first thanks ESDES Business School to gave me the possibility to study abroad, I think that it have been for me a really good experience. Being in another country, far from family, friends and the routine has been to me really good during 5 months in Alkmaar. I really enjoyed my life there, I managed to have some habits here.

It was also a pleasure to meet foreign student that does not have the same school cursus as me but I could exchange with them and trying what are their way of seeing their studies.

I think that it helped me to have a different vision of the travel in general, world is not so far from us. It is possible to adapt himself in another country, trying to follow different rules.

See you Netherlands!