I heard an interesting story. Is it true?

by **JULIE** » February 8th, 2006, 9:14 pm

Hello!

I'm JULIE AND I'VE BEEN STAYING IN THE NETHERLANDS SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER.

ON WEEKDAYS, I WORK UNTIL 5:00. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH CHANCES TO KNOW DUTCH CULTURE. THAT'S WHY I REALLY LIKE THIS SITE!! :lol:

ANYWAY, I OFFTEN VISIT MANY WEBSITES WHICH CAN INFORM ME DUTCH CULTURE.

ONE SITE MENTIONED THAT "WHEN DUTCH STUDENTS PASS THE EXAM, THEY HANG THE DUTCH FLAG AND SCHOOLBAG OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE".

IS IT TRUE?

IS IT DIFFICULT TO PASS THE EXAM? THIS IS KIND OF CELEBRATION FOR GRADUATION?
WHEN I READ THIS STORY, I WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME.
PLS. TELL ME YOUR REAL STORY ABOUT ABOVE CUSTOME.
IN MY COUNTRY, I NEVER SEE THIS. THE WAY I SEE IT , THIS PROBABLY ENCOURAGE THE SHCOOL CHILDREAN TO STURY HARD. IF YOU HAVE PICTURES READING TO MY QUESTION, PLS. SHOW ME!!! THANKS IN ADVANCE.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING FOR YOUR REPLY.

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by **Bieneke** » February 8th, 2006, 11:38 pm

Hi Julie,

It is indeed a Dutch custom, which is still alive. The final exams (secondary school) take place in May so by the end of May or the beginning of June, you may spot a few of those school bags hanging on flag poles. I do not know where or when the tradition started. Perhaps someone else could tell us more about that.

by **Ome Jorge** » February 15th, 2007, 12:15 pm

Een paar fotootjes van het spektakel ...

[edit by Bieneke]OJ, ik heb de foto's onder elkaar geplaatst. De pagina werd anders te breed.[/edit]

by **Quetzal** » February 15th, 2007, 9:27 pm

*lol* Grappig. Nog nooit gezien, zoiets.

by **Wim** » February 16th, 2007, 1:25 pm

Ook bij mij in de buurt (Den Haag) zie je het vaak in de examentijd. Ik vind het wel een leuke gewoonte.

Wim

by **Roland** » February 18th, 2007, 1:31 am

Didn't do it because right after my last exam my parents and I moved to another city. Would have probably done it though under normal circumstances (and if we had a flag

). A lot of Dutch students do so after graduating from high school, often leaving their books in (or out

) the backpack to rot in the rain

.

Heb ik niet gedaan omdat mijn ouders en ik vlak na mijn laatste examen naar een andere stad zijn verhuisd. Had het in normale omstandigheden waarschijnlijk wel gedaan (als we tenminste een vlag hadden gehad

). Veel Nederlandse scholieren doen dit nadat ze geslaagd zijn, waarbij vaak de boeken in (of uit

) de rugzak blijven om weg te rotten in de regen

.

by **Elsje Fiederelsje** » February 24th, 2007, 9:32 pm

JULIE wrote:....ONE SITE MENTIONED THAT "WHEN DUTCH STUDENTS PASS THE EXAM, THEY HANG THE DUTCH FLAG AND SCHOOLBAG OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE".

IS IT TRUE?

IS IT DIFFICULT TO PASS THE EXAM? THIS IS KIND OF CELEBRATION FOR GRADUATION?
WHEN I READ THIS STORY, I WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME.
PLS. TELL ME YOUR REAL STORY ABOUT ABOVE CUSTOME.
IN MY COUNTRY, I NEVER SEE THIS. THE WAY I SEE IT , THIS PROBABLY ENCOURAGE THE SHCOOL CHILDREAN TO STURY HARD. IF YOU HAVE PICTURES READING TO MY QUESTION, PLS. SHOW ME!!! THANKS IN ADVANCE.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING FOR YOUR REPLY.

Hi Julie,

This is true. I did that a long time ago the day I found out I had indeed passed my middelbare schoolexamen. I was so happy and proud to be able to show the world I finished school. It was like a reward for a year of hard working. But it is not like your parents keep telling you to work hard so you can put up the flag and schoolbag.

This was in the early nineteen eighties by the way, so it's been around for quite a while. I am not sure where it started though.

We have a funny way of showing the world what's going on in our lives anyway. In the area of the Netherlands where I live people put all sorts of displays in their front yards when a baby has arrived. It will typically involve balloons or flags in blue (boy) or pink (girl) and baby wear hanging from washing lines. Or someone will put up a hughe stork with a baby (doll) in it's beak.

My neighbours were familiar with my interest in witchery so they put up a baby witch on a broomstick in such an inventive way it looked like baby witch had come flying to our house.

When the Dutch soccer team plays in an important tournament you may find yourself driving through neighbourhoods that decorated the entire street in orange flags.

Elsje Fiederelsje

by **EetSmakelijk** » February 24th, 2007, 10:09 pm

Sounds to me like the Dutch really know how to celebrate.

Groetjes,

by **Jeff** » February 25th, 2007, 4:56 am

Baby witch on a broomstick...I like it

by **Ome Jorge** » February 25th, 2007, 1:50 pm

Voor de liefhebbers van Nederlandse gebruiken kunnen we het in de tuin neerzetten van een pop niet onvermeld laten. Dit gebeurt wanneer iemand de leeftijd van 50 jaar bereikt.

For lovers of Dutch customs, we can't leave unmentioned the placing of an "imitation" of somebody in the garden in front of the house. Most of the times the imitation is in a chair. It concerns a person reaching the age of fifty. Many times it is acompanied with a banner saying like "Henk 50!!!". Sometimes rhymes as you can see in the last picture. (50 years is our Andre, who gives him a ride with the motorcycle.) (50 jaar is onze Andre, wie neemt hem op de motor mee?)

[edit by Bieneke]OJ, ik heb de foto's onder elkaar geplaatst. De pagina werd anders te breed.[/edit]

by **Marco** » March 6th, 2007, 8:24 pm

Ha, brings back memories. :D

I graduated last year and we had a bag and a flag out, it was really great to do. :-D

When my dad turned 50 some years ago, we decorated the entire front yard with flags, balloons, and a mini doll. That was also fun to do. :-D

by **cherie7** » March 23rd, 2007, 6:36 pm

That's a nice tradition :D

we dont have it in Poland :-?

;)

I am sure, though, i will celebrate when i pass my ( potential) Dutch as a second language exam :D