“Welcome to day eight of our Netherlands Go Global NC program! We woke up bright and early for our first stop: the Royal Flora Holland, one of the world’s largest flower auction houses and distribution centers. Today’s early alarm was well worth it as we saw hundreds of thousands of flowers pass through this facility on their way to consumers worldwide. The Netherlands’ long history of economic prosperity, especially when it comes to florals, and global interconnectedness is best exemplified at the Royal Flora Holland and we were amazed at the organization and speed of their vast system.

From there, we travelled to the World Horti Center, a hub of agricultural innovation and biotechnological advancement. As an English teacher, my prior knowledge of the work being done here was slim. However, after visiting this combination expo, testing and research facility, and school, I felt I better understood the progress they were making in the important mission towards widespread access to sustainable and healthy food. We walked through their innovative greenhouses and saw tests on tomatoes, cucumbers, and other plants to try to find the right conditions to produce better tasting crops with a higher yield. 

After lunch provided by the World HortiCenter, we boarded the bus to Delft and started exploring. We loved walking the calm and peaceful streets in search of new adventures. Our first stop was one that I have been looking forward to since before we left Raleigh! The Royal Delft Pottery Museum was a magical introduction to the history and progress behind this iconic blue and white craft. Then, we made our way to the Nieuwe Kirk and climbed the 377 steps to the top. This was MUCH more difficult than initially anticipated; however, like so many moments during this program, we faced our fears and stepped out of our comfort zone to reach one of the most unforgettable moments. The view of Delft from the top was AMAZING. 

After more exploration and shopping, we departed and attempted to make our way back to Amsterdam. We promptly found ourselves in NATO summit traffic but listened to stories from our tour guide Ilya and reflected with those sitting around us on the bus. After our numerous requests for karaoke were hilariously denied by our tour guide Axul, the traffic cleared up and we made it back to Amsterdam. Our journey to dinner featured fries, great conversation, and a search for Legos! A great end to a wonderful day. 

This program has been extraordinarily educational and transformative. I cannot express how happy I am to have gone out of my comfort zone as many times as I did. I would like to thank the Borchardt foundation and Go Global NC for making this experience possible for me. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity. “

“6:05 am: Today’s start time was the earliest of the program, but for good reason.  We traveled to the Royal Flora Holland, a place best described as vast: an operation as expansive as the country of Monaco; a boundless array of flowers for sale from approximately 3,500 growers; and an extensive process involving more than 4 million buckets and countless workers handling an average of 100,000 transactions per day with a profit of about five billion euro per year.  We experienced a first-hand look at one of the largest- if not the largest- flower auctions in the world, and we watched the intricate process that delivers flowers right from the growers to the buyers, whether they are in London, Vietnam, or America.  

From there, we traveled to the World Horti Center, where the group toured the innovative headquarters whose mission statement is that all people should have access to healthy food and green environment.  In this similarly vast facility, students learn, researchers test, and companies collaborate, all to advance more sustainable horticultural practices. From greenhouses to indoor farms to Horti-Heroes’ projects, we toured a facility focused on sustainability, water security, and energy-efficient, high-yield plant production. We ended with a plant-based lunch and time to reflect on the innovative space and people. 

Our last stop as a group was to Delft, where many, like me, were anxious to tour the ceramics museum. The blue and white patterned china bearing the town’s name dates back hundreds of years and is the utmost example of artistry.  The museum shows the multi-step process the porcelain clay undergoes, from mold to painting to firing, and it displays an array of patterns that evolved with time.  The tour of both the museum and warehouse winds visitors to a man who has been hand painting Delft pottery for 47 years and who trained under a master painter in the same factory. Watching him work tied the human to the art.

Walking Delft felt calmer, slower than Amsterdam, but the streets, historical buildings, and cafes were still abundant. Highlights included climbing to the top of the New Church, where William of Orange (who Axel helpfully calls their George Washington) is buried, and it included what Hannah called her favorite coffee shop of the program- The Blue Heart Brew. We recommend the truffles and affogato with creme brulee ice cream. 

We departed Delft at 4 pm to return to Amsterdam, but quickly found ourselves in NATO conference traffic. However, leave it to a group of educators to find uses for time. WhatsAPP pinged with karaoke suggestions that never came to be since Axel is adamantly opposed, and Ilya shared a story about not tightly subscribing to horoscopes, a well-timed reminder to be flexible and let life happen, which it did and has in the best way during our time here.  

I was lucky to end my day with a picnic down by the canal. I am lucky to be a part of this experience with this group, and I thank all of those involved in the Borchardt Award and Go Global NC for it.“