On this page the students of the VOS-school in Most will describe their experiences in Meppel during their stay from 23 March till 21 April 2016.
23 March
Our first day in Meppel. The foundation towntwinning Meppel-Most offered us a meal in "Herberg 't Plein"
26 March
On Saturday 26.3 we got bikes which we can use during our stay but one of us was worried about biking skills. In the shop waited Ulie (surprise for us).Then started our adventure. First place which Bart showed was the swimming pool. Next station was one of Meppels mills, but the mill was closed. So we visited the city and another mill, shops and the other place in the city. Bart invited us to his house when we met his family. Later we went back to first mill and we went inside too and we saw how the mill works. The mill made flour. It was a very nice and interesting trip for us. We are happy then we can have bikes and we can cycling around the town. We hope that we don’t lose a driving licence.
28 March
On Monday 28 of March we had free day so we decided to make a trip to Zwolle. We wanted to shop there but everything was closed because of easter. So we made a trip around the city. City is really nice and weather was good. After city tour we went to the Starbucks to snack and coffee and than we went back to Meppel.
2 april
Jan Amos Comenius day
On Saturday 2 of April we went on a trip to Naarden. We attended Comenius day and ceremonial in the church. We met the Czech Ambassador mrs. Reinišová and we talked with her. We met the other ambassadors from Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. The former chairman of the European Council, mr. Van Rompuy, got the prestigious Comeniusprize. The ceremonial was very nice. It was really interesting for us. Jan Amos Comenius means for us a huge history. We saw a beautiful church and museum. This day was very nice and we enjoyed it. We want to thank you Jan for this trip and all day.
3 April
On Sunday we went by bike on trip to Staphorst. We were by bike all day and it was 20 kilometers. We visited village in Staphorst and church. But it was a Sunday and people went to church too. This village is really religious and it was really interesting how they looked on us. Because we are foreigners.But village is beautiful and houses and farm too. We had a nice weather. So it was a good trip.
11 april
Work in Zonnekamp
Petr and me work in hospital in The Czech republic. Here we work in a different place Zonnekamp. It’s interesting for us, because we can see a different place, work, people, technology, etc. We can see a lot of difference between Holland and The Czech republic. There isn’t stress and staff have a time for patients. Staff is very friendly to students. I think that we can say, that we are feeling really good. We are happy here. If I talk about the system in Holland or The Czech republic, that is really different. In Holland you have a different study of nursing, I mean years of study. Students have a money for practise. We don’t have in The Czech republic. In Zonnekamp you have a good machine for help to patients. In Most we don’t have it. I think that in Prague they have it. Next thing is, that nurses work only 8 hours. We work 12 hours. And you have two breaks. And break called coffee break. This we like it. In Zonnekamp they don’t wear uniform. We have to wear uniform in The Czech republic. I think that patients feel like home in Zonnekamp. The patients can choose food for breakfast and dinner. They can drink coffee or tea all day. They have a lot of activities. The staff introduce to every new patient, that’s really nice. Patients have a bell on hand and they can push everywhere. I think that the system it’s really nice and a step for us in future.
Tereza Lahmerová
14 april
Work in the townhall
We are on intership in Meppel’s town hall. It is a nice new building with 3 floors. We are mostly in third floor. People there are friendly and kind. Atmosphere there is really free and great. Almost everybody can speak english so we can talk with them. Everybody who we ask about their job told us that they like it.
Between our duties belongs making appointment with eployees, managers but even with mayor of city. The mayor is really a kind and smart man. After this appointmens we always make reports. We were with alderman in one of Meppels schools. It is a beautiful new school and there was competition. It was really interesting. We also be with one man looked to his project which starts and one week later we went with him again and it was already finished! In Czech republic all projects last really long time.
Tereza Nestlerová
18 april
Personal evaluation of Tereza Lahmerová
It was very nice month here. Time is very fast and I’m enjoyed everything here. I have a lot of memories and this internship is a huge opportunity for me and for my next job and future. I like people there, because they are very friendly. Everyone helped me if I some need. I love cycling there. That’s really amazing. I will miss this. We were on a lot of trips. And we enjoyed a fun. I felt a very cool here and without stress. Everyday I had a smile on my face. Everything was perfect. Work in Zonnekamp it’s really interesting for me and I learned a lot of things. And I will try to use in my country. Accommodations here was good but in first day surprised me that rooms are very small. Sometimes was a cold here but that’s Holland. Next thing is that when there are the other guests we didn’t use the kitchen. Last weekend we moved everything. But I have only good memories and I want thanks to everyone.
Personal evaluation of Tereza Nestlerová
I am so glad that I have opportunity to be part of this intership. I think that this is really big benefit for my life and future work positions. I learned lots of things and I will take with me lots of memories and experiences. I enjoyed the month in this place. I like how people there are so friendly and free and how they use their bikes everywhere. The only thing what made me mad was that owners of the pension had bad access to us. Things that that members arranged for us were perfect, for example Naarden, Giethoorn, concert in theatre and tulips fields. Only in Amsterdam was bad, it was too crowded. On the other hand it learned us to be independent and we could make lots of trips by ourselves. I had there really great time, I met lots of new amazing people and friends and knew different nature and culture.
Personal evaluation of Petr Šlégr
Our internship in Meppel means a lot of experience for me and new, different vision on some things. I spent there one month, it can be a long time but here it was very short time. It was really big opportunity to discover another culture, habits, people and how the things works in Holland. People were very kind In Zonnekamp in Steenwijk, where I worked but not only there. When you met someone on the street, he said hello to you and some people start to talk with you. It was very nice because I don't know this from Czechia. I think I learned here a lot of new things at work and at personal life. I have to write something about biking in Holland. It's amazing how many people there using their bikes every day. There are a lot of parking places for bikes, I never seen it before.First days in Meppel's Inn were very cold, because people there always turned off the heating. In the Netherlands people usually wearing sweatshirts and shoes at home. This is a reason why they don't use heating. I appreciate this opportunity. It was really nice month for me and I learned a lot here. Thank you all!
Personal evaluation of Petr Tokar
The internship in Holland was great. I was with other 3 students, with strangers for me, but now we are like little family. People in Holland are so friendly and kind kindly. It doesn't matter if you know them or not, everybody here talks with each other and this is good for people here. Big surprise was in Meppel every teenagers goes to the job, it was big surprise and people here every time use bicycle and it’s great for health. We used bicycle for whole time here. I saw many things and something was interesting and something not too much for me, but everything can’t be interesting for anyone. I don’t understand one thing and it’s how people in Holland can watch TV or sitting with family in living room and every time they have stretched the curtains and everyone can look inside. We were accommodated in Meppel’s inn. It’s something like motel and for me it isn’t good, because the rooms are so small and the bed was terrible maybe for one week it’s okay, but for one month not too much good. Sometimes I felt in Meppel like in Ghost town, because nobody was on the street and I don’t like it.But the internship give me too much and for the future it will be big experience.
19 april
Almost our last day in Holland. This day we got our certificates. In the morning in Zonnekamp and in the arfternoon in the townhall by the mayor of Meppel mr. Westmaas.
