The latest in a series of articles featuring Slave Lake and area people from different cultures around the world

Chastin Martel

Lakeside Leader

When a Dutch person talks, they sound very direct and this isn’t on purpose, says Petra de Vaan. In fact, it’s very common in Europe.

“We might sound very blunt, harsh sometimes,” she adds.

De Vaan was born in the southern part of The Netherlands.

When de Vaan lived in The Netherlands, she said it was similar to Canada.

In 1991, she and her family immigrated to Viking.

De Vaan and her family lived in Viking for five to six months and then moved to Slave Lake, she says. On November 1, 2014, de Vaan moved to Smith. She purchased one lot with a trailer first and then that following year, she purchased another lot in August 2015.

“I built the addition and then I fenced it in and started developing it more as I went along,” says de Vaan.

De Vaan tells The Leader she came to Canada with big dreams. Some have come true and others have “kiboshed,” she says. De Vaan is proud of the place she has built for herself.

“In every building and every piece of wood that has been added to it, I have had it in my hands,” she says.

“My creativity is flowing, where it was restricted for quite some time. And the only thing I can say, I can call myself a proud Canadian.”

Asked about Dutch food, de Vaan provides kroketjes, hutspot and hachee as examples.

Hutspot is carrots, onions and mashed potatoes. These are boiled and mashed together.

Hachee is similar to a stew, says de Vaan. Kale and potatoes are sometimes added to the
In the Netherlands, a lot of time is spent in the kitchen.

In Canada, food is slapped together. You sit and eat, says de Vaan. However, in the Netherlands, more time is spent on food preparation.

Her favourite Dutch vegetables are witloof and white asparagus. Witloof can also be referred to as Belgian endive. It is a leafy green that can be used in salads.

“I’m pretty much a garbage bag because I can eat it all,” says de Vaan as a joke.

In the Netherlands, they have a lot more holidays than Canada, she says. There are statutory holidays and a break that lasts up to three weeks.

Dutch people learn four languages in school: French, German, Dutch and English. Kids learn these languages while in middle school, says de Vaan. English is commonly spoken in Europe, adding “even in France and in Belgium.”

In the Netherlands, sports that are played include swimming, skating and soccer.

Children are born on skates, says de Vaan.

When her children attended school in the Netherlands, they struggled with skating, she says. The teacher told de Vaan and she replied with, “You bring him to the swimming pool and we will talk.” Soon after this, they went to the swimming pool and her son swam two lanes under water, without anyone knowing.

“The individuality in sports is predominant,” she says.

Advice for visiting The Netherlands? De Vaan say not to visit Amsterdam. She didn’t say why but suggested to visit other places that tourists do not go to. This is because you learn more by visiting the people and where they live.

The Dutch and Canadians have a bond, says de Vaan. This is because it has to do with the Second World War.

In the Netherlands, work opportunities are more structured, she says.

If someone in the Netherlands wanted to open a store, they would need special diplomas, whereas in Canada, you would need money.

Cycling is very popular to the Dutch people. In fact, kids start as young as three years old, says de Vaan.

When attending school, de Vaan often had to cycle 10 km one way. The wind was in her face but she made it every time.

In Canada, she adds, cycling in the city is good but not in small communities such as Smith. This is because there are wild animals, which can appear anytime.

“I am not scared of them, but I do have an incredible respect,” she says.