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Since 2001, approximately 350 students have spent their spring semester studying at Hogeschool Viaa in the city of Zwolle, Netherlands. Over the course of four months, these students are immersed into Dutch culture through their studies, relationships, and travels.

While the program is only a semester long (and the program’s name has changed over the years, from N-SPICE to SPICE to Viaa Exchange), the lessons and relationships often last a lifetime.

One of the most unique aspects of this immersive semester off-campus is that students live with a host family. Host families welcome one or two students into their home for four months. For many, the relationship transforms from host and guest to family over time.

For 9 years, Piet van der Krieke and his wife, Trudy, served as host parents, hosting a total of 16 participants in that time. “When we got an email from Viaa about the opportunity, we discussed this with our three boys still at home,” he says. “They were enthusiastic about the idea, so we decided to step in.”

His wife had one requirement: “After raising six boys, she only wanted to host girls,” says van der Krieke. “She wanted to have conversations at the dinner table about something other than cars.”

Van der Krieke says they didn’t know what to expect. “We never expected that we would have such a strong bond with our host daughters after just four months. It felt as if they were our daughters.”

The feeling was mutual, says LaRae (Dykstra, ’12) Walker, who lived with the van der Krieke family. “I loved my host family,” says Walker. “They were so quick to welcome and include us in their lives. They liked to joke around, and my roommate and I fit right into their family.”

Living with a host family creates opportunities for students to find common bonds around the dinner table, learn about cultural norms and experience daily life in a different country more authentically.

Brett Leyendekker (’12), who also participated in the program in 2012, says his understanding and appreciation of Dutch culture was acquired more genuinely by living with a Dutch family.

Leyendekker recalls spending time “eating meals and praying together, going to church, and going on recreational and educational daytrips” with his host family.

Leyendekker also lived with another student in the program and had a host brother about his same age. The relationship between the three of them was natural, as they "were all majoring in agriculture,” says Leyendekker. Even though the three young adults were from three different countries, their shared interest in agriculture provided a foundation for their friendship.

Students at Viaa also help participants acclimate to Dutch culture. Viaa student Gerald Oudman participated in the program as a “Dutch buddy” for two years, where he helped the international students immerse themselves in the Dutch language and culture—including accompanying students on educational trips around the country.

As part of their studies, participants visit many cities, landmarks, and museums throughout Holland. In addition to learning about Dutch culture in cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Den Hague, students learn to navigate public transportation in a different country and language. Thankfully, professors and Dutch buddies are there to help them find their way.

Sarah (Teunissen, ’09) Van Vliet says she took full advantage of having easy access to travel within Europe. In fact, she, like many participants, spent most weekends somewhere new. “It was so much fun to take the train and head to a different country most weekends,” she says.

Leyendekker says that as a person who loves structure, embracing impromptu travel wasn’t easy for him. “I was challenged to come out of my comfort zone,” he says. “I like to be structured and have a set plan, so it was a challenging but valuable experience to backpack through 5 countries during spring break with a few friends, making our plans less than 24 hours in advance each day.”

One challenge all college students face is how to sustain their faith. This challenge is amplified in a different country. As students experience a culture with different values and are often away on weekend travels, where do they find time for faith formation?

David Lee, global studies program specialist at Dordt, says that’s part of what he hopes students take away from their time abroad.

“I want to encourage students to be like a sponge when it comes to learning, adapting, and absorbing new information and perspective,” he says. “But also, be like a rock when it comes to holding firm to your faith, beliefs, and values, and sharing them with others.”

Partnering with a faith-based institution gives students a sense of grounding while they’re living outside of their comfort zones.

Kees Van Loon, a professor at Hogeschool Viaa, taught a Dutch Culture and Society course in the program for nearly 20 years. He says his role in the program was “to ‘create’ the situations in which students were challenged to learn about themselves, their fellow students, their host families and the rest of Dutch and European society.” He says this happened a little bit in the classroom, but especially on class field trips and excursions, where students were confronted with “the combination of theory in class and meeting reality and people outside the school building.”

“In doing so, the students learned and discovered new questions about the world we are living in and God’s plan for the world and their lives,” says Van Loon.

There were reminders of how faith transcends language barriers and country borders. Leyendekker remembers attending “church with my host family the first weekend and hearing ‘Amazing Grace’ sung in Dutch.” He says, “That was quite moving, and a clear reminder that God’s church is universal.”

Nearly 15 years after the van der Krieke family welcomed students into their home for the first time, they still stay in contact with many. In fact, the host daughters invited the van der Krieke family to their weddings. The van der Kriekes always went, no matter if the wedding was thousands of miles away in Canada or the United States.

“This opened a new world to us, and then we experienced hospitality from our host daughters’ families.” Van der Krieke says he and his wife learned that their hospitality to these students “enriched our lives.”

Oudman feels the same way. “Being a part of the program enriched my time in university and opened up my worldview in different ways,” says Oudman. One of the highlights was that he met his wife, Lexi Elgersma (’11) while she was on the trip.

Walker says she and her roommate’s friendship has lasted through the years. “We ended up living near each other after graduation, so we got to see each other and stay in touch,” says Walker. “She even introduced me to my husband at her wedding.”

Leyendekker still finds himself reflecting on the rich European history and cultural experiences. “Even to this day, when I read books and watch movies set in Europe many centuries ago, I feel privileged to have personal visuals, memories, and a better understanding of these places,” says Leyendekker.

Van Vliet shares a similar experience: “So often in conversations, movies, books, or while doing homework with my kids, I’ll whisper, ‘Oh, I’ve been there!’” says Van Vliet. “And I always smile.”