HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-09-13, Page 8THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2000. PAGE 7.
Agriventure takes woman to parents ’ homeland
FROM LONDESBORO
For some time Sharon
Bergsma had been feeling she
needed a change, to try some
thing new. A newspaper ad for
Agriventure was brought to
her attention and the wheels
were set in motion for what
she terms the best thing she
has ever done.
Agriventure. formerly
known as the International
Agricultural Exchange or
IAEA arranges agricultural
working exchanges all over
the world. It’s head office is in
Denmark but a Canadian
office is located in Calgary.
Initially a choice is made
between Europe, Asia, the
South Pacific or North
America. Then the participant
chooses from a number of
possible sites in that area.
Sharon chose to work in The
Netherlands. She was interest
ed in the country from which
her parents had emigrated as
Ready to go
Sharon Bergsma stands with the transportation
she used to and from work during her stay in
Holland as part of the Agriventure exchange.
The Londesboro woman recently returned home
and is happy to talk about her experience with
anyone interested in the program. (Photo submitted)
young children.
Agriventure is open to
young persons aged 18 to 30.
Cost to the participants varies,
depending on the program
chosen. Sharon’s cost of
$3,000 included her flight, her
visa, all necessary insurances
and some administration
costs.
Twelve Canadian and U.S.
participants left Toronto on
Oct. 31 for Denmark.
Following a three-day semi
nar the participants were sent
off to their respective coun
tries. Five of the 12 went to
Holland.
Sharon’s new home and job
were in Naaldwijk in south
west Holland, close to
Denhaag, the capital. From
the choices of jobs - horticul
ture, agriculture, home man
agement, agrimix or hortimix,
Sharon chose to work in a
horticultural setting. She
worked in a greenhouse for a
company called Patio Plant.
The work included transplant
ing potted plants, and insert
ing them in shipping tubes for
packing in large cartons to be
shipped all over Europe. This
company, owned by Ben
Vandervwal, has an Ontario
distributor in Jordan Station.
Living arrangements for
exchanges are made by the
program administration.
Some participants live with
host families and receive an
allowance for their work.
Due to the more urban
nature of her work, Sharon
lived with several other young
exchange people in a large
house. This meant she didn’t
get to learn about Dutch life
from a family perspective or
speak much Dutch. However,
she met people from Alberta,
Kentucky, Portugal, New
Zealand, Japan, Russia, and
Lithuania - all who worked in
other greenhouses. Through
e-mail she keeps in touch with
those new friends from
Londesboro.
Sharon was paid a mini
mum wage. Those wages cov
ered her initial expense. And
by counting her guilders wise
ly, she saved enough to travel
on weekends to all parts of
Holland. She was able to visit
some of her father’s relatives
also.
The alumni association in
Denmark regularly arranges
events for persons on
exchanges and Sharon attend
ed two - one in February and
a ski weekend in Norway in
March, which she claims were
“a blast!”
With gas at $2.36 a litre,
bikes are the popular means of
travel in Holland. Sharon
recalls many adventures on
her 15-minute rides to and
from work or to the markets
for groceries. Trains and
buses are used extensively as
well. The weather was windy
and rainy through November
and December. Apparently
Sharon experienced only
three snowfalls and their
beautiful spring arrives in late
March or early April.
When asked Sharon admit
ted to being homesick occa
sionally and Christmas didn’t
really feel like Christmas. In
Holland Sinter Klaus comes
on Dec. 5 from Spain with his
black helpers, Swart Piets.
People leave hay, water and
carrots with their shoes for the
helpers to feed Sinter Klaus’
horses. In return people
receive candy, chocolates and
cookies.
For this celebration Sharon
was invited to the home of
Judith, a young girl who had
lived with Sharon’s parents in
Canada in 1998-99. Gifts and
poems are exchanged at this
celebration. On Dec. 24
PEOPLE AROUND
LONDESBORO
0 By Brenda
Radford
Call
523-4296
The Happy Gang Seniors
card party will be held at the
Londesboro Hall on Friday,
Sept. 15. All card players are
Hollanders hold family dinner
gatherings. In Sharon’s house
the young friends celebrated
together and even had a small
Christmas tree. Participants in
the exchanges can decide their
own length of stay.
Sometimes the nature of the
work influences the time
frame. Sharon worked in the
greenhouse for six and a half
months. Then she and five
others took a 20-day tour of
Europe.
Sharon returned home to
Londesboro on June 11 with
albums full of pictures and
many memories. The people
she met, the places she saw,
and the experiences she had
made the exchange something
she would encourage others to
try. Now farrowing manager
at Monoway Farms outside of
Belgrave. Sharon is already
thinking about more travel
ling.
You could talk to Sharon
about Agriventure or contact
the group at 1-403-255-7799
or 1-800-263-1827 or e-mail
to iaea@cadvision.com
welcome.
I recognize we are all still
getting all the exercise we
need cutting grass. However,
one of these weeks we may all
be looking to avoid becoming
couch potatoes. The bowling
leagues in Londesboro are in
need of bowlers. Why not
give them a call to participate
in a fun winter activity?
Call Harry Lear at 523-
4219 or Liz Lawson at 523-
4487.
Doughertys greet at Londesboro United
Bruce Roy and Genevieve
Allen were the welcoming
couple at Londesboro United
Church on Sunday, Sept. 10.
Sam and Thelma Dougherty
were ushers.
From Rev. Paul Ross’s
story bag came a road map.
The children recognized that a
map keeps travellers from
getting lost. Children will
Hullett Happenings
New year brings changes to HCPS
never feel lost to God if they
attend church and Sunday
School and read their Bibles,
he said.
In Mark 7: 24-30, Jesus, a
Jew, encounters a Gentile
woman with an ailing daugh
ter, and His own prejudice.
God instructs Abram to
leave his home and take his
family to Canaan in Genesis
12: 1-9. The message text, I
will show you the Way is
taken from this passage.
Although God promised to
bless Abram in Canaan, these
new settlers did not expect to
encounter people already
there. When Europeans came
to North America, they gave
no recognition to First
Nations people already here,
Rev. Ross said. Canada and
the mid-east now face deci
sions regarding land claims as
a result of these migrations.
During the 18th century
because of the need for more
land for increased wool pro
duction, the English forcibly
swept Scottish clansmen out
of their highlands. Some of
these displaced Scotsmen
were brought to Canada.
Their trust in God allowed
them to face the hardships of
their new homeland, he said.
Rev. Ross encouraged the
congregation to consider their
connection to whatever each
claimed as their 'piece of
land’.
Consider your history and
commitment to the land God
has given you, he suggested
and thereby find God’s pres
ence.
The sympathy of the con
gregation and community is
extended to Don and Kittie
MacGregor and family on the
passing of Kittie’s father,
Craig.
The Committee of Stewards
will host a roast pork supper
on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Anyone wishing to submit a
picture for the church photo
directory should do so to any
committee member by
Sunday, Sept. 17.
The Londesboro UCW will
meet on Monday, Sept. 18 in
the church basement at 7:30
p.m. Birgit Hi’lier, the herb
lady from Holmesville will be
the guest speaker.
The school buses have
begun rolling through the vil
lage once again. From my
vantage point the sights and
sounds of lunch times and
recesses are most welcome. Is
it true that the older a man
gets, the farther he had to
walk to school as a boy?
The new school year has
brought a number of person
nel changes to Hullett Central.
Lois Tebbutt is the new prin
cipal having transferred from
Brookside Public School.
Melonie Miller is the new
secretary.
A former Hullett staff mem
ber, Marie Black has returned
as a half time kindergarten
teacher. Joan (Howatt)
Vandendool, a former Hullett
pupil, is now teaching Grade
2/3.
The Grade 4/5 class will be
taught by Dave Medd and
Julie Gilroy will be teaching
Grade 5/6. Fresh from
teacher’s college following a
career in the business world to
Grade 6/7 comes Dennis
Drennan.
Susan Wyatt will handle the
music program while the spe
cial education teacher is
Marie Webster.
Returning to Hullett Central
is Audrey Kemp (kinder
garten); Rosie Wiese (Grade
1/2); Nancy Pickell (Grade
3/4); Angela Rea (Grade 5/6)
and Ann Uhler (Grade 8.
Krista McAsh and Sue
Richmond are educational
assistants.
Hullett Central School
received monies from the
Ideal Supply Playground
Environment Fund to develop
a Children’s Butterfly Garden
project. Watch for the gar
den’s development this fall.
The soccer tournament will
take place on Thursday,
Sept. 21 and Wednesday,
Sept. 27.
Make a date with the
Plowing Match. And rediscover
everything you love about it:
antique farm machinery,
fascinating crafts, great music,
intriguing exhibits. So many
amazing things, you’ll never want
the relationship to end.
Get
The International Plowing Match
and Farm Machinery Show
1-877-242-6353
Everything you’d expect...and this, too.
www.ipm2000.on.ca
international plowing match 2000
September 19-23 In El®ta/