14.04.2011 Visit from SGL & ICS Arcus, Lelystad

In the past week we were contacted by the Surinam travel coordinator of the Scholengemeenschap Lelystad (SGL) and the Interconfessionele Scholengemeenschap Arcus (ICS Arcus) also from Lelystad, mister John Mulder.
At their school they are currently running a project on integration and the finishing touch of this project is a trip to the Republic of Surinam to familiarize themselves with a multicultural society.

On Monday the 11th of April they visited the NATSJ-house. The reason to visit our boarding-school is to create awareness. The awareness that for instance the study facilities we have in Holland is not commonly available elsewhere and is not to be taken for granted.

They are spontaneous young people from between 13 and 16 years old and after having served them a nice ‘cup of cold syrup’ we introduced to them our NATSJ-house and also pointed out to them on the map of the Rep. of Surinam where the parental homes of the students are located. Some students live as far away from home as 200 kilometers which raised a few eye-brows from the Dutch youngsters.

After the initial introductions one of the pupils of het SGL and ICS Arcus handed over to us an envelope with a donation of € 1000,=.
This donation comes at the right time because our washing machine is on the brink of braking down.

After having received the donation the NATSJ-house pupils showed their guests around the complex in order to get to know each other a bit better.
Very soon a small competition Surinam-Holland emerged on the playing field in the backyard.
All good things come to an end though….
And so we said goodbye, leaving the students of het SGL and ICS Arcus to go ahead with their very tight schedule.

From all of us we thank het SGL and ICS Arcus for their generous donation!

Greetings and a ‘brasa’ from all of the pupils and management of the NATSJ-house.

Marc Lucas