I have just officially turned 17 in the Netherlands, which is pretty cool! Friday was my birthday and I went into the city with a friend then went out to dinner with my host family. The Dutch language has started to get much much easier. I understand a lot more, and I am keeping up conversations. It is not so easy to write, and to be able to say everything, but there are many people in school who like to help an exchange student. This week, at my school, is test week, and on monday I took the english exam, which was a piece of cake, and I now have no other tests since I have not been able to follow the classes, due to me learning Dutch all day at school. Luckily, I have a couple days off of school, and I am going on a day trip to Amsterdam with my friend from Equador, who is also an exchange student. I will also be playing football (soccer) and working on some Dutch homework. Some of the things I still haven't gotten used to here, are the amount it rains here and the distance. It always seems to be rainy and windy, but sometimes it gets sunny and clear out. The distances are also very hard to get used to, since in America I lived so close to everything, it is still a big shock to have to take the bus places and to bike 40-50 minutes to school every day. The good things is I get tons of exercise here with biking, soccer, and some tennis, but I also have been eating lots since all of the food here is really good. Things have been good here, and I hope that things only get better!!

So it's has been just over a month. I just went to the first camp this weekend with all of the other exchange students in the Netherlands, which was nice to talk to other people who have the same problems and also enjoy the same things. I am just about to go play tennis so I will make this short. Being here has gone by very quick, but it also feels like I've been here for a long time. I've got some good friends at school, and plans to go in Groningen on the weekend, so I'm really starting to love it here. And there are also many beautiful dutch girls here!!

So it's been just over two weeks since I've been here and I've gone to four days of school which have been really nice. It's surprising how many people speak english, and there's also a ton of American music and clothes here.  My classes are taught in Dutch so I'll still learn the language. I've been trying to join a tennis club nearby so I'll be playing again soon and I'll hopefully join a soccer club too. I've gone to a couple music festivals and I've been into Groningen a few times which is the big city about 12km away from my home. I've made some friends but hopefully there will be more to come!

        My name is Kyle Campbell, I am a 16 year old sophomore at Key West High School in Key West, Florida. It's been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember to live in a different country and learn an entire new culture while attending school with others who are just as interested in my foreign life. As a part of the Campbell family, I was born with the love of traveling, and an extreme interest in the world I live in. So, I was presented with the opportunity to travel half-way around the world to The Netherlands to study for a year in a public school. I will be traveling through American Frield Service (AFS) intercultural student exchange program. As of now I am not sure of where in the Netherlands I will be and who my family will be, but soon I will be given that information. I'm really looking forward to talking to my new family and getting a rough idea of what my life will be like there!

      As a  sophomore here in Key West, I'm involved in several clubs and sports at my school. During the fall, I am on the soccer team and during the spring I play tennis with many of my good friends on our team. I am also a member of Beta club, a community service-based club. I'm in French club, a club that also is based off of community service and takes a trip every year to france and other european countries. In my Wakeboard Club, I am the captain, we have around 5 or 6 trips to a watersports park in Orlando, Florida.
      It is unfortunate, but this dream of mine is an expensive one... I need to fundraise a good amount of money in order to pursue this adventure. It is highly appreciated if you would donate to help me, any amount helps so much. Passing on the link to friends and family that would be interested in donating or just reading about my trip. Just pass on this link http://kylecampbellstriptonetherlands.blogspot.com/. In order to sponsor me, got to http://www.afsusa.org/study-abroad/fundraising/sponsor-an-afser/  look up Kyle Campbell, and go ahead and donate how much you want!

    On my trip, I will keep this blog updated with what I'm doing in the Netherlands and how I am adjusting to my new life as a foreign student!
   
Kyle C.