During the course of the year here in Tilburg, everyone has had a birthday. Timmy and I had birthdays shortly after we arrived. So, we actually had the parties in Utah with family before we came. We had a little party for Linda and another for Sarah and JJ, but all were just our family.
Adelaide is too popular for that. She wanted a big party with all her friends. So, after a lot of planning, we set something up.
Quick note about her school: it’s a small school with 2 grades combined into a single class. Adelaide invited everyone in her grade plus all of the girls from the grade below hers. She also invited some friends from church.
Every single person she invited came. Every person from her grade. Every girl from the grade below her. Every person from church. It was a big party. She is popular!
We did the party at the local swimming pool. Parents dropped off their kids. We bought tickets and they all went in.
After they were already starting to get in the water, the life guard asked us if they all had their swim diploma. We said that we didn’t know. They said we needed to find out or get the kids out of the water …
Side note: In the Netherlands, swim diplomas are issued at the national level, and pretty much all kids get them.
So, we pulled the kids out of the water and had to ask them. Most don’t speak English, so we had to communicate in our broken Dutch or have Adelaide or a lifeguard translate for us.
All of the kids except one said they had their swim diploma. That one was very upset. She said that she didn’t have a diploma but she knew how to swim. We asked in English and Dutch. The lifeguard also asked in Dutch. Every time she clearly said she didn’t have a diploma.
The lifeguard gave us no choice. We had to buy her arm floaties and she had to stay with an adult. She was very angry. She yelled and cried, but there was nothing we could do. Eventually she calmed down and it all worked out. When her mom came to pick her up, I explained what had happened so she wouldn’t be surprised. She then said, “But she has a swim diploma.” I replied, “She told us she didn’t.” The mom then reminded the girl and she replied, “Oh yeah, I do have one. I forgot.”
The rest of the party went really well.
Dutch Bentleys 