There is not much need of proving to most students or workers the necessity of holidays. They are quite convinced that they are and most desirable, too. It would be more in place to try to convince them of the necessity of putting effort into work and study. Yet, it may be desirable to show that regular intervals of rest, recreation, or a change of occupation are of great significance. As the old kindergarten rhyme says, “All work and no play, Makes Jack a dull boy."
Holidays at proper intervals are especially necessary for those engaged in hard mental work; for continuous work, without a break, will injure the health, and may cause a nervous break-down. A short holiday, rightly used, will send us back to our work with renewed zest and vigor. The holiday must be spent in a productive manner. If the holiday is spent in mere idleness, or in an exhausting round of exciting amusements, or shut up in close stuffy rooms drinking or smoking, or in any other unhealthy way, one will come back to his work tired, listless, and uninterested. The holiday, instead of doing good, has done harm, much more harm than steady work could ever do.
According to economic reports, in the year 2012 the Dutch population spent 4.9 Billion euros on holidays inside the Netherlands. This report was released by Statistics Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, CBS). Such a statistic was no surprise to me. Family holidays and camping are very popular in Netherlands. People would go to camp in the woods to enjoy the scenery and nature away from stress of work or study.
Last weekend, along with some friends, I went on a camping trip in the area of Ommen, East of the Netherlands. It was an unprecedented feeling of joy and relief to leave out all electronic devices as well as the ‘holy’ internet, and live some moments free from influence of any technology. In a place where green lawns seem to extend to infinity with many various species of plants and trees, one would deeply regret every holiday he spent in the city in the siege of concrete jungles. This holiday is by far, one of my best experiences in Holland. My advice to expats down here is to never miss out on a camping trip in Netherlands.
