Afterthoughts and Details of My Visit to Humanity House

Prior to my return to Amsterdam to prepare for my actual purpose of being in The Netherlands, I decided to grab a coffee and drop my items* at central station. There was still one place I wanted to check out before I left The Hague – Humanity House.

Many of you probably know the history of this city. For those who don’t, it’s known for being the international city of peace and justice. The International Courts (Justice and Criminal Courts) are located in the city, along with one of the UN’s largest offices. So, finding a place called Humanity House on the tourist map intrigued me.

When I arrived at the museum, I was given a quick rundown of the operation. First, there were two exhibits – one on the process of refugees/asylum seekers in the country, and the other on the impacts of violence in the Ukraine. The former was quite eye opening, as it showed how difficult it is to gain entrance to The Netherlands (a country that is also known for being quite open to taking in those seeking a new home), and even more so the challenges and realities of those who are denied asylum. It also features several pieces of artwork and photography, which further demonstrate these hardships. The latter was made up of a dozen or so photographs featuring quotes from the stories of those captured in each image. I must say, some of them were quite difficult to take in.

This is from the exhibit on the asylum process, and the one piece that really had an impact
on me. This is a single mattress filled with stuffed animals that people send thinking they
will be of use. Just another point at how unbalanced our priorities are in the West.
I feel a more detailed post coming on this piece - still processing. 

The third component of the museum is, what they call, The Experience – and this was really what I’d come for. This is an attempt at recreating the process of seeking asylum. It lasts about an hour, and although it gives only a very small glimpse into the reality of those actually facing these decisions, it was quite well done.

The Experience starts by obtaining the participant’s identification papers. Basically, they take your picture, ask for your nationality and date of birth. Once you receive this, you are sent to the basement of the building, where a room replicating what one’s home might look like is awaiting you. When you close the door behind you, things begin to quickly unravel. In the background you hear unsettling noises – people screaming, gun shots, those sorts of things – and this is perfect for setting a tone of disorientation.

As you move from room to room throughout the house, there are radio messages urging evacuation. You find a room that has been torn apart, as those who had once occupied it had hurried to grab what they could before departing. And as a participant, it was easy to get swept up in it all. I found myself on edge, not sure of what to expect next**. Then it was on to walking through dimly lit (if at all) hallways, which eventually led to an elevator that takes you to an immigration office.

Once I reached the office, I was taken aback by the many binders that covered the walls. It is at this point that you are asked to file your identification papers in the binder that corresponds to your last name. After that you have to wait in line (or at least you would have had to if you weren’t the only person currently undergoing the Experience), where you meet with an immigration officer.

This was the moment where it truly hit me. Up until this point, everything was in several languages, including English. But when you enter the tiny room – basically a closet with a wooden stool, and a glass window to separate you from the officer, it is confusing. For one, even if you had come with others, you can only enter one at a time. And, once you’re in there, there is no English – it’s just the voice of an impatient and unsympathetic Dutch-speaking man***. The tone alone, startled me. But the fact that I had no idea what he was telling me, made it even more challenging. Eventually, I figured out what I was supposed to do and carried on, but even now – a week later – I can’t stop thinking about that, and how awful that must be in a real-life situation.

After this, it gets a little easier. You go through several rooms that provided stories from people who have taken these journeys for real. These stories share what they have lost, what they have gained, and perhaps most importantly what they had taken for granted.

When I finished, I returned to the admission desk, where the lady who had checked me in asked how I was. I found it difficult to piece together any words. I was struggling to hide the tears that were surfacing – not because I didn’t want to cry, but because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop.

Everything within Humanity House is meant to get you thinking. Even the washrooms are not free from this. The picture below doesn’t actually show the impact of a washroom sink, but those words written above it are more than just that. As I reached for the tap closest to me, I was unable to turn it on – it was glued so that it couldn’t move. Next, the tap handle turned, but no water came out. It wasn’t until the third attempt that I found one that actually provided water. Just let that sink in a bit (no pun intended). I mean what better way to truly demonstrate the very harsh reality of water availability?

The sink. Such a powerful piece.

This was a pretty powerful experience. I left feeling completely depressed, but ultimately thankful I had made the trip. Again, I know that this is only a miniscule glimpse into what it would actually be like to face this reality. I am so fortunate to have wonderful people in my life, that unfortunately have only entered it because of these very processes. I cannot imagine what this would be like or how disorienting it would be to have only minutes of preparation before embarking on such a terrifying and uncertain journey.

This experience will forever be held with like ones, such as that of my Cape Coast and Elmina Castles in Ghana, or that of Terezín in the Czech Republic. They have all placed me in a point in history (or present day for the most recent), that have made me step back and consider what the reality of those places would have been like. They haunt me, but equally inspire me. They are so important, not only to make us appreciate all that we have, but to continue becoming more empathetic humans.

After I left Humanity House, I walked quietly half in thought, half taking in the beauty of the city surrounding me. 

Binnenhof - or Dutch Parliament.

It took me a few years to get to The Hague, but it sure was worth the trip!

-the Orange Canadian

*A task probably far too challenging for this ‘ol thing!

**Partly terrified that something would jump out at me… did I not mention my strong dislike of haunted houses?!
***This is actually one part of visiting this country that always humbles me - English is not THE language, but rather a language used in addition to it's own - Dutch. 

At One with King Kong, Not So Much Godzilla

It is no secret that I love trains. In fact, as a child I always wanted a train set*. As an adult, I still want to have a train set, but a more sophisticated version – i.e. an entire train room. This, of course, is not going to happen any time soon...or probably ever. So, when a few years ago I was told about what was essentially an outdoor train room, I knew I had to get there. This magical place is none other than Madurodam.

Okay, so let’s back this up a bit. Madurodam is a miniature recreation of the most well-known spots in Holland**. It opened in 1952, and much to my surprise upon arrival, I learned it is actually a war memorial.

Walking up to the entrance of Madurodam, I felt pretty giddy. I had set some fairly high expectations for this place, and with wanting to see it for some time, it was an exciting moment! For a Tuesday morning, though, I was amazed to find so many people – especially children. But it turns out it is fall holidays for school children. It also happened that despite my usual aversion to tiny humans, they made the experience even better***!

Madurodam from the outside!

When you first enter the site (beyond the ticket booth), it kind of feels like walking into the main gates of Jurassic Park…if JP were built on dykelands instead of in the tropics! The first stop is a short film that gives the background of the park. This includes the story of how and why the park is a war memorial. Take heed though, if you’ve been walking around for a while prior to your visit and you think this 6-minute film will give you a 6-minute sit down… it doesn’t – standing room only!

Once the film is finished, the doors open and you walk into the magical world that is Madurodam! There is a walkway that takes you from the theatre onto the park grounds, but it provides an excellent spot to just stop and take it all in at once. It was pretty overwhelming!

A panoramic of the first visual of the park from inside. It's a lot to take in!

As I walked throughout the park, I noticed familiar sights, such as Dam Square, Rijksmuseum and the airport to name a few. The detail involved was just incredible! Some displays had moving parts, while others had audio. There were also a few stations throughout that provided a bit of background to a particular scene, while others were interactive. My favourite interactive display was a Armin van Buuren DJ booth/concert, where those brave souls****.

Dam Square

The Peace Palace

Schiphol International Airport

That's either the world's largest seagull or the smallest airport ever...

Two-lips!

Oil production, featuring Esso... 

Windmills

A bit of a shipyard and a few cruise ships. 

A recreation of the football stadium!

Towards the end of my visit (and energy levels/capacity for human interaction), it began to rain. I was impressed that this did not seem to deter anyone’s visit. Very few looked for shelter, as most were still wrapped up in the excitement of it all.

I stated at the beginning of this posted that I had set pretty high expectations for Madurodam. I am delighted to inform you that not only were they met, but exceeded. I learned the next day that my interest and enthusiasm for this place seemed odd, given that I was not from The Netherlands. But it would be difficult, I think, not to get swept up in the magic of it. Even though my initial reaction to the high presence of children was a bit concerning, it ended up adding to my experience, because seeing how interested they seemed to be – the attention to the details and the willingness to take part in the interactive activities – only proved just how important a place of this kind has.

My only disappointment was that I couldn’t find the hanky-panky couple I was told were in the bushes somewhere. I scowered those grounds, but unfortunately either this was just a rumour, or they had to remove it. Regardless, if that was the only thing that let me down, I’d say it was a success. I highly recommend the trip to Den Haag, and of course, to Madurodam!

-the Orange Canadian

*We didn’t ask for much growing up – mainly because we knew we didn’t have much, nor need it – but there were two things I always wanted that I never got: a train set and to grow up on a farm. One of those would have obviously been easier to achieve than the other.

**Some say you can see the entire country in a single visit… which sure, you can see plenty, but I’m pretty sure there are some places missing!

***Don’t worry folks, tiny humans still slightly terrify me!

****I say brave not because it required any sort of skill, but that it was in such high demand anyone wanting to try it had to wait for quite some time… I was not one of those individuals.