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As a Dutch student, I am intrigued by American High Schools. In the Netherlands, we also have high schools - of course - but you could not compare them with the high schools in America at all.

For example: in the Netherlands we do not have a caste system in high school at all. And of course, there are some popular teenagers and some less popular ones, but the way America 'treats' their students is insane to me.

In a way, you get popular because you are talented. If you make the football team, you are almost automatically popular. And if you are one of the cheerleaders, you can join the club. If you are just someone who is really smart, has a great personality, but is a member of the book club, you will become a 'nerd'. And nerds are not popular at all.

Imagine, you are the quarter back of the football team, but you are a total jerk - but still you are one of the most popular people in school. Imagine again, you are head of the fantasy club and you have the sweetest personality - but still you are one of the least popular people in school. Furthermore, you might get bullied.

Is this not insane if you think about it? If you will become popular depends on your talents and interests, instead of who you are and how your personality is. I think America can learn a lot about this.

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September 11, 2001 - Arlington, Virginia

It began as a normal day for Beau Doboszenski. He was working as a tour guide in the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. He was guiding a group of tourists in the eastern wing, when an American Airlines Flight 77 flew into the opposite wing of the building.

When a Navy captain in the building was looking for medical assistance, Beau did not hesitate a moment and helped where he could help. Beau is a former volunteer firefighter and trained Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

At first, Beau was stopped by the police - he could not reach the crash site. But after passing the barricades anyway, he helped multiple injured people by giving them first aid. Later on, he joined five other people and went into the crash site, which was still burning up in flames.

In only hours, he went from tour guide to hero for many people.

The plane, which was hijacked by Al Qaeda, caused the death of 189 people. 106 more people got injured.

Not only Arlington was the target of Al Qaeda on the day which is now best known as 9/11. In New York City, two planes flew into two towers of the World Trade Center. This attack cost 2,996 people their lives and more than 6,000 people got injured.

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The Americans have many national holidays, such as 4th of July, Labour Day and just like the rest of the world they celebrate Christmas and Easter. One other national holiday, which only North Americans celebrate, is Thanksgiving. It is a day to be thankful for everything you have, like a roof over your head, a family, wonderful friends et cetera. When we, as Dutch people, think about Thanksgiving, we only think about how the people on the other side of the ocean get together with family and friends and have a massive dinner - but we forget about the history of this day.

It all started many years ago, when they were thankful for the harvest and the past year - this all happened when many people still worked on the land. The very first Thanksgiving dated in 1621, when pilgrims from Europe celebrated the harvest with Native Americans. The people kept celebrating this day and in 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as an official national holiday. Now, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.

Nowadays, families and friends come together and be thankful for everything they have and often eat with each other. A popular part of the meal on this day is a stuffed turkey. No-one is sure why this animal is eaten by almost everyone on Thanksgiving, but it is probably because the turkey has always been in North America.

Big cities also have huge parades with floats, bands and inflatable balloons floating over the parade. Many people come into the city to experience this with their own eyes.

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Every 4th of July, all Americans come together with family and friends to celebrate their independence. But what does the 4th of July mean for these American citizens?

On July 4, 1776, 56 people signed the Declaration of Independence. This meant that thirteen American states became independent of England, which held these thirteen states as colonies. From this moment on, the states were combined into one nation with the name: The United States of America.

Ever since America was discovered by the Europeans, the thirteen states on the east coast were in control of Great Britain. These thirteen states became the Thirteen Colonies. Citizens lived the British life and were fine with this. In the beginning at least. Eventually, people realized they wanted to be free and to be able to control their own country.

The battle against Britain started in 1775. The citizens of the Thirteen Colonies wanted independence, they wanted freedom. On July 2, 1776 the Congress voted for independence from Great-Britain, in secret. Two days later, on July 4, the declaration was signed by, among others John Hancock, William Williams and Joseph Hewes.

Since then, Americans celebrate their independence on this summer day. Families and friends come together and picnic, barbecue, eat together et cetera. To end the day, lots of people go to see the fireworks, which are lighted all around the country.