When people talk about living on an island I always imagine it is like living in a small village. Everyone knows each other, the postman comes in for a cup of coffee when he deliveres your mail. I imagine this is all true for Texel. But then, because you live on an island, there is the added difficulty of being stuck on it. When you live in a small village, you go to the nearest city to do groceries, go to school or party. The Texelaars, and especially the youth, cannot do this whenever they like, because the nearest city is 'on the other side', i.e. On the mainland. The earliest boat leaves at 6:00, the latest goes at 21:00. Between those times you cannot leave the island, or get on it. If you work at the 'overkant', you can never work later than 20:00. If you study on the other side and you want to go home on Friday, you have to be in Den Helder around 20:00, otherwise you'll miss the boat. Cheap flights at Schiphol always leave very early, earlier than you can ever get there from Texel. For an ambulance to get to the hospital at night, the ferry has to go especially for them. Living in a small village on an island brings with it a lot of difficulties, especially for the youth. I think I understand why young people leave the island to go study and don't come back.
Living on an island
