Whensday - Beginning of the Euro

We live on the border of two countries: Belgium and The Netherlands. We live in Belgium and the church meets in Maastricht, in the Netherlands. A river (which is 500 meters from our backyard) is the border. This means that we can shop in both countries with ease. The two countries sell different things and often have differing prices for the same things. Peanut butter is cheaper in The Netherlands than in Belgium, for example. 

When we first came to The Netherlands and Belgium in 1991 we had to make sure we had the right currency. I had to have a wallet with at least two section for the various bills from the two countries. I carried the coins from one country in the right pocket and those from the other country in the left. 

In 2000 that all changed when the Euro was finally implemented. A year before that our banks had been doing things in Euro as a sort of test. But the background and preparation for this change had been coming for a long time. The basis for the Euro was agreed on in the Maastricht Treaty on February 7,1992. At that time the 12 EU countries agreed on a common currency. We started meeting as a congregation in Maastricht this same month (which had nothing to do with this treaty, of course).

It took several years after the change in 2000 for us to get used to thinking in euro’s. The Belgian franc translated into 40 francs to 1 euro. The Dutch guilder was 2 guilders to 1 euro. We were constantly translating in our heads. But it was still quite clear that suddenly everything became quite a bit more expensive. A coffee that used to cost 2 guilders now cost 2 euro! 

But it has made things easier for travel. No longer do I need to carry around two different sets of coins or pay attention to which currency notes I am using. I can pay in any European country with the same currency and can easily transfer funds from one country to the next. The new century brought this new - what was it: ease or trouble? 

(Check out these Dutch coins. Yes, that is a 2 1/2 Guilder coin)