Since Virginia is a state and not a nation, it does not have a literature or movie industry as the Netherlands and Britain do. While American films and TV shows circulate around the globe, you may not know much about the Commonwealth of Virginia, which is the 12th largest state with a population of 7 million. It is larger than the Netherlands and about the size of England (without the rest of the United Kingdom). As part of the Sun Belt, Virginia is growing rapidly, being 7th in population gain between 1990 and 2000.

Virginia was founded by the British at Jamestown in 1607 during the reign of the Stuart monarch King James I. The colony  spread through the Chesapeake Bay and up the principal rivers (the James, Rappahannock, and Potomac, the latter two being Native American names). A tobacco plantation economy was established and supported a small elite, which produced a great number of our Founding Fathers, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, George Mason, and Patrick Henry. The first four of these were also Presidents. The fact that the national capital is in Washington was a concession to Virginia—Philadelphia or New York would have been more logical choices. Virginia played important roles in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, and many battle sites are preserved as historic monuments. Like most of the South, Virginia recovered slowly from the Civil War (1861-1865) but now has burgeoning cities, computer chip factories, and even a nascent wine industry.

Guide to Historic Virginia with a Richmond focus, which is not bad considering the area's resources. Links to the Library of Virginia, the Black History Museum, the Edgar Allen Poe house, and Civil War sites.

James River Plantations The James River is the principal river of Virginia, and was one of its earliest highways. All of its capitals (Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Richmond) have been on its banks. These plantations were established in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in imitation of estates in Britain and Barbados. They are worthwhile as historic architecture, but are not on the scale of Buckingham Palace or Versailles.

Richmond Times-Dispatch Info on the state capitol from its newspaper and from Richmond.com. Further west between the Blue Ridge and the Appalachian Mountains is Roanoke.

The Virginia Community College System The system office's website with connections to all 23 colleges.

Colonial Williamsburg The refurbished central area of Williamsburg, containing the Governor's Mansion, the College of William & Mary, Bruton Parish Church, and a colonial jail.

Virginia.com Travel Info Regional info, weather, etc.

The Commonwealth of Virginia's Educational System A broad overview, from elementary school to university level. Also information on libraries and museums.

Virginia is for Lovers Believe it or not, that's our state tourism motto. This is the official tourism website, covering historical sites, wineries, theme parks, etc. Dutch visitors can read a Dutch version by clicking on "international visitors".

U.S. Embassy website in the Hague Contains much valuable information about America in both Dutch and English. Similar finds occur at the website in English maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

If you will be visiting the nation's capital before returning home click on Washington, D.C. 

Click on the following for more Virginia pictures.

A useful book is Culture Shock! USA by Esther Wanning (Portland, Oregon: Graphic Arts Publishing Company). Part of a multinational series this describes American values, family and work life. Here's a sample:

"In search for conversational material, work is a good bet. In many countries, it is not seemly to ask "What do you do?"  Not so here. We are so often defined by our work that we are happy to talk about it. But if work proves unproductive, you might try, "What do you do in your spare time?"

We are not on the whole a reticent people. Some observers have noted that we are freer than Asians in discussing emotions and feelings, but more secretive about factual matters. Still, you can safely inquire about wives or husbands, children, geographical background, hobbies and habits. ...

We worry about invading people's privacy, and we also have the idea that foreigners aren't used to personal inquiries. So some Americans may chatter on about trivialities because they don't dare to plunge into deeper territory, but given an opening will happily take your lead." (pp. 152-3).

  August 29, 2003. Comments to ccowden@nvcc.edu.               

The VaCIE-VCCS Exchange Program is sponsored by the Virginia Council for International Education, a consortium of public and private colleges which encourages international relations, and by the Virginia Community College System.