Visitors to the Netherlands

Posted on by ghotiindustries

We have spent the week playing host to some visitors from Tokyo. Our little household went from Himself, I, and our three fur-kids; to seven humans and three fur-kids! It has been an amazing week in which we learnt lots of things about getting up early and resolving neighbour disputes. It was an interesting week!

Himself and I spent Sunday cleaning up the house and making it respectable and presentable to guests. Then off I went on the bus to Schiphol to meet everyone and bring them home. Say hello! They are pleased to meet you.

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Rembrandt Park

Posted on by ghotiindustries

Sometimes you need to be reminded to walk in a new direction. I know we fall into the trap of going the way we know. It’s a safe, it’s known, you know what to expect around each corner. Sometimes you need to force yourself out of that rut, and make a change! So today, we went off to appreciate Spring in Rembrandt Park.

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We were repaid for this decision in a myriad of little ways. Starting with this beautiful family who were out enjoying the sunshine!

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A Year in Europe

Posted on by ghotiindustries

Who’d have thought this day would come upon us so fast? We flew out of Sydney a year ago. It’s one of those strange sets of circumstances where it simultaneously feels like we’ve been here forever, and like we only just got here. Time has passed in the blink of an eye, yet has taken so long for some events to pass or come to fruition, that we thought they’d never arrive. We’ve learnt and grown so much, and yet, there is still so much further to go.

As my first semester of Dutch language class draws to a close, I realise there is still a long way for me to go. I try hard not to feel inundated or intimidated, and remind myself that I’m still learning and refining my use of the English language every day. Some days I’m a better self-motivational speaker than others. I plug on.

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Tuincentrum, Spring, Easter

Posted on by ghotiindustries

Since moving to the Netherlands I have wanted to buy some plants. First we were renting and had nowhere to put plants, then by the time we moved into a more stable living environment we were spending our money on setting up our new home. Then it was the depths of Winter and I didn’t think any plants I wanted on the balcony would survive the snow and frost, so I continued to wait. Biding my time until I could … spring … into action.

Well it’s Spring now, and the call of blooms was just getting too much to cope with! The trees are just waiting to explode with leaves! I think they are just waiting for the snow to finally give up and stop falling!

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I had been told about a garden centre in a nearby suburb, and when on the tram the other day had even spied it out of the window. So off we went to explore! Would you like to know more?

Playing at Tour Guide

Posted on by ghotiindustries

No matter what the temperature tells me, Mother Nature is telling me that it’s Spring!

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So much has happened since getting back from Prague! We still had our travel companions staying with us for several days once we returned home, but we continued on with our normal weekly routine as well, so there were still Language classes for me in amongst all the sight seeing.

When our friends headed back to Australia that was when the plague descended upon the household. I don’t remember much of that week. I was sick enough that I didn’t make it to my first Dutch Class. I had no voice, and I didn’t really think anyone else wanted to get my fever or cough.

That week though, ended with some other friends in town who I haven’t seen in years! It really is a wonderful experience to be able to show off our beautiful city to people we have known since childhood, but not seen or really spoken to in fifteen years.

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Combining sight seeing with catching up is a great way to spend several days. Would you like to know more?