Category: Life in Holland

  • Homesickness: The reality

    In this post, I want to share the raw reality of homesickness. There’s a beautiful word in the Welsh language that means, ‘homesick’ – it is ‘hiraeth’ and it’s often translated as ‘a longing.’  And that is what homesickness is, a longing for the familiarity of home. Moving abroad was the hardest experience for me.  It…

  • 5 Things No One Tells You When You Move Abroad

    There are a few things no one tells you when you move abroad. Before moving I had no idea what to expect. Along the way, I learned a LOT. Flashback to just two years before that. I lived in our home in Pretoria, South Africa with two dog children and my family.  Life was normal. …

  • Amsterdam Weird , Fun Facts

    Alongside wooden clogs, windmills, and tulips, the Amsterdam Canals spring to mind when anyone mentions Holland. A canal cruise along the Amsterdam Canals is undoubtedly the number one attraction and for first-time visitors, a canal cruise is a great introduction to the city. But what else has Amsterdam got that keeps us coming back for more? Mouth-watering…

  • Digital Christmas Card 2017

    Sending a Christmas card from the Netherlands to all my friends and family in South-Africa is hard to do. So, I thought the blog would be the best place to do it. This time of year always makes me a bit emotional. I could most likely cry at the drop of a hat or a…

  • Maastricht Christmas Market

    A guide to the Maastricht Christmas Market. 1 December 2017 to 1 January 2018 Do you smell that? It’s hot spiced wine wafting through the air mixed with gingerbreads and nuts. It’s Christmas in Europe which means one of the most festive ways to get into the spirit of the season: Christmas Markets! Ornately decorated…

  • Moving abroad: How to Adapt

    In a new country, you face a set of entirely new experiences; a new culture, language, and a new learning environment. Moving to a new place is exciting but it can also feel scary and overwhelming. You have to adapt to new people, a new language, a new way of doing things. Often you have…

  • Once Upon a Time in a Castle

    I spent a day and night at the most famous castle in the Netherlands (Slot Lovenstein). Loevestein is a water castle that was built between 1357 and 1368. It was built in the middle of the Netherlands, where the Maas and Waal rivers come together. Castles fascinates me quite a lot. I always have a long list…

  • Expat life: The Reality

    Follow my blog with Bloglovin People often ask, “How are you adapting to life in the Netherlands?”  “Are you fluent in Dutch yet?” “Do you miss home?” Life Life is life no matter where you find yourself in the world. You still have work, friends, bills, responsibilities. It’s not an extended vacation. Life abroad is starting…

  • Teenage life abroad

    It’s early in the morning; the plane is about to land. I can see the signs of ground through the windows of the plane. The moment I have waited for with excitement and anticipation has finally arrived. In the next minutes, I will step into a new world and a new life.  These are the…

  • A day in Rotterdam

    Rotterdam is a city that is rich in History. On 14 May 1940 Rotterdam was under attack by the Germans. After being almost completely reconstructed following WWII, the city is now known for bold, modern architecture. Cube Houses Revolutionary architect Piet Blom designed and developed Rotterdam’s collection of 40 innovative cube houses in 1984, each of…