In previous posts I have referred to the different activities Jeremy and I are involved in on a daily basis. I thought this time I would share “a day in the life” so to speak. I will show you pictures of local places that have been important to us since we moved here. These business keep us motivated, fed, and content. I feel blessed by every one of them!
Vermeer Corporation
I have to start out with the reason we are here in the Netherlands – Vermeer! This is the facility that Jeremy goes to every day and works hard for. The Vermeer company calls it EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa. Those are the regions this facility serves). Jeremy serves as the Operations Manager, so he oversees purchasing, manufacturing and logistics. It is both challenging and rewarding. I believe he spends more time at work than any other place. He has started riding his bike to work a few times per week, which takes him about 20 minutes one way. The other days he drives the one car that Vermeer lets us use during our our time in the Netherlands. The truck pictured does not belong to him and isn’t one he drives. I just wanted to include it because it reminds me of home. I see Vermeer trucks around Pella too.
Vermeer is giving us more time in the Netherlands, so we continue to acclimate to our surroundings. They first asked Jeremy to help them out at the Netherlands location for 3 months, but now his contract has been extended. We will be here for two or three years. Jeremy and I are both ok with that length of time. We will go back and forth between Goes and home fairly often, and we do really like it here! We will enjoy it while we can!
The Gym
Here is the local gym I joined – Fitland! A woman who has befriended all of the American Vermeer wives is employed at Fitland, and she kindly showed me the ropes. I try to go 3 days per week. My bicycle trips there take me only 7 minutes one way. Once I arrive I either work on the Milon equipement or join an exercise class. These outings keep me healthy and give me interaction with people. I am thankful for this outlet!
The Language Class
This is the building where I take my Dutch language classes. I am not sure what the PsyQ means on front. It is just a building with several offices inside that can be rented by business people. I go to the 3rd floor for my once a week class. When I started, there was a woman from Ukrain in my class, but she has since switched classes. So now it is just me and a gal from Iran learning from teacher Janneke. It is hard for this middle aged lady to soak in a new language! But it is fun too. This building takes me about 10 minutes by bike.
Our Favorite Grocery Store - Albert Heijn
There are several grocery stores in Goes, but I go to this one most often because it is only two blocks from our apartment. This is referred to as the small Albert Heijn. A bigger Albert Heijn is located about a mile from me, just outside of the Centrum. I stop at that one on my way back from the gym sometimes. There are also other grocery store chains in town, like Jumbo, Aldi (yes, same as U.S.), and Lidl. But the small Albert Heijn is my main go-to. It is easy to zip through and has SO much for fresh food options! Like I mentioned in a previous post, sometime I will write a blog just on the grocery store(s). I just love them.
Blokker For The Win!
Not sure what we would do without this little gem – Blokker. It is just a few stores down from my Albert Heijn. It is basically a kitchen store, but has a lot of household items too. Since we came to this country with only our clothes, we relied on our furnished apartment for the basics. And what wasn’t provided in our apartment, we purchased at Blokker. They have helped us out a bunch with the variety of things they offer. Need a cheese grater? Blokker. Need hangers? Blokker. Need an insulated drinking cup? Blokker. Ice cube tray? Shears? Water pitcher? Fan? Blokker! And their workers are even somewhat friendly! I suppose we would have found somewhere to buy life’s necessities if we hadn’t come across Blokker, but I am so thankful we stumbled on them right away!
Our Go-To Restaurant - Slot Oostende
Slot Oostende is literally right behind where we live. We can look down into their courtyard from our back deck. That is what first drew our attention. We couldn’t help but see them!
This is a restaurant/brewery that does its business in an old castle. The castle was built in the 1400s and had a large moat around it. Our apartment building now stands where the moat was. This restaurant has a medieval theme due to its history. We took a tour of the business and the castle, and saw the original castle kitchen. Very interesting!
But back to the restaurant, it is one of our favorites. We have visited often enough that some of the staff knows to give us English menus without us asking. The food is excellent, offering a variety from burgers to chicken to seafood. The place brews its own beer, which we like to try from time to time. The atmosphere inside is fun due to the historical focus. And in the summer they have a beautiful garden in the back of the building with tables and chairs for dining. So pleasant.
So, the above are our weekly destinations! All of them have a special place in our lives as we are still getting used to a routine here. When you are in a new environment, you become attached to anything that is helpful, pleasant, meets your needs, and gives you a sense of comfort. These places have done that for us and more. We are thankful for them all! Obviously we are still open to learning about new ideas and places too. How fun it is to get a suggestion from someone local who knows what places offer things that are handy, enjoyable and make life easier. So we are also excited to see what the next three months brings! 🙂
