We are starting a new adventure!

In last July's blog the title was "Our emigration adventure is over". A misleading title (apologies for that...) that did not cover the scope of the blog. The adventure was over, because Mallorca had become "just" our home. Now that we are temporarily back in the Netherlands and slowly start to long for home, we will hopefully step into an new adventure in July. It feels like we are going to emigrate again with all the choices and stress that comes with it. Covid has hurt us a lot but also taught us a lot. Wies and I are getting tired of the headwind. It is time for a tail wind...

Our life in Holland

"I'm really not going to work in healthcare", was the first thing Wies said when we were discussing our return to the Netherlands. "I don't want to go back to that life". In the meantime, she has been working for the Zorggroep for some time now and she is working her shifts just like before. It's incredible to see how quickly she has changed her mind and put her experience and skills back to work for the elderly in our society. She even seems to enjoy it. I have a lot of respect for her in how she deals with this. The clients and colleagues love her and would like nothing more than for her to stay forever. I am very happy and proud that Wies has signed a contract for life with me...

I myself am working at one of the largest call centres in Europe. This company takes care of the Covid project on behalf of the GGD. We schedule appointments for tests and vaccinations. A gigantic operation in which almost 10,000 people do their utmost every day to arrange everything as well as possible. Not an easy task because the political and media pressure is high (see the news in Holland about a data leak a few weeks ago) and the urgency to vaccinate everyone as soon as possible is high. It's special and exciting to see the other side of this operation. It was also instructive because I had no experience of working as a manager in a top-down organisation where key performance indicators are important. And where one hour is spent discussing whether a telephone call should be made exactly according to the prescribed script or whether there is also room for empathy. People who know me know that I can become extremely recalcitrant when organisations let the system be their leader. So far, I've managed to keep a low profile...

Floor and Maartje are busy with their own lives. Floor is in her final year at the highschool and that is very busy and hard work. Certainly under the present circumstances where learning is far from optimal and the space for the necessary relaxation is very limited. I wouldn't want to change places with her, I have to say. It is great to see that she is doing everything she can to succeed. It is very much to her credit that she is going to make it and take the next step in her young life. The person I would like to swap places with at the moment is Maartje. Life seems to be cheering her on and she is getting incredible grades at university. We know that, just like Floor, she works hard and is dedicated to doing her thing and that it doesn't all come naturally. It is mainly her positive attitude to life that makes her tick. Maartje, can I trade places with you for a day in order to fill up on that wonderful positive energy of yours?

Next week we will be moving (for the umpteenth time in one year...) to our own place in Horst-America. The hospitality we have received from Wendel and Gerard is priceless. Muchas, muchas gracias! Horst-America will be our last stop before returning home. For Wies and me there is no doubt that we will live in Mallorca again. There are some things to arrange such as finding a new home in Mallorca and especially setting up our new company requires a lot of arranging. Especially if you combine a company in Spain with a company in the Netherlands. What a lot of paperwork and hassle just to open a business account for example. 

A new adventure!

By the way, if you are wondering who the man in the picture is, he is Martin Lukasse. He participated in the NK Tegenwindfietsen in 2020 and finished on the podium. This special NK is an annual open Dutch Championship that takes place in Zeeland on the Neeltje Jans in stormy weather (wind force 7 or higher). The cyclists cycle against the wind on men's bicycles without gears and with back-pedal brakes, provided by the organisation. How strong and persevering (some will say "how insane") you have to be to accomplish this. Wies and I are very happy that Martin has joined our company and has become a full partner of Bike Villas Travel. With his qualities, input and commitment we will also overcome the last headwind. It is time for a tail wind and for fun work. From April onwards, we will be live with our new company and by mid-May, we will be organising our first cycling package in a Bike Villa in Zuid-Limburg/Voerstreek. Off to a new adventure!