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Blog: wordgeyser Topics:expat, netherlands, family and life expatsblogs
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Author Archives: wordgeyser
The Non-Expat Expat: Not Fitting The Box
We’ve lived away from our birth country for 20 years and a lot’s happened in that time – we moved to the USA, raised a family, took American citizenship, relocated back to Europe and will move on again. The first two … Continue reading
Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Expat Experiences, The Netherlands
Tagged advice for new expats, advice from long term expat, American citizenship, becoming an expat, effect of expat life on children, empty nest, families living overseas, Family, global families, HIFX expat website, living abroad, long time expats, tips for expats, tips for moving abroad, tips for moving overseas, want to live overseas?, what new expats need to know, when kids live overseas, when kids move away, where is home?
15 Comments
Living in The Netherlands: What to Bring with You
I was recently asked what would be an essential item to bring to the Netherlands if I was moving here. A loaded question – one I didn’t want to answer without serious consideration. Much depends on where you’re coming from, whether … Continue reading
Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Dutch Culture, Expat Experiences, Family Life, The Netherlands
Tagged american school of the hague, expat relocation to the netherlands, help moving to the netherlands, living in the Netherlands, moving to the hague, moving to the netherlands, relocating to the netherlands, tips for international moves, tips for moving overseas, what do expats need to bring to the ntherlands, what to bring to the netherlands
4 Comments
Interview with Expatsblog – USA to the Netherlands
A while ago I was interviewed by Expatsblog for their great website which is full of resources for anyone moving from somewhere to, well, just about anywhere else. Their website a phenomenal amount of information available on wherever it is you’ll … Continue reading
Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Dutch Culture, The Netherlands, Travel
Tagged advice moving to the netherlands, expat family, expat life, global travel, living in den haag, living in Holland, living in the hague, living in the Netherlands, living overseas, moving family to the netherlands, moving from USA to the Netherlands, moving overseas, moving to the netherlands, Netherlands, should i move overseas?, third culture kids
1 Comment
Where has the year gone?
It is with shock and horror I realise how long it’s been since I last posted on Wordgeyser. I wish I could tell you I’ve been traveling the world, or training to be an astronaut ready for the manned space … Continue reading
Transitions: Life’s Waiting Rooms
The carpeted floor beneath my bare feet pitches gently and I realise the ship has left the placid calm of the harbour, cleared the rocky promontories encircling its entrance, and moved out into open water. The movement is almost imperceptible, … Continue reading
Living in the Netherlands: The Good, The Bad and The Frustrating.
I first wrote about moving to the Netherlands several years ago when I’d had time to settle in and get established, but was still new enough to the Dutch culture to see it through fresh eyes. Since that original article … Continue reading
A Sense of Place: Genetics and Travel
Have you ever traveled somewhere and felt instantly at home? Or arrived in a new place and felt a sense of disconnection you couldn’t put your finger on? I’m sure we all have, but why does it happen? I’ve arrived … Continue reading
Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, Inspiration and Reflection, Travel
Tagged ancestral DNA, canada, connections with physical places, D4-7 allele gene, DNA profiling, familiarity of places, family history, feeling connected, feeling connected to a place, genetic, Genographic project, humans as DNA carriers, National Geographic Society, the expat gene, the migratory gene, the travel gene, Vancouver
17 Comments
Dutch Delights: The Magic of Winter Days
The first snow day of the winter and in its wake the dreary, endless days of the Dutch fall are forgotten. Day after day of leaden skies, like a dirty, heavy, sodden blanket thrown over the country, dripping constantly, suffocating … Continue reading
Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Expat Experiences, Inspiration and Reflection, The Netherlands
Tagged finding joy, james Joyce the dubliners, joy in nature, making memories, memories of snow, snaow days in holland, snow days, snow days in the netherlands, snow in new orleans, winter in Holland, winter in the netherlands
19 Comments
Hurricane Sandy: Facing the Aftermath
In the past days the world has looked towards New York and the northeastern seaboard of the USA and watched with awe as mother nature flexed her muscles and reminded us there is no place on earth where she cannot … Continue reading
Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Politics and Social Comment, USA
Tagged aftermath of hurricane Sandy, aftermath of natural disasters, emergency responses to hurricane sandy, hurricane Katrina, hurricane preparedness. life after a storm, insurances companies and storm damage, lessons learned from katrina, mental health and natural diasters, new york response to hurricane sandy, red cross and disasters, Times Picayune, US politic
4 Comments
Empty Nest Syndrome: It’s Not All About the Kids Leaving
I promised myself I wouldn’t write anything further on the empty nest syndrome. Not because there’s nothing to write about, but because it’s an emotive subject for many, with parents on either side of the fence and the majority just … Continue reading
Posted in Empty Nest, Expat Experiences, Family Life
Tagged empty nest life stage, empty nest myth, empty nest syndrome, expat empty nest, kids leaving home, marriage and the empty nest, marriage breakdown when the kids leave, marriage breakup and the empty nest, mothers and the empty nest, what to do when the kids leave home, will marriage survive the empty nest, women and the empty nest
18 Comments
IB Diploma: The Only Way Forward for Global Education
Throughout the world thousands of students are waiting for the results of their IB (International Baccalaureate) examinations sat in May and June. They are the culmination of two years of blood, sweat, tears, sleepless nights and some hard partying once … Continue reading
Posted in England and Things English, Expat Experiences, Family Life
Tagged academic qualifications for expats, Advanced Placement exams, expat education, expat students, GCE Advanced Level, Global Education, globally recognised qualifications, High School graduates, IB Diploma Programme, IB results 2012, International Baccalaureate, international education, International qualifications, international students, UK unversity, university applications
7 Comments
Light Bulb Moments: Recognizing the ‘Monkey Mind’
Ever heard the expression ‘monkey mind’? For those of you rolling your eyes in disbelief that once again I’m behind on things, please bear with me. I only came across this recently, in the process of editing a book. I … Continue reading
Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, Personal challenges, Writing
Tagged apple gidley, empty nest, expat experiences, Expat Life Slice by Slice by Apple Gidley, feeling overwhelmed, feelings about children leaving home, Graduating high School, monkey mind. traveeling to France, Senior Prom, stepping back, when you can't write, writers block
4 Comments
James Brownhill: Moving Forward
A year ago James Stephen Brownhill was tragically killed, alongside his climbing partner and friend, David Evans, during an ascent of Mont Blanc. A peak previously climbed along with others on different continents. A year in which everyone who knew … Continue reading
Posted in Family Life, Inspiration and Reflection, Personal challenges
Tagged Chamonix, Climbing, climbing deaths, climbing Mont Blanc, Frendo Spur, James brownhill, James Brownhill Memorial Fund, James Stephen Brownhill, JBMF, loss of a child, moving forward with loss. coping with loss, remembering loved ones
3 Comments
Queen’s Day: The Quieter Side
I’ve decided to share the quieter side of Queen’s Day, Koninginnedag, a day to celebrate the birthday of the former Queen, Juliana. The present Queen, Beatrix, spends the day with members of the Royal family, visiting towns throughout the Netherlands. … Continue reading
The Expat Good Samaritan: Cultural Attitudes to Caring
Whether you’re a serial expat moving from country to country with the huge machine of a global company, working in a foreign country under your own steam or emigrate from one country to another, there will be times when disaster … Continue reading
Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, Inspiration and Reflection, Personal challenges
Tagged caring in the community, cultural attitudes to caring, expat caring, helping other expats, looking after others overseas, responding to others in crisis, the good samaritan, what to do in a crisis
2 Comments
Global Tax : Inescapable and Unrelenting
It’s February and there’s that sinking feeling in my stomach. Not the winter blues, instead the gargantuan beast from hell, the preparation of the annual tax returns. You can’t forget about it, or pretend it’s not happening, stick fingers in your … Continue reading
Managing Expectations: The Dutch Health Service
Before we start I’d like to make it absolutely clear that on arrival in any foreign country, whether to live, work or take a vacation my expectation of the local health care systems is always neutral. This avoids confusion should … Continue reading
Versatility: Something We All Need
It seems I am Versatile. A startling and unexpected revelation to someone who has spent much of the past month deliberately under the radar. This is the time of year when awards are awarded (think the Baftas and the Oscars), … Continue reading
Posted in Inspiration and Reflection, Personal challenges, Writing
Tagged adventures in expatland, Adventures in Integration, blog awards, Drie Culturen, expatcalidocious, Expatlogue, Find My New Normal, Gidday from the UK, I was an Expat Wife, In Search Of A Life Less Ordinary, perking the pansies, postcards from across the pond, The Unexpected Traveller, versatile blog awards, What About Your saucepans?
6 Comments
Mental Sabbatical: A Time to Step Back
After the New Year and a return to the Netherlands from visiting friends and family, I did something inconceivable only a few months previously. I decided to take a step back from life, review it and decide whether anything needed … Continue reading
The End Day of the Year
The end days of the year; the hiatus between Christmas and the start of the new year. Strange days with a dreamlike quality, slightly out of focus and removed from the reality of day-to-day routines. A sense of anti-climax after … Continue reading
The Dutch 30% Tax Rule and International Teachers
I’ve written about the Dutch 30% tax ruling before, a topic foremost in most expats’ minds during the annual tax period. This year the topic gained the status of national debate when the junior tax minister, Frans Weekers, considered introducing an income … Continue reading
Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Dutch Laws, Taxes and Bureaucracy, Expat Experiences, Politics and Social Comment, The Netherlands
Tagged american school of the hague, dutch 30% tax rule, dutch 30% tax rule and teachers, international schools, international schools in the netherlands, international teachers, international teachers and dutch tax, Netherlands
1 Comment
Creative Detox: Using Writers’ Block to Refocus
I hold my hands up. I’ve been struggling with what I can only assume is writer’s block these past few weeks. Not in a hand wringing, anguished kind of way, rather an intellectual curiosity as to why the creative juices … Continue reading
Dutch Car Insurance: You’re On Your Own
We all have those times when negative energy seems to stick to us like glue, overshadowing everyday life with lethargy, leaving us dispirited and resentful without fully understanding why. It saps strength and creativity, sucking away fun and joy as … Continue reading
Law and Order Dutch Style: Impersonating a Police Officer
Last weekend our youngest son experienced a rite of passage we had hoped he could have avoided, unlike his older siblings. With much high-fiving from them, he joined their ranks, having come into contact with the local constabulary during a … Continue reading
Through the looking Glass: Spinning Plates
Wondering where yours truly has disappeared off to, yet again? Or has the dismal absence of blog posts driven you to pastures new, assuming wordgeyser is finally wordless? Well, dear friends, I have neither disappeared or been wordless. The words … Continue reading
Somewhere Between Anna Wintour and Citizen Kane
The next great adventure and literary project? A concept and vision which first appeared on my horizon at the beginning of September. A dream graphic designer, Simone Branson, has nurtured since her late teens. The product of a British father … Continue reading
Silver Linings: Two Sides to Every Coin
You may have noticed I’ve been AWOL over the past week, but maybe that’s an arrogance on my part. Perhaps other things have piqued your interest during my absence and you’ve moved on and engaged with other things. Despite rumours … Continue reading
wordgeyser 
Presidential Politics: Who Holds the Real Power?
The circus is over, the votes are in and everyone in the USA, and governments around the world – who appreciate the impact of the election on global politics – will know where they stand for the next four years. … Continue reading →