Author Archives: wordgeyser

About wordgeyser

Our anglo/american family used to live in four countries (USA, Canada, UK and the Netherlands) on two continents, separated by distance, time zones, circumstance and cultures. It has been a scary, enriching, challenging place to be. The only things guaranteed to get us through were a sense of humour and the amazing people met along the way. . . This year everything changed with a move for us from the Netherlands, – and a move along with us for our son and his wife from the UK – to Houston, Texas, the same city as our daughter. With our youngest in Vancouver, Canada, we are now all living on the same continent. How this happened, and more importantly why, will be the subject of this ongoing blog...

So How Would You Define Success?

Posted on March 11, 2011 by wordgeyser

Why is it when I’m with a group of smart, confident and self-assured women I come home feeling like an inadequate underachiever? There is no logical reason to feel like this, they say and do nothing to belittle or deflate … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, Inspiration and Reflection, Personal challenges, Women and Female Related | Tagged defining life success, definition of success, feeling inadequate, self confidence, self-esteem, what to do when you feel inadequate, women, women and loss of confidence, women and self-esteem | 3 Comments

Negative? Moi?

Posted on March 8, 2011 by wordgeyser

There have been grave rumblings in our household of late which were finally verbalised over dinner the other night. It seems my family members are concerned by – in their opinion – negative aspects in my blogs on life in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, Writing | Tagged Expat, negative writing, Netherlands, on reading, the four agreements | 5 Comments

Leash Laws and Dog Wardens

Posted on March 2, 2011 by wordgeyser

The bell tolls long and loud for all Dutch dog owners from 1 March through to 1 August. The annual leash laws mean rather than running freely through public parks and woodland (in slow motion with the theme to Chariots of … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Dutch Culture, Dutch Laws, Taxes and Bureaucracy, Expat Experiences, Family Life | Tagged dog laws in the netherlands, Dogs, dogs in the netherlands, Expat, expat family, expat pets, leash laws in the netherlands, Life Around The Hague, Netherlands | 2 Comments

Raunchy Daffodils and Randy Tulips: Learning the Lingo Part III

Posted on February 23, 2011 by wordgeyser

February, and those fragile signs that winter is finally drawing to a close and spring is just around the corner. Spending time outdoors walking the Archster I’m perhaps more aware than most of the changing seasons – when the first snowdrops appear and … Continue reading →

Posted in Dutch Culture, Expat Experiences, Family Life, Learning Dutch, Personal challenges | Tagged daffodils, Dutch language, Dutch tulips, Expat, expat experiences, expats and new languages, how to speak Dutch, learning a foreign language, learning Dutch, Life Around The Hague, Netherlands, speaking Dutch, Tulip | 3 Comments

Cataracts and Breast Implants: Learning the Lingo Part II

Posted on February 15, 2011 by wordgeyser

This was one of those times I dreaded (there have been many) when the reality of living in a foreign country and not having a complete command of the language can cause undue anxiety and stress. I sat in the bright … Continue reading →

Posted in Dutch Culture, Expat Experiences, Learning Dutch, Women and Female Related | Tagged dutch health, Expat, expat experiences with new language, expats learning a new language, how to learn a foreign language, how to speak Dutch, learning a new language, learning Ditch, learning Dutch, speaking Dutch | 4 Comments

New Orleans – Proud to Have Called Her Home

Posted on February 5, 2011 by wordgeyser

It is the traveler with real soul who will go beyond the guide books and tourist hype to find the beating heart of a place and the rhythm of the people who live there. If you are someone who feels … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Travel, USA | Tagged expat homesickness, feelings of home, Louisiana USA, mississippi river, New Orleans, southernliving, United States | 6 Comments

Fear and Indecision: Unlocking Painful Emotions

Posted on February 4, 2011 by wordgeyser

This morning I find myself in a mad mood, not at all conducive to creative thought. If I started to vent I would end up looking bitter, twisted and in need of immediate psychological help. This does not sit well … Continue reading →

Posted in Inspiration and Reflection, Personal challenges, USA, Writing | Tagged dealing with suppressed emotions, Deep South, Expat, expats and feelings of loss, fear of writing, homesick for new orleans, missing new orleans, New Orleans, Writers Resources, writing about pain, writing about painful emotions | 1 Comment

Life’s Certainties: the Dutch and Taxes

Posted on January 25, 2011 by wordgeyser

It’s January and there’s that sinking feeling in my stomach. Not the winter blues, nor the realisation that the New Years Resolution to lose 10 lbs by the end of the month is a lost cause. No, this is the gargantuan … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Dutch Culture, Dutch Laws, Taxes and Bureaucracy, Expat Experiences | Tagged belastingdienst, Dutch taxes, Expat, expats and international tax, Internal Revenue Service, international tax, international tax in the netherlands, IRS, IRS and international tax, US citizens and Dutch tax, USA taxes | 3 Comments

How the English Approach Language Learning: Learning the Lingo Part I

Posted on January 18, 2011 by wordgeyser

The Captain and I settled into uncomfortable silence, looking down at the space between us. We had made an executive decision to, maybe, engage the services of a private Dutch tutor to finally get to grips with the language. There … Continue reading →

Posted in England and Things English, Expat Experiences, Family Life, Learning Dutch, Personal challenges | Tagged Battle of Agincourt, Expat, expat experiences with languages, expat life, expats learning new language, how to learn a new language, humor, languages, learning a new language, learning Dutch | 1 Comment

January Blues and Southern Belles

Posted on January 13, 2011 by wordgeyser

I’m ashamed to admit I’ve been feeling a tad low and rather sorry for myself. It may be due to our plague-ridden Christmas/ New Year and ingesting a cocktail of heavy-duty antibiotics and foreign over-the-counter-medication which have left me looking for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Inspiration and Reflection, Personal challenges, USA, Women and Female Related | Tagged depression and pneumonia, Expat, expat illness and pneumonia, expats and homesickness, feelings of homesickness, feelings of sadness and loss, January blues, king cake, Mardi Gras, missing friends and family, missing new orleans, New Orleans, post christmas blues, southern belles, southernliving | 3 Comments

Diplomatic Incidents: The Memoirs of an (un)Diplomatic Wife by Cherry Denman

Posted on January 6, 2011 by wordgeyser

For anyone who has lived abroad, is planning on living abroad or just dreams of it, this is a book to get you started. Delightful in its honesty, upbeat and gloriously irreverent you can share in the nightmare of life overseas … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Related Book Reviews | Tagged book review, cherry denman, diplomatic incidents, Expat, expat books, expat family, expat wives, Humour - Dark, Light and Shades Inbetween | Leave a comment

Diplomatic Incidents In the Sick Bed

Posted on January 4, 2011 by wordgeyser

I have been forced back to bed for the day by my husband, not for the bliss of carnal delights, but because he seems to think I’m ‘going down with something’. The possibility of the domestic helm being unmanned has galvanised him into action, … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, Expat Experiences, Family Life, The Netherlands | Tagged diplomatic incidents, diplomatic incidents by cherry denman, expat family, expat wives, Jerome K. Jerome, Life Around The Hague, three men in a boat, what makes a book funny | 1 Comment

Expat Kids Home for Christmas – In a Place They’ve Never Lived

Posted on December 27, 2010 by wordgeyser

I know, I know. We all feel that sense of anti-climax after Christmas. The present buying and wrapping, decorating the house, cooking, getting excited for the children coming home, travelling to friends and family, constant activity and mania – then … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, Dutch Culture, Expat Experiences, Family Life, Women and Female Related | Tagged Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, empty nest, expat family, expat kids home for christmas, expat kids home in country they haven't lived in, expat moms, post christmas blues, TCKS home for christmas | 2 Comments

Planes, Trains and Snowmobiles

Posted on December 20, 2010 by wordgeyser

Here we go again. Further adventures in the Snowmobile. The Captain is en route from Harwich along with refugees from the nightmare of Heathrow and the other London airports. Guess who’s designated to pick him up? I’m also collecting Don and Stuart, … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, The Netherlands | Tagged driving, driving in snow, Harwich Rotterdam ferry, Heathrow, hook of holland ferry, international travel delays due to weather, keeping warm in vehicle in snow conditions, snow mobile, stuck in vehicle in bad weather, travel delays due to snow, travel delays due to snow in europe, travel delays due to snow in the Netherlands, travel delays due to snow in UK, travel problems, winter driving in the Netherlands | 4 Comments

Wassenaar White-out

Posted on December 18, 2010 by wordgeyser

I’m done with the snow and you can cancel Christmas too. We woke up this morning to the wonderful light and deep quiet of a new snowfall, a real magical winter wonderland. Like an idiot I’d promised Harry I’d drive … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, Expat Experiences, Inspiration and Reflection, The Netherlands | Tagged Christmas, December in the Netherlands, driving in snow, Expat, loving snow, serenity of snow, snow days in the netherlands, snow in the netherlands, Thanksgiving and Holidays, traffic delays in snow, winter driving in the Netherlands, winter traffic in the netherlands | 1 Comment

Expat Moms and Global Sisters

Posted on December 13, 2010 by wordgeyser

Today I feel especially close to expat moms like me who are counting down the days and hours to their off-spring heading ‘home’ for the Holidays. As a family, we’ve celebrated Christmas in the same way every year – familiar food, … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice for New Arrivals in the Netherlands, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, Expat Experiences, Family Life, Inspiration and Reflection, Women and Female Related | Tagged empty nest, empty nest christmas, expat christmas, expat christmas experiences, expat families together for christmas, expat family, expat friendships, expat girlfriends, expat kids heading home for christmas, expat moms, girlfriends, TCKs and christmas, TCKs heading home for christmas | 5 Comments

Our highlight of the night? Coronation Street…

Posted on December 7, 2010 by wordgeyser

… and the much anticipated 50th year celebration of Coronation Street on British television (watched here in the Netherlands on satellite TV). To anyone not having a British heritage you may be scratching your head in confusion. Coronation Street is a soap opera running … Continue reading →

Posted in England and Things English, Family Life | Tagged award winning british soaps, british television soaps, British TV, coronation street, coronation street 50th anniversary, Corrie, manchester, tv soaps, weatherfield | Leave a comment

Snow Day in The Hague

Posted on December 2, 2010 by wordgeyser

Snow Day! Well, we have about an inch but the way the Dutch roads have ground to a halt makes you think we had at least six feet. Driving into The Hague this morning was easy – driving out after four hours of continual snow … Continue reading →

Posted in Dutch Culture, Expat Experiences, The Netherlands | Tagged driving, driving in snow, driving in the hague, driving in winter conditions, humor, John Deere, Life Around The Hague, snow in the netherlands, Wassenaar, winter driving, winter driving in the Netherlands | 1 Comment

The Problems of an American pre-lit Christmas Tree in Europe…

Posted on November 30, 2010 by wordgeyser

Right. It’s involved two step ladders, several beer mats (for balance, duh) and it’s time for the big switch on, tad-daa… okay, so who moved the transformer? It’s kept in the same place all year, and at this point in the proceedings … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, Expat Experiences, Family Life, The Netherlands | Tagged american pre-lit Christmas tree in Europe, Christmas, electrical transformers, Expat, expat christmas, pre-lit christmas trees, putting up a christmas tree, taking pre-lit tree from USA to Europe, Thanksgiving and Holidays, usa pre-lit christmas trees in europe | 1 Comment

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Posted on November 24, 2010 by wordgeyser

I’d never given much thought to American Thanksgiving, other than it was an American holiday at the end of November. I knew it commemorated the pilgrims first year of survival in the New World and that was about it. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Thanksgiving and Holidays, Expat Experiences, Family Life, Inspiration and Reflection, USA | Tagged american thanksgiving, celebrating thanksgiving as a foreigner, Expat, expat experience of Thanksgiving, purity of Thanksgiving, southern living magazine, Thanksgiving, thanksgiving as an expat | Leave a comment

Mutton or Lamb?: Being comfortable with yourself…

Posted on November 21, 2010 by wordgeyser

I spent much of my younger life dressed as mutton not lamb. Bringing home new clothes and showing them to the Captain, he’d say, ‘Lovely darling, but why don’t you buy something younger looking and more, well, you?’ In my first proper job we … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Life, Women and Female Related | Tagged best design for jeans, design, feeling comfortable in jeans, finding jeans to fit, fit, how to wear jean, jeans, looking like mutton dressed as lamb, mutton dressed as lamb, perfect fit for jeans, self-esteem and self image, self-image, women and lack of confidence with clothes, women and self-image | 3 Comments

Just When You Think Your Daughter is Finally Grown Up…

Posted on November 18, 2010 by wordgeyser

I hear the phone ringing off the hook and curse that the one on my desk is dead again. Pressing the send button on my keyboard I jump up and dash through to the kitchen and grab it before it … Continue reading →

Posted in Expat Experiences, Family Life, USA | Tagged advice to daughters, Baton Rouge, Children, college bound kids, college kids and hygiene, college kids managing on their own, Expat, kids in college, kids in college and cleaning, LSU, parenting teens, tck's in college, teens and house cleaning | 1 Comment

Dog Days and Birthdays: November in the Netherlands

Posted on November 16, 2010 by wordgeyser

Some days you get out of bed feeling you can’t make the effort, then you do and the day takes off in ways you don’t expect. I’d psyched up for another day of rain, mud, and the company of equally … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Life, Inspiration and Reflection, The Netherlands | Tagged back to nature, Dogs, English Springer Spaniel, finding calm in solitude, inspiration, joy of nature, life balance, Netherlands, nourishing the spirit, november in the netherlands, reconnecting with yourself, serenity in nature, solitude, Sporting-Gundog Group, weather in the Netherlands | 1 Comment